The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-21

| never took an unfair advantage even
of his enemies Success did not turn
his head, neither did failure daunt
him. Game to the last. he went to his
death like conqueror mounting his
throne.
do not think we appreciate the
real manhood of Jesus enough. etc 1t
was no pale aenemic Christ that
walked through the crowd at Nazareth
that were threatening his life. 1t was
no other worldly ghost that drove the
money changers out of the temple. II
was no weakling that said to the cream
of Jerusalem aristocra "; You scribes
and Pharisees. hypccrites." 1t was no
cloistered saint that associated with
publicans and sinners--eating an
drinking with them In their native
haunts.
I say. then. that to be a Christian Is
to be a good sport--the kind of man
that right-thinking men most admire.
l. A good sport is game. That is
to say. he is out for adventure and
isn't afraid. \ game chicken Is a fight
ing chicken. A true Christian is n
fighting man who will venture any
thing for the cause he has cspoused.
and, IL need he, die lighting for It.
lie will venture anything for truth
au1 right ! thiak the travest men on
earth arc its spiritual pioneers and
martyrs-mcn who Tor the sake OF
some new truth about God are willing
TO sacrifice everything tho world holds
dear. even life itself.
jenkins book, dedicated to THE
hravest nen | know. the heretics"
What does he mean? He means that
the man who keeps abreast OF truth
must. like the pioneers OF the western
wilderness. oftentimes break away
from his fellows and go out into the
wilderness alone.
1t is not the danger that hurts so
much-as the loneliness the suspicion
the Misunderstanding
lie is thinking OF Paul. who was
a hereto to the Jews; of John wyciifYe,
who was hereto to the Romanists
of Father Tyrrell. a hereto to the
traditionalists OF the vatican: of John
Wesley. n hereto to the Church of
England; OF Alexander Campbell, and
others.
2 The good sport plays the game
fairly. SO does the good Christian.
DO you know that 1t Is one of the
hardest things to do. Just TO play fair
in life with your opponents, your COM
petitors, your friends and acquaint-
ances. think il is harder today than
II ever was, because we put such
premium on success" Anything to
win" we say. not realizing that that
was precisely the reasoning whereby
the Germans would have justified the
rape of Belgium. Results in sport, in
business even in religion.
What we need is to revive the old
ideal OF the honor of "a gentleman"
1t is the Christian ideal
3. The good sport is a good winner
and a good loser. So is the good
Christian.
A bad winner is a disgusting spec
tacle, He Is pulTed up with pride He
either patronizes or DULLES those he
has beaten or thinks he can beat He
boasts Of his prowess. He rattIes his
bow and spear. If his success Is in
the business world. he is purse proud.
arrogant. overbearing. In the world
of sport, he is the swell head: in the
art. letters and morals, the "prig."
Let me give YOU an example of a
good winner. England in the Trans
vaal compared with Prussia and France |
In 1870.
To he good loser is just as inpor-
tant as to be good winner.
Some people, when they lose out in |
life acquire a chronic Crouch. They !
are sullen and resentful both towards
God and man. They have standing
quarrel against the world for having /
Used them go. when often, IL the truth |
were told. II Is not the world that has
abused them, but they have abused
the world That Is the un- Christian
spirit.
A good loser on the other hand, like
a good wrestler, takes his fall like a
man and comes again, He bears no
grudge against anybody. except per
haps, himself He makes the best of
his defeat and Is willing to shake
hands with fate and arrange forth
with for another meeting. That Is the
Christian attitude.
| know of no better example OF the
good loser than General Lee.
4. A good sport Is considerate of
others. There Is a strain Of gentieneRs |
of friendliness and helpfuiness in nj.
so with the Christian.
The game the Christian plays Is that
In which the stakes are the welfare
and happiness OF others. II ne wins,
Il ia others that gain. If he loses. II
IS others that suffer
Gentleness Is not inconsistent with
strength