Sunday school and
church membership is encouraged in the denominations from which the
young people come, and thus a contribution by one denomination has
strengthened the work of all the churches. Some form of cooperation
agreed upon for a common development is preferable and independent
action by one denomination should be undertaken only when the
different groups concerned are not in a position either by tradition
or financial ability to cooperate in a common enterprise.

The movement now is very strong in the direction of provision of
building and equipment for community service by the church. May the
church not fail in doing justice to its high obligation in the type of
structure it may erect!

CHAPTER VI

THE CHURCH AND RURAL PUBLIC THOUGHT

Many city pastors, and some rural ones too, lament the fact that
people do not come to listen to them preach. This condition is in
marked contrast to the good old New England days, when the whole
neighborhood would turn out and listen to sermons four hours long. It
is a question whether such intellectual giants as Jonathan Edwards
built up such congregations or whether such congregations brought out
the best in Jonathan Edwards.

People to-day go to church for a variety of reasons. But the dominant
motives that should prevail are those of worship and for instruction.
All Christians should attend religious services for worship regardless
of the quality of the sermon or the personal attitude of the people
toward the minister. The message from the pulpit should be such that
it too would attract for its own sake. It is the exceptional city
minister that can fill the pews from week to week and from year to
year because of the type of message given. The daily papers and the
many other agencies for discussion of live topics have become so
numerous that the pulpit has lost much of its original importance as
an agency for instruction. But in the village and the open country the
pulpit still has a large field for service in this respect and thus
becomes an especial challenge to the one who wants to develop as a
leader of thought. The village minister has an opportunity unique in
American life in this respect. Some of the greatest leaders of thought
ever produced were the product of the village churches of England and
Scotland. There is no reason why the village church of America should
not become the seedbed for the best contributions to religious,
philosophical, and litera