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.
Everywhere they went and everything they did was on their on accord, without external influences or pressure. 
mnli hypothesis: Everywhere they went and everything they did was on their on accord, without external influences or pressure.  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.