Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1927-03-31
RELIGION AND LIFE
BY Rev. A. H. Rapking

| have Just read with much interest
an article in the "Ohio Farmer" on
''Massing for the Corn-Borer Offens-
i've. Recently Congress appropriated
$10,000,000 for this drive. The fed
eral authorities in charge of the off
ensive are backed up by the State De-
j partment of Agriculture of New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Mich
igan under authority Of emergency
/ legislation passed within the last two
weeks in all the states named
Ohio has appropriated 100000, and
Michigan, 100000 for this purpose.
In Ohio special county agents will be
in charge Of the work in the counties
in the infested area. Farmers will be
paid from one to two dollars an acre
for destroying the cornstalks of last
years crop and other refuse that
might contain the borer. Or those in
charge will do this work for him and
ask him to pay the bill. The govern
ment will have in every county in the
4 corn-borer infested area, stubble-beat-
ing outfits which may be had on APP
| plication to the County Corn-borer
| Supervisor.
Thus the stage is all set for the
war to be waged between the small,
rather insignificant looking worm,
! known as the corn-borer and hundreds
of thousands of farmers backed by
trained scientists and millions of dol
lars. 1t will be interesting to watch
the struggle. My brother owns farm
in the infested area in Lorain County.
In my imagination can see him now,
six foot tall, weighing one hundred
and eighty-five pounds, going over his
farm hunting for the hiding places of
the small corn-borer
During the time of Moses in Egypt,
the folks would have considered the
corn-borer plague sent to Punish
them for sins committed; today we
think of the borer as challenge to
men to help them in their develop
ment. For their best development
men must have difficulties to over
come, and only those who master
difficulties and help in the solution of
problems develop as their Creator in
tended they should. 1t is not always
the easy road that is the best for men
to travel.
One of the greatest calamities that
could befall the citizens of West Vir-
ginia would be the bestowal, by some
! power, of enough money SO that they
would not have to earn their bread
by the sweat of their brow. This
would be a calamity because most
men would become degenerates.
Then, too, the cofn-borer is compell-
ing men and states to cooperate. One
man in the battle against the borer
is practically helpless, but the states
and the nation joined together in the
conflict will, believe, win, and in
winning they will learn certain les
sons. These men and states will be
better prepared to help in the solu-
ton of other problems. The corn
/ borer plague may be an expensive and
hard lesson in cooperation, but it will
be worth all it costs if many folks
come to realize that 'Man cannot live
unto himself. From the cradle to the
grave men are dependent on each 9TH
er. 1t is high time that we appreci-
ate this fact and order our lives ac-
cordingly.
| suppose it was all right for men
in the days of the jungles to kill each
other and live on the plane of compe-
tition, but the day when that princi-
pie was right has gone forever. The
challenge comes to all of US to help
usher in the new day--the day of CO.
operation, cooperation between town
and country, between the rich and the
poor, the educated and the uneducat-
ed, the school and the church, capital
and labor, and between the races and
nations of the earth. This cooperative
world will be achieved in cooperation
with the spirit Of the living God, who
has so planned the world that all who
sincerely seek His guidance will be-
come positive factors in the building
4 of the cooperative world.
May the conquest Of the corn borer
prepare US for a more whole-souled
united attack on ignorance, supersti-
ton, and every phase of sin. May we
realize that as the corn-borer destroys
corn and other plants, SO sin destroys
men, homes, and civilizations. May
the vision Of a cooperative world act
as our guiding star leading US ever in
the direction Of Him whom to know
Alright means the achievement of etcr-
nal life, SO that in cooperation with
Others and God, we, throughout eter-
nifty, can be co-lahorers in the develop
ment of the universe.
I
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