The midland journal., 1916-08-18
A WORKING PROGRAM FOR THE
COUNTRY CHURCH.

at the country Lille conference
Your Committe on summary feels
the utter impossibility of crystalizing
in a few sentences, the message of
the rich program which it has been
our rare privilege to enjoy during
these three days The true Sum-
mary will, we trust be given in mes
sages to our people during the COM
ling year, messages inspired by the
Mountain-top Vision We beg leave,
however, to- ask for The emphasis of
the following points which stand out
| in review of our Conference Pro-
gram:
(1) The making of the church to
be, in very real sense, s'the Soul of
the Community vitality related to
| it's every activity.
ca The effort, not primarily to
get the people into the church, but
to get our religion of Christ into our
community, the activity of the
church in carrying the Gospel to the
4 lpeople.
(3) The development of hearty
spirit of cooperation between the
people of the Community and among
the several Churches of the Com
munity.
(4) The encoura cement of scien-
tific methods of farming and of bet
ter methods of labor. The holding
of Rural Life Institutes in all rural
communities. The embracing of the
splendid opportunity, offered by the
Extension Department of the Mary
land Agricultural College, for CO.
operation, not only in the work of
such Institutes but with the indiyi-
4 dual farmer on his farm.
| (5) The Improvement of the con-
dition of the home-life, so that the
young men and women of the coun-
l try may not be alienated from the
farm by the barrenness and un-
Eattractiveness of it's life but choose
4 to remain upon it because lit offers
la life so attractive and wholesome
1 that the city cannot compete with it.
co The eqally honorable position
that play occupies in the economy of
nature and of grace and the conse-
quent invaluable contributions that
intelligently directed recreation may
be made to yield to the physical,
moral and spiritual well being, alike
of The child, the adult and the COM
munity.
ca The Importance of providing,
1 through various organizations for
4 the proper direction of the energy
and initiative of the boy during the
critical years of adolescence.
(8) The Importance of the Sunday
School as the Avenue snru which the
church exercises her teaching func-
tions; the need of proper grading,
adopted to local conditions, and of
teachers trained for efficient work.
(9) The need of the consolidation
of the rural schools; the provision
of a "Teacherage;" the adoption of
the teaching to the needs of the
scholars; curriculum that consists
pupils intelligent about the life they
live &and fit them for the work by
which they gain livelihood; at the
same time giving them that cultural
training which will enable them to
change their sphere of activity to
any form of service for which they
show ability or inclination.
(10) The introduction of business
efficiency into church finances; the
annual every-member canvass, with
the weekly subscription of current
expenses and of missions and the use
of the Duplex Envelope, supple
mented in such a way as the condi-
tions in each congregation may re-
quire. We commend such public
tabulation of the weekly receipt of
the subscription as suggested by
Rev. C. c. Mclean.
(11) Increasingly sensitive to the
manifold evils of divided Chris
tendon, whose ill effects are especi-
/ ally manifest in the country, their
union in all good works is peculiarly
necessary and ought to be particul-
arly easy, and conscious of the over
/ Ichurched conditions or innumerable
communities, we express our earnest
longing, not only for hearty CO.
operation on the part of the local
churches, but for such wise CO.
Operative action on the part of the
several denominations sacriflc-
| ing cooperation if necessary
well prevent wasteful overlapping
and unlovely competition and re-
lease many ministers of the Gospel
for service in needy fields.
(12l Such an axalfafinn of the