The Negro's church,.

Membership in Urban Churches

113

The relative number of Negroes in church has increased appreciably since 1906, while the proportion for the whites has changed
but little. In 1906, only 39.1 per cent. of all Negro men were
on the rolls of a church compared with 45.5 per cent. now; for
Negro women these proportions are 64.4 and 73.1 respectively.7
Dr. Fry points out, however, that most of these increases
occurred during the decade 1906 to 1916. Nevertheless, it
is safe to conclude that the membership in the 609 churches
studied here is increasing.
There are three outstanding revelations in this chapter
which should challenge the attention of church people:
1. That more than half of the reported membership in
these churches is relatively idle, leaving the work of the
church to be carried on by less than half of the members.
2. That the reported membership is highly inflated, as is
proved in the case of 106 churches, and that if it were
reduced by 39 per cent., the reduction would probably
be conservative.
3. That there is a limit in the number of church-members
beyond which the percentage of average attendance, and
that of regular contributors, decrease appreciably; and
that, for the most part, the big church with membership
beyond 2,000 is not an asset unless there is exceptional
genius in organization and church management.
7Fry, C. Luther, op. cit., p. 50.