Missouri Country Life Conference. 



197 



that, because it is absolutely necessary that he be free of finan- 

 cial encumbrance if he is to give his best service. Co-operate 

 with your pastor, take an interest in your community, help 

 your church, help your church to work with you, stand for all 

 that is good, uplifting and helpful in your community. 



Rev. M. B. McNutt. 



CHURCH ADMINISTRATION. 



(Rev. Matthew B. McNutt, Glen Ellyn, 111.) 



On the way down here I heard a conversation between two 



farmers on the way to the conference, 

 and one said, "Where are you going?" 

 "Going to Columbia." The other said, 

 "Pretty good place to go, isn't it?" 

 "Yes," he said, "Indeed it is." And 

 I feel that way myself. I find the 

 farmers feel that way. 



It was my pleasure to speak here 

 last year at one of the gatherings. I 

 am sure that I enjoyed it very much, 

 and I learned a great deal. I like to 

 come back here to speak, not so much 

 for what I may be able to give to the 

 conference and to the farmers of Mis- 

 souri, but for what I may be able to get. 



It was my privilege to serve a typical rural church for a 

 period of twelve years, and for the last two years it has been 

 my privilege to visit hundreds of rural and village churches, and 

 as near as I can see from my study of the rural church, the thing 

 that is lacking the most is administration. 



I find that there are many rural fields, communities where 

 there are abundant resources in both men and material to make 

 a good, strong church. If there was only more attention given 

 to administration. I find in a great many instances where the 

 rural pastor is trying to do it all. He must, instead, try to 

 train leadership in the community to carry on the work. 



Now the country church is one of the great factors in 

 bringing about a more satisfying social condition in the country, 

 and I am sure that when we have the country church perforrriing 

 its function regarding the community every other institution 

 that has anything to do with the welfare of the country people 



