Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-27
CLERGYMEN URGE
RELIGIOUS ADS TO
"PREACH" GOSPEL
Pastor-Editor Favors Fill
ing Every Inch of Local
Papers"
a BUSINESS INVESTMENT

Church advertising was discussed this
morning at the Church Advertising Section
of the 18th annual convention of the Asso-
cated Advertising Clubs of the World.
William r, Hotchkn asserted that there
the advertiser has an amazing field. for
there are 50,000000 people In the United
states without church afilliation; and the
Rev. william t. Barton, editor of The Ad-
vance, religious publication and pastor of
the First Congregational Church of Oak
Park, ILL.,, declared that there is nothing
else SO well worth the advertising "as the
Gospel of Jesus Christ"
"The first rule which I have learned to
follow" said The Advance editor, with
regard to advertising outside of the church
is to make the largest possible use of the
local press. I will hll just as many inches
n week as the local papers will give me in
announcing the services of my own church
and in reporting events of interest that
have occurred there and l will try to do II
so well and have my copy in so early as to
insure a good position and favorable
reading"
Advertising, however without having ''the
goods" cannot in itself FIJI curches, Doctor
Barton said, adding:
The first and best advertisement for any
church is the widespread assurance that It
uniformly has a service worth attending.
No investment In printers ink can ever be
substitute for this. Equally with every
other advertiser. the church must stand
ready to deliver the goods and give to the
person who enters its doors something
worth coming for.
ADVERTISE CHURCH SERVICES"
II believe in advertising church services,
and am glad to say something about its
methods. but | wish II understood in ad-
vance that | believe first of all in having
something to- advertise, and that the thing
advertised should not be meretriclous, or
cheap, or theatrical but fundamentally and
invariably the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But there Is no reason why the Gospel
should be either preached or advertised in a
dull or uninteresting fashion. Jesus was
an interesting preacher. He knew how to
get the attention of the crowd and how to
keep 1t after he got 1t. He did not always
preach alike; He changed His style of
preaching at least four times and always
for reason. He did not depend upon His
miracles to bring in the crowds indeed He
deprecated the gathering of multitudes after
that fashion. But He got the people and
they heard Him gladly.
~ am prepared to be told that ministers
ought not to seek newspaper notoriety, and
| agree heartily with that statement but
ministers ought to seek to let their lights
SHINE before men that they may see their
good works and glorfy their Father who is
IN heaven. So the first rule which l have
learned to follow with regard to advertising
outside the church itself Is to make the
largest possible use of the local press"
A similar thought was conveyed by Mr..
Hotchkin, who said:
CHURCH MUST SELL ITS GOODS.
First of all the church must sell its
proposition to its own members. This is
vital work. The first work of the CONNER
cal advertiser is to keep his own customers
sold This is the foundation of any sue
cessful business. The good will of regular
customers is not only a concerns greatest
asset, but 1t is the greatest existing power
new customers.
so would say that the most vital ele-
ment In advertising a church to outsiders
is the living picture of the joy, satisfaction
comfort and peace expressed by the people
who are members of the church.
"All successful advertising must create
desire for either the goods advertised, or
the benefits that will come to the purchaser
through the possession or use of the goods
bought.
"It pays to advertise. Advsytising will
definitely cause church growth - IL the
church deserves to grow
'If the church grows. the collections will
be larger; the members will be willing to
contribute more and there will be more of
them to contribute.
"As a straight business investment for
the church, advertising should pay Its own
way, as it does in any other good business.
"If there is not enough money in the
treasury to pay for the advertising, would
make an estimate of the annual cost and
ask for definite advertising contributions
to support this work and do il consistently,
regularly year in and year out, as other
business concerns do it,"