The Washington herald., 1911-12-03
Farmers and the Churches.

Taking up work begun by President
Roosevelt's country life commission
which urged the holding Of local. State
and even national conferences on rural
progress, the churches are making sur
veys and holding local conferences
throughout the country at well-estab-
rshed centers of agricultural industry
The Rev. DR.. Warren H. Wilson, head
OF the Presbyterian department OF
church and country life. and his as
gistant Miss Anna B. Taft have just
returned from a conference, held at
Memphis. November IS and II. Speaking
Of the condition Of the farmers, DR.. Will
son says he found a great awakening
of spirit among the cotton growers and
the people commonly called the poor
whites"
This is mainly due" he said. ito the
splendid work started by the Department
of Agriculture. which is doing a great
demonstration work in eleven Southern
States The farmers have awakened
from their apathy and are finding them
selves in a marvellous manner. The IN
crease that they have made in thelr
corn and cotton crops through scientihc
farming have made them hungry for
knowledge of all kinds, and it is an op-
portunity that the church must not ne
elect I find the Southern farmer Keen
" alive to all suggestions that can be
made for his good" continued Or. VIII
son. much NOR so than the self
satisfied farmer of the Middle West, VINO
is inclined to be COmplaCent over MS
success or the old-time farmers of New
England. who are hide-bound by ira
ditions, and are inclined to resent any
change in the methods of church work
in their community"
The conference in Memphis was at
tended by ministers and professional
"a
large number of lawyers, doctors, oanK-
ers. educators, and capitalists, BESIDES
the men actively engaged in the work
I'VE are teaching the country preacher
how not only to preach on Sundays out
TO care for his people on week Gays.
Every church has population when II
must serve, and it must develop along
social and economic lines if it would
live in the new South, W Itch IS no long
or disheartened but one of the Invest
sections of the whole country. We do
not plan to make the church great
social center, as in the cities, but rather
TO make it the leader of activities In It's
own local community. Preachers must
show their people how to play as well
as pray, for recreation must be brought
TO both the farmer and his wife, who
frequently toll from in the morning
until at night, with no hope in the fu-
ture of any rest from the grinding
routine, which is the bane of country
life"
The farmers wife" said Miss Taft,
who has studied the question carefully,
is the most disconnected person in the
But. as women are gener-
ally more sensible than men, these farm
ers' wives must have good reasons for
their discomfort. And there are many
reasons The kitchen, where women
spend most of their time, is generally
the most inconvenient workshop in the
land. Running water is a luxury had
only by the few, and other conveniences
are as limited. Mothers know that their
children are receiving but crude educa-
ton in the schools of the community,
many teachers being totally untitled fol-
the work. The church must change these
conditions. It must tighten the burden
of the farmers wife, and 1t is beginning
to do So"