in
the above definition. Size of community has much to do with the type
of problem presented; and the one who understands the problems of the
agricultural village is probably better able to deal with the problems
of the villages of the type mentioned than is the one trained for
service in a metropolitan center.

The term "church" is here used in the sense of including all religious
forces in rural life. The Sunday School Association, the Christian
Associations, Church Federations, and other groups allied to the
church are included in the general term.

THE MANIFOLD FUNCTIONS OF THE CHURCH

The church is the only agency in existence that is concerned with man
in all his relationships. It is concerned with keeping alive in human
consciousness the existence of a Divine Being and of man's
relationship to that Being. It is the only agency that proceeds on the
theory of the immortality of the human soul and that has a program of
preparing the soul for a life after death. In common with other
agencies the church is concerned with the individual life of man on
this earth and endeavors to lead human beings to that course of life
which will result in the maximum of personal spiritual welfare. And in
common with other agencies it is concerned with man in his relations
to others and to his material environment because these relationships
have a vital effect on his spiritual life.

A full analysis of the functions of the church would include a
discussion of those features of church work which have to do with
man's relation to God and to an immortal existence. But in a
discussion of the church in relation to the community it is not
necessary to consider man's relation to God nor to a future life
except in so far as beliefs in such relationships influence his
personal welfare on this earth or his relationships to his fellow man.
Thus this discussion falls in the field of sociology rather than in
the field of theology or psychology. A casual observation of the
forces at work in human relationships, especially in the smaller
communities, leads quickly to the conclusion that beliefs both with
reference to God and to a future life have a vital effect on social
conduct. But it is the effect instead of the truth of beliefs that is
the subject matter to be considered.

Having thus defined the field of our discussion both as to subject
matter and as to the phase of the interests of the church to be
considered, it is next in order to