The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1911-06-30
NESBITT.

| OStAAAotCO at 4IOI11 OCO W HUI
people. attended the dedication
services here Sunday. The services
were opened with the christening of
the little son of Mr.. and Mrs. 7. A.
Hinson. Rev. Mr.. billiard as usual
was perfectly at home on the stand
and for about one hour he held the
audience soellbound on the great
subject of predestination, after
which Mr.. c. NJ. Head gave a
history of the church in few, but
we'll chosen sentences. After hav-
ing Toasted on spiritual food SO
bountifully, Of course the temporal
things came in for a share of our
attention, and to add more pleasure
to the occasion every basket on the
ground was promptly carried to the
table which was rs feet long and
fairly groaned under the weight of
chicken, cakes, pies and other good
things too numerous to mention.
At the afternoon services Messrs.
j. r Underwood and NJ. A. Griggs
were elected to the district con-
| ference to be held at Marietta July
the 9Th, 9th and 9TH and Mr.. j.
Max Cook and Mr.. B. S. Fleming
two of the most promising young
men in the Elizabeth circuit we're
recommended to the conference for
license to preach.
A pleasing feature of the day was
the reunion Of the family of Mr.. A.
A. Griggs, of Macland, the entire
family of FIVE sons and two daugh-
tiers being present.
The most fruitful field for the work
of the Church today is in the coun-
try tits a healthy sign that thought
full men are beginning to study the
problems of the country Church.
1t behooves us all to read everything
worth while that we can get on the
subject. The marvellous develop
ment of our rural sections challenges
the interest of the entire nation.
Better roads, better schools, scien-
tific farming, rural telephones,
rural free delivery and automobiles
are making changes that we can
scarcely realize. But the vast mate
rial progress so far distances the work
of the church that we shall be ut
terly and forever put to shame if we
do not wake up to the day of our
opportunity.
1t is not however my purpose to
write an article on the subject
but to call earnest attention to the
influence of the country upon the
city which is an important factor
in the making of the opportunity of
the Church in the rural districts.
The strongest forces working for
righteousness in the cities have their
origin in the country. A canvass of
one hundred prominent men in one
of our great cities showed that eighty
five per cent of lawyers, bankers,
merchants, and Journalists, were
brought up in the country. City
pastors testify that the best members
of their churches have been trained
in the country churches.
In very practical sense the coun-
try Church is expanding into the
great advancing investments of the
Kingdom of God. Missionaries,
Christian Statesman, reformers, and
workers for righteousness in large
numbers, owe their spiritual train
ing to the country church. 1t is said
that country homes furnish five
sixths of our ministers and six
seventies of our college professors.
The committee on ministerial
education of the Southern Presby-
terrain church stated that one hun
.dred and ffty-three, of three hun
dred and ninety.two candidates for
the ministry of that church came
fromi congregations of less
than one hundred members, and
that almost One.half came from
homes of farmers. If statistics
were obtainable on the subject some
denominations would show. doubt
less even larger per cent of minis
tiers reared in the country. The
expansions of the country church
in the lives of men and women
trained in these country churches
is manifested in all the avenues
of the worlds activities.
We should do everything possible
for the advancement of the country
churches, the country Sabbath
schools, the institutional methods
in the country churches in the heart
Of each and every rural community.
Let US not forget that two-thirds
of our population still live in the
country and they furnish an inviting
field for intelligent self-sacrifcing,
consecrated workers.