y Peter should not have participated in that very
excellent and healthful recreation with as much propriety as any of the
numerous ministers of the present day who "roll" with so much zest and
assiduity at our fashionable watering places. Think of Paul dancing! Well,
think of him! Think of Paul wearing a blue swallow-tailed coat with brass
buttons! How he would have looked under the shadow of the Acropolis, the
winds of the AEgean gently swaying his cerulean skirts, and the eager faces
of Stoic and Epicurean reflected in the bright buttons! Think of Peter
skating; cutting figures of eight, and performing "outer edge backwards!"
Think of John in a white cravat; or of Bartholomew putting up seidlitz
powders; or of Timothy running with a fire-engine! How _would_ they have
looked? Therefore hasten ye trim gentlemen, to doff your guilty blue and
brass, and don the toga. Lay aside your skates, boys. Peter would have
looked very strangely skating, therefore it is sinful to skate. Tear off
your white chokers, ye Reverends, and throw away your pestles ye
apothecaries, and be like the apostles. Shall we have checker-boards in
heaven? No, brother, I presume not. Neither shall we marry, nor be given
in marriage; but pray don't condemn us to celibacy on that ground while we
remain upon earth. "Would you play chess on your death-bed?" Probably not,
my friend. Neither would I put on my boots, or do a great many other very
innocent things. Death stands out in startling contrast to _all_ our
employments: to business and study, as well as to recreation; and you
would find it vastly inconvenient to act upon the principle that nothing
must be done which you would not do on your death-bed.

But enough of this. I come now to the one practical application of these
principles out of which this whole discussion has grown.

When our Troy Christian Association adopted the practice of introducing
games into their rooms, I gave it my hearty approval. My opinion on this
subject has been confirmed by what I have seen and heard of the results of
the experiment. It was based on the principles I have been advocating in
this paper, and on the farther consideration, growing out of these, that
we must take some of the devil's weapons and sanctify them before we could
successfully fight him on his own ground. As remarked already,
prayer-meetings will not draw irreligious young men into the sphere where
we want them. Give them first well lighted and warmed ap