o need for so-called social work,
for the expert assistance of the poor, the neglected, the delinquent,
and the mentally defective, in most rural communities; that this may be
necessary for the city slums, but that there are but few such people in
the open country. But the recent work started during the war by the Home
Service of the local chapters of the American Red Cross and the work of
various child welfare and health organizations have shown that country
people are not always aware of the needs of some of their not distant
neighbors, and that there is a deal of service which might be given the
more unfortunate members of the average rural community which they are
not now receiving. The average rural community cannot support a paid
social worker and needs but part of her time, while the county is
usually too large an area for her to cover. Why should not the rural
minister be qualified to do much of the family welfare work of his
community, calling in outside expert assistance when needed? What better
pastoral work could he do, and yet how many rural pastors are doing this
sort of work in any intelligent sort of fashion, and how many families
in need, outside of his own membership, would turn to the average rural
minister for help? Dr. C. J. Galpin has well said of the rural minister
that "he is the recognized community psychologist and sociologist." The
trouble is that although he is often so recognized, he is usually an
amateur rather than a professional. Obviously, as a doctor of souls, the
village pastor should be the local "social worker" of every rural
community, but if he is to so serve he must first be trained so that he
can bring to bear a knowledge of social science upon the problems of the
families with which he deals. An average rural community can hardly
afford more than one pastor with such qualifications, and it is evident
that he would need to give his whole time to one parish. Such a modern
representative of the old "cure" of the medieval parish could give real
spiritual service to many a rural family which the average rural church
never reaches, and he would be a real father to his people.

Finally, and most important, we must recognize that no other institution
can take the place of the Christian church as a source of those ideals
of life which give religious sanction to loyalty to the common good--to
the community--rather than to self or particular interests. The ideals
of its Founder who conceive