Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-07
DISCUSSES PROBLEMS
OF THE COUNTRY CHURCH
SON q" d.. l.. Moody Finds Sections
where Difference to Pnst TX "NcnrIy
Chinese I'm Its IhoIntry."

sun "f ID. L.. Mood. Finds section.
Where Difference to pnst TX NEARLY
Chinese I'm Its IdoIntry."
There are plenty OF problems for the
rural parish, out just at present their
diversity seems to be lost sish; OF in
view Of what is called Inc problem
Of tho country church. The latte- WAY
of stating it is easy for discussions AZ
conventions or in editorials. but the
son OF r. L. MOODY. now a preacher
al st. .IohnsburN. VI, thinks il doubt
ful If "a detailed examination If 100. or
even 1900, country ministers would
yield anything like a clear answer rs
10 what was the problem of the coun-
ny church 70 entertain the question
is TO indulge in a great American
weakness fondncss for gencralitics.
Rev Paul Moody. as a preacher in
toIci, with ountr districts. gives i'm
tn" Biblical Review cApril. New York;
som" of the problems. economic and
spiritual that Clamor for solution in
The country districts OF The East. Tho
irsr OF these concerns the citywarl
drift Of III" native population. Forty
seven per cent Of our people now live
in tho city. whereas 100 years ago 81
10 2" per cen, Of the American popu.
la,ion resided III the country. Not a
single community OF Vermont, outside
OF the towns or walled cities" he de.
fIal'sr ptt W4ltl snow = a sfll2Ilcr ptpi-
lati"u now than before the Civil War
Tier" the Instances Of wha the coun-
try Isstor sees OF III" city's demand
for blood
so one but the pastor Of a small
church knows what il means to see
the young man 81 u after * col
s"=c course perhaps, 90 on to the city.
tncrC TO give the large church the heir
so sadly ncctcd In The small. Tho
u"stor had looked forward - TIL.
Dung man becoming the superintcn-
dent Uf he sunday school. He had
prayed FOR thiS "Ver since tho Youth
went away To college. and II" recon.
ciich himself 10 missing him for The
four years al collcec because he looked
ahead ana SAW tho good he was TO do
This hope is shattered. hut no on.
can blame the youth for scizin. orpur.
iuniiy when the chance came. /; may
comfor the pastor q iittl" to feel that
ali the training and inspiration the
Young nan mad came from tho country
church. Int II is rather cold comfor,
for tho minister who needs him :,
badly.
Tn" tendency to s~tacnation takes the
life out OF many country pastors
Many a brave man has AT last wiltcd
under a ceaseicss repetition Of "
have never done that and We have
always done /, this way. and I guess
~ iAsth b'lNcE hol mango, varied per
haps with the cowardly adaIe. T.c,
well enough alone" In the country
the prayer meeting and tho evening
service have ceased to minister Ia The
needs If the people" but tho peo-
pie positively refuse To surrender. even
though they will not support or work
for them" Mr.. Moody hnds parts Of
tho country where the Difference to the
past is nearly Chinese in its approach
10 itiolatrN." He writes.
~ had occasion lately tn travel near
y all day with a missionary from,
Africa. who by the doctors orders is
spending the winter i'm this country
In order not To he idle, nc has taken
4 charge for the winner in :. New Eng.
land rural community. II was Il long.
coveted opportunity. and I asked him
il he found the work easier in this
country than in Africa. His answer did
not surprise me. but J wish that il
could have tho wide publicity il de.
serves. For to him thcre was no com
rar'son. and IL was easier to work. he
said. III Africa among savages than in
tEiS country among rcputcd Christians
The black night IF ignorance was more
easily disp"lled, to his way Of think
inE. than The hlacker night Of indif-
ference and ~callousncSs | believe him,
Happily there are brighter sides. and
there are communities as wide-awake
| Nilt a. IloEI III inc country us
III the urban ceutcrs. There can now
! and again be found even in New Eng
land. whose chapter some think is writ
ten and closed. little towns supportine
churches that are strong and useful
and doing in their way as good work
AS n widely known city church
Some of these are in farming communi-
ties. and there the young men have
been kept on the farms. not by force
but because the farm promised them
something and there was n future for
them. In churches in places or this
kind you will find as many young men
as old, il not actually more"
Due tribute is paid TO the agency Of
the telephone. parcel post. and auto
mobile in changing country conditions
for the church and It's people. 1nten-
sive farming, too, for those trained for
it, has kept men of good brains on the
farm and available for the church
From these facts the church has been
urged to undertake "the dissemina-
ton of a scientific knowledge Of agri-
culture But such a project Mr.. Moody
attributes only to a rather reckless
newspaper man" or a rather visionary
and Impractical theologian.' -"rhe
minister" declares Mr.. Moody. lis in
the community Tor the upraisinE OF
Christian character. and not for the
raising Of improved or registered
calves. The deepest problems OF the
country church. Mr.. Moody AYERS. are
not economic. but spiritual
"The weaker the place. the stronger
the man needed KiplinG has put In
the mouth Of M OF his keenest char.
acters. Mrs. Hauksbee. tho statement
that any woman cap manage n wise
man. but that It. takes a very wise wo.
man to manage a fool. The same thing
is true OF churches. The average man
can manage the average church.. but
II takes a spiritual genius and a sain,
Of more than common caliber to man.
the small church with it's lack .ot
workers and the loss which comes
when the momentum of numbers /.
locking."-Literary Digest.