RELIGION OF THE VILLAGE 135 



him no harm. But this is not because the 

 exquisite liturgies and ancient formularies 

 adequately voice his reverence, his aspirations, 

 or his fear. On the contrary, they are, to 

 hun, for the most part, incomprehensible. 

 Nor does the service as a whole atone for this 

 want of articulate expression. Lacking the 

 social glow of the Chapel, yet shrinking from 

 the powerful appeal of colour and movement 

 and sacred symbolism, it leaves him cold. 



Nonconformity, too, finds its difficulties 

 in rural districts. It is true that ( the Free 

 Churches no longer present themselves as the 

 special enemies of social pleasures. In face 

 of the age-spirit, clamouring more and more 

 for happiness and pleasure, the ancient 

 austerity of the Baptist and Methodist has to 

 a large extent broken down. The younger 

 generation of youthful Nonconformists discuss 

 recent plays and take part in subscription 

 dances. In one direction, however, modern 

 Nonconformity maintains consistently the 

 role of a crusade against popular sentiments, 

 and that is in its splendid and uncompromising 

 fight against the power of the Drink Traffic. 

 The real weaknesses of rural Nonconformity 

 arise from the financial power of an endowed 

 and established Church in competition with 

 its own meagre coffers, its inability to provide 



