Show fhe CHURCH S SOCIL CENTER A broader sphere for religion new field for the rural church i by dy peter radford J lAc lecturer national farmers union the octal social duty of the rural church la to As much a it part of lie its obligations la is its spiritual ide side in expressing id iti loceal interest intel cat the mod rn rural nir shuich does not to claim that it Is expressing a true religion religious in end and the old time idea that thu odal instinct instincts should be starved while hile the spiritual pirl nature wae as over ed fed with soled theological food ie to rt living giving visy ay to a broader interpretation of 0 the functions of true truie religion we take our place in the succession eucce silon dt 0 those who have ought sought to mato mave the world orld a nt at habitation for the tile children of man when we seek to study and understand the social duty of tho the rural church the true religion Is essentially social iti tenet tenets of faith being lore love and brother ind fellowship while following atter righteousness the church must abal longs and cok peck to reform that social order in which moral life li Is ex it mailed alle hil cherishing ideal of service ter vice tho the rural church which t tain the fullest doasure of success la Is that which enriches aa an many km lives as it can touch and in n a way can tho the church como come in as a close contact with ith ita its menbere RB as through the w avenue of social 11 functions the country town nd tho the rural community need a bottai 1 tho church need offer no apology for ite its ambition to nil all ill ahta s need la the com mull munley ity if it an understanding of if its M caslon brings this purpose into clear consciousness the truc tura of a rural community la to complex it contains cont alna social groups each of 01 nelch baa bps lla its own bul but there are many localities which hava but ono one church add although alt houch such a church cannot command the interest of all the people it li fit rell relieved eved t from the of religiously communities need needs imperative the ri a country boy and ihrl hate bass very little opportunity for real enjoyment and haaf aa ft it rub rule ft a ague iague conception of the he meaning of pleasure and recreation it lit to nil fili thia this void in the ilyes of country youth that the rural church has ha ripen to the necessity of provI providing dlug entertain ment an well BB as instruction to ita its membership among the tha young the children and young stople af pf ople of tho the church should meet when religion ie to not oven mentioned ment ionel it hu bit ben been b en faund for ham them to meet frequently under the direction and care of the ch ich to sead icod thim thi m into the world with no training ekpo expo expose them to grave peril and to try to keep them out of it with no social privileges to ahrer beer folly there ie Is a social nature to both nid and nd young but the nocial requirements of 0 the h e y young u are tire imperative Imper tilTe th church fiut n u st p r ride directly or indirectly fomo some modem modern equivalent for the husking bm the quilting life and the hinr ing schools of the old day days in one aray ay or another the ho social instinct instincts of our young people have unity for which may take the boim of clubs parl lt pic nica or other forma of one thing 1 Is certain and that 1 lot that the church cannot take away the dance the card party aad 94 the theatre unless it can offer in its lt place A sat substitute in the form onn of more pleasing plea eing recreation universal instinct for play 1 in n pl providing 0 for enjoyment the th church u h u UG es one of the grateau gra groa teat tent methode methods by which human society ban developed d association la Is never until it ID Is pleasurable in bitay the in atin eUve aversion of one person for another ie jr overcome and mind vie the social mood la Is fostered foit ered fay play in 1 the chief educational agency la in rural commin atles and in the play day of human childhood social sympathy and social habit habits are evolved ar A AlvI duals gatherings tather come together in hocij ings their Iview viewpoint pol nt Is their idella are lifted and nally bey they con A cultured and hefted society eo clety it ie Is pl ln therefore that viat the J charah wafa almi alms at a d so citty r axt uee use in a refined a aid id ex ailed way ay the essential factora factors in boccal evolution and mut avail itself of the instinct for or play PIAT if it the churtz surrounds itself with social function which appeal to the if its membership it U will nil fill a large part of the lamentable gap in to rural pleasures and will reap the richest reward by promoting a higher and better trpe of rrita manhood bood and womanhood |