W^mWim^ This book may be kept out TWO WEEKS only, and is subject to a fine of TWO CENTS a day thereafter, T^ „.;ii u„ j.._ _ the day indicated beloW ^^f^ DATE DUE CARD a. :^ =*!> PAHPIILKTB OH THP COmiTRY CHURCH > * * * Volume 3 ol V. 3 Federal souncil of the churches of Christ in America, What every church should know about its community • General Association of Congregational Churches of Massachusetts, Advance reports of various committees, 1908 and 1909 McElfresh, F» The country Sunday school MclTutt, M. B. Modern methods in the country church McFutt , M» B« A post-graduate school with a i:)urr^ose Massachusetts Federation of Churches, Quarterly bulletin. Facts and factors. October 1910 "The part of the church in rural x:r ogress as discussed at the Amherst Conference,** Root, E» T. State federations Taft, A» B» The mistress of the rural manse Taf t , A. B* The tent mission Taylor, G< Basis for social evangelism with rural applications Wells, G, F. An answer to the ITev? England country church question* Wells, G. F. If/hat our country churches need Wilson, W. H. The church and the transient Wilson, W. H» Conservation of boys Wilson, W. H. The country church Wilson, W. H» The country church i:)rogram Wilson, W, H. Don*t breathe on the thermometer Wilson, W, H» The farmers* church and the farmers* t2 college [co Wilson, W. 11. Getting the worker to church a. LU Wilson, W, H» The girl on the farm Wilson, W. H» How to manage a country life institute Wilson, W. II, "Marrying the land." Wilson, W. H» ITo need to "be poor in the country Wilson, W. H. Synod's oj^port unity Wilson, W. H. What limits the rural Evangel 9«3«99«4 The church^. and country life. Pamphlet issued hy the Board of Home Missions of the Presby- terian Church. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/farmerschurchfar03wils Department of Chttrch and Labor, the Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church In the U .8 .A .466 Fifth Ave.,New York %f)t ^farmers' C!)ttrc!) antr tfje ^Farmers' College By WARREN H. WILSON, Ph.D. THREE laymen of national reputa- tion have publicly favored the edu- cation of ministers in part in agri- cultural colleges. Ministers them- selves, however, realize that their work calls for an education in Sociology. While this problem is being adjusted by the theological seminaries, the present generation of country ministers are called on to produce results now. The best expedient for meeting this situation is the mutual service of ministers and agricul- tural experts. The annual meeting of every Presbytery and Synod for some years to come should hear an address by a representative of scientific agriculture. The State and National governments main- tain schools and colleges of agriculture and experiment stations, which are well manned. Out from these an extensive system of farm- ers' institutes keeps a multitude of selected lec- turers in the field, who are students of rural life and generally men of high character. Among them are many Christian men of vision and leadership. The value of these men and the service they can render to country and town churches has not been fully appreciated. These experts are ready to serve under given conditions without cost to the community, as lecturers and advocates of various phases of rural prosperity. Some of them are now ren- dering valuable service through churches and rehgious assemblies. But generally this corps of leaders in rural prosperity do not them- selves realize how greatly the country church can help them in their approach to the rural community. The farmer has scoffed at the farmers' institute. An alliance between the in- stitute lecturer and the country minister should more than double the value of the institutes. The time is at hand for the co-operation of these prophets of rural prosperity with the country churches, whose prophetic function has the attention of the country population. Country life is one. The industrial, social, moral and religious life of farmers constitute not several different interests, but a single problem of rural revival. In the country each man is a laborer, and each man is a merchant, and each man practices in some degree a pro- fession. There is no police force nor fire de- partment. Each man is a policeman and each man a fireman. Similarly, all the problems of the country fall upon every member of the population. The financial prosperity of the country is bound up with its moral well-being, and the ethical movements of country life have their home in the church. Says a leading agricultural editor: "There will never be a re- vival of agricultural prosperity without a re- vival of religion." And the other side of this truth was expressed by a church official of national prominence, who declares : "The country church will never prosper till min- isters learn how to till the soil." Among the leaders in the revival of rural life are L. H. Bailey, of Cornell University; Kenyon L. Butterfield, of Amherst Agricul- tural College ; Gifford Pinchot, ex-Forester of the United States ; Harry Hayward, director in Delaware College ; "Joe" Wing, of Me- chanicsburg, Ohio, and other men in the vari- ous states, who have recognized that country life cannot be improved by increasing crops alone, but by the co-operation of every insti- tution of the rural community in the interest of the betterment of the people of the farm and village. THE WILLETT PRESS, N. T. 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