414 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



two rooms for myself and arranged to take my meals with a 

 neighborly farmer. When a year had passed, the people were 

 then willing enough to install ; but the pastor, somewhat dissatis- 

 fied with this lonely way of living and with no immediate pros- 

 pects of anything better, thought it unwise to form a permanent 

 relationship with the church. Another year fled and there was a 

 "better-half" in the manse. The congregation voted again 

 unanimously as before and the installation took place. 



One of the hardest things to overcome was their preconceived 

 notions about the church and about country life. I found it diffi- 

 cult to change the old way of doing things. The only hope of 

 progress seemed to be in training the younger generation. But 

 how to train it and in what, were the great problems to be 

 solved. One thing was certain: the church society as it was 

 organized and conducted did not seem to be all that the com- 

 munity needed. Many of the people had grown indifferent to 

 the church, and those who were interested did not seem to know 

 just what was lacking. Where could this country church and 

 pastor look for light? Not to other country churches, for they, 

 too, were in the dark. Not to the town and city, because their 

 methods were devised for an environment presenting altogether 

 different conditions. There was nothing left for us to do, there- 

 fore, but to study the situation and work out the solution our- 

 selves. And that is just what we have been doing. 



I soon realized that, in order to succeed in a community like 

 this, a country parson must do a great deal more than preach 

 and visit his flock. His duties must vary, as mine did, from 

 janitor to head financier, depending upon how much the people 

 have been trained to do, and also upon how much they are able 

 to do. 



The first work that we attempted (apart from what is ordi- 

 narily considered church work) was to develop systematically the 

 musical talent of the community. This was done through an old- 

 fashioned singing-school. All the young people were taught to 

 read music and to sing. Quartettes were formed; musical in- 

 struments of various kinds were purchased by individuals; and 

 an orchestra was started. There are few homes in the parish now 

 that do not have music of some kind. A great many of the young 

 men and women have been encouraged to take private lessons in 



