ces which prevail throughout the
country as a whole, at this standard.

When the budget of the year is prepared, including missionary and
benevolent gifts, it should be distributed by the officers through
consultation with all the members of the church, young and old, rich and
poor, in such way as to secure a gift from every one and to meet the
obligations of the church as a whole. For the moral values of the
situation the small gift of the poor and of the child are even more
important than the large gift of the well-to-do. For the securing of
these gifts the envelope system, especially the so-called duplex
envelope, is the best means which can be generally used by churches. It
is a method flexible enough to reach every member and it represents in
its duplex form the double motive of giving to the community itself and
to those larger national and missionary enterprises to which the country
should contribute.

The third method of developing the country community is recreative. I
mention it here for completeness of statement. Another chapter is
devoted to recreation in the country community. The amusements and
recreations of the country community are immersed in moral issues. The
ethical life of the community is the atmosphere in which social pleasure
is taken. Therefore the recreations of the community are to be provided
and supervised by those who would undertake to create a wholesome
community life. A maximum of provision and a minimum of supervision are
required. Country life is devoid of means for recreation. Some one must
provide it. Usually it is either neglected altogether, and the result is
dullness and monotony; or it is provided for a price, and the result is
an organized center of immorality. Recreation requires but little
supervision. The presence of older persons, and those of a humane
friendly spirit, is usually necessary to the games. These are based on
honor and with a few simple principles the young people and working
people of the community will organize their own play and find therein a
great benefit.

To summarize this chapter, the acute problem in many communities today
is the merging of the life of newcomers in the community into the
organized social life which is older and more settled. This task belongs
above all to the country church. Many of the detailed applications are
for the school to follow out, but the business of the church is to see
and to inspire. If the church is not democratic, the