Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-12
CHURCH OF CHRIST FLoURIsHEs
SLAReELxIN EMAIL TOWNS
AND COUNTRY.
MEETING
HEARS OF OPPORTUNITY
Conservation Of Rural Communities
Opens Great Field Of Endeavor-.
Church Extension Held to Be Impor-
tant Element in National Defense
Armies and Navies Not Nations Need

said A. w. Taylor secretary of the
commission on social service, in q re-
port read today before the national
convention of the Churches of Christ.
is that of a more equitable distribu-
t on of the profits of the common toll
CT all the people. With experts aend
social workers reporting that half Of
those who toll receive less than liv-
Ing wage, the imminence Of this funda-
mental problem is undeniable.
"All the forces Of righteousness are
being challenged to lend support to
efforts to redeem the lower classes, to
abolish poverty to equahze human
rights and bring a sense of Justice into
every human relationship"
The report pointed out that tho
Disciples of Christ comprise only 81
in cities Of $4,000 population and up.
and that therefore do not figure largely
IN the church forces that can deal
effectively with city. industrial and
social questions. 1t was shown, how
ever. in the smaller cities and towns
though not yet in the rural districts
the growth of the denomination is
large and that more than half Of the
membership Of the Disciples is In these
smaller places.
There is no problem of conserva-
ton today greater than that OF con-
serving the rural community" said
the report, land there Is no single in
stitution in rural life more influential
than the church. Country people are
additionally religious. Thus the Dis
ciples of Christ not only have major
to the rural situation but
if the rural church is declining, as
investigators agree it is, to this field
must they turn for conservation Of
tteir own resources. With the social
izing of rural life with transportation
facilities vastly increased, with the
opening of the world to every country
home thru the telephone and the mail
carrier, the rural community is no
longer isolated: it is being caught into
the world currents and provincialism
is rapidly breaking down.
1.-THE first function of the Disciples
Of Christ is to promote christian union.
Why should not the Disciple churches
everywhere lead in efforts for CO.
operation and by cordial invitation to
every other religious force to unite
with them for. the promotion Of chris
tianity and break down the walls OF
Givision?"
Church and National Defense.
Church extension as an element In
national defense was discussed by
Rev. Allan 3. Philputt, pastor Of the
Central Church Of Christ, Indianapolis,
IN. an address today before the ma
t:onal convention Of the Churches OF
Christ. Church extension believes in
preparedness said the speaker. 1T
meets conditions OF lions progress in
the present world.
II think II in riding across out con-
tinent we could see church on every
hilltop we should feel safer than II
we saw cannon planted there. Ma
tional defense has been quite a sub
ject Of late. new subject in fact and
we have been surprised to know how
armies and navies. The national
character, the soul of the people, the
spirit Of sacrifice, these and other
matters are prior even to munitions
and armies. In spreading the gospel of
love and hope we build up the soul
of man and establish the nation in
The parallel between
strategy and the spiritual con-
ficts Of the Kingdom is not forced
enc: there Is much in common and 1t
is often reflected in scripture as well
as in our hymns and prayers"
The speaker said that church ex-
tension was a common sense PROPOSE
ton and that evidence piled up each
year as to the value Of this work. He
closed with a summary Of reasons why
church extension commends itself.