Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-13
WHY churches FAIL
Answered By AD men
KEEN ANALYSIS SHOWS DE.
FECTS IN THEIR
SERVICE.
DON'T DELIVER GOODS
Foo Few Customers for Size aud
Expense of Estab-
Gshments.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 2l.--Ro-
Gently members of n San Francisco
church federation requested the local
Ad Mems club TO Investigate and rem
der n report on why tho church at
tendance was falling off and TO OK
plain the reasons for the steadily de-
creasing financial support afforded
these Institutions, with suggestions rs
to plans that might operate for an
Improvement IN this unfortunate state
II affairs, The ad club rendered It's
expert opinion this week, which has
caused quito a stir IN this vicinity and
incidentally has considerably peeVed
the pastors OF several local churches
Since tho rendition Of the report, the
church leaders claim they were
bunked, stating that a certain mem
Der OF the investigating committee
was q member Of the Christian Science
church. However, be this as 1t may,
these same church leaders will un-
dOubtedly find in the report much TO
ponder over during the dark days.
Ia the first place, the ad mems
committee, composed of H. G, Bark
ley Louis A. Cotton, Frederic s. Mel
SON. Arthur j. Drummer and w. j.
Russell, after an eleVen-Week survey
Of the situation, found too much in
vested I'm 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
expense Of your establishments, and
that those you do have on your books
are only to q per cent paying Gus
toners, and less than that are repeat
ers. The gross sales, your total re-
Ceipts from all sources, don't pay
your running expenses, which proves
COnClusiVely that something is wrong.
They don't come back and bring "A
friend, which is the best kind Of al
vertising because you didn't make
good with your opportunities when
you had them within your doors. Nod
had a chance, perhaps many chance3,
to make good members Of your au
ditOrs, but you didn't do it-they
didn't get satisfaction, Isn't II be-
cause you are many years behind the
times?
'krom your own figures and the
faithful investigation of this commit
tee none of you are delivering the
goods! You preach genoralities OF
today or ancient theological doc
trines.
"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 a source
of power for good but are unable to
direct us how to get it. As a matter
Of fact, you yourselves don't draw
from it, though you tell Of Its being,
otherwise there would be no lack of
support to your organization II 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. II you knew your
goods and had the gift Of presenting
them to mankind your churches
would have overflow meetings. Is II
not possible you have overlooked the
saving grace taught by the Master,
the value and the uses of which haV'
ing escaped from your thinking?
"Is IL not a fact that your church
members have not found the spiritual
help they craved, and have not been
aided by their ministers in this direc'
ton to find God? Otherwise there
would not be Ga to "a per cent of your
seats vacant
Now, how can conditions be i'm
proved? Win advertising do it? Yes,
for very short time; and then the
rocks again. Our association stands
for truth in advertising. and while our
efforts may be directed by the princi-
pies of truth, you have failed TO bring
the message home TO the people, and
this, in our opinion, is the main cause
Of your non-success. Understand, we
90 not class your work as useless, but
II is misdirected or mostly so; other
wise 1t would have the support of the
public. Every true. legitimate enter
prise is successful in greater or less
measure, but yours appears to be
failure. The dealer who goes behind
month after month has to change his
system or become bankrupt. You
must change your methods by teach
ing the lessons OF Christ, for by your
works you are judged, and your works
don't seem to result In as much ben
eft at the present time as you desire.
I'VE cannot, under our banner, en-
courage an enterprise of any kind
where we are satisfied the PROPOSE
ton is wrong. If the owner is agree
able to alterations that will eliminate
mistakes. we would then lend our tai
ent toward increasing the scope Of
its usefulness. This we will be glad
10 do for your organization. either
collectively or individually. as such
time when you have corrected the
faults that appear to us, should you
then find any need of our services.
which we greatly doubt We truly
believe that when the gospel is
preached with the mind that was in
Christ Jesus, you will have solved
your own problem"