Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-07
SHORT COURSE RURAL LIFE CON.
FERENCE At AMES BRINGS
OUT METHODS OF WORK.
STORY
OF MISSOURI WORK
Place Of the Church in Promoting
Greater Interest in Rural Life
Makes Surroundings Of People More
Cheerful and Helps To Cement Local
Friendships.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Ames Jan. Rural forces are every
where aroused for making rural life
conditions better. That is the fact that
stood out more prominently than any
other in the three sessions of the snort
course rural life conference at Iowa
State College. Every sp5 aker on the
program brought message of things
actually being done. and notable things.
From Minnesota, Miss Francis Lapham
brought a story Of what is being ac-
conlplished III some OF tie rural schools
OF that state TO mae rural life more
attractive and interesting to young
folks. Rev. Clarence Hatfield, OF Ho-
hurg, came With story of the rural
churches of the Ozark district and else
where. From Jordans Grove Baptist
church near Central City. j. F. Wager
came with a story of achievement tina:
stirred the enthusiasm OF his hearers,
From the y. NJ. c. a. headquarters there
came Murl Mcdonald secretary for
Pocahontas county. with story of the
achieveme of that organization in
Iowa and elsewhere. These men talked
not of theories, but Of results actually
accomplished. results that may be dup
Heated in any community in Iowa and
which will redirect the lives and ac.iv-
tiles of any community in Iowa
Needed Church Developments.
The rural life sermon preached by
Mr.. Hatfield was of unusual interes;.
because il dealt with the work done in
one of the most difficult districts II
Missouri Ten or twelve years ago,
said Mr.. Hatfield. - good many pe2n.e
lived south of the Missouri river III
Missouri. but to no effect They We're
isolated and backward The last census
showed that the county in which am
located lost 5000 population in the pre-
ceding ten years. That startled us and
we began to ask why. We sent letters
10 200 typical emigrants who had gore
away from US. We found these things
to be true: First-That a few, and
only a few. had gone away because
land was too high in southern Mis-
souri,. Second-We found that most Of
them said that they left because the
churches in that district were so poor.
Third-We found that many more COM
planned Of the poor roads. Fourth
, Many declared themselves tired of linn
iting their childrens education to
one room school house which is open
| only a few months of each year. Fifth
Many declared that they went away
because the country had consideration
for farm boys and girls
we set about 1t TO correct these
errors and We have done so in a con-
siderable measure. The life in our dis
trict has been made vastly better. and
all thru the initiative and activity Of
our churches and leaders developed by
them Our recipe is good everywhere"
Work of the Minister.
To accomplish these results, Mr.. Hat
fields church and others found leaders
for their communities, men and women
who had it in them to start new
things and carry them out successfully.
We did not find these leaders" said
Mr. Hatfield "by preaching sermons on
dogma or discussing theological ques-
tions, but by going into lines Of SYM
patty of the farmers Of our commune
ties. To get hold Of mer and TO in
terest them, a preacher must know how
to help .hem. He will establish
| friendship that will bring the farmer to
church or 10 his home to talk TO him
personally. The preacher ought not TO
! De ABOVE COMING 10 lIlt Is-I iL4SI > 4I'4Is'
| or his hogpens or COW barns TO work
! with him. 10 study his methods and
carry away something helpful for other
farmers and for his own work Mr..
Hatfeld's church aroused its members
| to concern themselves about the well
fare Of the schools in their communities
so that the boys and girls were not
| forced 10 go TO city high schools there
nc 70
They built a large gynlna SUM annex
| because Mr.. Hatfield believes that
| farm boy needs Gymnasium play and
exercise as we'll as the town hoy. He
| established church experiment farm
! to adapt the work of the state expert
| ment station 10 his particular com
| nunity. This venture did some good
| but in the future it will be conducted
! instead of single experiment plot.
/ Community Picnic Benefits.
I'VE did not do this without criti
cisrn." said Mr.. Hatfield They were
well informed men who declared that
was not spiritual enough. that was
doing more harm than good. In the
course of the past year or so, I have
received letters Of protest and tracts Of
spirituality which if piled together
| would rise to be four or five feet high.
However. as see it. the greatest spir-
itual gift that a man can have is the
desire to serve his fellow men and I
see no better way Of serving my fellow
men in my community than by doing
the things have done. Mr.. Wager. Of
Jordans Grove Baptist church. told of
a congregation that concerns itself
with every interest Of the community.
One committee. called a booster COM
rnittee. does anything and everything
that promotes the good Of the commun-
ity. recently parking the long neglected
country cemtery. Another committee