Graham guardian., 1920-04-09
Many Dying in East, While Vast
Regions in West Are With
out Any Pastors.
EXPERTS STUDYING HOW
TO OVERCOME DANGERS
Baptist state Conventions Piaa viesr.
Gus Aetien--Wiii Try Out Com
munity centers to Increase
Efficiency.

l ItoW 10 htGl tnc PlVbtCm VI thC fh-
raj churches ,is a task which is arcus-
| ing the concern Of the General Board
Of Promotion of the Northern Baptist
Convention. Surveys recently made by
representatives of the convention re-
veal that in some sections many OF
these churches are gradually dying,
II was also shown that the outlook for
others is far from promising. This Is
particularly true In the East. In the
Western states the need is for the
establishment Of churches In the hun.
dreds of new communities which are
'prinEng up.
The seriousness Of the problem be.
comes more apparent when q glance at
the United States Census report shows
that In 1910 the number Of persons on
the farm was 49,s4e,sS3 as against
42,623, 1888 persons living In cities. This
Is further emphasized by the asures
revealed In 191T-that the Rumber OF
persons engaged In agricultural pur-
suits and in animal husbandry was
1e,07C,S43.
"The rural churches" says the re-
port, "have long been the fountsiRs Of
our life. We cannot afford to let the
springs dry up. Our churches are the
fresides of the Christian family
the Schoorooms where tho Church
educates Its people and leads them
into all the truth. Our build.
lngs ought to be an adequate reflection
Of the life and strength of the church.
es. A small church with measer re.
sources may Of necessity he compelled
to do with an inadeq quate plant. But
a church Of strength and power ought
to have home that will reflect its
life"
And to help the state conventions
which supervise the work In their own
states men are being employed TO give
their whole time, effort and study to
help solve the problem. Other meas
ures planned TO help meet the need are
increases In ministers salaries, the es-
tablishment Of community centers and
the use Of community churches when
other means are inadvisable.
Excerpts from the plans Of the state
conventions show how urgent some Of
these bodies regard the plight Of the
rural church. A few of these fsllsw:
New Hampshire-"Strengt rural
churches" Connecticut--"Work cut
federation or community church plans
to meet the desperate country church
situation" New Jersey-"Es
two or three rural parish centers as
experiments FOR solving the rural prob.
lem snd six or seven foreign coMriu.
nifty centers." wisconsin--"Develop
the rural churches, making them vital
factors In community life" Ohio
Employ two new district missisna.
ries." Indiana-"Empley an expert on
rural work erect at least
seven churches and community build.
ings for the new Americans" rllinsis
rural work" west Virginia
the missionary work at I
many points and enter new fields
Minnesota-"Develop two or three ru'
raj centers" North Dakota---"Raise
standards Of salaries Of missionary
Montana-"Appolnt two pas,
tors at large, a general evangelist and
several rural experts, Sunds& school
and association missionaries. |
several stations In the
new irrigation tract" Utah-"Empley
two new missionaries" Eastern Wash.
missionary staff 80
per cent, increase salaries and occupy |
many destitute fields" oregon-'Tn.
augurate at once, new work In many
fields now opening up. Great districts
with hundreds Of people have nc
church nor missionary. Employ sev.
eral general missionaries and a super.
intendent OF evangelism"