Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-06-14
The Use of The Country Church.

"A correspondent III TeleTIiuS W Jul
article In our issue Of February 10th,
entitled, "a Wider Use for Churches, "
apparently disSents from the views
therein expressed, and quotes the ex-
ample of Jesus in casting out them
that bought and sold In the temple at
Jerusalem, saying: 'It Is written:
my house is the house OF prayer, but
We have made 1t den of thieves. And
he taught daily in the temple He
admits that some churches stand
closed six days In the week, as the
article states.
AS we understand 1t, church
build ing is intended both for worship,
and for the education of all the at
tendants in the principles of Chris
tianity and Christian living. 1t is
simply an instrument for the upbutld-
ing of Christian character, the devel-
opment of Christian life. 1t should
therefore be used not merely for
preaching the gospel, important as
that is, but also for the association OF
the people, whether members of the
church or not, In anything that will
tend to the development of Christian
character. We do not believe 1t is
the place for raffies or fish ponds, I"
for the purpose of raising money.
Neither do we believe it Is the place
for holding oyster suppers or other
suppers, in which meals made from
materials which have been begged
from the merchants and others are
sold, sort of restaurant, In competi-
tlon with some of the very men who
have contributed to the meal. We do
not believe this Is In keeping with
the character of church.
We do believe, however, that the
church is a place where men may
meet to discuss fundamental princi-
pies, and to become acquainted with
their fellowmen. We do not think
lecture on the principles of good farm
ing or sanitation would be out of
place In any country church. We be-
lieve it would tend to bring men to-
gether and furnish an opportunity
for learning to understand each other,
for meeting with the stranger, for
getting out men who do not visit the
church for any other purpose. In
short, the church Is an instrument
for developing Christ-like character,
and anything which tends to do that
directly or indirectly is entirely In
place in any country church of any
denomination.
We go farther, and maintain that
the country church will never thrive
until 1T becomes community center,
to which the people can go for any
right kind of human fellowship and
any kind of instruction which tends
to human betterment. The church
that is used only two or three hours,
or i've at most during the week, and
stands idle the rest OF the time, when
1T might become community center,
is not being put to the best use it can.
There can be no close comparison
fairly drawn between the temple at
Jerusalem and The church In the
country, or In the modern city, either.
The temple was the one meeting place
for the nations worshippers. 1t was
peculiarly sacred, because when the
first temple was built, 1t was regard
ed as the one place In all Israel where
the Divine manifested Himself to
His people in the Holy of Holes.
In the time of Jesus 1t was under
the control Of the stock yards syndi-
cate Of Jerusalem, who were Saddu-
Gees, and who made large profits in
furnishing the animals for sacrifice,
and immense profits In exchanging
the shekel of the sanctuary, which
was the only coin which was legal
tender In the temple, for the coins OF
all the neighboring countries. All
this was done within the temple. A
greater group of rascals never infested
holy place, and twice in His life
Jesus cleaned them out.
The broad view which Jesus Him.
self took of the matter may be seen by
His conversation with the woman of
Samaria, when He told her that the
time was coming when God could be
worshipped anywhere, and not merely
In the temple. Paul held his discus
sions on religious matters In the ora
toricial school of Tyrannus, In the
ater.
If we are to have satisfying rural
civilization in the country, 1T must
have social center, a place to meet
each other as men and not merely as
Christians, and discuss and engage ia
anything that tends to the upbuilding
of character. allace Farmer.
John Stauffacher returned from a
business trip to Chicago.