American Agriculturist, March 10,19‘20 
213 
“We Are Living in a New Era” 
Times Have Changed; Has The Church Been Growing With Them ? 
A S many opinions as there are churches 
—that was our first impression on 
A-% reading the letters about modern 
JL religion. Some letters which did 
not win prizes contained such excellent points 
that we decided to pass them on to our read¬ 
ers for further thought on the subject. 
Not all the writers on the country-church 
problem agree with the subscriber whose 
comment on modern reading matter was so 
unfavorable. You will remember that the 
letter in question spoke of the flood of cheap 
modern literature as tending to carry the 
minds of the young people away from the 
more substantial ‘‘old-time” favorites —^the 
Bible especially. 
Mrs. Lewis Doll of Pennsylvania raises a 
point, however, which is in direct opposition 
to this attitude and which we believe has a 
good deal of truth in it. Speaking of the un¬ 
prepared and immature men sent to be min¬ 
isters of country churches, she writes : “We 
subscribe for some of the highest-priced lit¬ 
erature published, and we can get better food 
for our minds in the comfort of our own 
home without the trouble of going out to 
church. When we farmers are better edu¬ 
cated than these men who 
come to teach and lead us, 
how many Sundays will we 
waste our time listening to 
a discourse that carries no 
facts?” 
Automobile Plays Its Part 
Another thoughtful com¬ 
ment, which shows that ele¬ 
ments which are regarded, 
as w 0 r k i n g against the 
church in some places have 
another aspect, was made 
by Elbert Beebe of New 
York. Many letters spoke 
of the effect of the auto¬ 
mobile in lessening church 
attendance. Mr. Beebe 
pointed out that it also en¬ 
larged the territory which 
pastor could cover and 
^oprild therefore be an as- 
?ot, if rightly appreciated, 
carrying' out the pro¬ 
gram of the church. “Our rural pastors and 
churches have not adjusted themselves to 
new conditions,” writes Mr. Beebe. 
Claribel Maye of New York answers critics 
who believe the church should broaden its 
social activities by reminding them that the 
church used to be more of a community cen¬ 
ter than it is now. 
“The country church was once the social 
center of the community. We did not have 
to build ‘community houses,’ for ouf gather¬ 
ings were connected with the church; and 
babies were taken and grew up in church 
ways. Some years ago they began waiting 
until children could ‘understand’ before tak¬ 
ing them to the Lord’s House; and children, 
thinking it some new amusement, found it 
somewhat dull and preferred something else. 
So now we have a nation of pleasure seekers, 
and only a few have stood by the church and 
its works.” 
The Opposite Opinion 
In direct contrast to this opinion is that 
of Jennie C. Jones of New York, who be¬ 
lieves that the church is failing to make it¬ 
self a vital part of rural life: “The country 
church has failed to adapt itself to the many 
changes which modern methods of living have 
brought about in the community where it is 
planted. The fundamental principles of the 
Gospel are the same to-day as preached in 
the Sermon on the Mount, because principles 
do not change, while methods do change. We 
are applying these changed methods to our 
agriculture and business, but running the 
churches on the same old program used two 
generations ago. The church must enter in 
our everyday life and give something besides 
theology and denominationalism, in order to 
become a vital force in present-day country 
life. Despite the fact that many worth¬ 
while, helpful organizations have sprung up, 
there is yet no better medium than the church 
through which to interpret life and develop 
a rural community consciousness. 
“Churches fail because they try to save 
themselves rather than the community. The 
community-serving church will live; but we 
need ministers and leaders who are in closer 
sympathy and understanding of rural life. 
There ought to be some provision made for 
such training.” 
David Grayson says: “In this roaring age 
of efficiency we do not long support any in¬ 
stitution that does not set its claws deep into 
our common life—and hang on.” 
A note of optimism is sounded by Joseph 
S. Moss, a deacon in a New York State 
church, who does not believe in too sweep¬ 
ing a condemnation of modern practices 
or in unduly idealizing the “good old days.” 
“With all due respect to our forefathers,” 
says Mr. Moss, whose active church experi¬ 
ence covers a period of over fifty years, 
“they lived in their time. Some of them 
thought all infants not baptized were lost, 
and a good many thought it was right to 
have liquor. We are living in a new era. There 
never was a time in the history of the world 
when Christ’s words were more fulfilled: ‘By 
this shall all men know that ye are my dis¬ 
ciples, if ye have love one to another.’ ” 
But the great lack to-day is leadership, 
according to Mrs. I. A. Vought of Pennsyl¬ 
Third Prize, Mrs. Hanna Payne, Raquette 
Lake, N. Y. 
vania, who says: “People are not less spirit¬ 
ual than in former years.” Echoing the cry 
heard in other than religious professions, 
Mrs. Vought appeals for strong, well-trained, 
broad-minded men as pastors. 
Give the Young People a Chance 
“Many communities lack good leaders. We 
should have a leader in each church activity, 
and not leave all to one overworked leader. 
Give the young a very large place in all 
church activities. They put youth, vigor, and 
enthusiasm in the work. We need church 
buildings which have mod¬ 
ern lighting plants, Sun¬ 
day-school rooms, social, 
and rest rooms.” 
Mrs. George Gray of 
New York sums up the dif¬ 
ference, as she sees it, be¬ 
tween the ministers of 
other days and of the 
present: 
“What is the trouble with 
the church? The churches 
to-day are weak because 
they are not doing evan¬ 
gelistic work. 
“Dominie Weiting and 
his contemporaries were 
evangelistic, and the church 
held the first place in their 
lives. When the individual 
church members of to-day 
put ‘first things first’ the 
church will come back to 
its former glory and the 
problem will be solved.” 
/ 
/ 
Honorable Mention Award, Ray F. Pollard, Cobbleskill, N. Y. 
First Prize Award will appear on the cover of an early issue of American AgricuUurist 
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