FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



manner. Students are realizing that the rural church, like 

 other rural institutions, must be given its proper setting in 

 rural life. (3) The number of institutions, associations, 

 organizations, societies, etc., that are seeking a solution of the 

 rural church problem, in the light of the scientific method, 

 is increasing from year to year, and their efforts are bearing 

 wonderful fruit. (4) Leadership is beginning to realize that 

 the problems of the country demanding solution before Rural 

 America can boast of the great rural civilization of which her 

 wonderful inherent powers give promise, are worthy of the 

 best minds in the whole nation. No big man can possibly be 

 happy with a little task. Rural America for the next genera- 

 tion contains the big tasks of the country, and these are invit- 

 ing leadership to a test of its powers. 



Among the handicaps to the development of a strong rural 

 church may be mentioned: (i) Diminishing membership. 

 With a decrease in the population of the country, it is quite 

 natural that the membership of the country churches should 

 decrease. In many a country church has the writer discussed 

 this matter with some of the leading members. Invariably he 

 is told of this family and that family and the other family 

 having moved from the neighborhood and of a reduction in 

 the number of farms. Of course this sort of thing stirs the 

 blood of the fighting man, and, in all live churches, great efforts 

 are being put forth to get the entire community into the 

 churches, that they may hold their own. But one can gather 

 little inspiration from the task of building up a church in a 

 community with a diminishing population. The next census, 

 however, will likely show the country population decreasing 

 less rapidly. (2) Traction lines and automobiles. Each is a 

 great temptation to the resident of the farm on Sunday, 

 especially if he has been busy all week, with little oppor- 

 tunity for social diversion. How easy it is to take the trac- 

 tion car for a pleasure ride or a trip somewhere, or to run 

 out the automobile for a few hours' spin on the good roads, 

 even to the other side of the county, if one desires. The 

 number of automobiles is increasing very rapidly in the 



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