The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-04
KANSAS COAMENT
THE COJJNTRY CHURCH.

THE COUNTRY CHURCH.
Denominationalism is the incubus
under which the country church IS
laboring. Each denomination tries to
maintain a church in field not too
large to be nicely handled by one union
church. AS a result, all of the churches
are weak, are unable to secure strong
pastors, the Word of God is presented
by. those who may be lacking in both
earnestness and ability and the burden
falls on the woman. The women or
the country church are its martyrs
With a total lack OF interest on the
part of the men, they hold suppers,
serve dinners at sales, piece quilts, ana
in a hundred ways endeavor 20 turn
their labor into cash that the churcn
may be kept open Without these Wom-
en- the churches would cease to exist IN
the country fields and thousands or
children would grow to maturity WIFI
out ever hearing a sermon or attend
ing a Sunday school. A Lawrence
woman has recently visited a NUMBER
of country churches for the missionary
society she represents, and she is hearL-
sick at the weight of responsibility car
ried by the women In one town visited
a well-to-do little community, there
was but one business man in the town
who was a church member. The others
were Indifferent and while patr%niZlng
the entertainments and supperS given
by the women, give nothing directly to
the support of the church. The work
of each denomination has been great
ly advanced by having associations and
boards to give general supervision 10
the work of the church in districts and
states. Why would is not be possible
for all of the protestant churches to
enter into union for work in country
communities? Such a board could close
a church here and open one there, ac-
cording to the demands, or could rec
ommend the obliteration of sectar1an
in IA
union church. Each denomination
could be asked for certain amount to
be used in home missions, and all could
be used to the best possible advantage.
If love conquereth all things, why
not let it break down our church
prejudiceS? - Lawrence Journal-World.
FIFTY MILES OF RAILROAD.
The building of less than fifty miles
of railroad by the Missouri Pacific
company would make a fairly direct
line of railroad through Kansas, from
the northern to the southern boundary
of the state. 1t would make the lohs
desired north-and-south line a GER
tainty. 1t would be a line of road TO
connect every east and west line
through this state and portion OF
Nebraska and it would also connect up
some loose ends of Missouri Pacific. Not
only would the country through which
the road would pass be interested in
the building of such a line but all or
the towns on this route across the state
would be benefited by it as well.
Wichita and Hutchinson, Sterling,
Nickerson, Lyons, Geneseo, Lincoln,
Beloit, Concordia. Kan. and Superior
and Hastings, Neb., would all have in
terest in the construction of such a
line of railroad. 1t would make pos
sible the operation of passenger train
service from Hastings. Neb.. through
all of these towns, to Wichita, Conway
Springs, Winfield and Coffeyville. 1t
would find a large population in the
string of good towns already built and
all wanting connection. one with the
other and the nearby parts of the
state brought into closer touch with
each other by this construction The
Missouri Pacific road has it's lines To-
Gated in the finest parts of Kansas.
All of it's length it is supported by a
country that produces dividends for
the company. The addition of the
new line would also be in just as good
country and would be of value to the
railroad line by the convenience it
would be to the entire system in Kan
saS. All of the towns interested in
the building of this line should form
an association and work toward the
end that will finally bring this needed
Missouri Pacific xtension.-Hutchin-
son News.