The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-01-29
THE CHURCH AS
AS0C|AL CENTER
A Broader Sphere for ReIIolon-kew
Field for the Rural Church.
BY Peter Radford
Lecturer National Farmers Union

Is as much a part OF Its obligations
as its spiritual side. In expressing It's
social interest, the modern rural
church does not hesitate to claim that
1t Is expressing a true religious In.
stinct and the old-time idea that the
social instincts should be starved
while the spiritual nature was over
fed with solid theological food, Is fast
giving way to broader interpreta'
ton of the functions Of true religion.
We take our place In the succession
/ OF tho Sc who have sought to make the
world fit habitation for the children
OF man when we seek to study and
under stand the social duty Of the
rural church. The true christian re-
ligion is essentially social-its ten tets
OF ith being love and brotherhood
and fellowship While following after
righte BUSINESS, the church must chal-
lenge and seek to reform that social
order in which moral life Ia ex-
pressed. While cherishing ideals Of
service, the rural church which tt
tains the fullest measure Of success
Is thst which enriches as many lives
az It can touch, and In no way can
the church come In as close contact
with It's members as through the
avenue of social functions.
The country town and the rural
community need q social center. The
church need offer no apology for its
ambition to fill this need in the COM
munity, II an understanding Of It's
mission brings this purpose into clear
consc BUSINESS. The structure of Q
rural community is exceedingly com
plex; 1t contains many social groups.
there are many localities which have
but Cne church and although such
q chu rch cannot command the inter.
est o, all the people. 1t Is relieved
from he embarrassment of religiously
divide communities.
Social Needs Imperative.
The average country boy and girl
have very little opportunity for real
enjoy nent, and have. as q rule. q
vague conception Of the meaning of
pleasure and recreation. It Is to fill
this void In the lives OF country youth
that he rural church has risen to
the necessity Of providing entertain.
ment, as well as instruction, to its
memt ership among the young. The
children and young people Of the
church should meet when religion Is
not oven mentioned. II has been
found safest for them to meet fre.
Quenty under the direction and care
of the church. To send them into the
world with no social training exposes
them to grave perils and to try to
keep them out Of the world with no
social privileges Is sheer folly. There
is q social nature to both old and
young, but the social requirements Of
the yowng are imperative. The church
must provide directly or indireo tly
some modern equivalent for the husk-
ing bee, the quilting bee and the sing
Ing schools Of the old days. In one
way )r another the social instincts
OF our young people must have oppor-
tunity for expression. which may
take the form of clubs, parties, pic
MICS or other forms Of amusems Mt.
One thing Is certain. and that Is that
the church cannot take away the
dance. the card party and the theatre
unless It can offer In its place q rat
isfyin substitute In the form Of more
pleasing recreation.
Universal Instinct for Play.
In providing for enjoyment the
church uses one Of the greatest me tn
DDS by which human society has de-
velopcd. Association is never secure
until t Is pleasursble: In play the in
stinctive aversion Of one person for
anoth ,r is overcome and the social
mood Is fostered. Play Is the chief
educa ional agency In rural commun.
tiles and in the play-day Of human
childt ood social sympathy and social
habits are evolved. As individuals
come together In social gatherings,
their viewpoint Is broadened. their
ideals are lifted and finally they con-
stituto cultured and refined socie ty.
II ls plain. therefore, that The
church which aims at a perfected So
ciety must use In q refined and ex-
alted way the essential factors In
social evolution and must avail itself
Of tn, universal instinct for play.
II thu church surrounds itself with
social functions which appeal to the
young among its membership. II will
nll . large part Of the lamentaole
zap IN rural pleasures and will reap
the richest reward by promoting q
higher and better type Of manhood
and ~omanhood.