The Raymer enterprise., 1915-04-08
THE RURAL
CHURCH
-
THE FARMERS THE cusroolANs
CT THE NATIONS MORALITY
Cooperation Of Church, School and
Prsss Essential to Community
Building.
~ Peter Radford.
Lecturer National Farmer uuion

~ Peter Radford.
Lecturer National Farmer 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 to this social triumvirate for
their uplifting influence. and on behalf
Of the American plowmen | want to
thank those engaged In these high
callings f1r their able and efficient
service. and l shall offer to the press
q 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 ef-
fort. We will take up first the rural
church.
The Farmers Are Great Church Build
ers.
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 mere responsive TO religious in.
fiuences tta. any other class Of cit
izenship.
The farmers Of this nation have
built 10000 churches at a cost OF
750,0o0,000. and the annual contribu.
ticn Of the nation toward all church
institutions approximates 5000. .000,O ,OoD
per annum The farmers Of the Unit
ed States build % churches per day.
There are 2o,ooO.o0c rural church com.
municants on the farm, and 81 per
cent Of the total membership Of all
churches reside in the country.
The farm Ia the power-house Of all
progress and the birthplace Of all tina.
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.
TIE Functions OF a Rural Church.
II the rural churches today are 30.
ing to render q service which this age
demands. there must be cooperation
between the religious, social and eco-
nomic life Of the community.
The church to attain It's fullest mea-
sure Of success must enrich the lives
Of the people in the community II
serves; II must build character; devel-
up thought and increase the efficiency
Of human life. It must serve the 80.
sial. business and intellectual. as well
40 the spiritual end moral side OF life.
" religion does not make man more
capable, more useful sad more Just.
what good ID II? We want a practical
religion. one we can live By and farm
BY. as well as die BY.
Fewer and Better Churches.
Blessed 10 that rural community
which has but one place of worship.
While competition Is the life OF trade,
Il Is death to the rural church and
moral starvation to the community
Petty sectarianism Ia sconrge that
blights the life. and church preju-
dice saps the vitality Of many com.
munities. An over-churched commun-
ity is crime against religion. seri.
ous handicap to society and useless
tax upon agriculture.
While denominations are essential
and church pride commendable. the
high teaching Of universal christian nifty
must prevail II the rural church Is to
fulfill its mission to agriculture.
We frequently have three or fom
churches In a community which Is not
able to adequately support one. Small
congregations attend services once a
month and all fall to perform the re.
llgious functions OF the community.
The division OF religious forces and
the breaking into fragments Of moral
effort Is ofttimes little less than a
calamity and defeats the very purpose
they seek to promote.
The evils OF too many churches can
be mlnimized by cooperation. The
socIal and economic life OF rural
community are respective units and
cannot be successfully divided by de-.
noilinational lines. and the churches
can only occupy this important field
BY cooperation and coordination.
The efficient country church will
definitely serve its community by lead
Ing in all worthy efforts at community
building, IN uniting the people In all
cooperative endeayors for the gen.
eral welfare Of the community and in
arousing a real love for country life
and loyalty to the country home and
these results can only be successfully
accomplished by the united effort o.
the press. the school, the church and
organized farmers.