This form of coöperative organization may be called a church federation, but it should be distinguished from the federated church, which is the union of two or more churches into a single congregation. In every rural community where it is neither feasible nor desirable to unite all the churches under the leadership of one pastor, a church federation should be formed to create conditions favorable to the development of Christian character, to hold community religious services and social gatherings, and to render all forms of social service which are needed in the community, but are not rendered by other institutions.
2. Coöperation with Other Social Forces
Where there are social organizations other than school and church it often happens that the churches can get better results by working with them. An example of this kind of coöperation may be found in White Cottage, Newton Township, Muskingum County. Here the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church made a thorough survey of the community in an area which included four churches. He then prepared a sermon on the much needed country life movement, and sent a personal letter to every family in the area covered by the survey, inviting its members to come and hear his sermon. Large numbers responded. Then a mass meeting was called to discuss the situation, and the results of the survey were set forth. A committee was appointed to draw up a constitution for a community betterment organization. At a second mass meeting it was adopted. Under it every member of the community became a member of the association. Every social organization in the community was given equal representation on the Executive Committee, which has standing committees on programs and publicity, on religion and social service, on education, on recreation and physical culture, and on finance.
A general cleaning up of the community followed. An unsightly square was transferred into an attractive playground, where every Saturday afternoon there was basket ball, volley ball, croquet, tennis, track athletics, or baseball. A library and public reading room was opened, a temperance program was adopted, farmers’ institutes were established, and lectures on agriculture and home economics were given, together with a Chautauqua course of lectures for winter and summer, and a series of home talent plays. There were three holiday picnics each summer, and field day exercises with a parade, platform meetings, and a community dinner.
Other results of this movement are a fine new school building with a large auditorium, and greatly improved roads. Moreover, a favorable reaction has been felt in the churches. Whereas, formerly but 37½ per cent of the population were church attendants, now there are 58 per cent; where formerly 40 per cent of the people went to Sunday school, now there are 52 per cent. The whole community shows a higher moral tone.
While the churches at White Cottage were not united in any organic way, yet a spirit of Christian unity was brought about. The very best of feeling exists among the different churches, and their members work together gladly in community improvement. As the result of such an atmosphere the evils of overchurching are reduced to a minimum, and it becomes easier to bring about such reorganization as may be for the best religious and social welfare of the community.
Organizations of coöperating rural social forces, like that at White Cottage, for many years have been doing good work in other states, both East and West. In large numbers of communities, particularly where the churches cannot be federated, or where bitter feeling has resulted from interchurch competition, the best method of progress is often to bring about such a coördination of forces in the service of the community itself.
3. Community Service and Christian Unity
Ashley, in Delaware County, is a town of about 600 inhabitants. Here a resident pastor’s desire to serve his community resulted in Christian unity. Twelve years ago there were four competing churches, poorly attended and struggling for existence. Camp meetings of a fanatical sect were often held in the neighborhood. In the churches of the town seasons of protracted meetings were characterized by excessive emotion at the time, but by few permanent good results. While respect for religion is necessary to a high degree of moral and social life in any country community, a large proportion of the people in Ashley no longer respected the church because of the character of its religious activities. Many of the most influential citizens even doubted whether the church was good for the community or not. High ideals were conspicuously lacking among the young people, and disorderly conduct was beginning to appear.
In the year 1907 the Methodist Episcopal Church acquired a pastor who by nature and training was well equipped for his work. Fortunately he was the only resident minister in the town, where he remained for nearly ten years. As the result of his leadership the whole community now has a high regard for religion and the church, while a practical Christian unity has been brought about and interchurch competition has disappeared. The moral and religious atmosphere of the place has become wholesome.