The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-11-12

- ~ miss this point
work, not amuse-
ment. Is the business of life. God has
laid upon every man the necessity OF
work, and for this reason has distrib.
uted to every man his work" ls II
not just In this connection that we
may be justified In finding fault with
the professional sport. the man who
gives up his whole life to pleasurel
When the main thing IN college and
university life is athletics are We not
justified In protesting that LIES main
purpose IL being lost sight OF? Play
and amusement Is but a side issue In
life; when II becomes the whole
thing. then II IL harmful and sinful. no
matter whether the amusement In
question be in the forbidden category
or not then even innocent amusement
becomes morally bad Amusement Is
to work what whetting the scythe In to
create an edge tolls hard and cuts but
little. while he who whets the scythe
all day cuts none. II the mother en-.
Joys amusements more than she does
her children. the wife more than her
domestic duties. the husband more
than his home. the man more than hts
labor. and the student more than his
books. then amusements are harmful
and wrong
2. The true Christian will see 20 II
Il
alive. and not dissipative.
man may lie so long In a bath
that he comes out OF II all exhausted.
or he can take plunge or shower and
come out all the better prepared for
the duties OF life. SO Is II with amuse-
ments: It may be just the opposite
The amusements OF the Christian
should build up lost tissue. rest the
tired body and rejuvenate the faded
mind. they must build up the whole
man - physically. mentally. morally
and spiritually.
I. The Christians pleasures will
recreate physically. The body OF the
Christian Is the temple OF the holy
ghost II Il incumbent upon him
therefore that he keep his body In as
good. clean. pure. and healthy con.
dltion as possible The body needs
relaxation: Il needs rest from the
strain and tension OF life; II needs
new blood. new nerve tissues: II needs
by means OF recreation. to be better
fitted for the real tasks that lie with.
In its sphere OF labor.
The test the Christian must apply to
his pleasures II this do they recreate
and restore the waste tissues OF tho
body? Excess In athletics Is not rec.
reation. Young men have died from
overstraln in running; girls have
been ruined for life by excessive rope
jumping Many pleasures dlssipate
the powers Of the body instead OF re-
creating them. Apply such test to
certain forms OF popular amusements
prevalent today; the theater. the
dance. the card party. DO they recre-
ate. or do they dissipate? DO they
violate the laws OF physical health BY
their late hours, their impure atmos.
phere. their mode OF dress and con.
duct or are they perfectly consistent
with the observance OF the laws OF
good health and hygiene? II these I
violate the laws OF |
health. then. until such times as they |
can be brought within the realm OF |
recreative pleasures. the Christian
must place them on the forbidden list. |
2. The pleasures OF the Christian |
should recreate mentally. The physi. |
cal must not be developed at the ex. /
pense OF the mental. Giantism must
by no means supplant intellectualism
Mind is greater than body. as Glad. /
stone and Bismarck are greater than
John l.. Sullivan or James ]. Jeffries.
The Christian must ask himself, there
fore, What effect do my pleasures
and amusements have upon my mind.
my thought. my thinking7 DO they
build up, ennoble, purify, sanctify; or
do they debase, befoul besmirch, de.
bauch' Is my thinking higher, nobler.
more God-like because OF the pleas.
ures In which ! engagei"
All things are not to be Judged by
the eye; the mind discerns also.
speaks OF the man who
hath body filled with vacant mind.
gets him TO rest crammed with dis.
tressful bread" The Christian is TO
Judge his amusements by this stand.
ard. Apply this principle to Iitera.
ture. What books do we read, II
the Christians master should inquire:
What readest thou?" what would be-
Dur reply' Beware lest our minds be.
come diseased by the reading of iisht