. This
necessitates a social and religious center for every rural community.
The church can and should be made such social center. For economic and
social reasons, however, denominationalism can well be dispensed with,
as such, and just plain Christianity substituted for sectarianism. A
social center thus maintained will stimulate neighborly intercourse and
satisfy the demands of both young and old for religious culture, for
recreation and pastime. Where schools are consolidated the school house
and grounds will answer for all gatherings whether for worship, for the
discussion of civic or neighborhood problems or for recreation and
amusement. For without such neighborhood intercourse, life deteriorates
into a dull routine, and the moral and religious tone of a community,
degenerates. Moreover, under such conditions, young people become
disgusted with its monotony and aimlessness, and seek city employment.

But before the country church can be made an efficient community force,
pastors must be found or created that meet the conditions of country
life. A most excellent city pastor might prove to be a regrettable
misfit in a rural community. Moreover, the modern clergy seem quite as
prone to herd in the towns and cities as the rest of mankind, which
fact has a bad influence on the youth of the country.

Quoting from Rural Life and Education: "The rural minister needs
economic and agricultural knowledge more than theological, that he may
use the economic and agricultural experiences of his people as a basis
for the building-up of their ethical life; he needs educational
knowledge, that he may direct his efforts with the young along good
pedagogical lines; and the church as an institution needs to study
carefully the rural-life problem, and to plan a program of useful
service along good educational and sociological lines. Unless this is
done, the church will bear but little relationship to a living
community; its influence on the young will be small; and its mission of
moral and religious leadership will be forgotten by the people."

_Other Agencies for Rural Improvement._ In addition to providing country
schools and employing rural school teachers as efficient as the best in
the towns, and the country church reawakened and converted into an
efficient institution for progress, the Grange, farmers' clubs, the Y. M.
and Y. W. C. A., the rural library, boys and girls' clubs, farmers'
institutes, woman's clubs, literary and de