Ellen G. White on Ball Playing: Exercise vs. Missionary Work

While the simple exercise of playing ball is not condemned in itself, it is often seen as easily overdone and can lead to an outlay of means that should be used for missionary work and the salvation of souls2SM 322.1+1. Instead of being spent in amusement, time and energy are precious talents that should be employed in useful, needful work and in missionary efforts12LtMs, Lt 174, 1897, par. 6+1.

...l you can do is to call to the church to humble themselves before God; and in the place of creating ball playing for exercise, let the students humble their hearts before God and engage in doing missionary work, which must be done for the salvation of soul and body. Let the students have set times to go out a...— 25LtMs, Lt 162, 1910, par. 1

...hese daily duties? ... Their muscles need exercise. In the place of getting exercise by jumping and playing ball or croquet, let their exercise be to some purpose.22Manuscript 129, 1898— CG 352.1 (1954)

I do not condemn the simple exercise of playing ball; but this, even in its simplicity, may be overdone— CCh 161.7 (1991)

... house of precious pearls, and all need them. How much time is spent by intelligent human beings in horse racing, cricket matches, and ball playing! But will indulgence in these sports give men a desire to know truth and righteousness? Will it keep God in their thoughts? Will it lead them to inquire, How is it with...— CT 456.1 (1913)

...ave action. Healthy young men and young women have no need of gymnasium exercises; nor do they need croquet, cricket, ball playing, or any kind of amusement just for the gratification of self, to pass away time. There are useful things to be done by every one of God's created intellige...— 4MR 188.2 (1990)

...hool we knew that we must get away from the cities, where there are so many holidays, and where the interest taken in ball playing, horse racing, and games of every kind, amounts almost to a craze. In the woods we are just where we should be. Not that we expect to get away from Satan and from te...— 7MR 254.1 (1990)

...ne on the Sabbath day for the relief of suffering humanity, but the common work was not to be done. Pleasure seeking, ball playing, swimming, was not a necessity, but a sinful neglect of the sacred day sanctified by Jehovah. Christ did not perform miracles merely to display His power, but always to m...— 3MR 245.1 (1990)

Healthy young men and young women have no need of gymnasium exercises; nor do they need croquet, cricket, ball playing, or any kind of amusement just for amusement, to pass away the time. There are useful things to be done by every one of God's created intelligences. Someone needs...— 20MR 341.5 (1993)

I do not condemn the simple exercise of playing ball; but this, even in its simplicity, may be overdone. I shrink always from the almost sure result which follows in the wake of these amusements. It leads to an outlay of means that should be expended in bringing the light of truth to souls that are perishing out of Christ. The amusements and expenditures of means for self-pleasi...— 2SM 322.1 (1958)

I do not think, from the way the matter has been presented to me, that your ball games are so conducted that the record of the students will be of that character, in the estimation of Him who weighs actions, that will bring a reward to the actors— 2SM 323.2 (1958)

...at can be used for the help of the school. When this is done as it should be, it will be found that students will not hanker for football, tennis, and other amusements. What the students need to be taught is how to make themselves as useful as possible wherever they ...— SpM 197.7 (1985)

The public opinion is that manual labor is degrading. But men may play as hard as they like at cricket, or baseball, or in pugilistic games, without being degraded! Satan is delighted when he sees human beings using their physical and mental powers in that which ...— RH March 13, 1900, par. 4 (1851)

...les. There was a spirit of strife and contention among them as to which should be the greatest. The spirit was similar to that manifested in the base ball games on the College ground. Said my guide, “These things are an offense to God. Both near and afar off, souls are perish...— PH084 8.2 (1894)

...ll well and prospering in the Lord. I dreamed, Willie, a few nights since, in regard to Edson, that Byron Sperry and you and Edson were playing ball. Byron injured Edson very much. He showed us that he was hurt. I told him before I dressed his woun...— 2LtMs, Lt 20, 1871, par. 6 (1869)

I do not condemn the simple exercise of playing ball; but this, even in its simplicity, may be overdone. I shrink always from the almost sure result which follows in the wake of these amusements. It leads to an outlay of means that should be expended in bringing the light of truth to souls that are perishing out of Christ. The amusements and expenditures of means for self-pleasing which lead on step by step to self-glorifying, and the educating in these games for pleasure, produce a love and passion for such things that is not favorable to the perfection of Christian character— 8LtMs, Lt 17a, 1893, par. 10

...olidly on the sidewalk, then commenced fighting her, striking her in the face. Emily found all this demonstration of satanic fury was over a tiny rubber ball, which the older girl claimed. She held it fast in her hand and her hand in her pocket. Emily talke...— 10LtMs, Lt 133, 1895, par. 9

...nal interest, but which overshadows the important themes Jesus came to our world to make prominent. Cricket, baseball, gambling, and the variety of plans and methods which the synagogue of Satan has prepared to entrap unwary souls, are common and all-absorbing. Papers filled with the recital of the success of these various games...— 11LtMs, Ms 72, 1896, par. 4

...hool we knew that we must get away from the cities, where there are so many holidays, and where the interest taken in ball playing, horse racing, and games of every kind amounts almost to a craze. In the woods we are just where we should be. Not that we expect to get away from Satan and from te...— 12LtMs, Lt 33, 1897, par. 9

...rgy in the church. It has counteracted the work the Holy Spirit has graciously done for the people, more even than the ball playing and their other games. The missionary work has been neglected. The very lines of work which should have been done have be...— 12LtMs, Lt 83, 1897, par. 29

Pleasure-loving, horse-racing, billiard playing, cricket matches, and all that can attract the attention and eclipse the light emanating from the throne of God, abounds; and what have we as a people had t...— 14LtMs, Lt 4, 1899, par. 36

...ous encouragement. These scriptures are a treasure house of precious pearls, and you all need them. How much time is spent by intelligent human beings in horse racing, cricket matches, and ball playing! But will indulgence in these sports give men a desire to know truth and righteousness? Will it kee...— 14LtMs, Ms 96, 1899, par. 17

...change would be seen in the lives of the members of the church; but instead of doing this work, the minister was often met with a bat and ball on his way to the cricket grounds— 14LtMs, Ms 158, 1899, par. 5

To spend money, which is so hard to obtain, on materials with which to play tennis, and cricket, is not in harmony with the testimonies which have been given to our ...— 15LtMs, Ms 26, 1900, par. 1

The warnings and repeated judgments come, but the pleasure lovers take no heed. Notwithstanding the warnings given in the Word of God, the Word has no influence to limit their intense desire for games, for horse racing, for ball playing. All wickedness is mimicked at pugilistics, educating their God-given muscles to fight [other] huma...— 17LtMs, Ms 233, 1902, par. 10

There is another building, which was known as the recreation building. In this is a billiard table, which must have cost several hundred dollars. This, of course, will be disposed of. A partition ru...— 20LtMs, Lt 237, 1905, par. 10

... Lord is gracious, and all you can do is to call to the church to humble themselves before God; and in the place of creating ball playing for exercise, let the students humble their hearts before God and engage in doing missionary work, which must be done for the salvation of soul and body. Let the...— 25LtMs, Lt 162, 1910, par. 1

...he mind of the enemy, some in a very unbecoming manner. A view was presented before me in which the students were playing games of tennis and cricket, and I was given instruction that devotion to these amusements was a species of idolatry— 25LtMs, Ms 73, 1912, par. 9 (1910)

...ful in their work. They have no meat nor butter on the table but enjoy their meals. In some way the ball playing came in on Sunday, but as we talk the principles of the value of time, it being a precious talent, not to be employed in self-pleasing but in the very work Christ was engaged in in His human life, there is less enthusiasm in their exercise for mere amusement. The expression has been made that they felt happier when they were using time and strength in usef...— 12LtMs, Lt 174, 1897, par. 6

...give rest to the weary hands and feet of their mother. Their muscles need exercise. In the place of getting exercise by jumping and playing ball or croquet, let their exercise be to some purpose. Let them share the duties of the home life. Their education...— 13LtMs, Ms 129, 1898, par. 2

In the place of playing ball for exercise, do something that you are sure will be helpful. Learn how to stand and walk correctly. Take deep, full inhalations. Use the abdominal muscles in t...— 16LtMs, Ms 117a, 1901, par. 12

...to do in this world. There are souls perishing all around us that do not know any other way than to amuse themselves by drinking wine, and playing ball, and doing other things that they have no business to do. We are to be a people intensely intereste...— 24LtMs, Ms 124, 1909, par. 28