CHAPTER XII 

 THE COUNTRY CHURCH AND PROGRESS 



The only way to an understanding of the re- 

 lation of the church to rural progress is through 

 an appreciation of the place which the church 

 as a social institution may have among other 

 social institutions affecting rural life. More- 

 over, to know the value of these institutions one 

 must first know the rural social needs. May we 

 not then, even at the risk of repetition, take a 

 brief survey of these needs and institutions, in 

 order that we may more clearly attain the proper 

 point of view ? 



At the outset let us be sure that we have sym- 

 pathy with the countryman as such. It is 

 often argued that the rural question, or any phase 

 of it, as for instance the question of the rural 

 church, is important because the country supplies 

 the best blood to the city — and a roll-call of the 

 famous country-born is read to prove the point. 

 This may be all true. But it is only a partial 

 view, for it places the emphasis upon the 

 leaving of the farm, whereas the emphasis 

 should be placed upon the farm and those who 



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