Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-31

ceao1E We md some roe0 ~ ApoGor
han1bal North a GriAns,l TIE, tlsrA-
tosx y well oscupled NV. M JVsss
Ter and Rev. Mr.. Mcbride. both resi-
dent pastors IN the county, are doing
10 coed work SoutheaA& sf town there
is section Of country where the
rural problem h mare apparent
There are several Sunday schools held
in school houses and two or more
churches with occasional servicsA but
It IL safe to say that there Is . section
there SIX miles square which needs Q
strong church, with q resident pastor
and regular services every Sunday.
The remedy usually proposed for tho
decline Of church interest In some
parts Of the country. 10 the community
church, q church which shall - tho
center Of the social life Of a commune
Lty. Men who have given the subject
careful attention usually tEure that .
strong church can be used prohtably
by the people Of the township II is
stands in the center OF the township.
Such . church should have at least
I'VE acres Of ground with . Srove. ball
ground, artificial lake II possiblA and
anything else which will administer 70
the social life OF the community. The
building Itself. besides everything
necessary for religious servioesI should
contain q general assembly room for
tho people Of the township. whore they
could meet and discuss anything Of in
te.est to the life Of the community.
Above all. tho neat parsonage. next
tho church should should contain
whole hearted Christian minister who
is devoted to the work OF saving souls
for this world and the next. with an
able assistant in his wife.
And the cost would be trifling. six
SQUARE miles means Sc sections worth
at least 3155 an acre. $3.so0,0Qo. Ad-
ding the value Of the stock and I'M
plements makes q total Of 100000
Of property TO every township. Surely
q good farmer. counting the wages OF
himself and those Of his family who
work can make six per cent on TINS
investment. making 100000 al the
annual income Of the township one
and one half per cent Of this income
If devoted to the community church
which is the social center Of tho town"
shop, would give the community
church an income Of $4,000, amply
sufficient to pay running expenses and
interest on the cost OF the plant.
The obsta clss to putting this plan IN
operation are very great. but can be
mostly grouped under three heads.
They can be considered one by one.
Observation-Disclosures. 1t may be for
the best to have different sects in q
town the size of Grinnen. but 1t fs
killing things in the country. How
can the people Of diefrent denomina-
lions IN township be brought to-
gether In one church? Would II be
possible to build the church and decide
on the denomination afterwards? II
is the usual experience that union
churches have not proven success
Is there any appeal from that deei-
sion. Could the Gfihnell and vicinity
ministerial association help in the
matter? II would be very simple II
every denomination would do to every
other denomination a. they would
have every other denomination do to
them!
wider view - needed. Thirty
years ago a life on farm was very
different thing than 1t Is today. The
boys and girls were glad enough to
get on their best clothes. climb into
the farm wagon and drive few miles
to hear circuit rider preach in the
school house or the little church.
Since thea the farmer has built him .
new house. has me piano ana
bought an automobile. Distance has
been annihilated Many farmers real
ize that their children need . very
different church building and diner
ent service than the one which ans
wered the needs Of the community
years ago. Unfortunately a sreat
many farmers do not realize how ricn
they are when religion rs financed.
The amount they gave thirty years
ago. or a little more. is all that IS
needed now. So tho boys go 70 the
bali games. the men divide up ana
the women and girls. with 2 nttle
masculine help. have something OF