CHAPTER VII 



THE RURAL CHURCH AND THE YOUNG 

 PEOPLE 



THERE was never a greater demand for efficient 

 leadership in the rural communities than there is 

 to-day. The country has continued for many years 

 past to become richer in farm products and equip- 

 ment, but it has steadily grown poorer in social and 

 spiritual values. In fact we have unconsciously 

 acquired a distorted idea of values. Hogs are too high 

 in proportion to boys. Beef cattle are absorbing too 

 much interest in proportion to the time and money 

 expended in perfecting the character of girls. It 

 has long been the proud boast of the Middle Western 

 states that they could feed the entire country. And 

 we have continued so long in this way as now to 

 regard big crops and the great abundance of farm 

 animals and other such material possessions as ends 

 in themselves. So it is high time that we ask our- 

 selves what this material wealth is all for. Looked 

 at from at least one high vantage point, it may be 

 properly regarded as so much encumbrance unless we 

 shall be able to convert it into a means to some 

 worthy and spiritual purpose. 



82 



