Show THE CHURCH AS A SOCIAL CENTER A broader sphere for religion new field for the rural church by peter radford lecturer notional national I 1 arm innig rs union the social duty of the rural church 13 3 as much a part or it obligations as its spiritual side in i pressing ng its social interest th alip modi rural church does not he to 11 aim nn that it is expressing a true religious instinct and i hi old dunc tunc idea thai tha ha social int inot should be carved while tile the spiritual pi ritual v is overfed with solid food itt is fast giving way to a broader interprets mier inter preta uon 0 of the funi eions ol 01 true irue elilion eli gion We take talie our place in itu in mccellon mcc eslon ion of those who have so sought foght to make the he world it a I 1 t 11 bi lation tation tor thi rb biml ie of man bi n h we to stud and under itna tap sonn dui i ifan rural church the irue hi al is n re laiglon ic I 1 i it 11 tall all li it nets of faith being love and bi cottu od ad and fellowship while lollon ing at r righteousness the church ni ff h 1 lenge and seek to reform that s si AI order in which moral life is ib ix pressed while cherishing ideal or of service the rural church which t V bains the fullest measure of sue ss is that which enriches as many 1 11 es as it can touch and in no way an aa the church come in as close with its members as through the be avenue of social functions the country town and the rural community need a social center the church need offer no apology tor for its ambition to fill this need in the community lt it an understanding ot of its mission brings this purpose into clear consciousness the structure ot of a rural community is exceedingly complex it contains many social groups each of which has its own center but there aie are many localities which have but one church and although such a church cannot command the inter est es the people it Is relieved from th the e embarrassment of religiously divided communities social needs imperative tho the average country boy and girl have very little opportunity for real enjoyment and have as a ruled rule a vague conception of the meaning of 0 pleasure and recreation it is to fill this void in the lives of country youth that the rural church has risen to the necessity of providing entertainment as well as instruction to its membership among the young the tha children and young people of thep th church should meet when religion ls ia not even mentioned it has been found safest for them to meet frequently under the direction and cars care of the church to send them into the world with no social training exposes them to grave perils and to try too to keep ahert out of the world with no social privileges is sheer tolly folly there Is a social nature to both old and young but the social requirements or of the young are imperative the church must provide directly or indirectly some modern equivalent tor for the husking bee the quilting bee and the sing fingl ing schools of the old days in one on way or another the social instincts of our young people must have opportunity tor for expression which may take the form ol of clubs parties plo bics or other forms of amusement one thing Is certain and that is that the church cannot take away the dance the card party and the theatre unless it can offer in its place a satisfying substitute in the form of mom mor pleasing recreation universal instinct for play in providing tor for enjoyment tho the church uses one of the greatest methods by which human society v has developed ve loped association Is never secure until it Is pleasurable in play the instinctive aversion of one person for another is overcome and the social mood Is fostered play la Is the chief chiea educational agency in rural communities and in the play day of human childhood social sympathy and social habits are evolved As individuals come together in social gatherings their viewpoint is broadened their ideals are lifted and finally they constitute a cultured and refined society it Is plain therefore that the tb church which alms at a perfected society must use in a refined and exalted way the essential factors in ill social evolution and must avail itself of the universal instinct for play if the church surrounds itself boccal functions which appeal to the tha young among its membership 4 it will fill allf a large part of the famen lamenta table blea gaj gap in rural pleasures and will reap real the richest reward by promoting a higher and better type of manhood and womanhood 4 au |