Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-04
The Church and Publicity.

What is wanted now on the average
newspapers editorial STAFF" declared DR.
Talcott Williams before the Christian
Conservation Congress. lis a religious
news editor who knows religion and Its
allied interests, just as the sporting editor
knows sport and the financial edito,
readers of a newspaper tolerate a sport.
ing editors work manifestly inaccurate
biased, unfair, short of first class?'
Two thousand delegates to the congress
were listening to the report Of the com.
mission on publicity. which had circulated
thousands of the deadly QUESTIONABLE
to find out from laymen. ministers and
editors what was the matter with the
church and the press and how they might
get together for mutual help and service
Every editor who responded had express
ed the desire for closer relations and nu.
field of religious news was worthy OF
special attention. Church people, minis
tiers and laymen, on the other hand, were
inclined to be critical, two to one. and to
say that they are wholly unable to keep
informed on movements of the church.
philanthropy and social service through
their daily paper, and divided about
equally on the matter OF accuracy and
| reliability Of local religious news.
George w. Coleman, president of the
Ad Mems Club Of America, concluded the
discussion of the publicity commission
report. He said:
"A serious, nationwide inquiry into the
relationship of the press and the pulpit
has never been undertaken before. The
effort of the publicity commission has me-
with very general appreciation on botr
| sides. wide range of interesting fact.
| has been secured. Hundreds of editors
laymen and ministers have been stirred
to fresh interest in the subject.
Strangely enough, the publicity forces
Of the country, as represented by the AS
| ISOLATED Advertising Clubs, are at thi,
| very time seeking closer relation with
the churches. At the next national con.
| vention of the advertising men. in Dallas
May 1877. sixteen Of the leading pulpit.
| Of the city will be occupied Sunday morn.
ing by advertising men preaching sermons
on advertising. This movement of the
| advertising men toward the churches has
no official relation to the publicity com
mission of the men and religion move
ment. The two lines of effort just hap.
pened to come to the front at the same
| time. 1t is very significant that two
such unique movements, SO tremendously
related, should have come into existence
at the same time and entirely independent
Of each other.
zone important phase of the commits
sion's work has been very clearly en-
pHdSlLcU II Is seen IHdL successful puD-
licity applied to religious interests Ii
sure to improve the methods Of the
churches. just as surely as good ad.
vertising invariably improves the standard
and quality of the article advertised. In
this way alone an immense good car
be accomplished in bringing the churche,
| nearer to the people. We need to de.
velop experts on religious advertising.
The whole question Of religious news
and comment has been carefully can.
r~A hNkh H. -
| view and from the church's point OF
view. 1t is quite evident from the re.
ports that have come into the commits.
sion that there IL urgent need Of q new
attitude toward this important matter
both on the part Of the church and on
the part of the newspaper"
1t was clearly indicated that religion
can no longer be presented to the world
In petty church notices and that churches
especially the laymen. have a clear obli-
| cation to make known the mind OF
churches as to what appears in print con.
| corning them.
"a friendly conference Of men of the
church and the local press" says the re.
port. will do much to eliminate the
subtle prejudices that inevitably grow uI
between public men and newspapers
from which even elergymen and religious
workers are not free"
Church and Social Service.
What definite things In social service
can the church do? 1t can, according to
the commissions report:
| I. Urge the appointment Of a commits
sion to make q survey Of the onditions
surrounding the "socia! evil" in the COM
munity and urge the enactment and en-
forcement of wise laws.
2. Urge upon the community the i'm
portance Of having q correlation OF the
relief work done by the state, county or
municipality and institutional or private
charity.
| 3. Ally itself with the best sentiment
Of the community in urging the city to
provide Fairgrounds and recreation CEN
/ tiers. ;.
4. Make . flank attack upon the saloon
by seeking to have provided under whole
some conditions some of the conveniences
offered by liquor dealers as q bait to In.
crease trade.
| 5. Aid the city in providing and enforc.
| ing some competent censorship of che
theater, vaudeville entertainments and
moving-picture shows, where boys and
girls congregate: and it can also aid In
providing a wholesome substitute for un.
worthy recreation