The Negro's church,.

262 The Negro's Church
was spent in salaries, in contrast with the 70 per cent. spent
in salaries by the rural churches.
Clearly almost all of the money raised in the rural church
must be spent for the necessities required to run the church.
It is quite obvious that the average rural church has very little
money, if any, for the expansion of its program.
Church Evaluation
The evaluation of 168 of the 185 church properties, including lots, was ascertained, as well as the evaluation of twelve
parsonages. The total was $285,698, an approximate evaluation of $1,700 per church. The average city church of the
609 is valued at $36,726.77, representing an investment of
$57.04 per member. The 168 rural churches represent an
investment of $10.64 per member.
Rural Church Debt
In Orangeburg County, ten of the fifty-three churches, or
18.9 per cent. of them, have debts; a total of $1,725, or
$172.50 per church. Of the fifty-seven churches in Montgomery County, seven, or 12.3 per cent., are in debt. The
aggregate indebtedness of the seven churches is $3,240, or
$462.86 per church. Fort Bend has seventeen, or 34 per
cent., of the fifty churches in debt, presenting a total indebtedness of $4,589, or $269.94 per church. Peach County reports
all of its churches free from debt. Of the 185 rural churches,
therefore, thirty-four, or 18.4 per cent., are in debt; the total
being $9,554, or $281 per church.
TABLE XXVI-CHURCH DEBT IN FOUR COUNTIES
No. of No. In Per Cent. Total Debt Per
County Churches Debt In Debt Debt Church
Peach.................... 25 0 0 0 0
Orangeburg.............. 53 10 18.9 $1,725 $172.50
Fort Bend................ 50 17 34.0 4,589 269.94
Montgomery.............. 57 7 12.3 3,240 462.86
Total................ 185 34 18.4 $9,554 $281.00