The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-07-21
CHURCH ADVERTISING.

:
lciven great impetus by the recent con-
Serence with the Associated Advertising
lClubs of the World held in Philadelphia.
Such cities as Philadelphia, Denver, New
sHaven, New York, Kansas City, ST. Louis
and Minneapolis had already started to or
sganize Church Ad Clubs; but the confer
.ence, at which were represented many de-
nominations, gave to the movement ma
itional endorsement.
There is as matter of fact nothing new
in the idea of church advertising. The
IChurch was the first outdoor advertiser in
the world What is the steeple but a trade
mark? What is the bell but an acknowl-
Eedgment that the physical must precede
the spiritual?
The word advertise" appears in the
Bible in Numbers 24:14 George Jackson,
IA theological teacher, tells us that the
s'miracles were the church bells used by
lTesus' disciples to draw people to hear him
6preach." Paul wrote letters and sent them
about to the churches. Luther wrote his
teachings where everybody could read
them.
Jesus Himself, as w. B. Ashley, asso-
ciate editor of the Christian Herald in New
York said, was the first successful adver-
tiser. The Twelve and the Seventy were
advance agents; and His miracles were to
draw the crowd. He healed the sick and
cleansed the leper and raised the dead, not
because of the spectacular, but in order
that He might get the multitude together
Iand tell them what the religion of love and
Ehope was.
The Church has always believed in ad-
Nertising-it has simply fallen behind in
advertising methods The bell in an age of
silence was the most arresting device
known; but with the roar of trains, the
Sclang of street cars, the noise of klaxons,
THE shrek of whistles, the church bells of
today connot be heard. The newspaper,
the poster, the blotter, pamphlets and
Stereoptican slides must be used instead.
Even so has modern machinery substituted
the old hand loom.
The Rev. Paul B. Jenkins, of Milwaukee
told at the conference how $4,000 raised
Jointly by the different denominations Of
that place, brought vast numbers of people
ito church. Every method of publicity was
Iused-for all methods of publicity are
honest-if the users be honest. There was
,one blotter that read like this: "Have yor
,written that letter home? Then you car
tIeII6Su yOuISCI Will SNSlSS OF WHlSkey.
1.-THE second line was substituted by thi:
legend: Nov follow it up by GOOD
lchurch service" The line took" Ever
the saloons closed and hung out the sign
''We have gone to Church"
One hundred and eighty thousand people
proved how advertising pays that Go-to
BChurch day.
But Church publicity must not stop will
the Go-to-Church campaign. 1t must EN-
ploy newspapers, billboards and everything
to keep the cause of religion vigorously be
fore the eyes of people all the time.
1t is only advertising that makes peopl
keep healthy, obey the law, or go to thu
theatre: modern advertising is what tn,
Church must employ if it would be con
slstent, and if it would accomplish its mis-
sion on earth. There are sixty million PEG
pie in the United States who never go t,
Church. This is not the fault of the people
it is the fault of the churches which are no
as enthusiastic about their product as TIL
automobile manufacturers are about theirs
Push and be pushed is the way things g,
in Europe.