The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-04-07
RURAL CHURCHES
IN BAD PLIGHT,
REPORTS SHOW
Many Dying in East, While Vast
Regions in West Are With
out Any Pastors.
EXPERTS STUDYING HOW
TO OVERCOME DANGERS
Baptist State Conventions Plan Vieor.
GUS Acticn--WiiI Try Out Com.
munity Ccnters to Increase
Efficiency.

How to meet the problem of the ru-
raj churches is q task which is arOus-
ing the concern of the General Board
Convention. Surveys recently made by
representatives of the convention re-
veal that in some sections many of
these churches are gradually dying.
1t 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
springing up.
The seriousness of the problem be-
comes more apparent when a glance at
the United States Census report shows
that in 1910 the number of persons on
the farm was 49,348,S as against
42,623, 333 persons living in cities. This
is further emphasized by the figures
revealed in 19f1-that the number Of
persons engaged in agricultural! pur
suits and in animal husbandry was
1o,07C,643.
'The rural churches" says the re-
port, "have long been the fountains Of
our life. We cannot afford to let the
springs dry up. Our churches are the
iresides of the Christian family
the schoolrooms where the Church
educates its people and leads them
into all the truth. IS Our build
ings ought to be an adequate reelection
of the life and strength OF the church
es. A small church with meager re-
sources may of necessity be compelled
to do with an inadequate plant. But
church Of strength and power ought
TO have a 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
urcs planned to help meet the need are
increases in ministers salaries, the es-
tablishment of community ccnters and
the use of community churches when
other means are inaGvisable.
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 follow:
New Hampshire-"S Strengthen rural
churches" Connecticut-"W out
federation or community church plans
to meet the desperate country church
situation" New Jersey" Establish
two or three rural parish centers us
experiments for solving the rural prob
lem and SIX or seven foreign conmu-
nifty centers." Develop
the rural churches, making them vital
factors in community life" Ohio
"Enploy two new district missiona-
ries." Indiana" Employ an expert on
rural work * erect at least
seven churches and community build
ings for the new Americans" Illinois
--"Develop rural work" West Virginia
-"Strengthen the missionary work at
innesota-"Develop two or three ru-
raj centers." North Dakota-"Raise
standards OF salaries Of missionary
pastors" Montana-"Appoint two pas
tors at large a general evangelist and
several rural experts, Sunday school
director and association missionaries. :"
Idaho-"Open several stations in he
new irrigation tract" Utah-"E Employ
two new missionaries" Eastern Wash
ington-"Increase missionary staff IS
per cent, increase salaries and occupy
many destitute fields" Ore%on-"In-
augurate at once new worl; in many
fields now opening UP. Great districts
with hundreds of people have no
church nor missionary. Employ sew
eral general missionaries and a SUPER
intendent cf evangelism"