Semi-weekly herald., 1914-12-14

plain the reasons for the steadily de-
creasing financial support afforded
these institutions, with suggestions as
to plans that might operate for an
Improvement in this unfortunate state I
of affairs. The ad club rendered IS
expert opinion this week, which has
caused quite a stir in this vicinity and
incidentally, has considerably peeved
the pastors of several local churches.
Since the rendition of the report, the
church leaders claim they were bunk
ed, stating that certain member of
the investigating committee was a
member of the Christian Science
church. However, be this as it may,
these same church leaders will un-
doubtedly find in the report much to
ponder over during the dark days.
In the first place the ad mems COM
mittee, composed of H. G. Barkley,
Louis A. Cotton, Frederic S. Nelson,
Arthur j. Drummer and W. p. Rus
Isell, after an l1-week survey of the
situation, found too much invested in
building and fixtures for the volume
of business, the number of members
and average attendance.
"Your records show you haven't
enough customers for the size and ex-
lpense of your establishment and that
| those you do have on your books are
only to 81 per cent paying custom
ers, and less than that are repeaters.
The gross sales, your total receipts
from all sources, don't pay your run,
ming expenses, which proves conclu-
sively that something is wrong. They
don't come back and bring a friend.
which is the best kind of advertising,
because you didn't make good with
your opportunities when you had
Them within your doors. You had a
lchance, perhaps many chances, to
make good members of your auditors,
but you didn't do it-they didn't get
satisfaction. Isn't it because you are
many years behind the times?
| "From your own figures and the
faithful investigation of this commit
tee none of you are delivering the
goods! You preach generalities of to
day or ancient theological doctrines.
"You tell of the omnipotence of
God, but point no way by which we
can, as his children, unfailingly draw
upon that power for protection or
benefit. You know there is source
of power for good, but are unable to
direct up how to get it. AS a mat
| lcl vi ldCt, yOu yOui aEiNtS tioii vi d w
from it, though you tell of its being,
otherwise there would be no lack of
support to your organization if the
tendency of the work is towards God
"You have the greatest proposition
on earth, the marketing of spiritual
understanding, but you aren't ac-
quainted with your stock and haven't
a selling talk. If you knew your
goods and had the gift of presenting
them to mankind your churches would
have overflow meetings. 1t is not
possible you have overlooked the sav-
ling grace taught by the Master, the
value and the uses of which having
escaped from your thinking?
SIS it not a fact that your church
members have not found the spiritua
help they craved, and have not beer
aided by their ministers in this direc-
ltion to find God? Otherwise there
would not be 81 to 81 per cent Of
lyour seats vacant.
"Now, how can conditions be i'm.
|proyed? Will advertising do it? Yes
for very short time; and then tht
rocks again. Our association standy
for truth in advertising, and whil,
our efforts may be directed by ths
principles of truth, you have failed
to bring the message home to the
people, and this, in our opinion, is tn,
main cause of your nonsuccess. I'm
derstand, we do not class your worl
as useless, but it is misdirected, o.
mostly so; otherwise it would havi
the support of the public. Every true
Legitimate enterprise is successful il
a greater or less measure, but your.
appears to be failure. The deale
who goes behind month after monti
has to change his system or becom,
bankrupt. You must change you
methods by teaching the lessons O
Christ, for by your works you arr
judged, and your works don't seen
to result in as much benefit at tn,
j, present time as you desire.
"We cannot, under our banner, en-
courage an enterprise of any kim
where we are satisfied the PROPOSE
, tion is wrong. If the owner is agree
: able to alterations that will elimin
ate mistakes, we would then lend ou
talent toward increasing the scope O
J its usefulness. This we will be glat
. to do for your organization, eithei
collectively or individually, at suci
time when you have corrected thu
. faults that appear to us, should yot
, then find any need of our services
. which we greatly doubt. We truly
believe that when the gospel j.
J preached with the mind that was i,
/ Christ Jesus, you will have SOLVED
your own problem"