The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-12-25
TIL: RURAL
CHURCH
THE FARMERS THE CUSTODIANS
OF THE NATIONS MORALITY.
Cooperation of Church, School and
Press Essential TO Community
Building.
BY Peter Rsdford

The church, the press and the school
form triple alliance OF progress that
guides the destiny of every commuu-
lty, 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
calilngs for their able and efficient
service, and / shall offer to the press
a series of articles on cooperation
between these important Influences
and the farmers in the nope OF IN
creasing the efficiency of all by mu-
tual understanding and organized eff
fort. We will take up, first, the rural
church
The Farmers Ere Great Church Build.
ers.
The American farmer Is the greatest
church builder the world has ever
known lie is the custodian OF the
nations morality upon his shoulders
rests the ark Of the covenant ana
he is more responsive to religious in
iiuences than any other class OF cit
i2enship
The farmers OF this nation have
quilt 10000 churches at a cost OF
5150.000, GOO, and the annual contribu-
ton OF the nation toward all church
institutions approXimates 100000 coo
per 2nnum The farmers of the Uni
ted States build % churches per day.
There are 20.000,000 rural church com
munlcants 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
n the country and the man who would
get close to God must first get close
TO nature
The Functions Of Rural Church.
If the rural churches today are go
ing to render service which this aSe
demands. there must be cooperation
between the religious. social and eco
nomiC life of the community
The church to attain it's fullest meas
ure CT success mast enrich the lives
OF the people in the community it
serves; it must build character; devel.
op thought and increase the efficiency
OF human life. 1t must serve the Sc
ciai, business and intellectual as well
as the spiritual and moral side Of life.
II religion does not make "a man more
capable more useful and more just,
what good is it? We want practical
religion one we can live by and farm
by, as Well as die by.
Fewer arc 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 fs scourge that
blights the life. and the church preju-
dice saps the vitality, of many com
munities- An over-chuTched commun
ity is crime against religion, serl.
Gus handicap to society and useless
tax upon agriculture.
While denominations are essential
and church pride com Iendable III .
high teaching of univer | 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 a
month and all fail 70 perform the re
iigious functions OF the community
The division Of religious forces and
the breaking into fragments or moral
efforts is oftumes little less than a
calamity and defe,sts the very purpose
they seek to promote.
The evils of too many churches can
be minlmized by cooperation The
social and economic life of a rural
community are respective units ald
cannot be successfu lily divided by de-
nominational lines. and the churches
can only occupy this important held
by cooperation and coordination
The efficient coun try church Will
definitely serve its co immunity by lead
ing IN all worthy efforts at community
building In uniting the people in all
cooperative endeavOrs for the gen
eraI welfare of the community and IN
arouslng a real love fsr country life
and loyalty 70 the country home and
these results cap only be successfully
accomplished i,y the united effort OF
the Dress tne school the church and
organized farnIers.