Sermon on Football: The Game and the Barracker
A topical subject, "Football - the Game and the Barracker," was treated as a sermon by the Rev. E. G. Petherick at the morning service of the Horsham Presbyterian Church on Sunday, and also at the morning service at Longerenong College. Taking his lext from Samuel ii, 10-12, "Let us play the game", Rev. Petherick said:
An invitation from a rather unexpected quarter had come to preach on football, the game and the barracker. This signifies that the man in the street believes there is some codinection between religion and recreation; that Christianity has a message to the sport of to-day. This connection is not fanciful. Jesus saw a relation between the wheat in the paddock and the harvest of God; between fish in a net and the day of judgment. St. Paul saw a relation between contest in the arena and the fight of faith; between a gymnast making his body fit and a Christian developing his soul.
Football forces itself upon the notice of the nation because of its popularity. Democracy counts heads. In Melbourne the league matches attract over a hundred thousand spectators every Saturday. How great must be the attendance throughout the State. The observer notes this and gives a word of warning - football is only a pastime. Man's chief end is not his foot.
Our pride in the Australian game is natural; it is our most popular recreation, and it has evolved in Australia, due to the guidance of men like H. C. A. Harrison, but here again, there needs to be a warning. In our recreations we must not be little Australians; other codes are just as popular in their own countries. The observer sees, first, the game is not won by the spectators.
There is a thrill in the presence of an imiense crowd; mob psychology is very mysterious. But we all like the crowd to be fair; to give a ringing cheer for brilliant play and to be willing to shout "Well done, the enemy." Insensible prejudice must be put away. It is a pity to hear insinuations that "'so and so was bought." Too often the game is spoilt by one who bemoans the loss of his money because his team has failed.
The observer sees also the game is not won by brute force; if this were so the club would only need to have a team of giants. The game is not merely for the big feet and the long arm. It has to be a heady game, and not a tricky game. Hence the team has to play the ball and not the man, and win the game by skill and not with the mouth.
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In his year Joe Pearce (right), full back and captain of the Melbourne Football Club, was the acknowledged champion footballer. He had played cricket in Bendigo; he was a member of the choir and superintendent of the Sunday school in East Melbourne. Enlisting in 1914 he was killed in the boats at the landing on Gallipoli. After his death was announced, the following tribute to his memory was written:–
The whistle blows, the referee calls
"Time!"
The players drop their futile panto-
mime.
The game is o'er, the final goal is
made.
A fickle public says to you, "Well
played."
But to a sterner field you heard the call,
Leaving the men of softer stuff at ball,
And gladly gave your life to save the
goal—
The honor of your country; yea, its
soul.
A peerless wreath of laurel crowns your name,
For, fearless to the end, you "played
the game."
A man, clean, honest, fair and unafraid,
Who played the game as He would have it played.
The nation knows the game is governed by a code. If a player breaks the laws or rules he is penalised. Some players may try to evade them, but there they stand.
(1) So if you miss a goal by a foot, you suffer loss. How often a team needs only three points to win. There is some brilliant play - a kick - the crowd is ready to cheer - then a groan - the ball has hit the post. So in a greater game it is possible to be near the kingdom and yet fail. "One thing thou lackest," said Jesus to a young man, "No drunkard; no blasphemer enters the kingdom," says St. Paul.
(2) A certain area is prescribed for play; around it is a white line, and thus far and no further can the player go, otherwise he is out of bounds. So also is an area prescribed for the soul; transgressing it a man trespasses, and becomes a breaker of God's laws.
The observer sees two officials:–
(1) The umpire. The player has his own free will (unless he has been "bought"); the captain can guide his team; the barracker can cheer or execrate, but none of these control the game. The umpire is in charge. Have you ever thought of the Umpire of Umpires! The Judge of all! who sits over against the treasury watching the contributions we bring in the struggle of life. He sees, and hears, and knows. He awards the praise; he gives the penalty.
(2) The timekeeper. What a thrill runs through the crowd when a team is playing against time. One side is defending, holding all they've got; another side is attacking. Five minutes to go, and they need ten points. Three minutes to go, they need four points. Then the bell rings, and the game is lost and won! The premiership is decided.
Often, you call our earthly existence "the game of life:" Remember it has an end. "The whistle blows, the referee calls 'Time'". Melb. B. Spurr gives us the message:–
"Last game of all, is when the Spade
Is turned by the hand of time,
He waits for the end of the players'
game,
In every age and clime;
No matter how much each one wins,
Or how much each one saves,
The spade will finish: up the game
And dig' the players' graves."
Play on, play up and play the game! Then shall you hear at the end the Master's "Well Done"!
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Footnotes
Title: Sermon on Football: The Game and the Barracker
Publisher: Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 - 1954)
Date: Tuesday 14 September 1926, page 2
Author: Rev. E. G. Petherick
Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73014524
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