Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-08-25
GRAFTON.
The Problem of the Country chucrh

The Problem of the Country Chucrh.
r. n. Carver. professor of economies,
gave an address in the Baptist church
Sunday morning, from which some of
the principal ideas have been culled, as
follows
IN order to attract people back to the
land there must not only be opportu-
mites for securing adequate incomes in
the country, but for an agreeable social
life as well.
IN many ways the farmer is the most
Independent member of the community,
but there is one respect at least in which
he is the most dependent He Is more
dependent than anyone else upon the So
cial surroundings in his immediate
neghborhood. The city man does not
have to live with his business but the
farmer does. Therefore the farmer,
more than anyone else must take an in
terest in the moral and social conditions
of his neghbor. lie can not get away
from them.
"ln the long run. it is good thing
| that the neighborhood idea prevails in
the country and it is a bad thing that
it has disappeared in the city 1t was
u city man who asked OF a man from
the country the question, Who is my
neighbor? and it was man from the
country who gave the immortal answer
Such a question could occur only to n
city man, where class and clique have
taken the place Of neighborhood.
"Of all the agencies for the building
of a wholesome social life in the country
| the church is the oldest and the most
| important, but it must avoid the snare
of a sentimental type of spirituality
which wastes itself in mere aesthetic or
emotional enjoyment. 1t must realize
the tremendous Importance of that econ
omic law under which the productive
| land of any farming community tends to
| pass more and more into the hands of
! the better farmers. Good farmers will
| displace poor farmers as surely as the
| white man has displaced the Indian.
| This means that if Christians become
| better farmers than non Christians, then
! Christians will eventually possess the
| land and this will become a Christian
! country. Otherwise 1t will not.
in order that there may be a whole
some social life anywhere there must be
| a common enthusiasm noble enough to
! call out the best efforts of the people.
| But a common enthusiasm is not built
upon thin air, There must be some
| great achievement to be carried through.
| Nothing is ever accomplished by saying,
Go to now, let us be enthusiastic But
where a great achievement, such rs a
war, is to be carried through loyalty and
| enthusiasm develop spontaneously. The
church which can set before the peo-
pie some great achievement in the
arts of peace will find the same loyalty
and enthusiasm as is universally de-
Veloped by a great war. When the peo-
pie are once united in a common 10y
atty and enthusiasm, social life will take
care of itself
zone great problem of the country
church is that of adequate support
There was a time when the finance min
listers OF modern government were al
their wits end to find revenue for the
| IF 10 They discovered
that the only way to provide an album
dant revenue was to make the people
prosperous and increase the wealth o.
the nation as a whole. When they be
gan studying this problem the science
of national economy, or political econ
omy was born. When they who are
charged with the work of raising rev
enue for the church awoke to the fac
that the only way is to make the parish
more prosperous, and when they begiI
studying that problem, the science o.
parish economy will be born. That will
be as fortunate an event for the coun
try church as the birth of politica
economy was for modern government
Mrs Daniel Unwin is ON the sick list
w. d. Bathrc returned to Keene sun
day.
Fred Dodson is away on a two weeks
vacation.
Sylvia and Cora Parker are visiting il
orange, Mass
Mrs. Wilbur went to Leominster
Mass, last Thursday.
II. c. Sherwin of Springfield, Mass,
is calling on friends here
Mr.. and airs. vi. A. Walker are spend
ing few days in Bellows Falls,
! Merrill Sparks of Townshend has beer