Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-07-15
TWO NEW CONVICTIONS
INTERDEPENDENCY
OF Economic and Religious Ele.
ments in Country Life.
SCHOOL AND CONFERENCE
For Maryland and d. c. Minister'S
County Life School at College
PARK


Is the church fulfilling its functions?
Does the Agricultural College live up
10 its possibilities? Can we not de-
velop a happier country life? Should
the ministers be expected TO assume
leadership in other than spiritual mat
ters2
These and many other questions will
be up for consideration az the Country
Life school and Conference of Minis
tiers to be held at the Maryland Agri-
cultural College from July &c TO Aug
ust 6. On their part the ministry have
decided that Christ's full message is a
broader on ethan that OF saving souls.
and that to preach merely thee mes
sage of salvation is to emphasize
selfish motive-that OF self-preserva-
tom Some ministers call that type
OF appeal Fire Insurance Religion
But the new conviction is broader.
II conceives as a duty the bringing of
heaven 10 earth. maintaining that to
the extent that il succeeds. salvation
IN the life 10 come will take care of it
self Dr. G. Walter Fiske. Dean of
Oberlin Theological Seminary, says:
THE country church has become de-
cadent where it has ceased to stir it's
community, and it may find its largest
aim in the broadcast kind of sacrifcial
service. To do this, the church must
furnish the opportunity for the public
worship in simplicity. sincerity. i'm
pressiveness and truth Ii must per-
form the priestly function of meditat-
ing between God and Man until the
holy place men feel the hush, peace
and power of Gods presence and go
away refreshed and inspired for life's
duties. Unless man is pure spirit, the
work of thee hurch is more than saw
ing souls. A religion which aims
merely to save a mans soul and other
wise neglects him in superficial and
fails to appeal to a while mans man
hood"
This new conviction insists that the
country minister. for instance, should
do more than preach; he should be a
leader. and inspirer of development
towards making more ideal the living
conditions of his people Rev. Be
mics, of Pennsylvania, says: There
is nothing secular but sin-everything
man thinks, conceives or does is spirit
ual. All is a part of Gods work, and
all should be considered sacred.
Christ should be made manager in
chief of the lives of men,"
This certainly means duty of the
minister. though it will ever include
the preaching of the Gospel accord
ing TO tho Old conception, will yet en-
phasize more than ever, the bringing
Of heaven to earth, the healing of the
halt. the lame and the blind. This
means that in country districes where
social life is sluggish and stagnant, or
where slip-shod and ignorant farming
exists, the ministers shoul be prepar-
ed to point out the way"
Those who have been improving
forming, developing the science of ag-
riculture and in every way battering
the financial conditions of the coun-
tryman, have come to realization of
the fact that THE Economic Aim of
the Agriculturist is Not a Sufficient
One" A community may be rich, eco
nomically speaking, and yet a more
paper IN the big things of life. The
heart life of the people must grow
with their developing material pros
perity if wholesale and happy form
life is to result That is what the
church furnishes.
On this account the Agricultural Col
leges of several states are co-operat-
ing with the ministers to carry out
these convictions, the minister to pre-
pare himself for more efficient leader
ship in his community by hecomine ac
quainted with rural economics, rural
sociology and scientific agriculture
and the Agricultural College by giving
him his training.
The Country Life Conference for
Maryland Ministers held at College
Park last August was attended by one
hundred and fifty ministers of all de-
nominations and faiths, from all parts
of the State and the District of Co
lumbia. They unanimously voted to
repeat the Conference and add also
weeks school. to beheld preceding the
Conference. Accordingly, the Country
Life School will be held July 26 to
August 3, and the Conference August
9TH. 5th and 9th.
Bulletins just issued containing COM
plete information have been sent TO
all Maryland and Dictrict of Column
bia ministers. Any one falling to re-
ceiye a copy may obtain it by writing
to H. B. Darow secretary of the Y. M.
G. A., College Park, Md