The Alaska citizen., 1916-07-24
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THE SPIRITUAL ATHLETE


 and the experience of an old man, and were addressed to young man in whose blood flowed the spirit of athletics. No nation in history ever made more of the games than did the Greeks. They were pleased to lay much stress on the development of the body. and a good form was much to be desired. The great pub lie contests of the nation were de signed to develop the physical man, and as d result, to more carefully cement the petty factions of the nation in one grand spirit of unity of national purpose. So far had the Greeks carried this desire of ath- letcS that it finally became part of their religious makeup, and special inducements were always held before the participants which made them feel they were offering special tribute in their successes at the games, to the gods of plea sure
 Just how far Timothy was inter ested in the national development of the athletic spirit We cannot say, but with Greek father and a constant Greek influence surround ing him, PauIs eXhortatiOn to him would have a direct and especial spiritual meaning. Paul's opinion of the human body would tend to show us that he believed in bodily exercise He recognized the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit Whatever tended to make the body worthy was not to be despised. He tells Timothy that bodily exercise is profitable and not to be neglect. ed, but he does not fail to remind him that man does not consist of body alone and there is an exercise more profitable. Exercise myself unto godliness."
 Everywhere there Is growing interest and fondness for athletics. Outdoor and indoor sport is gaining In its popularity. And it should be SO All wise men have taught that a sound mind should dwell in 8 sound body. Health is no mean as set; without it many man has fallen short of his possibilities. But physical exercise can never meet the needs of any man. The body ever so well developed is still only the dwelling place of the mind and soul. Exercise may produce phy- sical giant, but what profits a man thus developed and the soul unde- veloped or becoming atrophied? Paul's matured knowledge of the fitness of things emphasizes a kind of eX- ercise that is profitable for godli- ness. One might think that godli- ness is a Twentieth Century word, for to the average mind it savors of too much piety possessing lacl. ot red blood for present day living. Paul used this word late in his life. To him Christianity was a life of action toward God and man for good, or 1t was nothing.
 All of the stages of Christianity its physical stage. it's moral stage, It's intellectual stage, are as nothing in comparison to the development of it's spiritual stage. The former may refer to the leaves and the trunk, and the branches and the beauty of the tree, but it is the fruit bearing that makes the tree of value, and shows it's true worth. Character is the fruit of the real Christian, and without fruit he Is a failure indeed. You cannot tell by the trunk or bark of a tree what kind of fruit it will bear; the fruit itself is the only test. You cannot know Christianity until it has pro- duced man The real Christian is the only argument for Christiani- ty. By their fruits ye shall know them" applies to Christianity as we'll as to all other results of ser vice or growth. No one would dare deny such an axiom any more than he would deny the laws of gravita- ton or the laws that control cleo tricity Forms and feeling can no more reveal the true character of a man than wood and bark can re- veal the fruitage of tree.
 According to Paul, godliness is the term which expresses the true na ture of religion. The godly man is the normal man. He is endowed with the true outlook of life, and holds a right relation with man and with God. It is just this high goal that he places before his younger brother Timothy, and yet no more to him than to every other man,
 Athletics has it's spiritual lessons these lessons learned all may be spiritual athletes. Among the first to be learned is the lesson of method All athletics that point toward sue