The Survey, Volume 30, Number 4, Apr 26, 1913Various
History
The Survey, Volume 30, Number 4, Apr 26, 1913
Various
Charities -- Periodicals; Social problems -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals
Because Dr. Wilson has made a clear and pointed statement of fundamental
conditions, the student of rural sociology is grateful for this book,
even though much of what it contains is obvious to him. Throughout, the
writer shows his belief that the rural population can be improved by a
socially actuated church. Although he believes that a country church
should be inspirational he makes clear the fact that the church cannot
succeed unless it enters into the whole life of the farm, economic and
otherwise. For instance, Dr. Wilson very properly insists that if a
farmer is producing but sixty bushels of potatoes on an acre of land
which should yield three hundred bushels he is guilty of a wrong that
should be denounced just as stridently as the doctrinal sins which have
so long occupied the attention of rural pastors. In the co-operation of
these activities rather than in actual union the writer sees promise of
a solution of many of the problems of the country church. He shows
clearly that people cannot be united in religion until they are united
in their social economy.
“The business of the church is to organize co-operative enterprises,
economic, social and educational, and ... to educate them in the
advantages of life together. Co-operation must become a gospel.”
This definition of the business of the church may seem rather heterodox,
coming from the head of a Presbyterian department, but the department of
which Dr. Wilson is the head has reached its widely recognized
effectiveness because it has been actuated by such aggressive common
sense as this.
That the volume is dedicated to Anna B. Taft, who has contributed so
largely to the success of the movement to reanimate country churches, is
indeed pleasant. Dr. Wilson adds to the value of the volume by giving
many definite instances of definite achievement in the redirection of
country life through the church’s activity.
The book is well named; it does present in an orderly fashion the
development of the country community. Dr. Wilson follows Professor Ross
of Purdue in his definition of the four types of farmers—the pioneer,
the land farmer, the exploiter, and the husbandman. The writer very
happily shows that in many communities the evolution has proceeded so
irregularly that all the four types of farmers are now living side by
side, and that their four sides may be contending for mastery. That the
pastor and the church ministering to the farmer of each type are
determined by that type is a clearly stated lesson that social workers
outside of rural communities might very well take to heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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