Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-20
ADVERTISING TO BE
DOOMED AS A USEFUL
ALLY OF THE CHURCH
Associated Clubs of the World
Plan to Make 1t a Feature
of Big Convention in
June
MINISTER TAKES l. E A d

Clergymen and officers of churches, who
are faced with the problem of filling their
churches are Interested in the announce
ment of the Associated Advertising Clubs
OF the World that department has been
allotted at the 18th annual convention TO
be held In Philadelphia next month for the
thorough study of church publicity
The Rev. DR.. Christian +. Reisner or
New York, has accepted the invitation oil
Herbert s. Houston president of the asso-
citation, TO take the leadership, and has com.
municated with numerous cergymen and
laymen throughout the country to acquaint
them with the fact of the establishment
of the department. He has received ac-
ceptances from the following TO act as ms
associates on the committee in charge: The
Rev. Roy B. Guild, executive secretary,
Commission on Federated Movements Fed
eral Council of Churches in America the
Rev. DR.. w. Il. Barton, Congregational
Church. Oak Park. III; the Rev DR.
p B. Jenkins, Milwaukee. Wis S.
Earle Taylor. secretary, Board or For
eign Missipns of the Methodist Eplsco-
pal Church, Bishop William Burt, of Buff
falo, n. Y; the Rev, DR.. c. A. Eaton,
Madison Avenue Baptist Church, New
York: the Rabbi Stephen s. Wise. 81 New
York the Rev j. Whitcomb Brougher' OF
the Temple Baptist Church. Los Angeles,
Cal. the Rev, Floyd w Tomkins, HOLY
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church,
Philadelphia and c. w. Mcclure, of the
Chicago Ad Club, Chicago, Ill.
Primarily the purpose of the depart
ment will be to discuss means of draw
ing people to church, but in discussing
such a problem the speakers will go into the
most minute details. Those who have been
emlnently successful in attracting people to
churches that never have prospered will
tell how they did it. Some of them used
billposters, others made novel improve
ments in their churches. others used news
paper advertisements. others distributed
circulars In their neighborhoods, still others
hung signs in the hotels and in the rail-
road stations.
paul, Wesley. Moody and Booth used
unusual methods to secure n hearing"
stated Doctor Reisner last week, "and
present church leaders must do the same.
All business, including banks, charities, pa
trIotlc campaigns and special religious
movements advertise nowadays Why should
the church refuse to regularly draw people
II advertising succeeds in every other line?
1t is a notable fact that wherever church
publicity has been employed TO draw people
to a church where vital gospel is preached
that church succeeded where 1t formerly
failed.
Advertising Is a fine ally. All will adj
nit that, but the method that Is both eff
fective and unobiectionable must be dis
covered Every line of publicity has devel-
oped specialists and commanded detailed
study and careful development except that
10 be used by the church, That department
has grown by the spasmodlc activity of in
dividual ministers and a few laymen. No
organized effort has been made to develop
II because the church has little money to
develop new movements"