674 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 



we have buggies and autos to go in. The trouble now with us is, we 

 are too independent and self-centered. If we would co-operate a lit- 

 tle more we could build up a community in which land would seldom 

 be for sale, and if it were, would be the place where those hunting 

 new homes would like to locate. 



THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE RURAL CHURCH. 



(An Address Given by the Rev. James W. Johnson, Leon, la., Before 

 the Decatur County Farmers' Institute.) 



Whatever may be said as to the reasons for a "rundown" church, 

 it can be truly said that one of the reasons is that the community 

 finds so little use for it. People would find more use for it if it 

 served them in their everyday life. 



The rural church, as a rule, is locked up six days in the week and 

 when it is open it is when the everyday affairs are shut up, so the 

 church and everyday life seldom meet. 



This is an awful error because sooner or later it means the end of 

 Miss Church's career in that community. Farmers are the busiest 

 people on earth, as a class, and they cannot be expected to give time 

 to something that will not return some sort of profit, somewhere. 



Some wise man said once, "The way to a man's heart is through his 

 stomach." That's one way. There are a legion of other ways. But 

 no truer or more justifiable way can be found than through helpful- 

 ness. So in case the church does the farmer a good turn, you will 

 find him promptly recognizing the service and reciprocating. 



Our Master said, "I am among you as one that serves," "and the 

 common people heard him gladly." It will require a profound logic 

 to prove that a serving church will not be loved by those same com- 

 mon folks. 



Remember, man is soul, mind and body. But remember, too, that 

 the church can administer to the mind and body, just as well as to the 

 soul, and in proportion as she does that will she approach the maxi- 

 mum of her possibility. The fact is the rural church has today dis- 

 covered that she can do this work and it is the open day of her new 

 and best day. 



The church can be an educational center for the whole community. 

 The city has her clubs, her lyceum courses, entertainments. The coun- 

 try has sporadically and spasmodically a taste of such things, but 

 as a rule the rural folks must go to the city for such or go without 

 them and generally they go without them. This need not be, for 

 show the country people the possibility of such pleasures among them- 

 selves and they prefer to enjoy them at home rather than go to town. 



In a certain rural school where old-time ways and old-time subjects 

 only were taught, a vote was taken among the boys as to whether 

 they would prefer to stay- on the farm or go to town. Nine-tenths of 

 them wanted to leave. Afterwards a course of agriculture and kin- 



