The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-12-16
BY Peter Radford

Lecturer National Farmers Union.
The church, the press and the school
form . triple alliance Of progress that
guides the destiaySof every commua-
itx state and nation. Without them
civilization wonid wither and die and
through them Nfe may attain its great.
est blessing, power and knowledge.
The farmers OF this nation are greatly
indebted to this social triumEirate for
their uplifting influence, and on behalf
OF the American plowmen / want to
thank those engaged in these high
callings Tor their able and efficient
service, and J shall offer to the press
series OF articles on cooperation
between these iupmtant Influences
I and thu farmers in the hope OF in
crsaSiug the saEncy Of all by mu-
{ tral uudsrsfanaiag and organized eff
1orts We taze up, first the rural
church
The Farmers are Great Church Bald
ers.
The American fzrmer Is the greatest
church builder the world has. ever
known He is the custodian Of the
.nah1-s moraKtys upon his shoulders
rests the @ark Of the covenant" and
he Is more responsive to religious in
-huences than a1y other class Of cit
1zenship
The farmers OF this nation have
built 100000 churches at cost OF
: sS759, ,Dg9, 900, and the annual contribu-:
ton OF the nation toward all church
institutions appro1mates 100000, 600
per a1nEla The farmers Of the Uni
:fe6 STAKES build % churches per day.
Theraars2e 2e 101, ,00g rural church COM
municants ON the farm. and 81 per
cent OF the total membership Of ali
churches reside in the country.
The farm Is the power-hoRse 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
= to nature.
The Functions Of a Rural Church.
the rural churches today are go
I Ing TO render q service which this age
demands, there mnst be cooperation
between the religious, social and eco
nomic ire OF the community.
The church to attain It's fullest meas
ure CT success must enrich the lives
,of the people in the community it
serves; It must build character; deVel-
op thought and increase the efficiency
af human life. It must serve the so-
!ciaL business and intellectual, as wen
!. as The spiritual and moral side Of life.
IL religion does not make man more
capable more useful and more just,
what good Is it, We want practical
religion, one We can i've by and farm
bysas wen as die BY.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed is that rural community
which has but one place Of worship.
While competition is the Life OF trade,
1t s. death to the rural church and
moral starvation to the community.
6 Petty sectarianism is a scourge that
bnghts the life. and the church preju-
- 4 .,;ce sa5s fI,f.svitalitv of MANY COM
muntties. An oyer-churched con1nun-
{ ity Is q crime against religion, a seri-
ous handicap to society and q; useless;
tax mon agriculture.
WhfIe denominations are essential
and church pride commendabie, the
h,eh feaching Of universal Christianity
rnust prevail IL the rural church is to:
fnlf,n It's mission TO agriculture.
wa frenuant]y have three or four
: churches in 3 community which Is not
ahle q adequately support one. Small
cto,,nsreeations attend services once a
= 3 ,,,c,,+,, aya sall fe;I IN. nerforrn the re-