Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1914-07-30
Must Step Drawing
Rural Boys To City

Although the Country Life Confer
ence of Maryland Ministers 70 be held
at the Maryland Agricultural College
on August 1, and 9 will be in the ma
ture of an innovation in this State. ii
promises TO be splendid success. and
much advance interest is being shown
in IL.
The Conference, besides being the
occasion for many instructive address
es by prominent clergymen and au-
thorities on country life, viii furnish
the ministers a means for the inter
communication of ideas concerning
rural pastorates, etc, that, It IS con-
sidered. win be of great practical
value.
The speakers will include DR.. Thos.
n. Carver, OF Harvard University,
president Of the New England Country
Church Association; Henry Israel,
editor of Rural Manhood: Rev. Dr.. c.
o. Bernis, of McClellardtown, Pa. !:
Prof. w. NJ. Hays, former Assistant
Secretary Of Agriculture: Rev. Dr..
Ward Plat. of the Methodist Board
of Home Missions, and others of equal
prominence. The conference will be
held under the auspices of the Agri-
cultural College and the ministers will
bc entertained at its expense.
LOOK To FUTURE RESULTS.
Il. II. barrow, general secretary of
the College Y. NJ. &. n, is enihusias-
tic over the outlook for the Confer
ence.
The promoters of the Conference, ="
he said, ''havc no dream that il will
bring about immediate and pronounced
change in the church life of Mary
land. They realize that only thought
ful and vigorous effort over a period
of years will materially change . rural
community.
Nevertheless, much should oe ac-
compliShed by this meeting of men in
tent on knowing more about the prob
lem that they may be better able TO
cope with it. Every minister in the
State has been invited, and scores are
gladly embracing the opportunity.
Farmers, too, are manifesting their
interest and not only the men but the
women. The Farmers wife can tell
of hard work, worry and disappoint-
ment with but little opportunity for
inGulging the finer scnsibilities of her
nature. She is too often bound down
by the tedious routine of daily duties,
and her naturally social nature is like
spring walled up at its source.
The farmer boy jolly, carc-frec.
country boy-wish | were back there
again say a thousand cliff-dwellcrs OF
our crowded cities.
wHATDRAwS BOYS AWAY.
''Ycs, but what does the country
boy say. Gosh. This place i so dead
that it'll dry up and blow away some
of these times, And his opinion, not
yours or mine. determines what he
will do.
The country can spare quite bit
of its energy and pluck and good rcd
blood. But the city hay already draft
ed so many country stars into its
league with tempting contracts and
bonuses that the Agricultural League
makes a poor showing in many.a ham
let and town. This drafting must
stop--Pcter must moi be robbed 10 pay
Paul, especially when Peter owes
naught to Paul.
The only way To stop ii i TO COM
pete boldly with the city. 1t must
make the country neighborhood d
pleasant, an interesting place in which
To live. This does not mean that city
life should be aPed, but that there
should be more amusementS, more
play life, more games, more social az
fairs.
The farm will not lose financially
by il, but the boy and girl will feel
the challenge of the country. The
drafting will cease then and the coun-
try come into its own.
us not this one OF the ministers
problems! II is but one of several
pha ses of the question that will he
taken up by the assembled ministers. :"