The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-07-04
SHOULD THE CHURCH
DO ADVERTISING?
Opinion is Divided But the Majority
Seems to Think It Is Perfectly
Right and Proper.

United Press.l
NEW YORK, July 4. Should the
church advertise? That Is not at all
an irreverent question. It is a prob
lem that is today receiving the serious
consideration Of every minister of
the gospel in New York and many lay
men. Opinion is divided on the sub
ject, naturally, but that the major
ity seem to take an affirmative view
of the question Is evidenced by the
numerous and varied church adver~
tisements that assail the eye and ear
In Gotham. A very dignified Episco-
pal church In Upper Broadway now
displays q large electric sign bearing
this legend:
Full choral evensong, p. m.
Sundays"
The sign Is not widely different
from those seen in front OF theatres
further down the street Perhaps an
Illuminated sign Is rath.N. step but
painted designs with huge letters are
now Haunted over the portals OF
scores of New York churches, inform
Ing the passerby OF the hours Of SER
vice and the added attractions" of
orchestra and choir. In the Saturday
newspapers many OF the pastors now
insert regular cards in the paid
advertisement columns, calling atten-
ton to Sundays services and
laying stress on the musical features.
Some of them add the words: Seats
free" This line no doubt rather
strikes the rural visitor as rather I'M
church-like, but 1t is nothing out OF
the way when one understands the sit
uation. Many Of the metropolitan
churches charge stipulated pew rent,
and the seats of the congregation are
thus paid for as much as are theatre
seats, though there is no box office
in front. THE church is fighting the
world, the flesh and the devil and they
all advertise their attractions" said
one advocate of the new idea. why
should not the church meet the world,
the flesh and the devil on their own
ground?n
The clergymna of church up in
Washington Heights that has a small
lawn in front has installed benches
there and they are free to all Corners
The place Is high and there is always
breeze and often on summer Sun
day nights. people may BIS seen oc-
cupying the benches while the min
lot ic rs a.. H.,
Inside.
A popular Episcopal church far
down town has sprung an innovation
in what the pastor called Forum 6
Each Sunday night he holds the brief
est Of religious services and then the
congregation settles down for the dis
cussion of some important question
of the day. A few nights ago they
talked about the tariff and the fol-
lowing Sunday currency reform was
the topic up for consideration. The
problem to be discussed is always an
nounced in the printed church circu-
lar a week in advance. and one man
or woman is requested to prepare
comprehensive address on the chosen
subject After this set discourse,
the meeting is thrown open for gen
eral discussion and often there are
lively debates. Besides the tariff and
currency this particular congregation
has discussed woman suffrage. social
reforms, the minimum wage scale for
women and kindred topics. and now
the Sunday night attendance far ex-
ceeds that at the morning service.
Apropos of new wrinkles in
church services to catch the young
people, a certain we'll known pastor OF
New York installed a moving picture
machine as an adjunct of his Sunday
night service. For several weeks he
displayed films illustrating Biblical
themes, the return Of the Prodigal
Son, the journey of the .fnree Wise
Men and such things. He followed
that line up with some pictures of
the Holy Land and never at any time
displayed film that was far from
the beaten track of religion. Some
members of his congregation sugg ested
that few innocent comedy pictures
might break the monotony and serve
to attract more youths to the services.
The minister thought the idea a good
enc, and acted on the suggestion. He
obtained several funny pictures and
thought with satisfaction how he
would give his congregation some In
nocent amusement on the hot June
night. making them want to come
back the next week. He signalled his
operator to run OF one of the comedy
rolls and after sputter, the astonish-
ed audience saw flashed on the screen
This is no place for minister's
SON." AS an irrepressible litter ran
around the room, the picture machine
was stopped and the lights went up.
There have been no more comedy
films there. Those who were there
tbot pigbt hovo p,oda Tho rourdc 10