Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
: RELIGIOUS SENTIMENT.
8 All Sorts of Opinions on Differ
ent subjects.

brews XII 8, went out from his country
and kindred to place that he knew
not Of The call, however, was divine, /
and Abraham believed God. He who |
has Gods call will have Gods company.
The history of the race is history of |
expansion. Darwin was right when he I
said that the fittest survive. The land |
that Jehovah promised Abraham was
already peopled, but they We're not such |
IA foundation as was necessary for the |
superstructure of civilization whose top |
stone is to be brought on by and by.
Abraham worked according to the di-
vine plan. So must we We believe
that when God says to US. Go up and
possess the land, replacing oppression
With liberty, ignorance with education
superstition with religion it is our
duty to go, whether we can foresee the
outcome or not, or whether we have any
precedent for the Undertaking.
THE PROBLEM OF THE NEW ENG
LAND COUNTRY CHURCH.
The fast day proclamation of Cover
nor Rollins. of New Hampshire. has re-
suited in a thorough investigation of the
country churches of New England. the
results of which are summed up by Pro
fessor A. w. Anthony. of Cobb divinity
school, Lewiston, Me.
| So far as figures can put the problem
lin concrete terms, this it is: Twenty
five towns; 1857 population, constantly
decreasing, eighty-one churches of ali
kinds, as rivals, claiming attention, em-
lphasiZing peculiarities, too often stir
ring up jealousies and animosities. and
usually in their struggles to maintain
themselves mpressing the community
| as more eager for mems pocketbooks
than for their souls. as more desirous
flor this worlds wealth than to lay up
Treasure in the world to come. Sixty
| five of these churches we can look upon
las present instruments for changing
conditions and accomplishing results,
land these possess lever of 2l06 souls
lin their respective communities. an
! average of a little more than ten per
lcent of the population. Every nominal
Ichurch- member of these four denomna- =
ltions is set over against nine neighbors
! whom he should influence toward church
land toward Christ. But inasmuch as
1.-THE rural church is hard prest to main
.Itan her services. she. is often totally de-
itprived of those services; she receives a
/ wrong impression of church life and
i mission; her members obtain less and
less of simple spiritual nourishment,
land tend in consequence more and more
Ito worldliness. This is the problem. To
Recognize 1t is at least To prepare the
4 mind for solution. While no solution
has vet been worked out, some little eN-
Iperience lends cogency to the following
4 considerations:
4 The solution must proceed from the
town itself. There is salvation by fiat
mo more for the town or the church than
for the individual. An act of Legislature
will not increase the population. A de-
!. lnominntional council or an interdenom-
III national commission can not by reso-
Hutton or advice unite churches. Ar
I.ltineranI preacher be he Gabriel can
lnot in thirty-minute harangue once OF
twice a Year persuade men 70 gentle
lness and love Reform must be dy
mamie, working from within eutwardls
There is no lasting help excepting helr
Ito self-help The town must solve its
Town problem.
. n new type of Christianity must be
lpresentad in orr country towns. This
! lnew type is seen by many man in all
denominations. ! I is broad and COM
pre- hensive type, which lays enlphas IS
upon the essentials If faith and permits
sectarian peculiarities 10 drop into TIN
! tbackground Doctrine IS more andmort
! giving place To life dogma yields daily
TO Christine charity and love. About
: 1.-THE person of Christ the Protestant
: evangelical church IS rallying and ind
: ing the basis of union there This ten
g dency. however, the country church, il
: theology and consequent praetica
Christian living il where ii was a half-
century ago. Denomnational leader.
J are In good part responsible for this
They have cultivated denominations
p esprit de corps by reverting to pas
n elories, by calling up conditions NJ
s longer existing by stimulating the his
: ltorjcal Imagination. so desirable in TIN
: student of history but so pernicious II
9 the Christian VINO must do his part tn
: day in making local Christian history
$ The new standard must be erected il
y the country church
g Co-operation among Chris tians q
i every name should be sedulously fos
a tered This does not mean that union
G churches shall he organized. But co
It operation must be of the charitable
e It,hristian kind that in the spirit of loN
r and forbearance is willing 10 seek In
G best arrangement of religious forces 70
: the specific community. 1t must begin
e at the denominational centers and mus
h be encouraged through every part an
Il section of the church. Men of breadtl
! who see the new standard and feel IN
II paw impulse must not content them
It selves With an expression of their Wis
$. ions and desires among the Ike
e minded or with magazine articles, bu
II must see that this broad spirit has ut
e terance on the platforms of the denoml
& lnationa. conventions and in the coiuinn
n of the denominationai press, and sei
e more important, in the councils OF IN
n UNCONVENTIONAL boards, From thes
n centers the broader Christian sympath
% will flow forth into smaller gathering
e and into the local church,
i. AT THE CHURCHES.