Football Crowds Should Sing "Nearer My God To Thee" Instead of Rah-Rah---Gipsy Smith

"Football crowds should rise as one man and sing hymns of praise to God instead of drinking and carousing," exclaimed Gipsy Smith, hard-hitting English evangelist. "Some strong man is needed to start such a custom here in America today. Someone should rise and say, 'We are all Christians--let us show it by singing 'Nearer My God To Thee' or 'Abide With Me.' Knute Rockne could have done it," declared Mr. Smith.

The warrior of God takes his notion of hymn-singing at athletic contests from the English soccer championship, where 95,000 persons rise and sing "Abide With Me." Mr. Smith admitted that such a crowd is the ideal type.

Forsaking his mission as soul-saver for the moment, he revealed that the American game is not football at all but an unfortunate conglomeration of soccer and rugby. "And the best features of both those sports have been omitted," added Mr. Smith.

Next in line for censure was the system of co-education in this country. Co-education is not a success, according to the evangelist, because it has resulted in too many broken hearts and lives. Too often a student in a "coed" school graduates with an ugly memory which haunts him for the rest of his life.

"A college career for a girl is not dangerous if she is separated from men. The ideal arrangement is that which exists in England. There the college girls may step out in small groups of three or four. Occasionally they meet a gentleman in town for a cup of coffee."

As for woman's place in the life of a male student, Mr. Smith believes the fair sex should quite definitely be barred from men's dormitories. One concession is granted, however, in that the occassional entertaining of a lady for tea is not improper, provided of course, chaperons are in evidence.

Training his fire on world ills, Mr. Smith declared the depression was the result of God's stretching a chain across the toll road of life and claiming possession. People are then forced to stop and think, and they are dissatisfied with what money brings. "They that sow of the flesh shall reap of the flesh," was the evangelist's concluding volley.