Six Thousand Country Churches

al atmosphere found in so many rural villages and communities, not only among the Eighteen Counties, but throughout the State (and far beyond the boundaries of Ohio) is altogether unnecessary. It

Better

it from pulpit and platform is almost their only task. That this is not enough to bring the churches to their full effectiveness has been conclusively proved by the experience of foreign missionaries during the past hundred years. In proportion to the number of their missionaries, the missionary societies which have believed that proclaiming t

very man to the highest possible development of all his powers. In seeking to do so it will not only be more effective in creating a hig

y so. The equipment of so large a number of modern city churches for various forms of social service is a stro

oul, mind, and body." As a result of this policy it is now engaged in many kinds of work which should also be done more widely and generally and so on a greater scale throughout the church. It receives large contribution

ikingly successful country church is found to be deeply concerned with the needs of the community, and is carrying ou

ogram was instituted and carried out by the Founder of the Ch

nd have everywhere reached substantially the same conclusion. The program is essentially the same in all places where the most successful country church work is done. It has found an embodiment in the mass of country church literature which has been published

etter M

every county of the State, and unsound ignorant men, such as are so common in the Eighteen Counties, cannot meet the requirements of the new program. Doubtless the educational requirements of the discipline of

The farmers must be convinced that better support of the ministry is essential, in their own interest. At the same time the best young men of the churches must be assured that the new program offers a fie

tter S

heerfully be given. But the farmers will not give more money either for the support of an inferior minister, or to carry out the old program. They will demand their money's worth, and this the present methods do not, in general, supply. The

the charge of feathering his own nest. It should be done by a State Federation of Churches or by such organizations as The Ohio Rural Life Association, acting through its own institutes and the farmers' institutes, through the circulation of its

ter Acq

working hours in driving to the widely separated points of his various parishes, crossing and recrossing as he goes the lines of travel of other ministers engaged in the same territory upon the same work

eat value. He supplies opportunities not otherwise available for the discussion of matters of general interest or of deep personal concern. He calls attention to the things otherwise forgotten, and brings, or should bring with him, the inestimable advantage of intimate contact wit

get in touch with his parishioners, and supply the needs of individuals and of the community, at least as fully as the minister who devotes most of his working hours to pastoral calls.

a rule, receive very few pastoral calls, according to the almost universal testimony of the country ministers themselves as well as that of other persons who live in the country. In Delaware County, for example, a prosperous county

ch since her childhood. Another family was found in the same region whose house no minister had entered for nineteen years. In an Ohio River township, the members of a family testified that a minister had not called on them for twenty-five years, and still others asserted that no minister had ever entered their homes. From

o thin to produce results. Add to that the fact that in each community the people whom he serves are intermingled with the parishioners of ministers of other denominations. Under these circumstances how can he become efficient in com

angement

was of undoubted value in the beginning of their work in pioneer days. But like many other efficient methods of early times it has ceased to be the best method for present

ailure to use such caution and too great insistence on its universal application too often have resulted in the employment of unequipped and uneducated ministers and sometimes even of men whose character was questionable, which in turn, has helped to bring about a low standard of pay for the minister. The

of church work, is hampered by it, for this work needs the leadership of a trained ministry, which the present circuit system tends to prevent. The minister with a circuit can rare

dless of the number of churches already there. By making use of the present circuit system, it has been possible to esta

etween them necessarily results not in the survival of the fit, but in the continued existence of an excessive num

the resulting competition helps to make more Christians, or that it tends to develop character or community life. On the contrary, it reduces both the power of the church as a whole and the influence of the individual churches for per

revival services often constitute the sole activity of these churches, yet because of the weakness of the latter they are succeeding or have succeeded in crowding out many churches of the older denominations. There

ng three or more different communities, his parishioners mingled with members of competing churches, the country minister cannot hope for the co?peration necessary to effective leadership. His success in any work for the community, because it would add prestige to his ch

on, and self-improvement as a preacher seems to be the only way out. The circuit minister of such equipment naturally regards his present work as temporary. He looks forward to le

all community where there are too many should be united in the support of one resident minister. If they cannot support him, then other

le, will bring the pastor into personal touch with the people. He will become their friend and they will wish him a long term of service among them. And only when a minister has been two or three years in a community can he begin to render his most effective service. The enlarged and

p

er I

Resident

ing in the air without seeing the target, like the fire of artillery without the aid of air scouts. There is no greater force for righteousness in a country community than a church with a resident minister, well educated, w

ools, in the establishing of libraries, in play and social life, in keeping out evil influences and promoting general decency. He may fairly expect to see the fruits of his labor, and will be all the more likely on that account to become in

e of the well-known John Frederick Oberlin, a free biography of whom has recently been made available to all countr

ministry can be exerted. And it is a needless waste, for it is fully within the power of the churches through their officials to correct it. The minister must be given a field of such a character that it is possible for him to do his work, and he must be given

he term of service of the minister of each of the parishes is nearly always long. To establish at least one resident minister in every township is not too high an aim. The peopl

church Co

le to community prosperity. Many rural communities already know that interchurch co?peration is desirable. But the great question is how to secure it. Nearly every community is aware that it has too many churches, but

es to learn and meet the needs, religious, or social, which require concerted action. While such federations, which are carefully to be distinguished from federated churches, are common in our cities, comparat

n and pastor, but where two or more churches already exist, the churches clearly should either be united organically in a singl

nd organized church are required, a federated circuit may well be formed and a common pastor be employed. In such case the several churches should be officially represented by a joint co

there is one, and if not by such bodies as the Committee of Interchurch Co?peration of the Ohio Rural Life Association. Both Federation and Association are necessary for othe

that usually he is sectarian in his thinking and point of view, it is equally true that where a well-educated ma

munity

rson in the neighborhood, and to stimulate other organizations and persons to serve the community in every possible way. It is conceivable that there might be more than one such church in a neighborhood, but in this discussion it is assumed that a community church is the on

rches by the denominational organizations. In such an exchange church members of denomination A would unite with the church of denomination B in community M, while members of denomination B would unite with the church of denomination A in community N, and so on. A number of such exchanges have been made, and so far as can be learned, they have worked well. But the

wnship, Trumbull County, and in many other communities. A description of some of them may be found on pages 60-69. If the officials and superintendents of the church should become as favorable to the formation of federated churches

em-denominational exchange-is favored by the officials but often opposed by the people in the churches. Th

er often involves action against the conscience. In some of the denominations, for example, the members have been trained to think it undesirable to subscribe to a creed. But creed subscription is requi

er is a temperamental distaste for the idea of submission to some special system of discipline. To all Protestants this is

ials that the federated church tends to promote autonomy in the local congregations, and that it will impair the authority of the denomination. But this increase of autonomy has already taken place in the city churches, whi

ularly will this be true when a minister of their own denomination is to be made pastor of the federated church. It would seem wise, therefore, for the denominational

ir zeal will usually be strong enough to overcome the difficulties in the way. But this desirable consummation is greatly retarded where opposition is made by the denomination or its officials. Until the church officials and denominations are able to propose some other practica

officials opposing Christian unity in the mistaken belief that th

her the form of co?peration embodied in a federated church. But in the tenth community it was clearly Christian co?peration and not the form of it to which this official was hostile, for the people of the two local churches were merely meeting together, in union services on Sunday evenings, and for an occasional communion

t thing that could be done for the local people. From two other communities it was reported that this same official was the only obstacle in the way of Christian unity. It is en

ectarian

there is no lack of genuine desire to further interchurch co?peration. The same desire is shared by very large numbers of the younger ministers who are properly trained for their

is an active movement between or outside of the denominations, to strengthen those officials who hesitate to promote interchurch co?peration. Such a movement would finally reveal the fact that

are small, denominational feeling is still dominant. The slight differences loom large. Denominational officials for the most part feel that their chief duty is to their denomination, from whi

of other organizations which require their wholehearted and undivided support. While the co?peration and combined judgment of such men is invaluable in the wise direction of inte

plans for progressive work both for rural business and rural church are well developed, and have been tested; and moreover, the feasibility of progress in bo

ng the war. After the sacrifices of war those of peace by comparison will not seem large-while the sacrifices o

r than the commercial enterprises of the day, and that each of us must accept his share of the responsibi