178 CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS 



rural church an institutional church. The 

 church is notably a conservative institution. 

 The rural church is in this respect "to the 

 manner born." Rural church members are 

 likely to be ultra-conservative, especially as to 

 means and methods. Even if this were not 

 true, we might well lament any attempt to 

 establish a social-service church that endeavored 

 to make the church the sole motive power in 

 rural regeneration, that failed to recognize, to 

 encourage, and to co-operate with the other 

 social forces which we have mentioned. But if 

 every country pastor cannot have a social-service 

 church, is it not possible that every country 

 church shall have a social-service pastor ? There 

 are some things the church cannot do; there is 

 nothing it may not through its pastor inspire. 

 There are some uses to which the country church 

 cannot be put; there are no uses to which the 

 country pastor may not be put — as country 

 pastors know by experience. The pastor ought 

 to be an authority on social salvation as well as 

 on personal salvation. He ought to be guide, 

 philosopher, and friend in community affairs as 

 well as in personal affairs. Is he not indeed the 

 logical candidate for general social leadership 

 in the rural community ? He is educated, he is 



