Show THE CHURCH AS ASOCIAL CENTER A broader sphere for religion new field for the rural church by peter radford lecturer national union the social duty of the rural church Is 18 ais ia much a part of its obligations as its spiritual side la in expressing its ita social interest the modern rural church does not hesitate to claim that it Is expressing a true religious in and the old time idea that the social instincts should be starved while the spiritual nature was overfed with solid theological food is fast giving way to a broader intel preta tion of the functions of true religion we take our place in the succession ot of those v aho vho bo have sought to make the world a lit fit habitation for the children of man when we seek to study and understand the social duty of the rural church the true cb christian ristian re ligion to is essentially social its tenets of faith being love and brotherhood and fellowship while following after righteousness the church must challenge and seek to reform that social order in which moral life Is expressed while cherishing ideals of service the rural church which attains t the fullest measure of success la is that which enri enriches cheo as an many lives liven as it can touch and in no way can tho the church come in as close contact with its members as through tho the avenue of social functions the country town and the rural community need a social center the church need offer no apology for its ambition to fill this need in the eon community it if an understanding of its ita mission brings this purpose into clear consciousness the structure or of 0 rural community to is exceedingly complex it contains many social groups each of which has its own center but there abe many localities which have but one church and although such a church cannot command the interest of all the people it I 1 is rel relieved b aved aiom the embarrassment of religiously 0 usar divided communities social needs Impe imperative the average country boy and girt girl have very little opportunity tor for real enjoyment and have as a rule a vague conception of the meaning of pleasure and re recitation it is in to fill this void in the lives ot of country youth that the rural chuich chinch has risen to the necessity of providing entertain went men as well as an to its ita membership among the young ina children ana an young people of the church should meet when religion la in not even mentioned it has been round found safest for thorn them to meet fro qu antly under the direction and care of the church to send them into the world with no social training exposes them to grave perils and to try to keep them out of the world with no a octal privileges is sheer tolly folly there la is a social nature to both old and young but the social requirements of the young are imperative the church must provide directly or indirectly some modern equivalent for the husking bee the quilting bee and the sing tug ing schools of the old days in on one way or another the social instincts instinct of our young people must have opportunity for expression which may take the form of clubs parties picnics or other forma of amusement one thing to is certain and that la Is that the church cannot take away the dance no fie card party and the theatre unless unions it can offer in its place a sat substitute in the form of more pleasing reci recie atlon universal instinct for ply play in providing for enjoyment the tha church uses one of the greatest methods by which litch human society has developed association Is never secure until it la Is pleasurable in play the in aversion of one person cpr another Is overcome and the social mood Is fostered play is the chief educational agency in rural communities and in the play day of human childhood social sympathy and social habits are evolved As individuals come to gollier in social gatherings their viewpoint Is broadened their i ideals deals are lifted and finally they constitute a cultured and refined society it Is in plain therefore that tho the church which alma aims at a perfected society must use in a refined and exalted way the essential factors in social mo elution elut lution lon and must avail itself of tho the universal instinct for play if the church surrounds itself with social functions which appeal to the oung boung among its membership it will fill a large part of the lamentable gap in rural pleasures and will reap the richest reward by promoting a higher and better type ot of manhood and womanhood |