It is no selfish Christian spirit that rejoices in the broadening opportunities of country life. The church is but a means to an end. The great objective is the coming of the Kingdom of God for which Jesus prayed. As fast as the very soil of a country is recognized as "holy land," and preserving its fertility is felt to be a patriotic duty; as fast as better live stock, better plant species and a better breed of men are sought as a working ideal; as fast as the conservation of all natural resources becomes a national life purpose; so rapidly and inevitably the Kingdom of Heaven will come. The Country Life Movement is fundamentally religious. TEST QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER IV 1.--Mention a few evidences of modern industrial efficiency. 2.--What can you say of the efficiency of modern agriculture? 3.--In what ways have you noticed country people to be especially conservative? 4.--Compare the wasteful farm methods of a half century ago with the careful intensive cultivation of to-day. 5.--How has the government helped progressive agriculture? 6.--What are the experiment stations accomplishing? 7.--What do you think of the evil of soil-piracy? 8.--Mention some of the remarkable achievements of scientific breeding of farm animals. 9.--What should be the results of all this improvement in our live stock? What stands in the way? 10.--What has especially interested you among the marvels of plant production by cross-cultivation? 11.--Why are representatives of our Agricultural Department searching the world for new species of plants? 12.--Locate the desert sections of America where the rainfall is insufficient to sustain agriculture. 13.--What do you think of the advantages and possibilities of irrigation? 14.--Explain the methods of dry farming, especially the principle involved in the "dust mulch." 15.--To what extent is it true that scientific agriculture has now become a profession? 16.--Explain the real patriotism in the modern policy of conservation of natural resources. 17.--To what extent do you think the government ought to own or control the great forests, the water power and the coal deposits? Why? 18.--How does this whole subject of progressive agriculture affect the religious life of the country? 19.--Upon what economic basis does the permanence of religious institutions in the country quite largely depend? 20.--What do you think is the great religious objective in all rural progress? CHAPTER V RURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION CHAPTER V RURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION A. Country Life Deficiencies I. _Social Diagnosis_ Rural individualism. The weakness in rural institutions. The difficulty of organizing farmers. II. _Failures in Rural Cooperation_ Lack of political effectiveness. Lack of cooperation in business. Lack of religious cooperation. III. _Rural Morals and the Recreation Problem_