The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-28
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

[ wrote about the innovation among scme of the local churches in using the daflies to advertise their services, but now I want to call attention to the fact that some religious campaigns on wide scale have bought big space. and that even some of the leading denominations are awaking to the fact that good way to get mission money is to put the case i before the public in the secular papers. Nearly twenty years ago a missionary in Japan advertised in the papers of the town where he was stationed that those who were interested might get from him information about Christianity. Since tEen a number of missionaries have adopt ed the same method to awaken inquiries, some offering literature, others putting papers in space paid for by the mission station.
 As far back as 1913, or the authority Of Earl Herbert Greasy, writing in the Chi nese Recorder of Shanghai, the same plan , use of papers has been made in Cairo by Dr. $. M. zwemer in reaching the Moslems. \ It seems a bit strange that the unchanging East set the pace for the changing West, but instances come to us from Japan, China and Egypt, where campaigns in secular papers were tried out.
 
 William T. Ellis as far back as the united missionary campaign 19l3-14, pre- pared a leaflet containing many sugges- lions in regard to the promotion of Chris tian publicity. He had had large experi- ence in religious publicity, and he took the grounds that Kingdom news is good news" This sort, of news, In the form of incidents, statistics is readable. Now every denomination is engaged in some special form of aggressive work lin missions, and some are beginning to advertise in secular papers for funds.
 *ss
 We talk about staid old England, but i; has long been the custom for the great societies seeking funds from the public to go to it in plain, straightforward statements, presenting the needs and the opportunities. You cant pick up a copy of the London Times without finding many of the old and established chari- ties and religious organizations setting forth in display advertising their wants
 I well remember the campaign made in the Atlanta papers by the determined men who banded themselves together to drive out organized and commercialized vice The series of advertisements which W ere attra ctively set up and strongly worded had powerful effect in moulding public sentiment and forcing the vice profteers to quit or fall into the clutches of the law. I have in my possession pamphlet containing the copy used and do not wonder that it had terrifying effect on the evildoer.
 The denominations in America have not yet as whole taken to publicity ca mpaigns in the daily and weekly papers for funds. Some of them have used the religious press without the daily l re- call when it was even considered great innovation for them to even use display advertising in their denominational week. lies It. was gone at mighty gingerly and particularly so in the south. Now being a Baptist am more familiar with what the Baptists are doing than with the policy of the other denomina- tions and that is my sole reason for ex- plotting a campaign of advertising which starting with the northern Baptists in their religious press soon took a wider scope and included the secular papers. It proved so successful that southern Bap tist leaders began to look into it,. and both the foreign mission and the home mission boards tried it out in their de- nomnational press.
 But now comes the home board of the southern Baptist convention, with head quarters in Atlanta. with sure enough intensive campaign for funds which reaches out all over the south through theeleading dailies. It is of local inter- est to know that Secretary B. D. Gray, who is known amongst Baptists as our wise ecclesiastical statesman, was for years pastor of the First Baptist church, Birmingham.
 When I was in Atlanta at the League of Nations conference I had long talk with him about the wisdom of such a campaign, and later was urged to come over and give my time to it for at least six weeks. It was impossible for me to comply with his request, but from the way he has gone at it he means to give it a good testing out. If it wins out other denominations fall in line. Richard NJ. Edmonds says
 This advertising campaign through the secular papers by the home mission board is only another illustration of the growing power of advertising and it's true recognition by all thoughtful people It ;; opens up a very broad field for discus sion. Entirely without regard to the specific appea! made in this advertise ment. is the evidence that thoughtful men are more and more coming to recog- hilton of the fact that the great public must be req ehed through the press. In this respect the home mission board, through it's heavy advertising campaign in the secular papers of the south, is evidencing it's sound judgment and it's conception of the things which appeal