The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-12-14
THE RURAL
CHURCH
THE FARMERS THE CUSTODlANS
OF THE NATIONS MORALITY.
Cooperation Of Church, School and
Press Essential to Community
Building.
BY Peter Radford

Lecturer National Farmers Union.
The church, the press and the school
| form triple alliance of progress that
guides the destiny of every commun.
ity, 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 10 this social triumvirate for
their uplifting influence, and on behalf
| OF the American plowmen | want to
thank those engaged in these high
callinGs 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 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.
The 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
iluences than any other class OF cit
i2enship.
The farmers Of this nation have
built 10000 churches at cost of
s150,O00 900 and the annual contribu-
ton OF the nation toward all church
institutions approXimates 5000, 100000
per annum. The farmers of the Uni
ted States build % churches per day.
There are 20,000,0o0 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
in the country and the man who would
get close 10 God must first get close
to nature.
The Functions Of Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are 60
Ing 10 render service which this age
demands, there must be cooperation
between the religious, social and eco
RomiC life of the community.
The church to attain its fullest meas
ure Of success must enrich the lives
OF the people in the community il
serves; II must build character; devel-
op thought and increase the efficiency
of human life. II must serve the so
cial, business and intellectual, as well
as the spiritual aud moral side Of life.
If religion does not make a man more
capable more useful and more Just,
what good is it? We want a practical
by, az well as die by.
Fewer and Better Churches.
BLESSED rs that rural community
which has but one place oC worship
While cagnpetition is the lie of trade.
il Is death to the rural church and
moral starvation to the community
Petty sectarianism is a soourge that
blirnts the life. and the church preju-
dice saps the vitality, OF many com
munities. An oyer-churched commun-
ity Is a crime against religion. "A seri-
Gus handicap TO society and a useless
tax upon agriculture
While denominations are essential
and church pride commendable, the
bietl teaching of universal Christianity
must prevail if the rural church is to
fulfill its mission to agriculture
We frequently have three or four
chnrches in a community which is not
abe TO adequately Support one SmaR
congregations attend services once Z
moath and all fail to perform the re-
iigiuns functions of the community
The division OF religious forces and
the breaking into fragments of moral
efforts is ofttimes HtJle less than
calamity and defeats the very purpose
they seek TO promote.
The evils of too many churches can
be miEimized by cooperation The
social and economic lie of a rural
community are respective units and |
cannot be successfully divided by de |
nominaainnal 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 ar community
building, IL uniting the peOrle in all
cndeavors for the gen
eral welfare of the community and in
arOusiDg real love for country life
and loyalty 10 the country home and
these results can only be successfully
accomplished by the united effort OF
the press, the school. the church and
farmers