The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-10-22
THE RURAL
| CHURCH
EThE FARMERS THE cUsToDlANs
OF THE NATIONS MORALITY.
'co-operstion OF Church, School and
Press Essential to Community
Building.
BY Peter Radford.

The church, the press and the school
form triple alliance of progress that
guides the destiny Of every commun
fly, state and nation. Without them
civilization would wither and die and
through them life may attain its great
est blessing, power and knowledge
phe farmers of this nation are greatly
indebted to this social triumvirate fol-
their uplifting influence. and on behalf
OF the American plowman want to
thank those engaged in these high
callings for their able and efficient
service, and shall offer to the press
Q 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.
The Farmers Are Great Church Build.
crs.
Jhe 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 ark OF the covenant" and
he Is more responsive to religious In.
nuences than any other class Of cit.
dyershir
The farmers OF this nation have
built 10000 churches at cost OF
s750,000, 900, and the annual contribu.
tion OF the nation toward all church
institutions approximates $500, 100000
per annum. The farmers OF the Unit.
cd States build 22 churches per day.
There are 2O.O00.O00 rural church com.
municants on the farm. and 81 per
cent of the total membership OF all
churches reside In the country.
The farm In the powerhouso 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
20 nature.
The Functions Of q Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are go.
ing TO render a service which this age
demands, there must be cooperation
between the religious. social and eco
nomic life OF the community.
The church 10 attain It's fullest mea.
sure OF success must enrich the lives
Of the people In the community IL
serves: Il must build character; devel.
op thought and Increase the efficiency
OF human life. II must serve the 30
cial, business and intellectual. as we'll
rs the spiritual and moral side of life.
II religion does not make man more
capable. more useful and more Just.
what good is itY We want practical
religion. one we can live by and farm
by, as well as die by.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed Ia that rural community
which has but one place OF worship.
While competition Ia the life OF trade.
a Ia death to the rural church and
moral starvation TO the community.
Petty sectarianism Is a scourge that.
blights the life. and church preju.
dice saps the vitality OF many com.
munities. An overchurched 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
fultll It's 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 10 perform the re-
ligious functions OF the community.
The division OF religious forces and
the breaking into fragments OF moral
effort is ofttimes little less than a
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 a 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 an 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 success FULLY
accomplished by the united effort OF
the press, the school. the church and