PUTTING ACROSS THE OLD GOSPEL IN A NEW WAY: CHURCH PUBLICITY
By E. V. STIVERS, D.D.
Pastor of First Christian Church, Eugene
[Dr. Stivers, who told the Newspaper Conference delegates in the course of discussion of his most interesting paper, that he does not care personally for the title Reverend, expressed a growing modern sentiment toward the best means of bringing the church into touch with the life of the community. He is a firm believer in plenty of dignified advertising for the sale of the biggest thing in the world and regards the columns of the newspapers as the best medium for that advertising.]
TO ME it is an encouraging thing that a gathering of this character has seen fit to place on the program a subject for discussion which is as important as the one I am privileged to consider. It is not only a subject of great interest, but one that is at last receiving worldwide attention. At the gathering of the “Associated Ad Clubs of the World” which convened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1921, it was illuminating to note that that organization gave an entire day to this subject. They considered subjects such as “Spiritual Church Advertising,” “United Efforts in Church Advertising,” “Postal Advertising as a Means of Evangelism” and other kindred themes. This to my mind was a wonderful advance in the program of infusing the methods of business into our Christianity. Were I to suggest a great need in the church today, or were I to suggest a slogan that I believe is needed in our great program of evangelism of the world, it would be this slogan; viz., “Business in Christianity and Christianity in Business.”—The problem confronting us in this thought is twofold. First, there is that of infusing business methods into our Christianity; and secondly, that of infusing Christianity into our business. While the second is as important as the first, the scope of this paper is the development of the first theme, and to this purpose I direct your attention.
No one would doubt that our age is a new age. We have said that so many times that it has become commonplace, vet it is true. New because of new conditions that have confronted us since the great war; and the days of reconstruction always bring new problems. It is a new age for the church, hence new methods of work must be employed. There is a song with considerable jingle to it, and with little music, but with no truth, that some folks in the church delight to sing today. It is entitled, “The Old Time Religion.” and in its development it runs the line of the worthies of past history and brings out the thought that as the so-called old-time religion was sufficient for them, it is also good enough for us. “It was good for the prophet Daniel” or “It was good for the Hebrew children” and so on it runs and then concludes that “It’s good enough for me.” It is on this basis that many folks raise objections to modern methods in church work. Because a tallow candle was good enough for our fathers and mothers, is no argument that it is good enough for us who live in the day of beautiful electrical facilities in lighting. Because my father lived and thrived in a log cabin is no sign that I must do so, on the basis of argument that what was good enough for father is good enough for me. Nor does it necessarily follow that because I refuse to use the old tallow dip, or live in a log hut I am bringing reproach upon the memory of my father. We need in the church that high business sense, the application of business methods which we find in the commercial world. Where Christianity has gone, honorable business has always followed.
There is but little business carried on
