They attended church services and neighborhood social events because small banks, schools, and other community institutions were run by a local elite that enforced a certain kind of conformity.
The elite not only had control over the financial, educational and community institutions, but also of the residents. 
mnli hypothesis: The elite not only had control over the financial, educational and community institutions, but also of the residents.  premise: They attended church services and neighborhood social events because small banks, schools, and other community institutions were run by a local elite that enforced a certain kind of conformity.