MlCmC.W ACADIvMV OF SCIKNCF,. 1S7 



It is dirticult to think of society aj^art from its fundamental institu- 

 tions. Religion, education, government, recreational and fraternal 

 organizations, alike, have all exerted a pervasive influence upon the sum 

 total of social life. And, although their functions may be differentiated, 

 their fields are the same, the whole of society, by reason of which they 

 cannot logically be assigned to separate domains. 



Heretofore it has been erroneously conceived that religion, or the 

 spiritual life, should, as much as possible, be separated from the natural 

 order. Inasmuch as the church was the guardian of spiritual life, she 

 must be isolated from all institutions dealing with material things. But 

 the attitude of religious thinkers toward this question is today undergoing 

 a radical change. The purpose of the church, as now understood, is not 

 merely to create in the individual a new and separate life, called the 

 spiritual, but to transform and uplift the natural life; not merely to 

 prepare for a future world, but to spiritualize the present world. And 

 its purpose will not be accomplished until it has leavened every sphere 

 of human activity with spiritual ideals. Why, then, isolate the church 

 from secular life? Its aim should be a thorougli, aggressive invasion 

 and conquest. 



Needless to say, when once the church has awakened to its mission we 

 may look for sweeping changes. There is going to be reorganization, a 

 new program, a new attack. We are concerned here with chiefly the 

 rural phase of the situation. For if there is to be a readaptation to meet 

 modern requirements, there must necessarily be a varied program, adapt- 

 able to dissimilar types of society. And what will be the adjustment 

 made to country life? Conditions among the farming class of people 

 present some characteristics that are not to be found elsewhere. To these 

 there must be a widespread attempt at accommodation ; and although 

 there is but one general church problem, the country church must 

 attack that problem in its own peculiar way. 



It is to these possible plans that I propose to devote the remainder 

 of this discussion. No one will venture to prophesy in advance precisely 

 what they will be. But there have been launched certain progressive 

 movements that give a strong foreshadowing of what is to come. And to 

 a review of these I am going to add a few suggestions for improvement. 

 For tliis purpose I will divide the subject into its three main aspects, as 

 follows: (1) organization; (2) pastoral requirements, and (3) equip- 

 ment and program. 



There can be no question that the present unsatisfactory organization 

 of 'the church has been largely responsible for its failure to accomplish 

 its mission. It has been to a deplorable extent subject to a form of 

 faction known as dcnominationalism. Factions have been the bane of 



