New-York tribune., 1896-12-06
ADVERTISING FOR CHURCHES.
T. O. yow1ER, JR.. BELIEVES IN MORE STRIKING
METHODS


M. conar which Nathaniel c. Fowler. jr. read
before the Twilight Club on Thursday night offered
an Interesting suggestion to the use to which
ieritimate advertising may be put with great ad-
vantage to the community Mr. fowier -
prophet of publicity. believing that there Is no
good In an unknown good" The petter thihs
a. the more he says, should 1t be advertised so
that q NAV reach the greatest possible numDer OF
people. =.
uis suhtact was Religious Publicity and ne
advanced the idea that religious goods. 80 TO
speak should be advertised as extensively anu
systematically as mercantile goods. ana Hioio 3D.
because of their greater spiritual value 10 peopie
A few extracts from this paper Will snow why
,rr. Fowler believes greater publicity should be
~,,.r re,pious meetings and to religious matters
Generally He says as an apology for ideas wh'ch
some persons moght consider sacrilegious that'
.srhe author wishes II distinctly UNDERSTOOD 'na'
he Is not bringing the holiness OF ChriS'iaitS
down to the level Of common barter, TOT ne IS az
tempting the argument that all that Is sooo IN
the handling of business and in the construction
Of advertising can be and should be applied 70 the
snrea5ins of Christianity He must. for the time
erd with every effort to avoid irreverence. dis
cuss tho advertising Of churches from COM
mercial point of view
ue goes on to say: Something for nothing never
has been and never will be part OF Cnr1st'ahi'S
-,ct,cr. Salvation Is not FREQ II It were free II
,vouId not be worth having. II 1t be COMMONLY
q must be handled and advertised along tho oeter
lines OF developing other commodities ne
n.r+orce sacrifice intention and work are the
iesal-tenders In the purchase OF salvation.
"rb. Bibe ia the grandest. the most exhaustive.
the most sensible. and the best written ana most
e.o.,va advertisement ever conceived Every
chapter of the Bible Is glorious advertisement OF
christian morality and Of the benefits OF goodness
In eyerv hook of the Bible there the most beau
tifully written. the most emphatic. and the orgn'-
est of glowing descriptions of the ma&nincence Oh
Heaven and of the myriads Of attractions FOR the
benefit Of the blessed The word adveruse Is useo
twice in the Bible once in Numbers. XIV a. where
II saws. 4 will advertise thee what this people VIII
do to their people in the latter days.. and similar
passage appears in Ruth iv. 4.
..If II were not for advertising people would not
connect with each other. good things would DO un-
known and there would be as many nationalities
as there are families Without advertising. the lit
tie that is would be too isolated to grow and tho
little at the start would be as little at the end
There could not be universal salvation without the
Advertising of Christianity The church that has
stood on that peculiar composition which Its men,
bers think is dignity. and has handled religion with
out using any of the legitimate business methods Is
but cod % c6urc
advcrtise ements among the religious notices In the
rewspapers are not the kind that business men use
to announce millinery, openings, There is nothing
about the ordinary religious notice TO mako people
so to church .,. ..,,ono, ,a,,o,.
should be used but it is demanded that the benefits
OF religion have the benefits OF good publicity IT
ed as artiscaiiy as Commercial are
fashioned. and that as much attention be given to
the o Ol na
han something 70 sell. and he asks people to come
thing i for everybody. and Il that something Is as
good as the Church says II is the good OF 1t ID is
distributed unless it is announced and it never can
Be announced unless 1t is advertised"