The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-23
PARK
EXPERIMENT IN
CHRISTIANITY
REV. EUGENE r. PENDLETON
GIVES SPIRITED DEFENSE OF
CRITICIZED RECREATION PLACE
SAYS RELIGION AND FUN ARE
ENTIRELY COMPATIBLE.

Rev. Eugene R. Pend1eton, in an elo-
quent sermon delivered at the First
Baptist church Sunday, presented q
spirited defense Of Bayview Park,
which has been the subject of some
recent criticism Mr.. Pendleton con-
tended that recreation and religion
are not necessarily antagonistic- The
sermon follows:
Texts; Behold, that which have
seen to be good and to be comely is for
one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy
good in all his labour, wherein he la
boureth under the sun, all the days of
his life which God hath given him: for
this Is his portion" Eco. 5:1S.
Hope set on God who giveth us
richly all things to enjoy" 1 Tim, 6:17.
The right to enjoy life is instructive,
and both Testaments uphold it lest
some ascetic or oVerscrupulouS soul
should make a virtue of being miser-
able, and drape all religion in the
weeds of mistaken misanthropy.
A great deal of prea ching and teach
ings lay emphasis upon doing for
others, and conscientious people are
sometimes in danger of not being good
to themselves. God made all things
beautiful for US to enjoy: the heaving
sea with opalescent glory, the noun
tatns towering in royal blue, the va
ried color scheme of nature. the sweet
cyon longings, and the myriad notes of
songsters which fit through our for
ests. these and then thousand others
were they made to waste their sweet
ness? The Bible tells us God gave
them to US to enjoy.
There Is quite q difference between
q child's irresponsible idea of enjoying
life, and a well matured and Christian
scheme Of pleasure The child wants
to play at table, in company in church,
anywhere. The Israelites acted like
children when they made a molten calf
and sat down to eat and to drink, and
rose up to play" But there is time
for everything, and the Christian has
his right to play. AS others are taking
naturally we ask, what rights have
we? How far can we go in taking
pleasure for ourselves?
Play is Elemental.
The animal that does not love play
is sickly, abnormal or surly. Who has
not seen kittens, lambs, dogs and
calves at play? I remember to have
seen rabbits at play when / was a
child They had their regular resorts
and times. and we learned to watch
for them to come out into the lane at
sunset, and they would scamper about
as If playing hide and seek. Simians
not only play but play jokes on each
other with relish. I have seen mon
keys play jokes on their keepers and
chatter with the fun of 1t.
In all lands the children have loved
play. Stone dolls and toys are dug up
in Egypt and Babylon. In Israel dolls
were forbidden because they were
thought to be a violation of the first
commandment, but Israel was a joyful
nation. Germany has great care fol
its children, and Japanese love chill
dren and make many of the toys OF
the world.
Religion and Recreation.
Recreation may be just as religious
as worship. There is religion in whole
some fun! Who has not felt better
after having shaken a few buttons of
his vesti Whatever leaves the blood
tingling with better health, and the
mind clean and filled with a new Zes
| for work is in agreement with re-
| ligion.
When the miserable conditions IL
| the tenement districts of New Yorl
| were brought to light, and 1t was found
| that old Trinity church owned many
| of those reeking buildings. and they
were ordered torn down and replaced
| by better ones, was not that religious
| The sanitation and housing question
| may become a religious question. VIVA
ever saves life and promotes 1t borders
| closely upon religion.
! Do the churches in New York anC
other cities which furnish pure milk Il
save the poor and sickly babies, no
deserve praise? The churches shoulC
aid the city every way to clean up
and raise the health standard. II on
can aid in giving an outing to the poo
children, or giving food to those who's
wan faces and suIlen, joyless lives Of