The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1916-04-21
COMMUNITY SERVICE
SUBJECT OF STRONG
ADDRESS TO WOMEN
MRS. j. M. Robson, OF CULLEoKA
POINTS THE WAY TO HIGHER
ENDEAVOR.
WHAT CHURCH WOMEN MAY DO
1t Is The Business OF The Church To
Know and be Interested in Meeting
Every Need and Serving Every
Problem of Community.

One of the ablest papers heard DUR
ing the session of the Columbia Pres
bytery was that read on Tuesday by
Mrs. j. M Robson, of Culleoka, to
the Women's Missionary Presbyterial
in session here. In this paper Mrs.
Robson gave some practical and splen-
did ideas on how women should help
the problems of the community. In
part she said:
Warren H. Wilson says: A COM
munity is a section of country within
team hard of certain centre An
other definition, people who reside in
same locality, subject to same laws
having same things in common.
"In order to serve the community
we must know the community, to
know, survey is necessary. After
the survey, a map of the community
will be of practical aid. BY visiting
the homes we know the real condi-
lions, their strength or weakness, the
good or bad. We find where ones sur
plus strength may aid another's weak
ness when properly directed, herein
lies valuable community service.
"The author of the rural church calls
our attention to the fact that Jesus
had plan, Matt. 9:35, And Jesus
went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom
and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people, The one
who studies a community with these
high motives in view will see vastly
more than the one who seeks only an
opportunity to exploit natural re-
sources.
ITS the business of the whole
church, every society in the church
to be interested in meeting the needs
of the whole community, whatever
these needs may be. The young peo-
pie have social needs peculiarly their
own. A failure to meet these needs
is the loss of an opportunity to give
direction to their lives. M
Another way of helpful service is,
to get close to the mothers heart. We
who are mothers, know how closely
drawn we are to those who show an
interest in the baby in our home. We
have homes in almost every communi-
ty where because of limited means
very little preparation is made for
the bay. In what way could the wom-
en- of the church render a better ser.
vice than by visiting these homes,
carrying little garments that will be
so much appreciated and being help
full in so many ways. There is still
much superstition to be removed even
in our own country. w
There are many ways of approach
to the Indifferent. Get on their plane,
become interested in things in which
they are interested. Take. them
where they are and lead them to,
where they should be.
Good literature is needed. In many
homes. there is a desire for reading,
but nothing to read In other homes
there is a surplus of books and maya.
zines which might be used to meet
this need.
ut should be somebody's business
in the church to see that every family,
at least, gets the church paper
while some are hungry for good
there are others whose taste
has never been cultivated yet the need
is the same. BY keeping the best
before them, they will taste and see
that it's good
I'm an illiterate home, little blind
invalid girl had been lying on her bed
for year thinking Of nothing but her
troubles. A neighbor girl who could
read but had no books was asked to
read Polly Anna to the little blind
invalid. 1t was enjoyed by both and
the neighbor's eyes were opened to
her opportunity for helping and cheer
ing her little friend.
mot only by supervising the social
life, utilizing the sewing circle. en-
couraging and directing good reading
can we render helpful service, but by
making our contribution even to the