The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-20
PLAYING AND PRAYING
ARE NOT INCONSISTENT
Religion and HcInNRtion should re
blended. Sn9s Eminent CicrEymau.
Hut should Not StiHc other.

."rhe past nifty years have witnessed
remarkable awakening of :hc public
mind as to the value OF play says
Rev Eliott White, PLAY is a useful
thing: almost a necessary one. Where
II while ago our parks confroHted us
at every turn with the forbidding sign.
Keep or the Grass. now we see ne
children rompinE and rolling on the
green sward. To-day the talk is OF
backgrounds and playground teachers,
OF recreation piers, summer camps. pic
MICS and excursions. And not FOR the
children only; their elders, too. need
recreation. There arc outings for tho
factory employees. Saturday half ho'-
DAYS for tho tired shopgirls. games for
the million No one disputes the fact
that we al work better for IL little
play now and then. Vacation time Is
not wasted. 1t may he a wise economy.
True religion touches man at every
point; religion and play come into con-
tact. They may meet as enemies or as
friends 1t has happened in thu, past
that reiigion--a mistaken religion
has tried to kill out play. The Puri-
tan hanished the May-polc and the
Norris dance, ana the poor folk said
with wistful regret. 1t was merry in
England when We had the Mns9.' We
need not trouble ourselves over the
Puritan, the danger OF following his
example is reduced to the vanishing
point. we have, now. different peril
TO face. that PLAY may Kill religion.
The week end junkctinG; the goddess
sunday spent on the tennis court or
the golf links or the deck Of yacht or
excursion steamer. the eating and
drinking and dancing and playing
about the golden calf OF Pleasure, our
Lord forgotten, and his commands de-
spiscd-hstory to-day repeats itself.
TAKE RELIGION INTO PLAY,
]. A. WE'LL As WORK
What God wants is religion and play
in sincere friendship and effective alli-
ancc. with mutual respect and cooper
alton Play needs 10 respect the rights
of religion. There is a time to. give
over fun and mcrriment, and bc serious.
There must bc no more play in wor-
ship, frivolity is out Of place there.
Religion. too needs 10 cooperate with
play, TO enter IN and hallow II. So
will play do its healing work for the
spirit. rs well as for the body Take
religion into your play. Why not
Every one recognizes the propriety OF
taking ones religion into ones work.
Yc, We need God still more in our
pleasures For when we are engaged
IN enioviug ourselves We are less
WatChfui ana we arc apt to forget re-
Straint. We are more prone To SIN in
play-timc for then there is more idle
ness, ana idlcncsS courts temptation.
Tut there is higher reason than the
gratitude should prompt us to take our
upuscncnts straight to cod Does tnat
seem forced? II is tho most natural
;hnc IN the world. if we really love
Him How thr llttlc CniN runs with
each new gif, 10 mother. How II" pratt
tics 20 her OF all his garucs and happy
adventures. Should not we. in like man
ncr bring our Joys to our heavenly
rather? God wants us 10 take them
TO Him God wants us TO let Him On
ter into our JOYS lie who Is Em-
manuel God with-us. wrought lis fret
miracle at Wedding feast The Son
of Man cumo cutting and drinking. ana
"" may to sure mat thcy who ate and
drank with him never regretted his
presence ~ thclr fcasts Tho tests
were not loss MERRY because they were
not malicious. thc stories not less in
tcrcsttnr. because thcy were not broad.
DO not Let us bc SO mean as TO run to
God with our aorrows, and give Him
the cold shoulder when Ito would share
our JOYS fray, thcu. for your holiday.
that q may 10 YOU lasting good FRAY
that In your holiday God will keep
YOU good