^vi^i^jjj^i^^jyj^;;;^^^^^^ ^:=jfljr^:fiii-j ^-a' ifJ^ A A — S -=^5 — - 6 1 1 ^=? — i 8 1 4 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST BENSON Y. LANDIS SOUTHERN BRANCH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LIBHARY, tLOS ANGELES^. CAUF, C^- //~-i-3 (I' .. c • r' RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AND RIJJGIOUS SUR\EYS TOWN AND COUNTRY DEPARTMENT Edmund deS. ]>runner, Director RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST AS ILLUSTRATED BY CLAY COUNTY, IOWA AND JENNINGS COUNTY, INDIANA WITH COMPARATI\ E DATA FROM STUDIES OF THIRTY-FHE MIDDLE WESTERN COUNTIES BY BENSON Y. LANDIS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS MAPS AND CHARTS 1 ' 5 5 ^ ' ' 'y J Lo t J 3 ■> O^JiO-y^i 55 •> 47761 NEW ^SS^ YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY c c'c c < <' i \^c ' C C C C C C J ,_(■,. c« c c c c' c c, ^ c' c c c cc c c c. c cc PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / JJ ' \ '^) 5^0 9-T ^ ^ ^ Cop .1 PREFACE <^ f I ^ITE Committee on vSocial and Religious Surveys was organ- fo I ized in Jantiary, 1921. Its aim is to coml)ine the scientific -*- method with the rehgious motive. I'he Committee con- .^ ducts and pubHshes studies and surveys and promotes conferences for their consideration. It cooperates w^ith other social and re- ligious agencies, but is itself an independent organization. The Committee is composed of: John R. ]ylott, Chairman; Ernest D. Burton, Secretary ; Raymond B. Fosdick, Treasurer ; James L. ISarton and \\\ H. P. Faunce. Galen M. Fisher is Asso- ciate Executive Secretary. The offices are at 111 Fifth Avenue, ^New York City. In the field of town and country the Connnittee sought first of all to conserve some of the results of the surveys made by the Inter- church World Movement. In order to verify some of these surveys, it carried on field studies, described later, along regional lines worked out by Dr. Warren H. Wilson * and adopted by the Interchurch World Movement. These regions are : I. Colonial States : All of New England, New York, Pennsyl- vania and New Jersey. II. The South: All the States south of Mason and Dixon's line and the Ohio River east of the Mississippi, including Louisiana. III. The Southern Highlands Section : This section comprises about 250 counties in "The Back yards of eight Southern States." IV. The Middle West: The States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and northern IMissouri. V. Northwest: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Eastern Montana. VL Prairie : Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. VII. Southwest: Southern Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. VIII. Range or Mountain: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colo- rado, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and western ^lontana. The Director of the Town and Country Survey Department for the Interchurch ^^''orld ?\lovement was Edmund deS. Brunner. He is likewise the Director of tliis Department for the Committee on Social and Religious Surveys. * See Wilson, "Sectional Characteristics," Iloiiiclaiids. Augnst, 1920. v PREFACE Jennings County, Indiana, was surveyed originally under the supervision of Rev. Marion C. Bishop, of the Interchurch World Movement. The field work was done by Miss Martha Robison of the County Church Department of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions. The first survey of Clay County, Iowa, was conducted under Professor George H. Von Tungeln, State Survey Supervisor of the Interchurch World Movement, and Miss Etta J\I. Smith, County Leader. In 1921, Mr. Benson Y. Landis, field worker of the Com- mittee on Social and Religious Surveys, visited these counties, brought the studies tip to date and secured missing information. In this task, valuable assistance was rendered in Clay County by Tyliss Etta Smith, now County Superintendent of Schools; and in lennings County by the Indiana State Federation of Churches, whose secretary, Rev. Erank Merrick, spent several days assisting in the investijr'tion. Valuable help was given by the Home Missions Council ; by the Council of Women for Home Missions through their sub-Com- mittee on Town and Country, and Ijy a Committee appointed jointly by the Home Missions Council and the Eederal Council of Churches for the purpose of cooperating with the Committee on Social and Religious Surveys in endeavoring to translate the results of the survey into action. The members of this Joint Committee on Utilizing Surveys are : Re f" resell fi)i(j the Federal Coniw'tl of Churehes Anna Clark C. N. Lathrop Roy B. Guild U. L. Mackey A. E. Holt A. E. Roberts F. Ernest Johnson Ered B. Smith Charles E. Schaeffer Representing iJie Home Missions Couneil and the Conned of JJ^ojnen for Home Missions L. C. Barnes, Chairman Rodney \\'. Roundy, Secretary Alfred W. Anthony Rolvix Harlan Mrs. Ered S. Bennett R. A. Hutchinson C. A. Brooks Florence E. Ouinlan C. E. Burton W. P. Shriver A. E. Cory Paul L. Vogt David D. Forsyth W^arren H. Wilson Vi INTRODUCTION THE I'OIXT OF VIEW THIS book is a study of the work of Protestant town and country churches in two counties in the Middle West. Its purpose is to show the effect of prosperity upon the life of the Church by describing the interaction of the Church upon these conmiunities and of these communities upon the Church, 'i'his sur- vey, therefore, does not attempt to deal directly with the spiritual effect of any church upon the life of individuals or groups. Such results are not measurable by the foot rule of statistics or by survey methods. It is possible, however, to weigh the concrete accomplish- ments of churches. These actual achievements are their fruits and "by their fruits ye shall know them." The two counties studied in this book are Jennings, Indiana, and Clay, Iowa. Many considerations entered into their choice. For one thing, it must be borne in mind that this I'jook, while com- plete in itself, is also part of a larger whole. From among the one thousand county surveys completed or nearly completed by the Interchurch World Movement, twenty-six counties, situated in the nine most representative rural regions of America, were selected for intensive study. In this way it was hoped to obtain a bird's-eye view of the religious situation as it exists in the more rural areas of the United States. All the counties selected were chosen with the idea that they were fair s]:)ecimens of what was to be found throughout the area of which they are a part. In selecting the counties an effort was made to discover those which were tyi)ical not merely from a statistical standpoint but also from the social and religious ])rol)k'ms they represented. For example, the two counties in the ^Middle West described in this pamphlet were chosen because they are representative of large sec- tions throughout this area. It is recognized that there are reasons why exceptions may be taken to the choice of counties. No area is completely typical of every situation. A careful study of these comities, however, leads to the conclusion that they are fair specimens of the region they are intended to represent. vii INTRODUCTION All these studies have been made from the point of view of the Church recognizing, however, that social and economic conditions affect its life. For instance, it is evident that various racial groups influence church life differently. Germans and Swedes usually tend toward liturgical denominations ; the Scotch to non-liturgical. Again, if there is economic pressure and heavy debt, the Church faces spiritual handicaps and needs a peculiar type of ministry. Because of the importance of social and economic factors in the life of the Church the opening chapters of this book have been devoted to a description of these factors. At the first glance some of these facts may apjiear irrelevant, but upon closer observation will be found to have a bearing upon the main theme — the problem of the Church. Naturally the greatest amount of time and study has been de- voted to the churches themselves ; their history, equipment and finances ; their members, services and church organizations ; their Sunday schools, young societies and community programs, have all been carefully investigated and evaluated. Intensive investigation has been limited to the distinctly rural areas and to those centers of population which have less than five thousand inhabitants. In the case of towns larger than this an effort has been made to measure the service of such towns to the surrounding countryside, but not to study each church and com- munity in detail. The material in this book itself will present a composite picture of the religious conditions within these two counties. The ap- pendices present the methodology of the survey and the definitions employed. They also include in tabular form the major facts of each county as revealed l)y the investigation. These appendices are intended especially to meet the needs of church executives, and students of sociology who desire to carry investigation further than is possible in the type of presentation used for the main portion of the book. vni CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I COMMUNITY LIFE IX THE "VALLEY OF DE- MOCRACY" 15 Clay County, Iowa 19 Jennings County, Indiana 24 II ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TENDENCIES . . 28 The Cooperative Movement 28 Land Speculation and Farm Tenancy ... 32 Consolidation of Schools 36 Interest in Public Health 39 More and Better Libraries 40 Social and Recreational Organization ... 42 III THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE .... 47 Standing of the Churches 47 — — The Church in the Community .... 54 Pastoral Leadership 58 Church Parish and Community Boundary . . 62 -Churches of Distinction 65 IV CONCLUSIONS AND RECO.MMENDATIONS . 69 \\Tiat the Church Can Do 69 APPENDICES I Methodology and Definitions . ... 17 II Tables . 81 III Par Study of the Churches .... 86 IX ILLUSTRATIONS, MAPS AND CHARTS ILLUSTRATIONS A Typical Hoaie in the Corn Belt Good Roads are an Asset to the Farmer of the Corn Belt Iowa Home Products .... A Snug Parsonage .... B. & O. Station, North Vernon, Jennings Counts Rectory of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, May DEN, Jennings County . M. E. Church, Fostoria, Clay County Cooperation in Full Swing Where New York Gets Its Butter . Ownership and Tenancy . "Credit" to the Community Relics of the Past .... The Little Red Schoolhouse Superseded The Public School at Royal, Clay County A Boon to the Community Wonder What Make These Cars Are? One of the Six Roman Catholic Churches in Jenning County No Room Except for Preaching A Picturesque Building .... A Good Type of Parsonage in Clay County The Church Home of Prosperous Immigrants What the Right Pastor Can Do An Example of a One-room Church Building 18 19 21 22 25 26 29 30 31 i.^ 35 3,7 38 39 41 43 48 54 57 61 63 67 71 MAPS Indiana and Iowa. Locating Jennings and Clay Counties 17 Church and Community Map of Clay County, Iowa . 45 Church and Community Map of Jennings County, Indiana 46 XI ILLUSTRATIONS, MAPS AND CHARTS CHARTS PAGE I Church Members in Population .... 48 II Number of Churches Gaining and Losing in One Year Period 49 III Relation of Size of Church Membership to Gain 49 IV Residence and Activity of Church Members . . 50 V How THE Church Dollar Is Raised .... 52 VI How THE Church Dollar Is Expended ... 53 VII Frequency of Church Services 55 VIII Number of Pastorates During Past Ten Years . 58 IX Thirty-three Protestant Churches Classified According to Residence of Ministers . . ■ . 59 X Salary Scale of the Ministers 60 Xll RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST CHAPTER I Community Life in the "Valley of Democracy" SOAIE call the Middle \\'est the greater and others tlie real America. John Jl. h'inley says it is "in more than one sense, the heart of America," and he has called it the 'A'alley of the New Democracy." * Meredith Nicholson writes glowingly of the 'A'alley of Democracy."' To E. L. Masters it is "The Great Valley." Compared with other regions the Middle West is un- doubtedly typically American. The early settlers on the Atlantic seaboard imitated European standards in community and church life, but the mass of settlers who swejjt into the Middle A\'est fol- lowed precedent little and built towns and institutions of their own. Here are the real .Americans in greatest numl)ers, the men and women who inherited from their pioneer ancestors those outstand- ing traits for which the American is famous. The term Middle \\^est has many meanings. The region ])lays a considerable part in directing the nation's thinking. Its com- munities are known for their s])irit of ])rogressiveness, their friend- liness, their "we-feeling." It is our largest and most prosperous agricultural section, l^^rom it have come most of the important agricultural movements of our history and the majority of our agri- cultural leaders. It is called the X'alley of the New Democracy be- cause here have been carried on some of the pioneer experiments in popular government in the nation. Here were built up the first state governments with real machinery to serve the people. The farmer-legislators led the way in establishing the large state uni- versities and colleges for agriculture, with instructions to serve the people in the most practical way. I'>:)llowing out the ideal of en- deavoring to give the best m education to the last man and the last woman on the last farm, the universities have carried on vigorous * "The French in llu' Heart of America," by Joliii H. I'inley. 15 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IX THE MIDDLE WEST programs of extension, until the privileges of the state university are at least as near as every farmer's mail box. Moral idealism, says Prof. E. A. Ross in "Changing America," was the moving force among the first colonists on the shores of the Atlantic; social idealism is the force which is most manifest among the people in the .Aliddle West. The region has, of course, no boundaries, but for practical pur- poses and as a good workable unit, with fairly uniform characteris- tics, many denominational and home mission executives define as the Middle \\'est the six states of ( )hio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, \\^isconsin and Iowa. This definition is accepted for purposes of the present study. To-day most of it is a part of America's great industrial zone, whose boundaries run west of Minneapolis, south to include St. Louis, then east to the Atlantic to take in \\'ashington, D. C. Here are the majority of the largest cities, more than half the people of the nation, most of the wealth, and three-fourths of the foreign population. Once these Middle Western states were classed as "predom- inantly agricultural." They are so no longer. The preliminary reports on the 1920 census show that here, as in the nation, more people were gainfully employed in manufacture than in agriculture. Only in Iowa, where farming was found to engage 42 per cent of the state's workers, was agriculture in the lead. In Illinois the proportion of earners who were farmers was 19 per cent, the lowest record of any of this group of states. But if there had never been a Middle \\"est with its cattle and grain there would never have been a St. Paul, a Chicago or even a \A'all Street as big as it is. So contends the Middle \\Vsterner with ]')ride — and with some justifi- cation. Thomas Nixon Carver says, in speaking of most of these states: "The corn belt is the most considerable area in the world in which agriculture is uniformly prosperous. The people engaged in the corn-growing industry are an independent, progressive class, draw- ing their sustenance from the soil and not from other people." * Farming is diversified though based on corn growing. Nine-tenths of the corn is fed to cattle. Oats, wheat, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables are also produced in large quantities. Half of the farmers have automobiles, the proportion of farmers with one or more ranging from 40.2 per cent in Michigan to 73.1 per cent in * From ]]"orld's Work, Dec, 1903, quoted in "Readings in Rural Soci- ology," hv John Phelan. INDIANA *yct«/e cf Mil^s \oy^A Det Mo'ncs INDIANA AND IOWA Locating Jonnin.cs and Clay Counties RURAL CHURCH LHE IN THE MIDDLE WEST Iowa. Only in the Northwest are there proportionately more auto- mobiles on farms. These states have more pure-bred livestock than any other region. The average farm has 116 acres, compared with the average of 148 for the nation. The improved acreage per farm is, however, ninety compared to seventy-eight for the country. One farmer in seven is foreign-born, the ]\Iiddle West standing fourth highest among the nine regions in this respect. Foreign-born farmers come mainly from Germany, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Austria, in the order named. Isolation is gone from farm homes in the ?\Hddle West. The population density is more than two and one-half times the average of the nation. The rural .j^ 'ysr- 'Ji- ; ," A TYPICAL HOME IN THE CORN BELT delivery, the telephone, the aut()mol)ile, the social and economic or- ganizations, the division of land into smaller farms, have all helped to banish loneliness which was the lot of the men and women in generations past. The Middle \\'est has probably as many strong town and coun- try churches to-day as any other region of the United States. At least it has our largest churches. As a result of surveys of thirty- five midwestern counties, 457 rural communities and 1,368 churches, it is possible to make some comparison with extensive church surveys of other regions. In the Middle \\'est there is one town and country church for every 509 people. The interdenomina- tional organizations reconmicnd an ideal of one Protestant church to every 1,000 ]^eople. Four out of the nine regions, into which for purposes of survey the United States was divided, on the average come close to that figure or reach it. The Middle West stands as middle ground between the overchurched and underchurched sec- 18 COMMUNITY IJIK IN THE "VALLEY OE DE.MOC RACY" tions of the country. Only 24 ])er cent of the town and country congregations have an active memhershi]) of tvventy-tive or less. 1 his is a lower percentage of small churches than is found in any other region. Forty-seven per cent of the cinirches have, however, active memherships of less than fifty, although the average church has ninety-three active memhers. This again is a hetter showing than that of any other region. Only 21 per cent of the rural churches have ministers who give their entire time to only one church. Four other regions reach a higher proportion. Thirty- nine per cent of the rural communities have full-time resident pas- GOOD ROADS ARE AN ASSET TO THE FARMER UF THE CORN BELT tors. In this respect only one region, the Prairie, makes a better record. The nvunber of ministers with some college or seminary training is only Zl per cent of the total. Six regions either reach or exceed this percentage. The number of Protestant church mem- bers is equal to 18 per cent of the population. Two other regions have proportionately more peo])le in the churches. The ^Middle West excels all other regions in the low i)roportion of its ministers who follow other occupations, the figure being 9.28 per cent. Clay County, Iowa The more ])rospcrous sections of the IVIiddle \\Vst are repre- sented in this study by the church and community survey of Clay County, Iowa, which lies in the northwestern part of the state, six 19 RURAL CHURCH IJFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST hours by train from Des Moines. It is crossed by branches of two corn-carrying raih'oads. In road building it is one of the leading counties of Iowa, having expended $166,000 for new w'ork and maintenance in 1920, and having seventy miles of hard-surfaced roads. The average value of land in 1920 was $218 per acre, while the average for the state was $200. Clay County is just south of the lake region which has become a surnmer resort. With its famous black land, which never misses a crop, and its rolling sur- face, it is, in physical characteristics, a typical Iowa county. It was settled soon after 1850 and organized as a county in 1858. Its population increased from fifty-two people in 1860 to 13,401 in 1900. Its story is one of "how homes were built, farms marked, towns constructed, wealth amassed and civilization established — ■ all in the space of one life-time." Clay County is one of the ninety Iowa counties which lost popu- lation between 1900 and 1910. but it quickly recovered and l)y 1920 the i)0])ulation was more than 2,000 in excess of the figures of 1900. There has been some industrial development at Spencer, the county seat, a town of 4,800 people, but the gain is mainly accounted for by the good fortune of the ra]:)i(lly retiring farmers in getting buyers and tenants to take up practically all the farms. Among the county's 15,660 people, 10 per cent are foreign-born, 17 per cent native- born of foreign parentage and 11 per cent native-born of mixed parentage. The large majority are naturalized. These figures are very nearly the same as those for the entire state. As in the state as a whole, Clay County has drawn most of its immigrants from Ger- many, Sweden and Denmark. Her foreign-born are thrifty, patri- otic and prosperous, the best of farmers and citizens. The state census for 1915 records that 2,475 people in Clay County were en- gaged in manufacturing, trade, professional, domestic and personal service, while the rest were members of the 1,769 farmers' families. The entire county, including Spencer, which is incorporated as a city, is considered in this survey. Clay County is divided into twelve "communities," the "com- munity" being the trade area of hamlet, village or town. Each one of these has its surrounding group of farmers who habitually come to the trade center. Within the boundaries of this trade area is also found provision for recreation, religion and education, so that to a considerable degree the ])eoi)le who are a ])art of the trade area also have these other activities in common. The map on page 45 shows the community boundaries with heavy broken lines. Those strips of territory not included within the bounds of one community 20 COMMUNITY LIFE IN TIIK "VALLEY OF I)K.\I()( RACY" are the so-called neutral .areas in which the fanners divide their trade between two centers. There was careful consultation with 7yyi ■J ■1 Coid'tcsy of Rural Sociology Section. Iowa Stiitc College of Agriculture. IOWA HOME PRODUCTS bankers and storekeepers as to the limits of each community. Three specimen communities may be used as typical illustrations. Everly is one of the strong communities, with a greater village population than the average and a consolidated school. Here the 21 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST farmers have not organized cooperatives, but other organizations are well developed. The band, composed principally of young men, frequently holds a community night which is a social affair for the entire community. The German club has a building of its own, and to most of the families of the comnuuiity is a real social center. Here are held dances and socials as well as the annual Farmers' Institute. There are four lodges, including one for women. In connection with the rest-room at the bank is a pub'.ic library, to which one hundred volumes were donated l)y the ])eople of Everly, while an equal number is brought in each month from the state A SXUr, PARSONAGE Home of the pastor of the Dutch Kefcrmed Church, North of Everly, Clay County Traveling Library Commission. The Women's Club bears the ex- pense of shipping the books and members of the club serve as volun- teer librarians. The demand for books has proved as great from farmers as from villagers. Three churches serve this conununity — a Lutheran and a Methodist Episcopal in the village and a Dutch Reformed in the country. Forty-six per cent of the population of 1,314 are active members in churches. The Lutheran and Dutch Reformed serve respectively those of German and Dutch descent, while the mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal are made up mainly of descendants of the earliest settlers from the Middle West or eastern states. Two of the churches have resident pastors, 'i he Methodist Epis- copal and the Dutch Reformed have each a Ladies' Aid and a Young People's Society. The big needs of Everly from the ])oint of view of organization are work among boys and girls in the churches, 22 COMAJLMTY Lil-K IN TIIK "\ALLEY OF IJKMOC RACY" cooperative economic organization anion::; fanners and some organ- ized men's work in the churches. ( )n the whole, however, hy com- parison witli thi' average community, Everly lias its organizations well developed and functioning. By far the l)est organized community is Sjiencer, the county seat. Here are one of the oldest Farmers' Cooperative drain Elevators and a livestock ship]):ng association. Among the industries are two creameries, a razor factory and a cement ti!e factory. S])encer has good hotels, stores, garages, hanks, and much of the trade of the entire county is carried on here. The town has a ])oi)uiation of 4.800 and there are at least 1,200 more people in the adjacent open country. The community extends six miles north, west and soudi, and five miles east. The puhlic schools, which include two fine high schools, and the Lincoln Boys' Cluh of the Methodist E]jisco])al church, with its excellent huilding, furnish organized athletics. There are two moving-])icture theaters, two pool-rooms, two news- papers, nine lodges, and eight other social organizations, in addition to numerous organizations within the churches. A puhlic Carnegie Library and a hosp:tal otTer sanity to mind and body. Most of the eleven churches are well organized, nine being in the tow^n and two in the open country. Nine have resident pastors and parsonages. By denomination the churches are as follows : Congregational, two; Evangelical Association, one; Seventh Day Adventist, one; Baptist, one; Methodist Episcopal, one; Danish Lutheran, one ; Disciples, one ; Evangelical Lutheran, one ; Swedish Lutheran, one ; Protestant Episcopal, one. All of the churches have good buildings, and the Disciples are putting up a splendid new structure to cost $50,000. The Alinisterial Association meets monthly and has done a great deal toward development of fellow- ship and cooperation among the churches in Spencer, and to some extent among those of the county. There are five pastors in the Ass'ociation, which always invites each new minister to join it. Tt meets for discussion of problems and fellowship, and it has also held a very fine two-day conference on religious education for all the churches of the county, at which denominational experts in religious education were present. Smaller, less organized, but possessing the usual vigor and spirit is Cornell, which has a consolidated school, and a successful Farm- ers' Grain Company with sixty members. Farmers in this com- munity belong to the Cornell-McClay Cooperative Live Stock Ship- ping .Association. The only place for recreation is a dance-hall, also used as a skating rink. The population is 250, of whom 200 23 RURAL CHURCH LHE IN THE MIDDLE WEST live on farms. The community boundaries extend one and one- half miles north, 242 miles west, 142 miles south and one mile east. The church has a non-resident minister who is able to give the com- munity Sunday morning services. He also conducts a very interest- ing and well attended mid-week young people's meeting. Other communities might in the same manner be described in more detail. Nearly every one has some distinctive feature, even though all communities have the same economic resources and general characteristics. Dickens has the first cooperative creamery in the county, five lodges, four other social organizations. Langdon has three cooperatives among farmers. Peterson has two coop- eratives among farmers, four lodges and three clubs, including a civic club which has varied activities. Greenville, wdth only 450 people, has a moving-picture theater and a consolidated school. Almost every weekly issue of the newspapers contains news of some significant event which means social progress. For instance, the issues of the two Spencer papers for May 4, 1921, contained notices of the following four events which give an idea of what is being done in the active and vigorous communities of Clay County: (1) The county high school track meet is held at Spencer. (2) The Commercial Club of Spencer makes plans to beautify the town. (3) Farm lUireau women of Freeman Township organize a club. (4) Architect submits plans to the American Legion for a Com- munity Building for Spencer. Jennings County, Indiana Not all of the Middle West is as prosperous and fortunate as Clay County. The other side of the picture is found in Jennings County, Indiana, the facts from the survey of which are used for comparative purposes. Taken together, the two counties are not far from making an average for the section ; separately, they are specimens of two difi^erent types of counties. Jennings County lies in southeastern Indiana, a section wnth characteristics very different from those of northwestern Iowa. North A'ernon, the railroad and commercial center of the county, is about two and one-half hours from Indianapolis, Cincinnati or Louisville. The county is part of that great belt of land which lies between the north and south and shares the characteristics of both. Here farming is much more diversified than in Iowa, and on ac- count of the low, acid soil conditions are far less favorable than in the more prosperous sections of Indiana. Land values of Jen- 24 C'OMAIL'MTV LH'K J.\ TIIK "VALLEY OF J)EMOC RACY" iiings County are one-fourth those of Clay County, and ahout one- third of the average for the state of Indiana. The popuhition has shown a steady decrease. In 1920 it was 13,207, a figiu-e whicli is 2,500 less than that for l')00 and 3,200 less than that for 1880, the year of niaxinunu population. Eighty-four jjcr cent of the people are native white of native parentage; negroes make up only 2 ])er cent of the ])opulation, and the remaining 14 per cent. comi)ose(l of those of foreign hirth or extraction, is drawn mainly from (lermany and Ireland, and for the most pnvt is not of recent immigration. Jennings County was settled in 1815 and is therefore one of the old sections of the Middle \\ est. It is at least two generations older jlTb^- B. & O. STATION, NORTH VERXON, JENNINGS COUNTY ^>Jb ■ J . flw fc- a.'mj i fcjwr than Clay County, Iowa, hut its community life is not so well or- sfanized. Fourteen comnumities have as their center a hamlet, vil- lage or town, with an average population of 950 people. A specimen community of this county is Hayden. Located in the west-central part of the county and extending three and one-half miles north, three miles west, four miles south and three miles east, Hayden has a population of 1,391, of whom 235 live in the hamlet. Dairying and vegetable-raising are the chief branches of farming practiced. There is a canning factory which in season employs about fifty persons. The only organizations in addition to church and school are five lodges. Hayden is justly proud of its consoli- dated school. It has one Methodist and one Baptist church. Neither has a parsonage and both have non-resident ministers, the ^Methodist pastor living twenty miles, and the Baptist minister nine miles from 25 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IX THE MIDDLE WEST his parish. The combined church membership is 221, of whom 152, or 11 per cent of the population, are active. The combined Sunday school roll is 140. St. Joseph's Roman CathoHc Church, with an enrollment of fifty-eight families and a resident priest, is located in the open country in the southern part of the community. Nebraska is an example of the less developed communities. Ex- cept for a few traders, the hamlet of seventy-five people is made up entirely of retired farmers. Farming is well diversified, with corn and livestock as the chief sources of income. There are few com- RECTORY OF ST. JOSEPH S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, HAYDEN, JENNINGS COUNTY munity activities, and especially in winter there is little recreation or social life. The one lodge for men is not very strong. There are two dance-halls and one public hall not extensively used. The ele- mentary school has two teachers and there is no high school. The community extends about two miles in each direction. There is a Baptist church with a non-resident pastor who follows another occupation and also has two other churches, and the church pro- gram is practically confined to the services in church and Sunday school. The Roman Catholic church is also neglected, so far as the time of the priest is concerned, since he is responsible for two other points. Every community in Jennings County now has a branch of the 26 COMAIUMTY LllK JX THE "VALLEY C)l DKAIOCUACY" public library, and farmers from all ])arts of the county belong to the farm bureau. In I 'rewersville, an abandoned church building has been turned into a community hall. Cjrayford, though smrUl, has the livest grange organization in the county. San Jacinto, almost entirely open country, has two lodges, two public halls and a large new brick school building. Vernon, the county seat, has made the first real attem])t at church federation. It failed, but such movements are signs of promise. North \>rnon, the commer- cial center, which is trying to become the county seat, has a Chamber of Commerce with an annual budget of $7,000. Last year it gave $L000 to the War IVIothers to start a hospital fund. Here is more community spirit than elsew-here in the county. Citizens of North Vernon were leaders in the purchase of the excellent park site which lies between the two Vernons, and which has been presented to the state. 27 CHAPTER II Economic and Social Tendencies The Cooperative Movement BECAUSE of its extent and significant results the coopera- tive movement represents one of the most important ten- dencies in the agricidtural hfe of the Middle West at the present time. In 1907 the first Clay County farmers' elevator was organized in Spencer with a capital of $25,000. One hundred and seventy farmers bought stock, none of whom were allowed more than twenty shares. A full-time manager was employed to sell corn, oats, hogs and cattle and to Iniy coal, feed, flour and salt. Voting privileges were according to the amount of stock held. By 1921 the paid-up capitalization had l)een increased to $75,000. Dur- ing 1920, 125 car-loads of grain were sold and purchases included 6,000 tons of coal, seven cars of salt and twelve cars of flour. In 1920, despite the fall of wholesale prices of farm products, the grain elevator association declared a modest dividend. The co- operative seems now to be on a sound basis, and the farmers are well satisfied with the organization, especially with the methods of selling grain. Seven other communities now have similar organiza- tions, the total membership reaching 1260. Since December, 1919, Clay County has experienced the second period of cooperative organization. In that month, under tlie lead- ership of the employed county agent of the Farm Bureau, a co- operative live stock shipping association was formed at Fostoria. This is the type of organization which has been spreading at un- heard-of speed during the past few years in Iowa and other stock- shipping states. The Fostoria cooperative was organized with ninety-five members, all farmers who shipped live stock. No stock was sold to float the enterprise. A membership fee of one dollar was charged and at business meetings each man was, of course, allowed one vote. No local equipment is needed. The manager receives a commission of eight cents per hundred pounds of live stock sold. One-half of one per cent of the gross receipts is put into the reserve fund to be used to pay for losses of cattle in transit. At the end of one year's business the membership increased to 122. Eighty car- 28 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TKNDKNCIKS loads of stock had l)een shipped, valued at $180,000. The total sav- ing to the shippers, due to the elimination of the local i)rivate buyer and economy of operation, was estimated conservatively at $6,400. Eight communities now have a cooperative association of this type, and 416 farmers are members. During the year ended 1920 they shipped 256 car-loads of live stock, valued at $556,200 and the esti- mated saving to the farmers as a result of their cooperative venture was $17,280. "T^i A^ ' * m M. E. CHURCH, FOSTORIA, CLAY COUNTY Two cooperative creameries that have recently been organized, witli 140 members, bring the total number of cooperative organiza- tions in Clay County up to eighteen. Nine of the twelve communities have each one or more of these eighteen enterprises. Some farmers in the comnnmities without cooperatives belong to those in the sur- rounding villages, and thus the grain elevators and the shipping associations are practically within reach of every farmer in the county. In Jennings County, Indiana, on the other hand, where much less live stock is raised, the cooperative shipping association is on a country-wide scale. Three communities also have Grange or Gleaners organizations which do cooperative buying. The grain elevators and the new live stock shipping organizations, 29 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST which have l)ccn mainly built up within the last five years, are the chief cooperative organizations in the state of Iowa. Accorchng to a survey liy Dr. E. G. Nouse, of the State Agricultural College, pub- lished in 1021, the live stock shipping organizations number 647, but many of these, Dr. Nouse's survey shows, are handling too small an amount of stock to survive. The problem for such organ- izations now is : "Expand, combine or die." One hundred cars of stock a year is said to be the minimum which an association should handle, and the ideal should be 500 to 1,000 cars yearly. In Clay County the average is only thirty-two car-lcads a year. The State College of Agriculture has greatly assisted the cooperative move- Lourtcsy of Rural Sociology Section, Iowa State College of Agriculture. COOPCr.ATIOX IX FULL SWING Cocpcrativc threshing rink in a prosperous farming section of Ic-\va ment by providing short courses for managers in various parts of the state during the fall of 1921. In the Middle West cooperatives are at least as numerous, in proportion to the total number of rural communities, as in any other region. Iowa, Wisconsin and Alichigan were among the seven states having the largest number of farmers engaged in co- operative selling, according to the figures of the Federal Census for 1920. Iowa, W^isconsin and Ohio were among the six states which had the largest number of farmers doing cooperative pur- chasing. The majority of the Middle West cooperatives are on the one-man, one-vote plan, distribute dividends by patronage instead of by the amount of stock held, tend to limit members to producers and limit the amount of stock held to insure democracy of control. A minority adopts the "non-stock" method. When this is done the 30 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TENDENCIES prutluccrs' contracts, agreeing tu deli\cr supplies to the local co- operative, form the capital against which the organization borrows money to huild a plant and to start business. Almost half tin- cdui- munitics in these states have at least one cooperati\e grain elevator, shipping association, truck exchange, purchasing organization, creamery or cheese factory. Both the local cooperative grain elevator and the live stock ship- ping association are to have national sales agencies as a result of the plans of the American b\irm Bureau Federation. The United ■-•* Courtesy of Rural .s^ './■/' ,1^.1 .Ni-Zi. 11, loiva Stale C\lli':^c 01 .l^itLnlliin'. WHERE NEW YORK GETS ITS BUTTER A cooperative creaiiK-ry in Iowa from wliitli Ijuttcr is shipiR-d irect to Xfw York States Grain Growers, Inc., the grain selling cooperative, had seventy elevators in Iowa as members at the end of 1921. The b\irm Bur- eau's Committee of Fifteen, which laid plans for national cooperative marketing of live stock, is first organizing commission houses to sell the stock of the local associations at the terminal markets. The plans of the farmers do not stop with the formation of the local, which, unfederated, merely competes with its neighbors. They are going all the way to the door of the milling and packing plant with their products, supplanting with a farmer contro'led agency a second middleman in addition to the local buyer. When the local stock shipper not only controls the local association, but also be- comes a shareholder in a central agency like the United States Grain Growers and Farmers' Commission firms, the farmer thus adds to 31 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST his income some of the accustomed profits of the local buyer and the city commission firm. Land Speculation and Farm Tenancy That the black land in the cornbelt would some day sell for as much as $500 an acre might once have been regarded as the wildest of predictions. Nevertheless, this is what happened in 1919, and the Iowa farmer plunged into speculation in consequence. Farming began to pay and farm values rose as part of other upward move- ments of prices during the last twenty years. The brisk bidding for land was such that few could resist it. In Clay County, land was worth an average of $218 per acre in 1920, an increase of 300 per cent over figures for 1910 and almost 700 per cent more than the values of 1900. Farm values in Iowa used to increase 10 per cent per annum, but between 1900 and 1910, according to the census figures, the increase was more than 200 per cent, an average of 20 per cent per year, and during 1910-1920 the increase was about 330 per cent, or 33 per cent per annum. It was conservatively estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of the farms in the state were sold in 1919. Imagine a population in such flux, and the consequent problems of pastors, teachers and social workers. In Jennings County, Indiana, land values have increased ahnost 100 per cent in the last decade, and there were fewer farms in 1920 than in 1910 or 1900. Indiana's farm land in 1920 was worth almost double its value in 1910 and more than three times its value in 1900. A similar phenomena has occurred in the other mid-western states, some of the most significant increases being recorded in Illinois, one of the most prosperous states. The shifting population due to frequent selling would alone present a formidable problem, but the large amount of selling was also one of the causes of the increase in the proportion of farm renters. In Clay County the proportion of tenants was 51.5 per cent in 1920, an increase of 9 per cent over the census report for 1900. In Jennings County, which has become a section of farm owners, only 12.8 per cent of the farms were operated by tenants in 1920, this being an increase of only 4 per cent over the proportion in 1900. Throughout the Middle West during the past twenty years tenantry has increased 7 per cent in Iowa, 3.4 per cent in Illinois, 8 per cent in Indiana, 1 per cent in Wisconsin, 2 per cent in Ohio, with no data as yet available for ]\Iichigan. Another important reason for the increase in tenantry is that land rents are usually equal to less 32 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL TENDKXCIES 1- Courtesy of Kinul Si cii i'-.^y .^f iion. Iowa State College of Agriculture. OWNERSHIP AND TENANCY Above is a fine type of Iowa homestead, owned by tbe farnur. lUdow is a borne that has been rented for years to successive tenants. It is in one dfnc« w.thout Church-M^.t* A Pastors Residence >*trhout ChurcK-Cfflorfd ■ Abor>doned Church. U |na.cl<>« Chwr> (S Sundtnj School without Church -Wh,t# 23 5undo.j School w.fhout Church -Colorad B Church ua-ng School Bid^ CHURCH AND COMMUNITY MAP OF CLAY COUNTY, IOWA CHURCH AND COMMUNITY MAP OF JENNINGS COUNTY, INDIANA CHAPTER III The Religion of the People Standing of the Churches '•' WHEN the churches of New England and the other eastern states saw the westward movement of jjopulation, they organized the Home ^Mission agencies, which brought church, school and college to the pioneer. ]\Ien and money came out of the East for this task of ministry, and many of the churches of Clay and Jennings Counties were first started with the aid of missionary funds. In Clay County the first churches established were the Congre- gational, Baptist, Friends, Disciples and ^Methodist Episcopal, ex- pressing the preferences of the earlier settlers who came from the East. The later immigration brought the Danish and Swedish Lutheran, and among the Germans the Lutheran and Evangelical Association. The single Dutch Reformed church ministers to a compact group of Dutch farmers in the northwestern part of the county. The only Protestant Episcopal and Seventh Day Adventist churches are at the County seat, while the one Presbyterian church has only lately been organized. --^"liegardless of erratic fluctuations of population during the last thirty years the ratio of Protestant church membership to total population has remained constant at one churcli member to every -Tour inhabitants. According to the survey of 1920. 27 per cent of the people were members of the Protestant clnuxhes. and a little less than 3 per cent were Roman Catholics. In Jennings County there has been a decrease in population and in Protestant church membership since 1906, but with no change in the proportion of people in the churches. There were thirty-three organized Protest- ant churches in Clay County, and forty-three Protestant churches and six Roman Catholic churches in Jennings Count}' in 1920. The Church has a stronger footing in Clay County than in most sections of the ]\Iiddle West. In many sections the gains of mem- bership have been at a lower rate than the gains of ])o]:)ulation, while a decline of pojuilation often brings with it a still more rai)id * The charts in this chapter refer to Clay County only. 47 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST decline of church membership. In 1920 thirty-hve counties studied had 18 per cent of their population as active members in Protestant churches, whereas in Clay Covmty, as has been seen, the proportion of church members was 27 per cent. The average church in Clay CHURCH MEMBERS IN POPULATION r% IBmembers 1 ■ NoN- Members 73 % \ 5 CHART I ONE OF THE SIX ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN JENNINGS COUNTY County has 135 members and in Jennings County eighty-seven, as compared with an average membership of ninety-three for the thirty- five specimen counties in this region. One-third of the churches 48 THE REJJGIOX OF THE PEOl'EE in Clay County and nearly half the churches in Jennings have less than fifty members. In this respect Jennings tallies almost exactly with the average for the tliirty-five counties of the Middle West in which 47 per cent of the churches have less than fifty members, while the churches of Clay County are considerably larger. The churches gain mainly by enlisting Sunday school scholars, through protracted meetings and through classes to prepare for NUMBER OF CHURCHES GAINING & LOSING IN ONE YEAR PERIOD 33 PROTESTANT CHURCME.5 3 Churches lost 9 Churches remained Stationary 21 Churches gained I^^I^^^^^^hI Less 5-10% than 5% Over 10 % CHART n RELATION OF SIZE OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP TO GAIN OF n CHURCHES ith memberships of less than 50 33% [gamed OF 22 CHURCHES with memberships of 50 or more 33°A, did not gam 67 y^ did not gain SIVIALL CHURCHES ' LARGE. CHURCHES (During post year) CHART in church membership. In Clay County there had been a net gain of more than 9 per cent during the year previous to the survc}-. Only 9 per cent of the thirty-three churches are losing. 29 per cent are stationary, while 62 ])er cent are adding members. Most of the gains are in the larger churches with a membership of more than fifty, in fact, the thirteen churches which had an average mem- bership of 141 in 1919, and which recorded a net gain of more than -i9 RURAL CHURCH LHE IN THE MH3DLE WEST 10 per cent, accounted for 79 per cent of the net gain of the county. Seven of these churches had full-time resident pastors. Ten churches of the total of thirty-three held protracted meetings, adding an aver- age of twenty-three to the church through conversions. The nine churches with classes to prepare for church membership are also adding rapidly to their numbers, having taken in an average of twenty-eight members a year. Three-fifths of the people joining the churches are Sunday school scholars. RESIDENCE AND ACTIVITY OF CHURCH MEMBERS 33 PROTESTANT CHURCHES WITH ENROLLMENT OF 4454 9% N on-Resident I , 4% In -Ac five 87% Actfve V 9 1 % of n'otal Roll are Resident An Inactive member is one who does not attend ctiurch or contribute fo its support CHART IV ^-^—^ Three kinds of losses too often nullify the gains of the churches. / / 1 Xn Clay County 9 per cent of the church membership is non-resident, made up of people who have left the community. Many of these people are, or become, a loss to the Church. There is no aggressive effort on the part of the local churches or overhead denominational organizations to halt this loss. Too often the country church self- ishly holds to the non-resident member for the sake of what con-^-v tribution it may get. Six per cent of the membership is residei^fUVy but inactive, neither attending nor contributing. This is only a camouflaged form of loss. Tt means little to add a member, if another is lost through inactivity. True evangelism or enlistment begins by "holding on to what you have," by putting the membei:r='-^ ship at work. A third form of loss is through failure to enlist V/ 50 THE RELIGION Ol' TIIK PEOPLE young people. Seventy per cent of the ehurch nienihershi]) of Clay County consists of persons over twenty-one years of a In Clay County twenty-nine of the thirty-three churches have four 5i THE RELIGION OE THE PEOPEE or more monthly services. Jeiininji^s County li;is onlv twenty out of the forty-one cluu'ches with this number of meetin^^s. llalf of them have only two services. Only five churches in Jennings and nine in Clay join in union services. r Though the cliurchcs have done little to !)ecome ])ermanent and increase their membership during the last ivw decades, neverthe- less their programs, if meager, are a real contr'l)ution to community Hfe. 1 wenty-three of Cla\- ('ount\'s churclies are carrying on a general program. Six churches carry on some form of special FREQUENCY OF CHURCH SERVICES 20 Churches 4 5 Services One church holds no services at present 6 8 per Monfh CHART VII missionary service, such as the support of a particular worker in some foreign field. Ten churches participate in local charital)le work as needed. ( )ne church is definitely furthering some agricul- tural work. Six churches are engaged in some form of social or recreational activity, apart from those of specific church organiza- tions. Four town churches only carry on educational work out- side the Sunday school. Six town churches have an interest in the cultural imi:)rovement of their community. .Six churches strive to do some special work among young people, and nineteen churches celebrate festivals, national holidays, anniversaries, etc. Two-thirds of the churches at least carry on one of the above activities. The same is true of those of Jennings County. The matter of church program in Clay County may he briefly 55 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IX THE MIDDLE WEST expressed by communities. One community has churches with a "good'' or "very good" program ; in three communities the program of the church is "fair"; in four it is neghgible ; and in the remaining four there is no church engaging in any of the activities enumerated above. Jennings' fourteen communities may thus be classified with respect to their church program : one good, one fair, six neghgible, while the remaining six have no general church program. Of importance in this connection is the work of the Sunday schools and other organizations within the churches. The religious leaders of Clay County have endeavored to increase the interest of all church Sunday schools in better methods of religious education. A two-day county conference was held, at which national denomi- national officers were present. The program was superior to that of the average county Sunday school convention, a tribute to the leadership assumed by Clay County. It has been noted already that the Sunday schools are the principal "feeders" of the churches. All but one of the churches conduct a Bible school. The county enrollment ecjuals only 76 per cent of the church membership. The school program is evident from the following: Seven schools in three communities conduct systematic mission study ; three-fourths of the churches, however, do nothing, in the way of systematic missionary instruction. Fifteen persons have gone into employed Christian service during the past ten years. Only one town school is training its teachers. The county seat alone has organized de- partments. In onlv two communities are there schools that provide social and recreational events. A study of twenty specimen counties in the Middle West shows that Clay County is slightly above the average in regard to religious education. All but one of the forty- three churches in Jennings County conduct Sunday schools. They are not nearly so well organized as those of Clay, and their pro- gram is very meager. The other organizations play a considerable part in the Church's program, but the churches have not begun to organize all age and sex groups. Only one church out of thirty-three in Clay County has organizations for men, women, boys and girls, outside of the Sunday school. For men there are only two brotherhoods with a total of eighty members — both in the county seat. For women there are thirty -four organizations with L481 members, at least one in every community. Twenty-four are Ladies' Aids, nine Missionary Societies, one a Sewing Circle. There are two Boy Scout troops with thirty members, and four girls' groups with ninety-eight mem- bers, including two Camp Fire Councils. The twenty-six mixed 56 THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE organizations include nineteen for young people — Christian En- deavor Societies, Epworth Leagues, Luther Leagues, etc., with 513 members, and seven for children, with 182 members. These are so distributed as to give one to each coniimmily. The churches of Jennings County have only one men's club with forty members, and none for boys or girls. There are thirty-one of the usual or- ganizations for women with 690 members in the forty-three churches, one at least in every conuiiunity. The ten Young People's Societies A PICTURESQUE BUILDING Dutcli Reformed Clnircli Nortli of Kverly, Clay County. have 440 members, while the three mixed organizations have ninety. In appraising the value of the Church's community program a comparison with social organizations of the communities was made. Clay County has thirty-six social organizations with 3,.S95 members, including twenty-two lodges, and sixty-six church organizations with a constituency of 2,439, with whiclvkre grouped a large number of women's and young people's societies. The churches have the young people and w^omen to a greater extent tlirui the community organizations, but they lag, as does the community, in reaching boys and girls. Rut the churches especially fail in enlisting men. Jennings County has fifty-seven church organizations with a constituency of 1,297, and forty community organizations having 2.559 members, and with about the same distribution of service as in Clay. The 57 RURAL CHURCH LH'E IN THE MIDDLE WEST average community organization in Clay County has ninety-four members, that within the church thirty-nine. In Jennings, there is the same variation. l"he church organizations are small and numer- ous, compared to those in the community. Pastoral Leadership "He did it," says the leading layman in a very successful coun- try church, pointing to his pastor. Those three words should NUMBER OF PASTORATES DURING PAST TEN YEARS 33 PROTESTANT CHURCHES 17 Churches 5 Churches S Churches 1-2 5-6 3-4 Pastorates 3 churches organized since 1910 CHART VIII be said of the pastor of every success f til country church in .Vmerica, because in the right kind of pastoral leadership is the key to the _whole country church problem. For the present discussion there are two outstanding points of importance. First, the churches are handicapped by migratory ministers. In CTay County only three chtirches out of thirty-three have -had their present pastors for eight years. The average pas- torate is slightly less than three years in length. Even this condi- tion is better than that of Jennings County, where the average min- ister stays in his charge only two years. Though the farm tenant is thought to be a handicap to the Church because of his frequent 58 THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE shifting, nevertheless he stays on Ills farm an average of six and three-tenths years, aeeor(Hng to Intercliurch l'"arni Tenantry surveys of 556 specimen farms in JUinois, Indiana and Missouri, ddie average term of pastoral service in twenty specimen mid-western counties is almost three years. 11ie Church cannot complain of the tenant's shifting when it maint.ains a ministry which is migra- tory. The second im]:iortant point is the inexperience of the average minister in local church administration, d'his a])])lies especially to 33 PROTESTANT CHURCHES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO RESIDENCE OF MINISTERS 21 Churches Churches 4 Churches with with with No Non-Resident Resident Minister Ministers Ministers CHART IX the untrained minister, hut also to man}- o{ those who have had special training. Throughout the Middle West only 37 per cent of the town and country ministers are college and seminary grad- uates. But many of the college and seminary men are not rural church engineers. They are not church leaders or administrators or commtmity leaders. There are fortunately some exceptions, hut these only emphasize the dearth. "W'e know that the country church is sick, verv sick, hut give us enough money and the right kind of men. and we will solve the prohlems," says the rural secretary of the home mission hoard of a large denomination. There are some who lay the entire hlame for our present weakness in the country r>9 RURAL CHURCH IJFE IX THE MIDDLE WEST churches on the inefficient pastoral leadership so apparent every- where. In college and seminary the ministerial student is educated away from the country. Most of the theologs in the large modern theological seminaries hope even to avoid the country church stage, and expect to start their careers in a city pulpit as city pastor, or as assistant. The Jae-k— e-f reai chrrrdr ^mid~comnTtiTrf^^4€-a4€fs-m- the town and country pulpit explains very much of the country church's deficiencies to-day — her lack of a strong foothold in the community and of a broad and vigorous program: The fuM situation in regard to the supply of mtnis'fers, salaries and training, etc., may be gleaned from the following statements. Twenty-four pastors serve twenty-nine of Clay County's churches. Fovir congregations were temporarily pastorless at the time of the SALARY SCALE OF THE MINISTERS EACH COLUMN REPRESENTS THE SALARY OF ONE MINISTER Average jTede 66 Figures include iZbO per year 05 value of parsonage when provided One minister receives no salary CHART X survey. Twenty-one of the twenty-nine churches have resident pastors. Of these sixteen, or two-thirds, are "full-time" — serve only one church and follow no other occupation. This is a very high proportion, compared to the thirty-five mid-western counties in which only 21 per cent of the churches have full-time resident pastors. In the country there is less pastoral leadership than in the village or town churches. The thirteen country churches have only five resident ministers. In terms of communities, four out of twelve have no minister within their bounds, one has only one part-time pastor, while seven, or more than 58 per cent, have full- time ministers. For the thirty-five counties of the region, only 39 per cent of the communities have full-time resident pastors. One 60 THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE pastor of the twenty- four in Clay County is also a farmer. In the region nearly one out of ten ministers follows another occupation. All but one pastor have free parsonages. The average yearly salary for ministers is $1,608.66, this figure including the sum of $250, added ar])itrarily to each salary of a pas- tor with free parsonage privileges. The lowest salary, $467.25, is paid to the pastor who also farms, while the highest amount, $2,950, is received by a county seat minister. Nine pastors have had col- A GOOD TYPE OF I'AKSONAOE IN CLAY COUNTY lege and seminary training; th.ree have had college training only and four seminary or Bible school only, while eight report no si)ecial training for the ministry. Eighteen of the twenty-four ministers personally ow'n automobiles." In Jennings County there is much less pastoral leadership. This is a particular weakness. Usually church prosperity depends upon at least a good supply of resident pastors. Only one community of fourteen has a full-time resident minister ; two conmiunities have part-time pastors, while the eleven remaining kave none living within their bounds. Only eight of the twenty-three pastors have free parsonages. Twelve of the twenty-three i)astors follow other occupations to earn a living. The average salary is only $919 a 61 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST year, this figure also including $250 as the estimated cash value of parsonages for the pastors thus provided. In Tippecanoe County, Indiana, in the west central part of the State and a much more prosperous section, the average salary of ministers is $1,344. Church Parish and Community Boundary It is a very conservative statement that not more than three or four of the country pastors or congregations of Clay or Jennings Counties, and not more than 8 or 10 per cent of the pastors in the jMiddle West, have ever paid any systematic attention to the bound- aries or areas of their parishes.* The church members are grouped as they are by chance or by physical circumstance, such as the condition of roads or the lay of the land. In a few cases, the church parish is larger in area than the community boundary. But many of these parishes are large because of a few scattered families living on the extremes of the parish areas. Few churches have compact parishes, or have tried to have them. The ordinary church parish is not coterminous with the community of which the church is a part. The Church, however, has never known its community, and therefore has never ministered to the entire area, not to mention all ages and groups in the comnumity. The Interchurch survey was the first to make any study of the rural church ])arish, and this took into account only areas. Even tliia irLvea.tigatioii reveals the great lack of knowl- edge en the part of the average local church and its pastor in re- gard to the systematic mapping of his field in its relation to the community. Just a glance at the map reveals much overlapping of parish boundaries, even in some of the small communities, and on the other hand, some sections of the counties where the churches claim no members at all. These maps illustrate the haphazard way in which the country church plans or neglects to reach the community. Ignorance of community boundaries is, of course, not the only factor. In Clay County, as has been pointed out in the section under distribution of churches, six communities have denominational divi- sions on account of racial preference. The church made up of Danish immigrants and their descendants reaches them very well, and its parish contains only that part of the community in which its constituency lives. But in the other half of the communities, * Sec the maps on pages 45 and 46 on which this discussion is based. The church parishes are shown in heavy solid lines and the community boun- daries in heavy broken lines. 62 THE RELIGION OI' THE PEOPLE Mil TllK CHURCH HOME OF PROSPEROUS IMMICRANTS IV.'Uiish I.iitlicran riiinxli ;mil Parsonage at Royal, Clay t'uuiity 63 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IX THE MIDDLE WEST where there is no racial factor, there is no such easy explanation. Lack of a resident pastor often means a small parish. And denomi- national rivalry in the village keeps pastors from hranching out into the entire comnnmity. In Jennings County, where there are no racial Ijarriers hetween Protestant churches, the limitation is due to lack of vision and inadequate leaders of power and personality. Of especial concern in Clay County, and all others in which the farmer has begun to attend the village and town church, are the church parishes at the trade center. Usually the American village, which begins its life as a service station for people on farms, and which always depends on the trade of the operating farmers, be- comes exclusive and snobbish. It is made up of tradesmen and re- tired farmers, and in some cases there is also a small manufacturing element. In the ordinary trade area there is a lack of democracy and the farmer is not much at home in the village. He comes to buy and sell, to see the movies and perhaps to dance, but he is on the whole apart from the social life of the village. The village church does not draw a high proportion of the farmers. But mem- bership figures of Clay County will give some idea of the concen- tration of church life in town and villages. The country churches have, to begin with, less pastoral attention, as has been noted in the section on pastoral leadership. Some vil- lage and town pastors, who serve country churches in addition to those at the trade center, are constantly trying to induce farmers to drive to town to church. The popularity of the automobile helps to make this possible. An examination of the figures shows that the town and village churches reach 443 farm families in the county, while the country chvuxhes have on their rolls only 207. While the country churches have 184 operating farmers as members, those in village and town have 361, again twice the total of the country churches. The town and village churches each reach about equal numbers of farmers, demonstrating that the county-seat churches are reaching operating farmers from the surrounding community. Already eight of the twelve communities of the county have only churches at their trade center — hamlet, village or town. Consider- ing only the four communities which have country churches in com- petition with those of town or village, it appears that those at the trade centers have three times as many operating farmers on the) roll as the country churches, and reach slightly over four times as / many farm families. Further, 75 per cent of the churches at the center are growing, while only 40 per cent of those in the country have made a net gain during the past ten years. A study of the 64 THE RELIGION 01' THE PEOPJ.E country churches reveals lliat 40 i)er cent of those in competition with churches in village or town have made a .ij^ain, while 60 per cent of those which are the only churches in the communitN' have grown during the past ten years. The same tendency occm-s in some other sections. In a county in Kansas, 807 farmers are en- rolled on the hooks of the village churches whicli have a total of 3,159 memhers. In a numher of Ohio comities an average of twelve country churches have heen ahandoned in the j)ast fe\/ years, while the town and village churches are most prosperous. Churches of Distinction Perhaps one town and country church out of fifty is an out- standing success. It has achieved such results in the community under such efficient pastoral leadership, that its story should he known and provide an example. Usually in the Middle West, the county-seat town h.as the strongest churches. Attention luay well he called to some of the work being done in Spencer, the county seat of Clay County, Iowa. ( )ne of the big problems is always that of the young people, and especially during the past few years is this matter coming to the fore. One county-seat pastor says of his work among young people : "The church must supply them with amusements. What kind will largely depend ujjou the means and equipment of the church. Basketball and other indoor games should be promoted in winter time. We have socials for the young people and games in our basement. One Sunday afternoon we had a five o'clock social, served refreshments, then played games and went to the evening church lueetings." Or one may take the work of the Methodist Episcojx'd church which is made possible by its excellent ecjuipment and resources. The church houses its boys' club in a separate building. There are a swimming pool, gymnasium, extra rooms for educational work, and best of all a full time director to supervise the activities of the plant. Out of 740 resident members 283 are young people under twenty-one. With the rooms in the gymnasium and those in the church building it is possible for this church to have thirty Sunday school classes and really grade its instruction. There are nine other organizations within the church, reaching all age and sex groups. During the year previous to the survey there was a net gain of forty-nine members, eighteen of whom were young people under twenty-one years of age. There are classes for all young people over eight years of age in gymnastics and swimming. 65 RURAL CHURCH LH-E IX TH?: MIDDLE WEST There are "hikes" for the boys, girls and young i)eople. A study class in evangelism is attended by the leaders of the church. The church increases interest in missions by responsibihty for si)ecial work of its own : it supports a foreign missionary on full time, twelve native workers in foreign fields, two students in the Home Mission fields in America, and gives i)artial support to a teacher in Mexico, and to several other teachers and home missionaries. '1 be Sunday school anrl Epworth leagues have produced several pageants. A deaconess is employed on full time for local work, and she concentrates upon ministr}^' to girls and young women of the parish and community. The pastor has an automobile to aid him in his pastoral work. And with all of this work done the pastor says : "We should have lyceum courses and summer Chau- tauquas, also more literature and musical programs. The church should get aside at least $200 to finance a Chautauqua for the young people of the community." "This church is a community asset ! This church has something real and priceless to contribute to the comnumity," preached the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal cburcb when he went to North Vernon. Jennings County, Indiana, four years ago. "It is here to give of itself and to serve — and no one should miss what it can give." That remark was made in a church which was little re- spected by its community. Moreover, the minister could not have come under less i)romising circumstances. A tornado had hit the town and the church four months before. When he went to inspect the building in whicli he was to preach, he found at least a ton of brick on tlie front steps, the windows were covered with rough boards, and no service had been held for months. TUit he outlined his work carefully and set out to demonstrate what he was preaching. He challenged the men of the church and comnumity. organized a club, and set before them definite pieces of service, among them a systematic nu'nistry to the poor of the community. Instead of letting the poor go along until some great need developed, and then taking a collection, the pastor proposed a fund which should be distributed in a business-like way. The men took to it. In cash during the ])ast year $125 was wisely distributed, in addition to many other much more valuable gifts in "kind." The men have banquets, and other social times. The women became so numerous in their society that now they must have six divisions. Every woman in the church belongs to the Women's Society which takes an active part in social and missionary affairs. Four years ago the Sunday school had 125 66 THE RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE members. This was reorganized. Pastors, teachers and officers began to convince others that they were there to serve and gradu- ally more came in. The membership has increased 100 per cent in the last four years, Its attendance on special occasions runs to 325. The Ep worth League now numbers ninety, but it is such a live organization that it draws many more than its own members to every meeting. The average attendance is 110. It emphasizes WHAT THE KlGliT I'ASTOR CAN DO The M. K. Churcli at Xrrtli Vernrn, Jennings Ccuiity, whose pastor found it four years ago in ruins and unres])ected and lias made it, as lie prom- ised lie would, "a community asset " missionary service, and every two months holds a s])ecial meeting when pageants are presented and other programs given. The young men and women are well organized through the Sunday school classes. ( )ne young women's class numbers forty- five. The pastor himself is "strong for" giving the young folks opportunity, constant service, as well as a "'good time." A\'hen he was a boy, living forty miles from a railroad in Kentucky, he asked a teacher in the community to conduct evening classes in the church, since that was tlie most convenient place. The teacher agreed to do it, provided they could first secure the use of the building. They went to the trustees and elders, who decided that their church must be used only to worship God. That drt)ve the 67 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST young petitioner from the church. For eleven years he never went near one. But the old experience hung over him. The elders and trustees in the old home church must have been wrong. The church could do better than that. There was only one way to prove it — ■ to go into the ministry himself. Finally, after a long struggle, he worked his way through college and theological seminary. Now he is striving to use all the resources of the church to minister to the young people in just as many ways as possible. The im]M-ove- ments that have been made in the cHurch building have all been to provide more room for social afifairs. and to make the vSunday school more efficient. Seven thousand dollars have been spent on improving the building in the past few years, and all of it has been raised as needed. "This church is a community asset," preaches the pastor. And because of his works the people believe him, come to the church and find it so. 68 CHAPTER IV Conclusions and Recommendations What the Church Can Do THE cliurclies for the most ])arl have stood aloof (hiring the ])erio(l of coi Operative, economic development. Only a small proi)(jrtion of the pastors liave given encouragement or as- sistance. Should this be so? Or has the Church a stake in a movement like the cooperative which promises to make rural economic life more democratic ?^ The tendency to build u]) one man, one vote organizations, with distribution of profits accord- ing to the extent to which the individual uses the organization rather than by the amount of money invested, is surely one of the prom- ising signs on the horizon to-day. The cooperative will more efihciently distribute the farmers' supi)lies and ])r()ducts, w'U add to their income, and will give them more economic and political power. It may not be an overstateiuent to say that the co(>perative is the "greatest thing" in rural life in the Middle West to-day. To make it a powerful force in building a better social order, is the task before the rural social engineer. To make it an organization which will aid in the building of a better commimity : to get it to look outward at least as much as inward; to give it vision beyond mere class or group; to give it real community sjiirit, a desire to be an agency for service as well as an agency for the saving of money in costs of distribution — this is a worthy task for the rural religious leader. Idiere is for the local church a middle path between indifference and actual partici])ation. Some progressive ministers take a membershi]) in the farm burerui. 'WTiy" iiet-the-leea^l-ehia-reh ? No institution is more sensitive to economic cycles than the Church. It should support the agency working for abiding prosperity. The harmful effects of land speculation, increasing tcMiancy, and attendant problems, emphasize the fact tliat tlie (hurch should have some share in their solution. It can and should say a word, or more than a word, to help. It is a fact, for instance, that it is poor economics for the farm tenant to use the labor of his wife and children to aid in the advance to ownership. 1die man who studies 69 D V^ RURAL CHURCH LH'E IN THE .AHDDLE WEST scientific agriculture and applies his knowledge, can get to owner- ship more (|uickly than the man who follows the precedent of using the constant lahor of his family. Tlie Church may well 'preach facts like that. The Church should declare for a longer lease for the tenant, for crop rent over against cash rent. It should assist in getting long-term credit for those farmers who now need it most or deserve it, so that as many as possible will survive the present depression with at least a home and a farm to work. As it now is. they contracted large debts when money was cheap, and must pay from slender profits when money is dear. For a most valuable lesson the clun-ches should study school consolidation. In this respect the rural school and its leaders are far ahead of the country church and its adnn'nistrators. The school leaders are endeavoring to build up few and strong institutions at the trade centers that will employ fewer teachers and yet have an aljler stafi". The consolidated school gives greater opportunity to the rural child. The trained superintendent can get closer to the i)U1mIs. Instead of having a large number of small ungraded schools scattered over the trade area, one efficient school center is rapidly taking their places. The lessons of efficiency are being learned in the schools. How long before the rural church will begin to move in this direction? The movement for consolidation in the schools will, however, serve as an object lesson to young and old in the churches in the Middle A\>st. They should now plan to eliminate the large number of extra churches wdiich are not worth what they cost. This weeding-out process cannot begin too soon. Many churches deserve extinction. They are sectarian in spirit, lack commum'ty vision and exist for the worship of a mere handful of inili\i(luals. In getting rid of the extra churches local desires should be consulted. If the comnnmity wants a federated churcli, then let it have all assistance ])ossible from the respective denominations. If an undenominational community church is desired, then let it be tried, at least. If all but one denominational church should withdraw, and this one be made responsible for a certain program in the field, then all the forces which have to do with rural church administration should help in such a readjustment. Usually trading of local churches can be accomplished with benefit to the communities and the denominations concerned. One need hardlv em]^hasizc the importance of encouraging the forces which are making for prevention of disease. It is better to prevent sickness and Ijlindness than to heal the sick or give sight 70 CONCLUSIONS AND RFX'O.MMKNDATIONS to the blind. 'Jlic religious forces are prominent in the four com- munities of Clay county which arc supporting- the pul)lic health nurse. No (loul)t the local religious forces are usually ready to cooperate in such work. Ikil there is great need for ex])ansion. Every county in the Middle West should have at least one ])ul)lic health nurse. 'Die churches should encourage sucli ])ul)hc health service, and ])articipate in tlie Red Cross program for rural nurs- ing, etc. Library extension is another social and educati\-e factor. Library AN EX.\MPLE OF A ONE-ROOM CHURCH BUILniX: Tlic r>;iiuist Cluircli at Coniniiskej-, Jennings Ctiinity extensifju is scrv.ee given l)y tlie city, town or village institution to the surrounding countryside through l)ranch libraries in the smaller centers, or the distriliution of books by auto or wagon. 'J he libraries have already done much better tlian the churches in organizing their service in centers, and in carrying their goods to the peoi)le. The churches may utilize these extension methods in gospel propaganda and in serving a scattered community. The organization of social .and recreational life has nnich re- ligious significance. The C hurch has lagged here, as in coc'iperation with other agencies. It is a religious duty to su])ply the means of social and recreational development just as much as spiritual de- 71 RURAL CHURCH LHE IX THE MIDDLE WEST velopment. In communities which lack social and recreational organizations for all age and sex groups — and most communities lack them for from one to three groups — the Church or the local churches cooperatively should organize women's cluhs. hoy and girl scout troops, civic organizations, community cluhs, etc. Where there is only one church this should so expand its program as to have some of these organizations and activities as part of the work of the local church. In this way the church can better serve the people and identify itself with community life. The chief concern of the local churches should be an efficient pastoral service. If there were enough, men of the .right kind in the country pulpit, the sickness of the country church would soon be cured. Especially do we need able local church administrators. Local church administration is especially difficult in Protestantism! The causes are twofold : because ministers have no practical train[ ing, and because the inexperienced laymen, to whom church busij ness is a side issue, usually control the church organization. Such a local church organization is desirable, but in order to function it must be entrusted to trained and experienced leaders. Rural communities want evangelists with a constructive, aggressive pro- gram and likewise versed in the financial problems that may con- front the local church. They must be equal to dealing with ])rob- lems of local church distribution, courageous enough to leave the field that there may be a federated church, willing to recommend that their own denomination withdraw for the sake of one efficient church and that the Kingdom of ("lod may be hastened. As execu- tives they should inaugurate a virile, comprehensive ])rograni of missionary and community service, and create a plant wdtli adequate buildings to concrete their vision. Men of this type cannot fail to utilize for the church every social and educational agency with statesmanlike tact and understanding. Only Christian personality and leadership will solve the problems of religious education, pro- gram, and equipment in the country church. There is great need for giving training to all men entering the ministry, for instruction to untrained pastors on the field and special post-graduate schools for men who have had college and seminary work. The ]M-ol>lem of church membership concerns methods of growth and enlistment. The only gain in church membership in Clay County, comparecf with the total population, was recorded within the past four years. In Jennings County church membership and population have been steadily declining for the past twenty years. As a remedy the Sunday schools, already the principal feeders CONCLLSIOXS AND RECOMMENDATIONS of the churches, should be strengthened. 'I'he better kind of re- hgious education conferences, one of wbich Clay has ah'eady hekl, will be more frecjuent. Numbers of efiicienl teachers should l>e trained. The Sunday school, besides providing religious instruc- tion, should take a more active part in Uie social and recreational life of the people. There should be classes to prepare for church membership in every church or Sunday school. Already steady recruiting and gains have Ijeen traced to such classes. What needs to be stressed in evangelistic luethods is a more current program. The protracted meetings may be held if desired, and the Church must never lose sight of the fact that real evangelism is necessary, that gains by confession of faith are the more substantial. But the most effective evangelism begins by holding on to what you have. Inactive members and non-residents are some of the worst kinds of losses. To make the church ])rogram wide and attractive, to put the membership to work so far as possible, is the duty of every evangelistic program. Any high proportion of non-resident members should be the concern of all denominational adminis- trators. Many of the non-resident members of the rural church live in other rural comnumities, and should belong to the church where they live. There is to-day no efficient, courageous or un- \ selfish follow up of the non-resident member. --^ — ^Church parishes should be planned. House to house canvasses should be made. ]ireferably l)y the local churches working coopera- tively. Every home should be mapped, and the relation of every member to the church and its activities traced and recorded with the pastor who should study his conmiunity Ijoundaries. A ma]) of every county in the Middle West showing |)arish and comnumity boundaries should be in the hands of every pastor, and all should use the maps. A canvass, plus a study of the comnumity area and its relation to the parish area, will mean a great advance. Church parishes would no longer be haphazard. The church i)arish would extend to the community boundary at least, instead of cover- ing only parts of it. Then there is a large problem surrounding the concentration of rural life in the village. It appears that the country church is losing ground and that the church of the future will be in the town and village trade center. I'.ut the village is apt to l)e somewhat snobbish. The consequence is that the farmers are usually the most ignored grouj* in the community. It is necessary, therefore, that the village church begin to measure up to its possi- bilities. It must be instilled with a passion to serve the last person on the last farm in the community. A'arious denominations should 73 RURAL CHURCH LHE IN THE MIDDLE WEST make demonstration parishes in communities with villages where there are no country churches or where they are disappearing. Pas- tors familiar with the problem should be placed in these charges. They will endeavor to serve the retired farmer, the trader, the in- dustrial worker, if he exists, and the operating farmer. The village church must arrange its special services at hours to suit the farmers. It must saturate itself with sincere cordiality. It must become a service station in rural religious life like similar agencies in economic life. Just as the village sells the farmer his shoes so can it provide for him a religious center. Most of all is the future of the country church bound up with the country ministry. The study of the successful churches helps__^i to emphasize that fact. \M'ien the average country minister is more efficient ; when he ceases to look upon the country church as a mere stepping stone to the city pulpit ; when the various denomina- tions professionalize the country ministry and train men to be rural social and religious engineers, then only will the Church gather power, widen and intensify her local program, and launch out to create that ideal community in which there will be one church serving all of the area and all of the groups. A community at one with the church parish is the goal. ^_^ 74 APPENDICES APPENDIX I Methodology and Definitions The method used in the Town and Country Surveys of tlie Inter- church ^^'orl(l Alovement and the Committee on Social and Re- Hgious Surveys thffers from the method of earher surveys in this field chiefly in the following particulars : 1. "Rural" was defined as including all [jopulation living out- side of incorjjorated places of over 5,000. Previous surveys usually excluded all places of 2,500 population or over, which follows the United States Census definition of "rurcd." 2. 'idle local unit for the assenihling of material was the com- munity, regarded, usually, as the trade area of a town or village center. Previous surveys usually took the minor civil division as the local unit. The disadvantage of the community unit is that census and other statistical data are seldom available on that basis, thus increasing both the labor involved and the ]-)OSsibility of error. The great advantage is that it presents its results assembled on the basis of units which have real social significance, which the minor civil division seldom has. This advantage is considered as more than compensating for the disadvantage. 3. The actual service area of each church as indicated by the residences of its memlxM-s and adherents was mapped and studied. This was an entirely new departure in rural surveys. Four chief processes were involved in the actual field work of these surveys : 1. The determination of the community units and of any sub- sidiary neighborhood units included within them. The community boundaries were ascertained by noting the location of the last family, on each road leading out from a given center, who regularly traded at that center. These points, indicated on a map, were con- nected with each other by straight lines. The area about the given center thus enclosed \vas regarded as the comnumity. 2. The study of the economic, social and institutional life of each community as thus defined. 3. The location of each church in the county, the determina- 77 RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST tion of its parish area and the detailed stiuly of its equipment, finance, membership, organization, program and leadership. 4. The preparation of a map showing in addition to the usual physical features, the boundaries of each community, the location, parish area and circuit connections of each church and the residence of each minister. The following are the more important definitions used in the making of these surveys and the preparation of the reports : Geographical — City — a center of over 5,000 population. Not included within the scoyie of these surveys except as specifically noted. Toivn — a center with a population of from 2,501 to 5,000. Village — a center with a population of from 251 to 2,500. Hamlet — any clustered group of i)eople not living on farms whose numbers do not exceed 250. Open Country — the farming area, excluding hamlets and other centers. Coitnfrv — used in a three-fold division of population included in scope of survey into Town, Village and Country. Includes Ham- lets and Open Country. Tcnvn and Country — the whole area covered by these surveys, i. e., all population living outside of cities. Rural — used interchangeably with Town and Country. Connnunity — that unit of territory and of population character- ized by common social and economic interests and experiences ; an "aggregation of people the majority of whose interests have a com- mon center.'' Usually ascertained by determining the normal trade area of each given center. The primary social grouping of suffi- cient size and diversity of interests to be practically self-sufificing in ordinary affairs of business, civil and social life. Neutral Territory — any area not definitely included within the area of one community. Usually an area between two or more centers, and somewhat influenced by each, but whose interests are so scattered that it cannot definitely be assigned to the sphere of influence of any one center. Neighborhood — a recognizable social groujMng having certain interests in common but dependent for certain elemental needs upon some adjacent center within the community area of which it is located. Rural Industrial — pertaining to any industry other than farm- ing within the Town and Country area. 78 APPENDIX I Population — Foreigner — refers to forcigii-ljejrn and nalivc-born oi foreign parentage. N^ew Aiiiericinis — usually includes foreign-born and native-born of foreign or mixed parentage, but sometimes refers only to more recent immigration. In each case the exact meaning is clear from the context. The Church — Parish — the area within which the members and regular at- tendants of a given church live. Circuit — two or more churches combined under the direction of one minister. Resident Pastor — a church whose minister lives within its parish area is said to have a resident pastor. Pull-fimr Resident Pastor — a church witli a resident ])astor who serves no other church, and follows no other occupation than the ministry, is said to have a full-time resident pastor. Part-time Pastor — a church whose minister either serves another church also, or devotes part of his time to some regular occupation other than the ministry, or both, is said to have a ])art-time minister. A^oii-Residenf Member — one carried on the rolls of a given church Init living too far away to i)ermit regular attendance; gen- erally, any member living outside the community in which the church is located, unless he is a regular attendant. Inactive Member — one who resides within the parish area of the church, l.nit who neither attends its services nor contributes to its support. Net Active Membership — the resultant membership of a given church after the nuiuber of non-resident and inactive members is deducted from the total on the church roll. Per Capita Contributions or F^xpenditures — the total amount contributed or expended divided by the number of the net active membership. Budget System — A church which, at the beginning of the fiscal year, makes an itemized forecast of the entire amoimt of money re- quired for its maintenance during the year as a basis for a canvass of its membershi]) for funds, is said to operate on a budget systeiu with respect to its local finances. Tf amounts to be raised for de- nominational or other benevolences are included in the forecast and canvass, it is said to operate on a budget system for all moneys raised. 79 RURAL CHURCH LHE IN THE MIDDLE WEST Adequate Financial System — Three chief elements are recog- nized in an adequate financial system : a budget system, an annual every-member canvass, and the use of envelopes for the weekly pay- ment of subscriptions. Receipts — Receipts have been divided under three heads : a. Subscriptions, that is moneys received in payment of an- nual pledges. b. Collections, that is money received from free-will ofiferings at public services. c. All other source? of revenue, chiefly proceeds of entertain- ments and interest on endowments. Salary of Mijiisfcr — Inasmuch as some ministers receive in addi- tion to their cash salary the free use of a house while others do not, a comparison of the cash salaries paid is misleading. In all salary comparisons, therefore, the cash value of a free parsonage is arbi- trarily stated as $250 a year and that amount is added to the cash salary of each minister with free parsonage privileges. Thus an average salary stated as $1,450 is equivalent to $1,200 cash and the free use of a house. 80 APPENDIX II Tables (The tables are given in tlie order in which they are referred to in Chapter III.) I DATES OF ORGANIZATION OF CHURCHES Clay Jennings Oldest Church Organization 1869 1816 Newest Church Organization 1919 1915 Number organized prior to 1820 5 1821-1840 8 1841-1860 7 1861-1880 6 11 1881-1900 18 3 1901-1920 7 6 Date unknown 2 3 Total ?>:!> 43 II ANALYSIS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP BY RESIDENCE AND ACTIVITY Clay Joinings Number of : Non-resident Members 374 818 Resident and Inactive 191 202 Resident and Active 3847 2702 Total Reported Memljership 4412 3722 HI RESIDENT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP BY AGE AND SEX FOR ENTIRE COUNTY Clay Jennings Males over twenty-one 28''''^ 29% Males under twenty-one 13 11 Females over twentv-one 41 46 Females under twenty-one 18 14 100% 100% 81 RURAL CHURCH LH'E IX THE Mn)DLE WEST IV GAIN AND LOSS OF CHURCHES (One year period) Churches showing: Clay Jennings Net l<-iss 3 15 Even break 9 8 Net gain less than 5% 2 2 Nv-t gain 5% to 10% 6 4 Net gain over 107'-' 13 14 Totals 33 43 V CHURCH GAIN IN RELATION TO SIZE OF MEMBERSHIP (For one year period) Clay Jennings Xnnibcr Xiniibsr Number Number (if gain- of gain- Clin re lies int; Cliurehes (';;( 5 2 5 1 6 2 16 Q 12 8 19 7 5 4 1 1 5 5 2 2 to 25 ... 26 to 50 . . 51 to 100 . lOrto 150 Over 150 VI OCCUPATIONS OF CHURCH MEMBERS Clay Jennings Retired Farmers 168 179 Operating Farmers 430 607 Farm Renters 115 109 Farm Laborers 13 19 Business or Professional 237 107 All others 492 272 Totals 1455 1293 VII FINANCIAL RECEIPTS OF CHURCHES Cla\ Jennings Total amount raised $104,352.64 $20,915.01 Average per church 3.162.20 510 12 Amount per active member 22.82 7.98 82 APPENDIX II VIII FIXAX'CIAL SYSTEM IX THE CHI-RCIIES Clay Jennings Total number of churches 33 43 Number of churches wiLh: Budget for all monies 12 10 Budget for all local expenses 10 11 Annual evcry-member canvass 19 19 IX HOW THE CHURCH DOLLAR IS RAISED Clay Jennings Amount raised : By subscription $.S4 S.72 By collection 09 .22 By all other methods 07 .05 Totals $1.00 $1.00 X HOW THE CHURCH DOLLAR IS EXPENDED Clay Jennings Expended for : Salaries of ministers $ .34 $ .53 Missions and benevolences 36 .26 All other purposes 30 .21 Totals $L00 $1.00 XI CHURCH PROPERTY Number, Kind and Value of Buildings used for Church Purposes Clay Jenninr/s Church Buildings: Number ^2 42 Total Value $183,450 $152,000 Average Value 5,732 3,800 Parsonages : Number 23 4 Total Value 85.750 7,000 Average Value 3,728 1,750 Other Buildings : Number 1 Total Value 10,000 Average Value 83 Clav N limber of Schools ... 3,2 Total Roll 3366 3060 Average per School 105 Jennings ... 42 72> RURAL CHURCH LIFE IN THE MIDDLE WEST XII SUNDAY SCHOOL EXROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE Attendance Average Percent Total per of School roll 2023 63 60 1573 37 52 XIII SUNDAY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES Clay Jennings Numl)cr of Sunday Schools 32 42 Num]jor open all the year 30 36 Numher of Schools with: Special Leadership Training 3 1 Organized Classes 13 12 Cradle Roll 12 13 Home Department 3 5 Teacher Training 1 3 Sunday School Papers 28 34 Library 5 4 Graded Lessons 17 10 XIV NUMBER OE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IX THE CHURCHES C7(jy Jennings Number Members Number Members Glen's 2 80 1 40 Women's 34 1481 31 690 r.ovs- 2 30 Girls' 4 98 Mixed 26 695 13 530 XV CLASSIFICATION OE CHURCHES ACCORDING TO RESIDENCE OF MINISTERS Clay Jennings Numher of Churches having: Alinisters resident in parish 21 6 Non-resident ministers 8 29 No minister 4 8 81 APPENDIX 11 XVI COMMUNITIES W ITII UI'LATIOX TO RESIDEN'CE OF MINISTERS Clay Jciiiiiiifjs Communities with : Full-Lime Resident Ministers 5 Part-time Resident Ministers .'' 1 2 Full and Part-time Resident Ministers 2 1 No Resident Minister 4 11 Totals 12 14 XVII VARIATION IX SALARIES PAID MINISTERS Range of Salaries $ 500 or less.. 510 to $ 750 751 to 1,000 1,001 to 1,250 1,251 to 1,500 1,501 to 1,750 1,751 to 2,000 Over $2,000... Clay Jctiniiigs Pastors (jiviiuj Pastors witli Pastors (jiving Pastors unth full time other full time other to ministry oecnt'otion to ministry occupation Totals 1 1 3 4 10 1 3 23 1 1 1 6 1 2 3 3 3 2 1 10 12 Note: $250 allowed as salary value of free parsonage where furnished. XVIII RANGE OF SALARIES PAID MINISTERS Cla\ Jennini/s Maximum salarv paid $2,950.00 $1,850.00 Minimum salarv paid 467.00 180.00 Average salar}- paid 1,608.00 919.00 85 APPENDIX III Par Study of the Churches One of the developments growing" out of the Interchurch World Movement was the adoption of the so-called "Par Standard for Country Churches." This standard was worked out and approved by the Town and Country Committee of the Home Missions Coun- cil, and was sul)mitted to a large group of the survey workers of the Interchurch World Movement representing every state in the Union. These persons had all done field survey work and were familiar with the varieties of conditions existing in America. It should also be stated that in addition to investigational experience these men had been country ministers arid knew intimately the ])roblems of the rural parish. There was unanimous agreement that this Par Standard should be placed before the country churches of America not as an ideal far Ijcyond their accomplishment but as a goal which a churcli might in all reasonableness expect to attain. Since that time one denomination and the home mission department of a strong division of another, have adopted the Par Standard with slight ada])tations for their own purposes. It should be stated that no attem])t has been made to give com- parative value to the ])oints in this Standard. So far as the table shows, a resident pastor on full-time counts as much as horse sheds or parking space. Obviously, this is a weakness in the Standard, but it was drawn u]) not for the jnirposes of comparative evalua- tion but for the purposes of suggesting nn'nimum achievements for an average, strong, country congregation. The points covered in this Par Standard for Country Churches and the standing of the churches in the two counties studied are given in the following" tables. 86 APPENDIX III Clay County, Iowa Number of Proportion Pastor Parish Adequate Physical Equipment Finance ISIectintrs Up-to-date Parsonage Adequate Church Audilorium Si)ace. Social and Recreational E(|uipmcnt.. Well Equipped Kitclien Organ or Piano Sunday School Koonis Stereopticon or Moving Picture ^Machine Sanitary Toilets Horse Sheds or Parking Space Property in Good Repair and Con- dition Resident Pastor Full Time Pastor Service Every Sunday Minimum Salary of $1,200 Religious Education "• Annual Church Pnidget Adopted An- nually Every Member Canvass Benevolences Equal to 257(i Current Expenses Cooperation with Other Churches in Connnunity Systematic Evangelism Church Serves All Racial and Occu- pational Groups Sunday School Held Entire Year. . . Sunday School Enrollment Equal to Church Membership Attempt to Bring Puiiils into Church Special Instruction for Church [Membership Teacher Training or Xormal Class.. Provision for Special Leadership Training Churches of Aiiszvering Possible Affirma- Affirmative tively Ausi^'ers 25 ] ?,2 5 16 . 60% 4 30 31 21 16 27 - 67% 25 20 18 - 53% 12 30 13 18 10 1 387o Program of Work "^ L Organized Activities for Age and Sex Groups Cooperaiion with Boards and De- nominational Agencies Program Adopted Annually, 25'/' of Membership Participating Church Reaching Entire Community 1 26 \ 41% The ei.ght points left blank cannot be answered definitely from the data on schedules used in this survey. 87 RURAL CHURCH LH'E IN THE CUDDLE WEST Jennings County, Indiana Adequate Physical Equipment Pastor Finance Meetings Parish Religious Education Program of Work Up-to-date Parsonage Adequate Church Auditorium Space Social and Recreational Equipment Well Equipped Kitchen Organ or Piano Sunday School Rooms Stereopticon or Moving Picture Machine Sanitary Toilets Horse Sheds or Parking Space Property in Good Repair and Con- dition Resident Pastor Full Time Pastor Service Every Sunday ^ Mininnun Salary of $1,200 NiDiihcr of Proporlion Churches of Anszvcring Possible Affirma- Affirmative lively Answers 5 41 5 Annual Church Budget Adopted An- nually ■<{ Every Member Canvass Benevolences Equal to 25% Current Expenses r Cooperation with Other Churches in < Community t Systematic Evangelism j Church Serves All Racial and Occu- i pational Groups Sunday School Held Entire Year... Sunday School Enrollment Equal to Church Membership Attempt to Bring Pupils into Church Special Instruction for Church Mem- bership Teacher Training or Normal Class. . Provision for Special Leadership Training Organized Activities for Age and Sex Groups Cooperation with Boards and De- nominational Agencies Program Adopted Annually, 25% of Membership Participating Church Reaching Entire Communitv 10 33 28 6 4 20 4 14 19 18 35 13 20 2 3 1 35 40% 20% 397c 28% y 42% The eight ])oints left blank caimot be answered definitely from the data on the schedules used in this survev. 88 UNIQUE STUDIES OE RURAL AMERICA TOWN AND COUNTRY SERIES TWELVE VOLUMES MADK undi;r the dirkction of Edmund deS. Brunner, Ph.D. What the Protestant Churches Are Doing and Can Do for Rural America — The Results of Twenty- six Intensive County Surveys (1) Church and Community Survey of Salem County, N. J Ready (2) Churcli and Community Survey of Pend Oreille County, Washington Ready (3) Church and Community Survey of Sedgwick County, Kansas Ready (4) Religion in the Old and New South.. Forthcomir.ij (5) The Old and New Immigrant on the Land, as seen in two Wisconsin Counties Ready (6) Rural Church Life in the IMiddle West Ready (7) The Country Church in Colonial Counties Ready (8) Irrigation and Religion, a study of two prosperous California Counties .... Ready (9) The Church on the Changing Frontier Ready (10) The Rural Church Before and After the War, Comparative Studies of Two Surveys Forthcoming (11) The Country Church in Industrial Zones Forthcoming (12) The Town and Country Church in the United States (Summary Volume).. Forthcoming "They arc fine fieces of work and examples of what we need to have done on a large scale." — Dr. Charles A. Ellwood, Dept. of Sociology, University of Missouri. "I am heartily appreciative of these splendid results" — Rev. Charles S. Macfarland, Gcnl. Secy., Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Published by GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY, New York FOR COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS SURVEYS 111 FIFTH AVENUK, Ni:\V YORK 1 Ills UUUIV 13 l^\^M-j •^EB 8 193.' /v^'- ^93'^ NOV 14 1532 ^:v;l 13 1933 ^;%3M J NOV 11 ^^5* JIN 4 1958 REC'L) - JJ[ JAN1619S8 ForinL-9-157ii-li;27 L26r ,3op.l Lan-^^'- - - middle ir^ - in th. ilBSt* ^'- ^nr?!! •31? ■ 540 Cob- N BRANCH, \^ CALIFORNIA ^ARY, :les. calif. nil. Ill ul'.l ,1111 AA 000 610 829 4 ^ i\V''. :l!I:'ii'i!.i'.:til!;;-:i',i-'ttiv''.iU^'-*i'>^'5'r':