Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-21
CHURCH EDITORS
TO CONVENE HERE
Various Problems Confront
ing Religious Press Will
Be Considered.

Coming from all over the country
and representing many commun unions
editors of church papers will gather
at the Hotel Washington tomorrow
and Wednesday to discuss present
problems of religious journalism. The
conference has been called by the
editorial council of the religious press,
initiated by the Federal Council of
Churches.
Acceptances have been received
from editors. business managers. ad-
VertisinG managers, owners and others
interested in some phase of religious
journalism. The meeting will be fol
lowed by conference of the publicity
directors of a number of churches.
Many topics will be discussed. rang
ing from editorial policies to business
mana cement. Not only will church
organs be represented. but also large
Independent religious papers.
Many Problems Up.
Reasons for the religious press will
be first considered. Questions will be
asked as to the justification of the de
nominational weekly, the undenomina-
tional weekly. and how far religious
material in secular periodicals meets
the needs for chronicle and interpre
tation of religious life. Under the
head. Character of Publication" such
questions will be treated a. What do
people want in religious paper?" and
What about material which people
may not want but which enlightened
leadership feels they ought to have"
and Should controversial subjects
theological, ecclesiastical or social--be
dealt with"
One of the most pressing questions
to be faced is the financial problem Of
the religious press. Subsidies and en-
downents will be specially considered
Under the head advertising in the
Religious Press" the question, Why
do not the advertising agencies make
more extensive use of the religious
press" will be discussed. Methods of
increasing circulation will be consid.
cred. The final discussion will settle
around what can be done by united
action to benefit religious Journalism.
DR.. Paul S. LeinbaCh Of Philadel.
phla. editor of the Reformed Church
Messenger, is president of the edit orial
council of the religious press. DR..
Samuel McCrea Cavert of New York.
editor Of the Bulletin of the Federal
Council of Churches, is secretary.
In spite Of the tremendous service
churches by the religious press of the
country, the religious press is today
having hard struggle" said Mr..
CaFert in a statement outlining the
purposes of the conference Indeed,
some Of the papers have even found
themselves carrying on a losing fight
Christian Work of New York, an
interdenominational journal which had
been dating from 1850, has recently
2llSnPn6QH nl1h1iCo hot,
In the Christian Century Of Chicago.
Inc Continent, one OF the important
Presbyterian weeklies. has also lately
suspended publication.
Costs Greatly Increased.
1t seems clear that one of the chief
difficulties is due to the fact that
greatly increased costs Of publication .
have not been paralleled by increas.
ing support from the churches There
Is a need for church organizations
to give larger attention to the prob.
lem, and to give to the religious press
the strong backing which it needs
II 1t is to continue its indispensable
service to the church.
Probably one of the reasons WHY
the circulation of the church papers
has not shown greater increase is the
fact that the newspapers and general
magazines now give much space to
religious news. 1t is hardly too much |
TO say that the general press of the
country during the last few years has |
really discovered that religion is a |
subject of vital interest to its readers. |
This is an exceedingly hopeful sign. |
but the attention given to religion in |
the newspapers and magazines ought |
not to be allowed to become a substi- |
tute for the religious journals, but |
reinforcement of them.
1T is hoped that this conference !
will serve two ends. The first is that
it will afford an opportunity for the |
representatives of the religious press |
to learn from one anothers expert !
ences and to consider practical meth |
DDS for strengthening their position |
The second is that it will arouse the |
churches to greater appreciation of !
their responsibility for supporting the
religious press more adequately