Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-07-21
TAZEWELL. VA, JULY 81, 1911.
THE COUNTRY CHURCH

thS ooueuciH L ldItel Has Hdu re-
Gently series of articles from Mr..
A. l.. French, on 1.-The Country
Church., which contained valuable
suggestions. Among other suggestive
statements Mr.. French says: with
three or four church organizations in
sparsely settled community, where
the majority of the people are in only
moderate circumstances, it is almost
impossible for any one denomination
to furnish the support that is right
fully due an able pastor, and so, if
such an one is obtained he is able to
give only part of his time to each
church, having five or six churches
to look after. . The consequence
is that about one sermon a month is
all the work that this preacher can
give to the individual church. -.
How much better it would be for each
of the several communities, minis
tered to by three or four pastors, and
keeping up like number of church
buildings, to concentrate under one
denomination, maintain one able pas
tor, who could bring his family to be
residents of the community and
let his brother pastors minister each
to one other community" Exactly
this thing is being done on the for
eign field to the good of the cause.
But in this country such proposition
is met with insurmountable objections
and, while such course would be
the highest wisdom, it will perhaps
never be accomplished this side of the
millennium.
We have not advanced far enough
beyond early UNCONVENTIONAL training
to ever consent to give up our pecu-
llarities of doctrine and join another
church. even though we could not, fo,
the life of us. state the difference be.
tween US. For instance: Here is q
community, numbering a few score
of families of well to do people TO,
the most part; there are four church
es-Presbyterian, Methodist, Luth err.
an and Baptist. Each of these church.
es have services once month. Thew
alternate so as not to conflict, in orde,
that each of the four ministers. Meth.
er of whom live in the community.
may have congregation respectable
IN numbers, to preach to. These pas-
tors live outside, perhaps at the coun-
ty seat. and are paid from fifty to one
hundred dollars each per year. Sun
pose the question of union was pro-
posed. which would unite? If thew
should agree to become one the bip
question would be. which one? And
then the trouble would begin. The
differences separating these, though
enthusiastically small and entirely non
essential, nevertheless large enough
to keep them apart forever. And so
they drag along, each man contendinp
for the particular faith in which be
was born. Get a representative of
each of these churches together and
ask them to state the points of differ
ence between them, and they would be
non plussed eight times out of ten.
Still. they divide, and continue to
divide. Here is case which is even
more ridiculous and inexcusable. if
possible: In a certain community
three denominations worship in the
same church. They have a Union Sun
day School-all the children of the.
different families representing these
three churches. assembling together
and taught the same lesson every
Sunday. But, when it comes to preach
ing, each denomination must have its
own preacher, three preachers preach
ing to one and the same congregation
on alternate days. Now, the question
is. IT it is not important for children
to be taught Reconsideration wbv
should it be necessary to teach grown
people denominationalsm? If it is
essential that grown up people should
be oinoculated" by particular min
lister, not should it be much more es-
sential to teach children the same? If
the children, the most important part
Of society and the churches, can get
on with undenom;national and ,nso