The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-09-16
The Problems OF
The Rural Church
Rev. L. F. Badger Discusses Ways
of Assisting in County
Religious Canvass


interest in problems distinctly rural.
This new interest was perhaps given
its greatest impulse by the report of
the Roosevelt Rural Life Commission.
This report set new standard for
rural life. It said country life must
be made thoroughly attractive and
satisfying as well as remunerative and
able to hold the center of interest
throughout ones life time
In the working out of this ideal for
rural life the first place is given to
the country church says that same re-
port. In the last analysis the coun-
try life problem is moral problem,
this gives the rural church position
OF peculiar difficulty and one of un-
equal opportunity" In the reports
and statistics of the National Govern
ment every town with less than $500
population is rated as rural" Ac-
cording to this classification every
thing in Redwood county is rural"
How are the churches in Redwood
county meeting this peculiar difficulty
and unequaled opportunity?
For more than century the church.
es of America have been ministering
to the rural population. Just now
however all over the country they are
asking themselves "are we doing all
we OUGHT" And in several states
systematic surveys have been made
of certain portions of different local
tiles to ascertain in a thorough and
systematic way if the churches are
doing all they might.
In line with these movements in
other states and for an intelligent ans
wer to many of these questions a
house to house religious canvass is
being undertaken under the auspices
OF the Redwood County Sunday School
Association. A general survey is be-
| ing made as to economic and educa.
tional questions and the general con.
ditions ofsshe churches in. the county
Along with this is the more intensive
study of conditions by a house te
house canvass. What are the actua
conditions IN this county as to church
attendance or non-attendance? How
many are members of some church ir
the county or elsewhere? How many
of the children are under adequate
religious instruction either in Sunda,
school or other method? Are there
any sections without adequate religi
Gus facilities? Are our churches do
ing all they can to reach every indivi
dual in the county for the betterment
of the present life and for the religi
Gus culture and salvation of soul !
Are any outside the influence of thu
church? These and other question.
will be answered as a result of thi.
canvass.
1t is expected as far as possible tt
have everything in readiness to make
this house to house canvass in every
township and town of the county tn.
week beginning September 20.
I Already in each township some on.
person has been selected who has
agreed to undertake the work of find
ing canvasser in each school distric1
who will fill out blank for each fam
lily in the district. At this stage Of
the work the success of the canvas.
rests with these local leaders in eacf
township. The whole thing depend.
on their success in finding local can
vassers. 1t is expected that they viii
not fail.
1t is also to be hoped that the one.
! asked in each school district will will
ingly accept this special work of thu
house to house canvass.
While this work is being done II
the rural sections it is planned Il
take similar canvass in each town
so that at the close of the work com
plete canvass of the county will b.
had.
The information thus obtained vii
be filed somewhere so that it will b.
accessible to all in the community wht
may be interested in these questions