ates that the ministry has become so
separated from real life by the mystical trend in religion that it has
rendered practically no service in laying the foundations for the
continuance of the communities themselves.

The shift of population from rural to urban centers which the census
records show has continued, if anything, at an accelerated speed,
indicates the seriousness of the problem. A part of the shift is
doubtless due to improvements made in methods of production. So far as
this is the cause there is no reason to be disturbed over the
tendency, as it is useless to try to keep young men and women in an
occupation that does not offer opportunity for earning a living. Part
of the shift may be due to the living conditions in the country. This
is but an indication of the task of the church on the social side and
can be changed as economic welfare permits. But the fact that rural
population has been leaving the farms and that agricultural lands
have been abandoned by thousands of acres, indicates that urban
opportunities have far outbid the rural in financial returns, variety
of openings, and in working conditions. The farmer's income must be
increased as compared with other groups before there can be a
well-balanced relatively stable American life. Until this is achieved
those who are trying to build up rural institutions as strong as those
in urban centers will be engaged in a hopeless task.

Eminent, conscientious Christian gentlemen, leaders in religious
thought, and occasionally country ministers, have accused those who
maintain that the church should have a vital active interest in
improving economic welfare of trying to make hog-cholera experts out
of preachers, thus taking them away from their real tasks. It is
believed that knowledge of hog cholera and of the agencies that can
help the farmer to prevent it will not injure the standing of any
rural minister. It is maintained with reference to care for economic
welfare that it is the business of the church to encourage economic
improvement so far as possible (1) by giving advice and assisting in
demonstration work when no other organized agency is in a position to
render this service, and (2) by opening the way to other organized
agencies to perform this service. This is the prime business of the
agricultural colleges through their extension service. But it has been
the experience of agricultural colleges that they have the greatest
difficulty in establishi