The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-08-21
The Modern Church as an Advertiser.
Henderson Gold Leaf

henderson Gold Leaf.
The business that advertises is the
business that succeeds today. In our
modern civilization it Is absolutely
necessary that one who has wares to
sell shall let the people know that
he has ard what his trading terms
are. This is now so generally rec
ognized that 1t needs no proof
or course, it is recognized, too,
that there is business side, as we'll
as spiritual, to the work of a church.
Yet the same folks who may be heard
to reiterate, business is business"
seem to fail utterly in realizing
that sound business principles apply
to all legitimate business the world
over, because human nature is the
same no matter what it may be en-
gagged in. Whatever helps the mer-
chant to sell his goods will help the
chuch in a business way to do its
spiritual work. Some churches are
beginning to see this and are becom-
ing regular advertisers in the papers
and elsewhere. Some of them are
contracting for regular space in their
city or county papers and keeping
the public informed of what they do
just as the merchant parades his
goods before his customers in order
10 sell them. The results are graft
.ying.
People will buy some things-ab-
solute necesSitieS-even though they
have to look for them, and some
persons have the church-going habit
to such an extent that they will hunt
up the church and go whether there
is anything special doing or not: but
to put tempting goods with attractive
prices before the public means to
effect many sale that otherwise
would not be made and to keep a
community posted with reference to
what church is doing to advertise
discussions of the livcst and most
vital problems that affect the life of
us all. citic righteousness. humani-
tarianism yand salvation from all
kinds of Sns, would mean to per-
suade out f. the service many a Sun
day morning laggard, who otherwise
would lie abed or hang around the
street, or go on pleasure ride, or
to some place not close kin to- a
church.
1t is worth trying. The people
will go where everything is live and
moving and interesting and help
! full. And the church that stands
for all that is good ought to fill
this description and ought not to be
ashamed to confess It to the world
and to invite the worlds patron
age. In one of the exchanges that
comes to this office there appears
an advertisement of one of the
leading churches in the town where
/ it is published. The editor OF that
paper would willingly have carried
the notices Of the church free OF
charge, but that church has for
some years been paying for that
space anG every week telling the pub
lie about itself, and circumstance has
greatly impressed the community
and made the church more helpful
to it,
There are illustrations nearer
home. The large attedance upon
the recent meeting in the warehouse
and the interest taken in it were due
in great measure to the advertisse-
ment which was carried i'm this pa
per on the same basis that the busi-
ness of Henderson is advertised.
And the pictures sshown i'm the local
theatre by the Bible Students Asso-
citation and which were seen by so
many were advertised i'm this paper
just as men advertise their business
This is not bid on the part of
this paper for such advertising from
the churches of Henderson. Indeed,
the paper has been restrained from
saying these 3hings long ago by the
fear that its motive might be mis-
construed and impugned. While it's
columns are always open to advertise
ments of any legitimate business,
churches, OF course, included, 1t Is a
fact that II hes always carried church
notices free of charge, and has even
sought them and, Ct times, put itself
to deal OF trouble to obtain them,
and is willing to continue to print
them without any compensation
whatever. 1t is the business OF the
paper to assist in anything that is
good and it is also pleasure to serve
the churches.
But the point is made that. the
very fact that church. which ac-
cording to the view formerly held,
must always be on a begging basis,
is modern and business-like enough
to buy space in a newspaper and pay
for service rendered il commend it
TO the public and inspires confidence.
II forces upon one the conclusion
that that church so thoroughly be-
lieves that it has a message for the
people TO hear and service with
which to bless them that it is willing
TO go to both trouble and EXPENSE
to apprise them of the fact. And
IthiS will nrOduca reSultS