RURAL t'PLIFT ELSEWHERE 285 



" The Christian League of Connecticut," published in 

 1883, gives an excellent discussion of essential princi- 

 ples. His larger volume. " Parish Problems,'' 1889, 

 and his later one, " The Christian Pastor and the Work- 

 ing Church." 1898, have each chapters upon rural con- 

 ditions and means of help. 



The Evangelical Alliance took up the problem in 

 1889, when its secretary, Josiah Strong, officially " ex- 

 plored " five counties in the State of Xew York, and the 

 Rev. Henry Fairbanks forty-four towns in Vermont. 

 These studies included economic, moral and social con- 

 ditions, population, numbers of churches, church mem- 

 bership and attendance. At the next International Con- 

 ference called by the Alliance, in Chicago, in 1893, the 

 problem was given a foremost place, with papers by Pre- 

 sident "W. De Witt Hyde, Dr. Samuel Dyke, and others. 

 Both of these leaders had previously written able articles 

 on the subject. Dr. Dyke upon "The Religious Problems 

 of the Country Town." and Dr. Hyde upon "Impending 

 Paganism in Xew England." Dr. Strong's research work 

 led to the publication in 1893 of his volume " The Xew 

 Era," in which we have a clear presentation of both city 

 and country problems as they exist and are grappled 

 with to-day. It also led to Dr. Strong's making these 

 and kindred questions his life work. 



The American Sunday School has taken up the work 

 of betterment energetically in wisely adopting new 

 methods and in giving the work of the school a wider 

 scope than before. The organized Bible Class has be- 

 come a social uplift agency. Some excellent survey 

 work has been carried on by this organization. Three 

 years ago a prize of $1.000 was offered by the Union for 

 the manuscript of the best essay on the problems of 



