Norwich bulletin., 1910-07-28

! broadest and best interests of the farmer and of mankind in general. Be- 1 ginning with the year 1866 when con | ditions so shaped themselves as to | demand the founding of the order which later grew into our immense na- | tional grange, the speaker traced the | history of this body up to the present ! day, pointing out the good that it has already accomplished. and predicted | that still greater things would follow. Mir. Livermore declared that the na- | ture of the grange was social and re- | ligious, and added that it works in
 perfect harmony with the church. do- i ing no harm whatsoever but an un- | dreamed of amount of good.
 An animated discussion ensued among those in attendance. during l which additional glory was shed over the grange and on the good work if has accomplished. After this there was another address. on The Rural School The Educational Awakening in Con necticut, by Luther K ZabrisKie of Preston City.
 called upon by Rev. MT. Smith for fur
 ther contributions to the subject, and
 among the several matters discussed
 were those concerning free text books,
 state supervision, the teaching of az
 riculture in the rural schools and the
 teaching of the Bible.
 The Rural Church.
 The Rural Church-Its Conservation, Renewing and Moderninzing, was the topic that was treated so interestingly
 by the Rev. William F. White of Led yard Mir. White said that there are all sorts or rumors abroad in the land. Topically they are treated under such headings as Depopulation of the Coun- try Towns, Abandoned Farms, Decline of Rural Life, Degeneracy of Country Towns. Paganism in New England. and Decadent Schools and Churches. These reports, however, are greatly exagger- ated. Our great nation, though, is becoming alive to these reports and rumors, and through commissions, leg islation and the new awakening of in- terest in country life is causing the pendulum to swing back to the coun- try. Everywhere are signs of return to nature, which is but what was ad- vocated by Horace, Virgil, Words worth, Thompson. Golden, Cowper and Burns.
 It is not strange that the country church has it's problems, for we are living in a hustling age, and prob lems always accompany the swing of mighty movements. The speaker en- umerated a number of the problems that confronted our forefathers in the past and remarked that these prob lems were met and solved by courage ous, faithful and efficient pastors and laymen, so we may well hope the problems will be solved by present. day pastors and laymen in the field.
 Present problems may be in dicated under the topics: The cen .raIization of industries due to the rail- way; phenomenal growth of great cit ies: the call of the city; depopulation of the country towns; depreciation of land property, and the loss of fertility for lack of intensive cultivation.
 Four lines of activity were suggest ed as to how we should meet these and other coming problems of the country church: CD Along the line of business. That is, modern business methods must obtain in country church life. CD Along the line of educa- tion. The church's interest in edu- cation should never pass. (3) Along the line of the social. It is the duty of the country church today to look after the social lines of the people, and especially of the young people (D Along the lines of the spiritual. Country people should come very close to natures God. and the ministry of the church should be centers of spir- ituaI life.
 Following Rev MT. Whites address there was singing ey the choir. led by Mrs Edward Robinson Of St. Louis. Mo after which the benedietion was pronounced by the Rev. MT. Besdie.