348 PRINCIPLES OF RURAL ECONOMICS 



to control the forces of nature, to dominate the earth and to 

 rule over it, which does not increase their adaptability, .which 

 does not make the nation which adopts it a prosperous nation ? 

 Conversely, must we not conclude, assuming still a rational 

 universe, that that is a true religion which, if adopted by a 

 whole community or a whole nation, would increase the adapt- 

 ability of that community or that nation and enable it to sub- 

 jugate the earth and to outgrow both in power and wealth, in 

 comfort and prosperity, the nation which does not adopt it? 

 The alternative to this conclusion would seem to be to fall 

 back upon the concept of an irrational universe, on the belief 

 that this world is Satan's world, in conflict with God's law, in- 

 stead of God's world in harmony with itself. 



This doctrine is not so revolutionary as it may seem. Indeed, 

 it is so old-fashioned as to be positively reactionary, and that is 

 why it may seem new and revolutionary to those who have for- 

 gotten certain old truths. If it be correct to say that the rural 

 districts will become Christianized only in proportion as Chris- 

 tians become better farmers than non-Christians, it must also 

 be true that whatever permanent success the rural church has 

 had in the past has been due to the same reason, except where 

 force or some other noneconomic factor has intervened. Such 

 is, as a matter of fact, the case. In spite of the emphasis of the 

 church upon spirituality, or because of its emphasis upon a sane 

 and wholesome kind of spirituality, men have usually become 

 better farmers under its influence. For, along with certain for- 

 malities of belief and conduct, there has generally been, for one 

 reason or another, considerable emphasis upon the plain eco- 

 nomic virtues of industry, sobriety, thrift, forethought, and mu- 

 tual helpfulness. Wherever there has been a pure and elevated 

 type of Christianity, there Christians have exhibited these vir- 

 tues in somewhat greater degree than non-Christians. This 

 simply means that they have wasted less of their energy in vice, 





