The Press., 1890-01-23
Martford Post.) COUNTRY PARISHES.

Rev. G. R. Dickinson of Stafford Springs has an article in the current num- Der of "Our Country Church, {" in which he says: l. There are fewer workers than ln the city church, not perhaps in propor. tion to the actual membership of the church, but fewer in numbers because the total membership is usually much smaller. Moreover the work to be done in many of our villages is often proportionately large, the number of workers, too, is often small CT than 1t need be, but tradition and cus tom bind the hands and tongues of certain classes. True, however, it is that the work of the country church is larger than the working force, and this is at present a limitation and difficulty.
 2. More division forces to the area. Tn our newer cities, at least, churches of the same denomination are more widely scat tered, more economically planted. In some of our older towns here in the east. we often have two or three Congregationai churches within two or three miles of each other, and some or all of them weak, This IS discouraging, wasteful, limiting. 5. More inter rdenominational friction and competition. This may not be actual ly true, but because of other limitations of area, members and interests, is apparently true-is at least more manifest in some places. This causes sectarianism and seI. tishness among christians, and puts the christian church in 8 wrong attitude be- fore the masses. It is an unhealthy. un- christian state of things Its main stimu. Jus IS not due to unselfsh activity, but to | the division of competitive attractions This is.even more wasteful and limiting than the last difficulty mentioned. 4. More conservatism. True conserva tlsm Is good and necessary, but in many New England country parishes it so pre- ponderates as to act as a damper, a re- presslve, serious limitation often. "Our fathers never did that, and hence We can- not. There IS something of that spirit. There Is so much fear of liberalism thew theology" and what not ot-that new adapta- tions of method and means to services and social life are looked upon with suspicion. and the wheels drag. Neither pushing or pulling is feasible, only coaxing, persua sion or education. Is there not u problem there?
 | Q. More specialization of thought. In the city the hurry of business and the va rlety ot life and interest stirs up the life, wldens the sympathies and outlook, and prevents the specialization of thought in the positive and limited forms of the more quiet and narrower country life. This is one aspect of the conservatism just men, tioned. This specialization having taken place remolding is difficult and almost impossible.
 6. More difficulty in adopting means.
 This easily follows from the foregoing points. The nature of the church life. of the surrounding population, of the work to be done, as well as limitations and diff culties already mentioned make the use of means used elsewhere successfully almost impossible. Each community thus be. comes separate problem. The problem of prayer meeting, the evening service, the social gatherings, the Sunday school work, becomes very difficult to solve. | 7. More limitations of the fellowship of the churches. Neighboring churches are few and distant. Fellowship meetings are small and difficult of access churches fall into ruts and become selfish. It is hard
 to emphasize the fellowship which is the
 other essential element of Congregational ism. We have been too autonomic and
 independent. How shall we bring about } fellowship?
 have thus suggested much which is al } ready being illuminated by new though and means, but "more light" is needed Who will give it?