d on the people, it may be noted that an increasing number of
families do not ask clergymen to officiate at funerals. The undertaker
sometimes conducts a short service at the grave, or his wife reads a
prayer and passage of scripture. In view of immemorial custom, the absence
of a clergyman on such occasions is significant.

The total amount of money contributed annually to the support of the
ministry in Greene Township has been not more than $600. Of this the
Methodist Episcopal Church paid its minister $300. The North Bloomfield
Church in an adjacent township paid him $500, so that the total salary of
the Methodist minister who gave part of his time to Greene Township was
$800. Obviously this is not enough to support a family and enable the
minister to keep a motor car or a horse. A large part of his time and
energy, therefore, was spent in walking from parish to parish and from
house to house through an area of 50 square miles.

In January of 1917 a joint committee was appointed by the churches of
Greene Township to consider the questions of securing a resident pastor,
increasing the size of the Sunday school and congregation, and rendering
all other forms of service needed in the community. It was decided by this
committee that a federated church should be formed in which each
constituent ecclesiastical body would preserve its own identity. Each
church would independently meet its obligations to its own denomination in
all matters outside of the community, while all the members of the
churches would unite in local activities, including the support of a
resident minister. A country life institute was held to stimulate the
desire for community improvement, and the plan of church betterment was
set forth and adopted.

To secure support for a minister, a thorough canvass was made by a
committee of six representing the three churches. As a result of its work
no less than $1,500 was subscribed. "Our results," wrote the chairman of
this committee, "have surpassed our brightest hopes. It is a genuine
pleasure to work for something that is going to help the whole community
and not just a part. I believe the interests of the Kingdom will be
advanced most where effort is united in rural communities. In our canvass
for funds we were surprised to find that the non-church people were not
willing that the churches should close their doors. In addition we found
they had a deeper interest in the church than we could possibly expect