The Rural Church As Social Center

1915

A Broader Sphere for Religion

By Peter Radford
Lecturer, National Farmers' Union

The social duty of the rural church is as much a part of its obligations as its spiritual side. In expressing its social interest, the modern rural church does not hesitate to claim that it is expressing a true religious instinct and the old-time idea that the social instincts should be starved while the spiritual nature was overfed with solid theological food, is fast giving way to a broader interpretation of the functions of true religion.

We take our place in the succession of those who have sought to make the world a fit habitation for the children of man when we seek to study and understand the social duty of the rural church. The true Christian religion is essentially social — its tenets of faith being love and brotherhood and fellowship. While following after righteousness, the church must challenge and seek to reform that social order in which moral life is expressed.

While cherishing ideals of service, the rural church which attains the fullest measure of success is that which enriches as many lives as it can touch, and in no way can the church come in as close contact with its members as through the avenue of social functions.

The country town and the rural community need a social center. The church need offer no apology for its ambition to fill this need in the community, if an understanding of its mission brings this purpose into clear consciousness. The structure of a rural community is exceedingly complex; it contains many social groups, each of which has its own center, but there are many localities which have but one church and although such a church cannot command the interest of all the people, it is relieved from the embarrassment of religiously divided communities.