The Republican journal., 1908-06-11
CHURCH NOTICES.
Editor Tells Ministers They Can Use Paid
Space Proftably.

Editor Tells Ministers They Can Use Paid
Space Probably.
Following is an address delivered by
request before the ministerial union OF
Jefferson county, N. Y, by Jere Cough
lin, publisher of the WATERFOWL, N. Y,
Herald. We do not publish it as a sug.
gestion that our local churches should
pay regular advertising rate On church
notices, for these have always been
| and will continue to be free, but to
show what is thought elsewhere of the
value of such notices in the newspa-
pers:
1t ought not to be necessary to stand
before a body of men of your intelli-
gence to advocate the use of printers
ink.
For nearly thirty-tive years l have
been advocating newspaper advertis-
ing, but this is the first instance where
have been called before an intellec-
tual body to point the way.
When l strike beginner in the mer-
camille field l know just where to be-
gin. l can pick some bargain in his
stock and easily show him that if the
people knew about it there would be
immense sales. One trial and the re-
suits that are sure to follow are enough
to cllnch him as a regular advertiser.
But where shall | begin with a cIer-
gyman? What are his bargains, if he
has any? Has he anything to adver-
tlse? Has he anything that the people
want, or has he something that the peo-
pie need?
There, think, you have the point.
In western slang, you are sky pilots.
In the polite language of the non think.
er you are brokers in souls. In reality
you are ambassadors of Christ. Now,
what have you to offer? The founda-
ton of your work is the Bible, book
charged full of energy and human emo
tions, of cunning thought and every
thing that arrests the attention and
thrills or soothes or uplifts you.
When my eldest son was at college he
was asked to write home and get from
his parents list of the supplemental
reading they would like him to take.
My answer was brief and pointed-the
Bible. There he could get poetry, adj
venture, politics, maxims, oratory.
They are all there, and romance of the
higher order If could have my way,
all the boys and girls would commit to
memory, a paragraph at time, the
sermon on the mount, and | would have
them commit it seven times, so as to
remember it. There you have the finest
English and lofty ideals. Learned men
have been trying for over eighteen
hundred years TO frame words in which
to address the Almighty. They have
never improved on Christ.
Here you have something to adver.
tise, something to bring before the in
telligent man and woman, and some
thing for the unlettered also. The lat
ter will understand the short stories,
the stories of Isaiah and David and
Goliath; Moses Staying the Egyptians
and leading the children of Israel out
of Egypt; Christ's movements on earth,
his wonderful miracles, the work of
the apostles.
EarneStneSS counts more than ora
tory. The earnest man wins in his
profession; the orator floats away in
the clouds.
Go to your local paper and demand
the rates the patent medicine men pay.
If the manufacturers can pay to ex-
plot their ideas of curing mans body,
you can pay for exploiting your idea of
curing his soul.
If you spend 1 per cent of your in
come for advertising in the newspa-
pers, you are only doing what the con-
sentative business man does. And if
you double this you would add to the
income of your church by bringing new
and paying members. You would create
moral atmosphere in your commu-
nity a healthy, who lesome atmosphere,
which would create demand for your
sermons in print. And newspapers are
quick to recognize such demand.
They would print them. Really,
would like today one complete thought
from every preachers sermon in Wa
tertown If | could get this, it would
be as interesting to my readers as a
serial story.
Spasmodic advertising is not the best.
Keeping everlastingly at it Is the way
to win. Make yearly contracts with
the newspapers and devote as much
care to preparing your advertising mat
ter as you do to your sermons.
With all the astute business men in
in WATERFOWL under a pledge to use
newspaper advertising only, | think it
unnecessary to say anything in favor
of that mode of publicity.
The Rest Pills Ever Sold.