The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-10-28
Rev. Paul |. Grove
Gives Sermon on
Clean Sports
SIX RULES OF GOOD SPORTS
MANSHIP APPLIED TO LIFE
BY LOCAL PASTOR IN SUNDAY
EVENING TALK.

BLESSED is the man that walketh not
in the counsel of the ungodly nor
standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful. But his delight is
in the law of the lord; and
in his law doth he mediate day ana
night. And he shall be like tree
planted by the rivers of water, thai
bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; ana
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so. but are like
the chaff which the wind drivetn
away. Therefore the ungodly shall
not stand in the judgment, nor sim
rers in the congregation of the right
eous. For the Lord knoweth the
way of the righteous; but the way OF
the ungodly shall perish. "This was
the scripture read by Rev. Paul =.
Grove at the Sunday evening services
in the Methodist Church for the Red
wood Falls High School football
squad and other athletes of the city
His lecture was extremely inter-
esting and instructive and was plann-
ed on these six rules which dealt;
Play Hard; Play Clean; Play for the
Team; Don't Granstand; Don't be a
Buffer or Knocker and Don't Out.
Mr.. Grove is we'll versed in clean
school athletics and was a spectator
at the Minnesota-Notre Dame foot
ball game Saturday. He was in.-
pressed with the playing Of bott
teams, the clean playing of the win
ners and the hard, clean playing Of
the losers. At the game he had tn.
thought, What is it that makes col
lege football games so popular, that
$4,000 people come from all parts OF
the country to see two teams play
Just this; the game is governed oy
rules to conduct ones self properly
on the field in losing as well as wiz
ming; true craftsmanship. Popular
football will become obsolete if not
played by the true rules of life, tho
rules of clean play. The ethics of ath-
letics are similar to those of Chris
tian life and every Christian shoulC
stand behind the right kind of anna
teur athletics"
The six rules set up by Mr. Grovy
are found in the Bible and in talking
of the first rule the speaker said
"Play hard, do your best at all times
love the Lord with all of your mind
and strength; this rule is found no.
where except in the Christian rel;-
Cion." ''Play clean, not just in ath
letics but in the every day walk Of
life. Underhanded work belongs not to
the Christian but to the scum of the
earth. A great tribute was recently
paid to one of the worlds creates,
and cleanest athletes, Christy Math
ewson. His record was without &
smirch. that is the reason that he wa:
the idol of all. A clean sportsman not
only on the field but in private lii
as we'll "Qne Of the most beautiful
words known to the Christian" sait
Mr.. Grove, ''iS the word Purity
every one one loves a clean athlete.
The third rule applied to thos'
who 'grandstand' their way througi
life; those people who are more inte,'
ested in, their personal success thai
in their religion. Success is an in
sidious fever, one walks with i
without suspecting the infectio',
without knowing that three-quarter
of the people who sh;,Fe ones han
are carriers of this same and subtl,
fever. Self-denial and sacrifice ar,
among the first rules of our Lord
When He hung on the cross it was no
grandstdnd play but sacrifice"
Don't be buffer nr knocker; &C
cept the referees decision. A bluffe
in religion is known as a hypocrite
what a small chance has one of thi
kind. The concluding rule of the ser
mon was that well known issuS
Don't quit. One who slacks whcl
playing a losing game is ouitter
the one who fights to the last for til
right of the Lord will find a place O.
His team Blessed are those VIII
play to the end When Jesus fed tn
great multitude bv the Sea of Galile
the crowd proclaimed Him King bu
He would not accept, therefore IT,
Pharisees felt such hate for Hir
that they left. all but twelve: ever
one against Him but He did not qui.
He kept on and played the gam
through. Be thou faithful to the enc
The great game of life is never owe
and the final score is never registera
while there is life