The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1914-12-26
The RURAL
CHURCH
THE tARMeRs THE cUeToolAMs
OF THE NATIONS MORALITY.
ce-opsratioH o. Church, School and
Prsss Essential to Community
Building.


~ Peter Radkoed
Lecturer National Farmerr UuSousA
The church, the press and the school
form q triple alliance Of progress that
guides the destiny Of every commun-
ity, state and nation. Without them
civilization would wither and die and
through them life may attain Its great.
est blessing. power and knowledge.
The farmers Of this nation are greatly
indebted to this social triumvirate tor
their uplifting influence. and on behalf
Of the, American plowmen / want to
thank those engaged IN these high
callings for their able and efficient
service, and shall offer to the press
series OF articles on cooperation
between these important influences
and the farmers In the hope Of in
creasipg the efficiency Of al by mu:
tual understanding and Organized ef-
fort We will take up. first. thu rural
church.
Tho Farmers Are crsat Church Build.
ere.
The American farmer IL the greatest
church builder the world has ever
known. He Is the custodian Of the
nations morality; upon his shoulders
rests the lark Of the covenant and,
he is more responsive to religious in
fluences than any other class Of cit4
izenship.
The farmers Of this nation have
built 100000 churches at . cost Of
$3.50. 0.000, 900, and the annual contribui
ton Of the nation toward all church
Institutions approximates $500, ,000. 900
per annum. The farmers Of the Uni.
ted States build 70 churches per day.
There ares10, 900. 900 rural church com,
municanta on the farm, and "a per
cent Of the total membership Of all
churches reside In the country.
The farm; = the power-houso Of all
progress and the birthplace Of all that
Is noble. The Garden Of Eden waa
in the country and the man who would
get close to God must nrst get close
to nature.
The FuneAIops os . Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are 60
ing to render d5serviee which this ase
demands. there must be cooperation
between the religious. social and eco
nOmic Nferof the .conmunity.
The church to attain itsfulIsst meas
ure, Of success must enrich the livea
of the people In the community II
serves; 1t must build character: devef
op thought and increase the efficiency
Of human life II must serve the 20.
cial, business and intellectual, n we'll
as the spiritual and moral side OF life,
II religion does not make man more
capable, more useful and more just,
what good is 1t? We want . practical
religion, one we can live by and farm
by, as well az die by.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed is that rural community
which has but one place Of worship.
While competition u the life of trade.
It is death to the rural church and
moral starvation to the community.
Petty sectarianism is q scourge that
blights the life. and the church preJu-
dice saps the vitality, of many COM
munities. An over-churched commun-
ity IL q crime against religion. seri-
ous handicap to society and useless
tax upon agriculture.
While denominations are essential
and church pride commendable. the
high teaching Of universal Christianity
must prevail II the rural church is to
fulfill its mission to agriculture.
We frequently have three or four
churches in community which u not
able to adequately support one. Small
congregations attend services once .
month and all fail to perform the re-
ligious functions Of the community.
The division of religious forces and
the breaking into fragments OF moral
efforts 10 ofttimes little less than q
calamity and defeats the very purpose
they seek to promote.
The evils of too many churches can
be minimized by cooperation. The
social and economic life Of rural
community are respective units and
cannot be successfully divided by de-
nominational lines. and the churches
can only occupy this important field
by cooperation and coordination.
The efficient country church Will
definitely serve its community by lead
ing in all worthy efforts at community
building. in uniting the people in all
cooperative endeavors for the gem
eral welfare of the community and In
arousing real love for country life
and loyalty to the country home and
these results can only be successfully
accomplished by the united effort Of
the press. the school. the church and
organised farmers. -
Hot coffee Sc. hot chocolate with