| Average No. of persons to a church | No. of townships | Per cent | ||
| 1-99 | 2 | Less than 1 | ||
| 100-199 | 227 | 19 | ||
| 200-299 | 446 | 38 | ||
| 300-399 | 270 | 23 | ||
| 400-499 | 122 | 10 | ||
| 500-599 | 53 | 5 | ||
| More than 599 | 45 | 4 | ||
| Townships without any church | 5 | Less than 1 | ||
| Less than 300 to a church | 675 | 58 | ||
| Less than 400 to a church | 945 | 81 | ||
| Less than 500 to a church | 1,067 | 91 | ||
| More than 500 to a church | 103 | 9 |
In Table VIII a comparison is made between city and country. According to the United States Census of 1910 the population of Ohio numbered 4,767,121, the churches 9,890, or 482 persons to a church. According to the data gathered in this survey in the 1,170 strictly rural townships the churches number 6,060. In 1910 the population in these townships numbered 1,693,894. Assuming that there has been no change in the population since 1910, there is now one church for each 280 persons. But from 1900 to 1910 there was a decline of more than 3 per cent in the population of these townships. If we assume that this decline has continued since 1910 there are to-day on the average less than 280 men, women, and children, church people and non-church people, to give and do all that must be given and done for each country church in Ohio. In such a state of facts, poverty and weakness are inevitable.
Upon the same assumption of no change in population or number of churches since 1910, there are in the 173 suburban townships 342,077 persons and 582 churches, or 587 persons to a church, while in the large towns and cities there are 2,731,150 persons and only 3,248 churches, or 841 persons to a church.
As compared with the city church the country church obviously has a very much smaller opportunity to enlarge its attendance and increase its support and membership until some method of combining country churches shall have been put into successful operation.
TABLE VIII
Average Number of Persons to a Church
| State of Ohio | 1,170 strictly rural townships | 173 suburban townships | Large towns and cities | |||||
| Population | 4,767,121 | 1,693,894 | 342,077 | 2,731,150 | ||||
| No. of churches | 9,890 | 6,060 | 582 | 3,248 | ||||
| No. of persons to a church | 482 | 280 | 587 | 841 |
Complete data for ministers’ salaries are not available, but the amount of the minister’s pay is indicated by the figures in the official records of the two denominations which have the largest number of rural churches. There were in 1917, 688 pastors of rural churches of the Methodist Episcopal Church. (See [Table IX].) These received, on an average, $993 per year, or $857 and free use of parsonage. Six hundred and sixty-two ministers, or 96 per cent, received less than $1,500 per year; 513, or 75 per cent, received less than $1,200 per year; while 303, or 44 per cent, received less than $1,000.
In the United Brethren Church, according to the records of its Conferences, in 1917 there were 188 pastors of rural churches. (See [Table X].) Their average salary was $787, or $680 and free use of parsonage; not one received as much as $1,500 salary; 171, or all but 17, received less than $1,200; while 135, or 72 per cent, received less than $1,000.
Not only are ministers given inadequate pay, but the rate of its increase in relation to the increase in the cost of living gives no promise of its becoming adequate.