1,170 strictly rural townships contain nearly 1,700,000
persons and 6,060 churches. They have, on an average, 1,448 persons and
five churches to a township and 280 persons to a church.

Although there are 6,060 churches in the 1,170 strictly rural townships,
their membership records are so often incomplete that satisfactory figures
were found for only 4,941 churches. The membership of 3,351 of these
churches, or 68 per cent, is not more than 100; in 2,704, or 55 per cent,
the membership is not more than 75; while in 1,817, or 37 per cent, the
membership is not more than 50. (See Table II.)

TABLE I

POPULATION, AVERAGE NUMBER OF PERSONS AND CHURCHES, AND AVERAGE NUMBER OF
PERSONS TO A CHURCH, BY TOWNSHIPS

1 _Strictly rural townships_
2 _Other rural sections_
3 _All rural sections_

1 2 3
Number of townships 1,170 173 1,343
Population of rural townships 1,693,951 342,077 2,036,028
Number persons per township 1,448 1,977 1,516
Number churches per township 5 3 5
Number of churches 6,060 582 6,642
Number persons per church 280 587 307

In the suburban rural townships and rural sections of townships containing
cities and large towns, 72 per cent of the churches have a membership of
not more than 100, 56 per cent of not more than 75, and 34 per cent of not
more than 50. Altogether, in rural townships and rural sections of other
townships, there are 5,392 churches out of 6,642 for which membership data
are available. Of these 3,776, or 68 per cent, have a membership of not
more than 100; 2,956, or 55 per cent, a membership of not more than 75;
and 1,860, or 36 per cent, have a membership of not more than 50.

The number of churches in rural townships whose membership records are not
available is 6,060 less 4,941, or 1,119. If we apply to these also the
percentages just given for the churches with available membership records,
we find that of the total of 6,060 churches in the strictly rural
townships, 4,110 have a membership of not more than 100; 3,316 have a
membership of not more than 75; while 2,227 have a membership of not more
than 50. Since the larger churches as a rule are more careful in keeping
their records than the smaller ones, the conclusions drawn