turn
over to private or State agencies the task of economic development.
But the church should encourage in every way every movement that is
destined to bring about a higher stage of economic welfare; and the
pastor cannot relinquish his obligations in this respect until he has
succeeded in establishing other agencies that can effectively perform
this task. His duty, then, is to encourage this form of development by
educating the people as to its value and by giving it his moral
support.

CHAPTER IV

THE SOCIAL CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCH

The task of the minister is primarily to deal with man, either in his
own personal life, his relations to his Maker, or to his fellow-man.
Unlike the farmer, whose interest lies in the control of animal or
plant growth, or the mechanic, who controls and molds the forces and
conditions of inanimate nature, the minister has to do with that most
delicate and elusive subject of all--the human soul. His business is
to tune the individual soul instrument so that it will harmonize with
the musical vibrations of the Infinite Will; and to bring about such a
relationship between the different instruments in his little group
that all together will produce a heavenly harmony.

The Christian religion, except when it has degenerated into formal
Pharisaism, has been an ethical religion; and the ethical conduct of
the individual has been a criterion of the depth of his religious
experience. Ethics have primarily to do with the relation of man to
man, so that the conclusion is logical that the church is vitally
interested in the ethical problems of humanity and in anything that
tends to lower or raise the moral standards of the individual or the
community.

There is no other agency more vitally interested in moral problems
than is the church. Business organizations may be interested, but
their efforts have apparently not been to conserve moral standards,
even in business. The school is interested, but its emphasis has been
placed more on mental development without regard to moral
implications, or on utilitarian objectives. The church has been
preaching right living, and other objectives have been incidental.
Since this is true the thesis is advanced as the basis for this
chapter that it is the business of the church to provide building,
equipment, and leadership for conserving the moral life of the
community. Since the moral welfare of any community finds its
expression largely in its soci