Some farmers continued the old practice of keeping donkeys to defend the sheep. Nevertheless, dogs took a heavy toll. Dogs were not the only problem. The country church is no longer the primary bond for people of the neighborhood. The number of Sunday faithful has not kept pace with the growth of population.
Residents now maintain their friendships and discover new friends over a wide geographical area.
Cars, good roads, telephones and e mail link people together almost irrespective of distance. Major, main-line Protestant churches have lost members nationally while the more fundamentalist churches and alternate, New Age, religions, have grown. Surveys confirm most Americans profess to believe in God. But it isn't evident from church attendance. We have more choices in how we use our time.