Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-01
THE RURAL COMMUNITY AND
CHURCH.
(From the Boston Transcript.

Vermont. take it all in all, is the one Of
all the New England States least affected
by the changes in social structure. tides
of emigration. and altered ideals econonic
political and theological. Most of her PEG.
PIE ere farmers. republicans and Orthodox
CCnEr egationalists. Her leading Corgrc-
s. tional pulpits at the present time are oc-
culiied by a singularly fine group of able,
well educated, progres sive, spirited, young
men of the State. The Congregational sta
tistics for tn year 1901 have just been pub
lished and show a ret loss In membership.
the number OF additions by cor fession OF
faith being the smallest since 1893. Both
the Sunday schools and the societies Of
Christian Endeavor have declined in men,
bcrship. the latter more than the former
relatively. Gifts to causes outside Of the
local churches. and gifts to the local
churches Rave increased. the latter NOR.
than the former however & tendency no.
ticca BILE in the denomination at large. Com
mcntinG on these statistics the organ OF
the State Missionary society, says
It is time of transition, beth in faith
and pra rtce. The churc hes are beginning
to iecl the effect of the instruction that has
been given in the schools The truths now
taught from the pulpit cre different. both
in subject matter and perspective. In
gatherings are nov sCurht through nur-
turc end not conversion. The methods en-
pl0yed are not those of old. This transi.
ton must necessarily have its peIils. even
though thu new be finally shown to be far
better ttGn tho old Apart from the dan
ger cf disturbing old faith and forms, Their,
| is tho certainty that the new truth viii
not reach the churches in the carefully
guarded and we'll balanced statomt hts in
which It has been gi. en- In the schools. 1t
will too often be given orudely by minds
| that have caught at surface Impressions.
and have not fully gra%ped the full import
IT will lack the accent of conviction. and
the glow Of experience that made the old
n POWER.
The sobec restraint and good sense OF
this common. shows that the missionary
sccictys officials are alive to movements
that can be confined to no section. and
which even rural Verne mt is feeling. f'ut
the tone is not pes'ir.,isic, it Is Motorists
| II IL clearly seen that in Il time If disinte
| grafton the phenomena r period of In
| tegration cannot reasonably be expected
! And probably ONE of the calmness OF tone
of the comment Is caused by the fact tina,
the officials have r. ad In the Journal, is
sue by the Commons Nhc social settlement
| connected with Chicago Theological scrin
aryl rncert analysis of Ills parish by
Vermont pastor: a parish with SIS person.
| rnd ia families, all lend FOLDERS. II mo-
land owners: with arrangements for hon''
| life convenient and healthful; moro thar
hcldng its own economically: thrift ant
enterprise being seen or every hand; VII
1 lago Improvement society stimulating com
munal enterprise rrd inspiring communal
love of beauty.
SiXty.saven of tie III families have :
i family library, made up Of standard work
usually. Forty five daily papers are tax
en-, COS weeklcs, so monthies ard A. dis
tnctively religious journals, this numbe
increasing steadily with the rural free de
i livery. The farmers are described as be
inE social In the winter, the families visit
ing about Curing the day. The children ar
sent away to higher grade schools when
ever 1t Is possible to do so. The chorch u
/ the social centre of the community. TIL
only lounging places In the community ar
the stores and the postofiire. and they ar
free from loafers. the children and you'll
Spending the evenings at home. The schoo
principal reports that In five years exper
4 fence I've has not had to stop a fight; am
the pastor has yet to receive his first un
gcntlemanly or discourteous word.
How much of this deliGhtful state of az
fairs Is due to the fact that there Is bul
enc church in the community. and that tn
pastor believes heartily the church "shou
be the centre of the religious. social intel
lectual and aesthetic life OF every rural
} community" We cannot say: somewhat o
course. The point row is that it exists Il
! n community that has crly "a residen
!, members Of the ore Protestant Church
!, end in WIFI n the additions to tho churc
, curir % IF the % years. from lS7 to 1901
averaged less than three per year. Re
/ vivals IN 1883, 1892 ard 1900 brought in
members But the average gain was great
or In 1s91-lsOl than during the Ireredin
decade and q half
l 1t is when the record CT this village Il
, the matter of private l,traiesr, and daily
, weekly and monthly newspapers coming I
( it Is scanned that the student Of ccclesia AZ
, tica and educational rrchlcns become
|, alert. 1t Is this competition that tn
t preacher has to face 1t is the harmony o
! lack of harmony OF his message with tn
message Of the printed pGge, and tta
page often bearing the message Of III
E. greatest pf metropolitan J., eaehers sId tn
+ most progressive of the worlds thinkers
1 trat creates problems for MIN and fer til
= institution he serves Even in the rcmot
= villages Of the country TO day the prcache
$ must me iiate between Gld and an intcl
Q gent, thoughtful and up-to date laity.
a
Now good digestion waits on appetite
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