The Defects of the Negro Church / The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers No. 10

An optimistic critique that identifies recurring weaknesses within Black congregations, arguing they prioritize outward shows, numbers, and oratory over inward spiritual formation and soul-culture. The author examines organizational shortcomings, lack of a spiritual organ, and a rush for quantity rather than quality of converts, and connects these to resource shortages, discrimination, and uneven pastoral deployment. Special concern is given to neglect of rural communities, where poverty and limited ministerial support weaken religious life. The essay attributes defects to environment rather than race and calls for deeper spiritual cultivation, better funding, and institutional reforms to strengthen churches' internal life and outreach.