The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-12-31
THE RURAL
CHURCH
THE FARMERS THE cusToDIANs
or THE NATIONS MORALITY.
Desperation Of Church, School and
Pres Essential to Community
Building.
Dy Peter Radford
lecturer National FArmsrs' Union.

Lecturer National Farmers Union.
The church. the press and the schoo
form triple alliance Of progress thai
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 for
their uplifting influence. and on behalf
of the American plowmen l want to
thank those engaged In these high
callings for their able and efficient
service, and ! shall offer to the press
n series OF articles on cooperation
between these important influences
and the farmers in the hope OF In
creasing the efficiency of all by mu-
tual understanding and organized eff
fort. We will take up. first. the rural
church
Tho Farmers Are Great Church Build.
The American farmer is 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
fiuences than any other class Of cit
fzenship.
The farmers OF this nation have
built 10000 churches at cost OF
%750,000. 900, and the annual contribu-
ton OF the nation toward all church
institutions approximates s200000.000
per annum. The farmers of the uni
ted States build 22 churches per day.
There are 100000 rural church com
municants on the farm, and "a per
cent OF the total membership OF all
churches reside in the country
The farm is the power-house OF all
progress and the birthplace of all that
Is noble. The Garden of Eden was
In the country and the man who would
get close TO God must first get close
TO nature.
The Functions of Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are 60
Ing to render service which this age
demands. there must be cooperation
between the religious, social and eco
nomic life OF the community.
The church to attain its fullest meas
ure OF success must enrich the lives
of the people in the community 1t
serves; 1t must build character; devel-
OPP thought and increase the efficiency
of human life. II must serve tho so
cial, business and intellectual, as well
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 a practical |
one we can live by ana f-fm |
by. as well as die by.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed is that rural community
which has but one place OF worship. |
While competition is the life of trade.
II is death to the rural church and |
moral starvation to the community. |
Petty sectarianism is a scourge that
blights the life. and the churcA preju- |
dice saps the vitality, OF many COM
munities. An over-churched commun-
Ity Is crime against religion, a seri-
GUS 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
in a community which is not
able to adequately support one. Small
attend services once a
month and all fail to perform the re-
Iigious functions OF the community.
The division OF religious forces and
The breaking into fragments of moral
efforts is Outlines little less than a
and defeats the very purpose
they seek to promote.
The evils OF too many churches can
be minimlzed by cooperation The
social and economic life OF rural
are respective units and
cannot be successfully divided by de-
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
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
organized farmers