The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-12-10
MAKINGIH CHUa CHI
CtATER FOR FARMER
All Lines of Activity Should
Engage His Attention
WIFE SHOULD be INTERESTED
Gathering at Columbus, Ohio, Has This
Object in View; the Address
BY Pinchot
WIFE SHOULD be INTERESTED
UNITED Press DIspatch.l

Columbus. q, December $40
make the rural church In America not
only the religious, but the social,
commercial and agricultural center
for the farmer and his wife and chill
dren, is the object Of a conference
here today between Clifford Pinchot,
agricultural educators, churchmen,
farmers and others meeting with the
Federal Council of Churches and the
National Commission on Church and
Rural life. President Wilson is ex-
pected TO address the convention De-
cember 10. the last day, discussing
his ideas of rural credits, one of the
big questions with which congress Is
expected 10 deal this year.
Address BY Pinchot.
Clifford Pinchot, who is chairman Of
the commission, in mis- address before
the conference today. said in part:
81 believe we stand today on
the threshold of a great move
meut which will bring back TO
the church in the country and
smaller towns the greater power
for good Il used TO have. | do
not intend that the church should
take the functions of the Grange
or the agricultural school. but I
believe the failure of the co,M-
try churches. through their min
listers. to get into productive
touch with the work and needs of
the country people Is one of the
fundamental reasons for the pres
ent weakness % the country
church Good farms, good roads,
good schools are necessary to the
success of churches and active
churches should assist power
fully in securing such material
improvements.
I'VE are not here to advocate
the weakening or strengthening
of any one denomination at the
expense of another; nor have we
any theory TO exploit CT any ak
to grind. We merely seek the
truth about conditions. together
with remedies that are both wise
and practicable
First Field Selected.
Ohio has been selected as field
for the first intensive rural church
reform campaign. A survey of the
state shows that 500 of the 5000 Ohio
churches have been abandoned, one
third are growing. while two thirds
have ceased to grow or are dying.
Eighty-th-ee per cent OF them have a
membership of less than 100 each.
Only six per cent have individual
preachers. the others having from one
L.. a. It'll
time.
The plan Is to combine the strength
of these country churches and estab-
lish at the logical points. community
churches which. in addition to being
houses of worship on Sunday. will be
expected 10 no active I'm promoting
good roads. scientific farming. public
health and sanitation, temperance.
public recreation. community beauti-
fication, better schools. library organ
ization and other things of that sort
Country Minister Undergrad.
II Is the belief OF the leaders of
this movement that the average
country minister is underpaid and
often needs wider practical expert
ence and training. Among those on
the program today were:
DIR. Washington GLADDEN.. Column
bus; Dr.. w. +. Richardson. Kansas
City: Prof. Edwin l.. Earn. Madison,
N. J.: DR.. Alva w. Taylor, Column
bia. No.: DR.. S. X. Mosiman. Bluff
ton, o.: DR.. Ward Plat, Phila.; AL
bert Il. Roberts. New York: Miss
Jessie Field, New York: President w.
o. Thompson. Ohio State university.
Columbus: Rev. Hubert C.. Herring,
Boston, ard Rev. r. A. Hutchinson,
Pittsburg.