Our Rural Churches
Hattie Ellen Taylor Redus
October 27, 1948
 

I am facing the sunset of life and have more time to read the Alabama Christian Advocate which has come to our home more than forty years.  I enjoy it more than ever before, although my eyes are very dim now.  I appreciate Dr. Gan's little poem on the front page of September 28.  It is so true and reminds us all that our lives are like vapor and soon pass away.

Often at midnight hours I am awake, thinking of past life with its joys and sorrows, also the present with responsibilities and opportunities; of our hopes for more peace, love and union for this sinful troubled world.

The thoughts that linger in my mind so much, and for which I am more concerned are about the decline of our rural churches.  Not only our Methodist Churches, but all other denominations.  I have always lived in the country and enjoyed services in our country churches.  I cannot believe that they will entirely fall and close doors.

Time was not so long ago that we went in wagons, on horseback, walked to church and church school and had larger congregations and longer services than we do now in comfortable churches.  We used to have two days, sometimes, for Quarterly meetings, and had Communion each quarter, Epworth League and song services for our young people.  We have no young people's organization now.

The drift of our people is to cities and small towns making our churches smaller.  Our good older people who have stood by the church are passing away.  The young people go away to get work and do not come back often.  We have very good church schools considering bad rods in winter.  Our church has always paid the pastor's salary and all other claims are paid by the faithful few.

I sympathize with pastors who have many empty pews.  Some of our members have no cars or ways to go and know very little about our pastors or church school.  I know something of a preacher's life for my father, grandfather, and several uncles were preachers.  They have burdens and responsibilities the outside know nothing of.  They cannot visit every one or go to every call.  People who are unable to go to church enjoy a pastor's visit and a few kind words.  They think of him as a shepherd.

Our home has always been open to ministers.  We enjoyed them and have Sheltered and cared for them many times the best we could.  We were taught from childhood to love and respect ministers of the gospel.  My deepest desire is to see all of our churches grow and get on higher planes of Christian living; that they have the old time power to help bring the lost to Christ.

I am not pessimistic about our small churches, these are facts.  Statistics in The Advocate October 19 say country churches are dying at the rate of one thousand a year!  Many of our best preachers come from the country.  May God bless and send more workers to help in his vineyard.  May our Pastors be able to go out in the highways and hedges and meet those who are down and out; to encourage those who need help.

We ask readers of the Alabama Christian Advocate to pray for our churches that we love so much.  May the faithful ones be able to carry on until Jesus comes.

End