Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-03-21
READING OF SECULAR NOTICES
NOT IN GOOD FORM.
CIRCULAR is PREFERABLE
Writer in a Current Magazine Thinks
That the Churches Cannot Abolish
the Old Practice too Soon-A Jar
to the Services That Should Not
Cccurr..

If there are any local church-goers
who are afflicted weekly with an i'm
promptu lecture in connection with
the giving out of church notices they
will appreciate what Edward Box has
to say editorially in the last number
of the Ladies Home Journal on The
Pulpit as Bill Board. AS a rule the
churches Of cities where the organI-
cation can afford it have the weekly
calendar printed SO that the atten-
dants will have directory for the
week to refer to and also that the time
which was formerly used by the pull
pit in dilating upon the affairs of the
coming week may be put to better
uses. The article follows:
The custom of reading secular no
tees from the pulpit is happily being
abolished by number of churches.
AS a substitute, either a leafet, circu-
lar or some printed form of announce
ment containing all the notices of
week day meetings and celebrations
of the church or of neighborhood
work, is placed in each pew. In some
churches a regular weekly paper of
four small pages is issued. The sub
stitution of the new method for the
old is decided Improvement. And it
is because the new method is so SUI
perior that one wonders why there
should still remain churches which
cling to the old and Objectionable
mode of verbal declarations from the
pulpit.
"The reading of secular notices
from the pulpit is jar to the SER
vices; is exceedingly Objectionable to
a large number of people. These
folk rightly feel that secular matters
should be kept as far removed from
the Sabbath services as possible. And
they are perfectly justified in taking
that position. 1t is a bit disturbing
when a minister announces that.a fair
will be held on such or such a day, or
that a strawberry festival has been
arranged for a certain evening: and
then, with an added jocose remark
and the jocosity of the pulpit to some
minds always seems ghastly and wit
TONS presence. Picnics are IN
nounced, notices are given of secular
lectures, events of the neighborhood
and in other churches, until some
clear minded people wonder whether
their minister is not being used" for
advertising purposes. One thing is
certain, notices of this character are
not calculated to concentrate the
mind on spiritual matters. Nor do
they prepare one any better for the
sermon that follows. It is not meet
ing the case to say that these notices
are confined to the general working Of
the church.
The fact is that all our churches
cannot abolish pulpit announcements
too soon. They have never had place
there; they are not in keeping with
the dignity of the pulpit OF course,
where church is al solutely too limit
ed in its finances to have the most
modest sort of leaflet printed there
Is some reason for the continuance Of
the method. But whenever IL is pos
sible the pastors of our churches
should be allowed to adopt the circu-
lar plan. The pastors verbal urging
is not whit more effective in Undue
ing us TO be present than the printed
announcement. If the occasion merits
patronage It will receive it without an
advertisement from the pulpit. The