The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-11-28

known. He is the custodiaa OF the
nations morality; upon bis shoulders
rests the lark OF the covenant" and
he is more responsive to religious in
fiuences than any other class OF cit
izenship ~
The farmers of this na1on have
built 10000 churches at a cost or
$3.50, 900, 900, and the annual contribu'
ton OF the nation toward all church
institutions approximates $200.000.O0u
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
10 nature.
The Functions Of a Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are go
ing to render a service which this ago
demands. there must be cooperation
between the religious, social and eco
nomic life OF the community
The church To attain its fullestvheas-
ure OF success must enrich the lives
OF the people in the community It
serves il mus; build character; devel-
op thought and increase the efficiency
OF human life. IL must serve the So
cial, business and intellectual, as we'll
as the spiritual and moral side OF life.
IL religion does not make a man more
capable, more useful and more just,
what good is IL? We want practical
religion, one we can live by and farm
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,
It is death TO the rural church and
moral starvation to the community.
Petty sectarianism is scourge that
blights the life. and the church preju-
dice saps the vitality, OF many COM
munities. An over-churched commun-
ity ia crime against religion. a seri-
Gus handicap to society and a useless
tax upon agriculture.
While denominations are essential
and church pride commendable. the
high teaching of universal Christianity
must prevail If the rural church is to.
fulfill its mission TO agriculture.
We frequently have three or four
churches in community which Is not
able to adequately support one. Small
congregations attend services once az
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 is ofttimes little less than a
calamity and defeats the very purpose
they seek to promote. a.
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 it's community by lead
ing in all worthy efforts at community
building, in uniting the people in all
cooperative endeayors for the gen
eral welfare OF the community and in
arousing a 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