The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1914-12-05
THE RURAL
CHURCH
Cooperation of Church, School
and Press Essential to
Community Building.
81 Pete; Radford.
Lecturer Natisilal Farmers Union.

| eciiiiHoHftt, StdtC dHt
nation. Without them civiliza-
ton would wither and die and
through them life may attain its
greatest blessing, power and
knowledge. The farmers of this
nation are greatly indebted to
this social triumvirate for lis
uplifting influence, and on be-
hall OF the American plowmen
| want to thank those engaged
n these high callings for their
able and efficient service, and l
shall offer to the press a series OF
articles on cooperation between
these important influences and
the farmers in the hope of in
creasing the efficiency OF all by
mutual understanding and or
ganized effort. We will take up,
first, the rural church.
The Farmers Are Great Church
Builders.
The American farmer is the
greatest church builder the world
has ever known. He is the Gus
todian of the nations morality;
upon his shoulders rests the lark
of the covenant" and he is more
responsive to religious influences
than any other class of citizen
ship.
The farmers of this nation
have built 10000 churches at a
cost of S750,O0O,0OO, and the an
nual contribution of the nation
toward all church institutions
$20O,OOO,OOO per
annum. The farmers of the Unit
ed States build q churches per
day. There are 100000 rural
church communicates on the
farm, and 81 per cent of the total
membership of all churches re-
side in the country.
The farm is the power-house
Of all progress and the birthplace
If all that is noble. The Garden
If Eden was in the country and
he man who would get close to
God must first get close to ma
tire.
The Functions of . Rural
Church.
If the rural churches today are
,oing to render a service which
his age demands, there must be
cooperation between the reli-
ious, social and economic life
f the community.
The church to attain its fullest
leasure of success must enrich
he lives of the people in the
community it serves; it must
uild character; develop thought
nd increase the efficiency of
uman life. 1t must serve the
,cial, business and intellectual,
5 well as the spiritual and moral
de of life. If religion does not
AXE a man more capable, more
seful and more just, what good
it? We want a practical re-
yion, one we can live by and
rm by, as we'll as die by.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed is that rural community
hich has but one place of wor-
lip. While competition is the ,
e of trade, it is death to the !
raj church and moral starvation +,
the community. Petty secta-
lnism is a scourge that blights /.
c life, and church prejudice
ps the vitality of many COM =
unities. An over-churched :
is a crime against :
ligion, serious handicap to +
ciety and a useless tax upon - :.
riculture. :. :.
While denominations are es- !. =
ntial and church pride COM -
,ndable, the high teaching OF =, :,
iversal chrictianity must pre- y
Il If the ruicl church is to full n
its mission to agriculture. %
We frequently have three or ~ !,
lr churches in community "'
lich is not able to adequately
pport one. Small congrega- 81
ms attend services once la'
nth and all fail to perform sl'
religious functions of the nc
immunity. The division of re- :
Ious forces and the breaking Oh
0 fragments of moral effort tio
Outlines little less than ca sn'
lity and defeats the very pur- pr
e they seek to promote. 1ul
Sick Headache. da,
OK headache is nearly always caus- tn,
y disorders of the stomach. Cor a,e