St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-10-02
THE RURAL PASTOR
Intelligent and oonseersted Leader
ship the Need Of the Hour.
BY Peter Radford.

The rural pastor has greater possi
bilities than any other factor In ouI
national life. The rural civilization
Of the Twentieth Century has opened
up a new world of activities for him
There lie before him unexplored con
tinents Of usefulness, unemployed
forces of civilization and tremendous
responsibilities such as have never
before confronted the pastorate.
The need Of the rural communities
today Is intelligent and Consecrated
leaderaMp. There must 5e a marshall
ing Of forces fF1t build rfo strength
en- character and broaden vision. The
pastor should deal with living prob
lens. iu addition TO the service he
now ~eudasa be- should help US lift
the marke, basket hold out a help
ilg hand to the farmer and develop
the potential energies Of the commu-
nifty he seeks TO serve.
A More Useful Ministry.
The farmer needs the personal
touch OF the pastor He seldom
comes iu direct contact with his hal
lowing Influence. except when he is
baptized. married and buried. We
need 10 further extend Christian In
nueuce IN he homes, as well hs TO
spread the gospel In China; to In.
struct our children in the art of liv.
ing, as well as 10 convert the barba.
rian and the Hottentot. and we should
devote our energy and talent TO the
solution Of problems Of our own 10.
cality, rathrr than consume our On.
crgies IN hghting vice aud Ignorance
beyond our borders Il rs as impOr.
tant that We discuss from the pulpit.
the building OF macadam highways
from the church 10 our homes, as
that we preach of the golden streets
OF the New Jerusalem. II is as much
q part OF the duty of the pastor TO
oNhort uH TO own home while on
earth as TO inspire us 10 build n man.
sion In the skies and that we should
construct Christian character In our
own community, rather than that we
fight foreign sins In other lands. We
want religion we can farm by as
well ~ die by.
Christian Influence Needed.
There IL an emptiness In the life
OF rural communitics aud we want
preachers who can weave into the
social lbor. educational pastimes
profitable pleasures aud instructive
amusomonts. Too often we hnd the
games OF our young people search
for suggestion In immortality aud
n steppingstone To sin. The pastor
should supervise the growing lives OF
young people. approve their amuse.
ments, create expressions OF Joy and
pleasure that makes for Christian
character aud bless their lives with
Christian modesty.
The farm is the nursery OF civil.
zation. and the parsonage Of all re-
llgious denominations. Too long has
the farm furnished the cities with
their great preachers. until today the
rural church IL the gangway to city
pulplts Tho current should be- re-
versed The power OF the pulpit In
most needed In the country where
the fundamental forces OF human life
originate. The farm ls the power.
house OF all progress aud the birth.
place OF all that IN noble Tho Gar.
den OF Edon was ln the country and
the man who would get close to God
must 1rst get close 10 nature Many
communities are churchridden We |
frequently have three or four churches |
In a community with circuit rldor |
once a month preaching 10 small con.
gregationH 1nd an fail 10 perform the |
religious functions OF the community. |
In many Instances moro harmoniol
efiort might result In more eiilcie.
service The division OF religious
forces aud breaking into fragments OF
moral effort are ofttimes little less
than "A calamity and defeat the pur
poses they seek 10 promote.
A pastor In n neighborhood. study
ing the economic social moral and
educational problems of the commu.
nifty, presenting fresh visions of pcten.
tial possibilities and native power
with beauty and new meaning, inter
pretiug the thoughtlife of this cor.
munity aud administering To their
daily needs, viii contribute more -
ward the advancement OF locality
than dozen preachers who occupy
the pulpite at irregular intervals,
preaching ON subjects foreign to the
life OF the community.
Church prejudice is vice that
saps much of the spiritual life OF 4
and wasteul seotarian.
Ism is a religious crime against so.
riety. Denominational reciprocity
should take its place Non-support
of church institutions aud religious
Iethargy can often be- traced 20 causes
Inherent with the church There
should be cooperation between
churches and coordination OF moral
rnort aloug economic lines. and there
must be- II the rural churches OF th,s
state are going 90 render service
which this rge demands.