Does It Pay to Use the Newspapers? by Frank A. Coffin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 9, 1914

Does It Pay to Use the Newspapers?

By Frank A. Coffin

Does it pay? So often we hear the discouraged soul say: “I have labored faithfully for the Lord, and have sought to warn those about me of the judgments soon to come upon the world, and to arouse them to sense their need of a Saviour. But my efforts are fruitless; I see no results.” And so we ask, “Does it pay?”

God, who cannot lie, whose word is living and powerful, has said of that word, “It shall not return unto me void.” In giving the parable of the good seed, Christ said some fell on good ground and brought forth fruit. The seed is God’s word; the soil, the minds of men. Though the snow lie deep over the seed for months, yet the warm spring sun will cause it to germinate and bear fruit. The minds of men may be as cold as the frozen field of grain, yet the warmth of God’s love will melt away the ice, and if any good soil is to be found beneath, the seed will grow.

The newspaper is a means of sowing that seed quickly. Editors are always grateful for well-written articles which are right to the point. The message is news. The more of the message our brethren can place before the people through the newspapers, the greater will be their influence for good.

During the camp meeting at Fresno, Cal., both morning and afternoon newspapers gave liberal space to reports of the meetings. Twenty-seven articles were published, amounting to between nineteen and twenty columns. Besides these, newspapers in towns near published items. Short notices of business

proceedings appeared in the San Francisco dailies several times.

The Fresno newspapers, which have a combined circulation of about 23,000 each day, had reports of sermons on the following subjects: “The Sabbath,” “The Judgment,” “Tithing,” “Temperance,” “Sunday Laws,” “Our Relation to the Civil Government,” “Dangers of Theatergoing,” “Health Principles and the Harm of Spices and Condiments,” “Dangers of Church Unity,” and articles on the progress of the young people’s work and the publishing work.

The public was told that “God’s judgment of the cases of men has begun in heaven and is now going on;” that “the time in which we live means more than any other time in the history of the world;” that Paul preached to Felix of “righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come;” but that now it is not a judgment to come, but a judgment begun.

One of the points on tithing was that the civil government is recognized by the payment of taxes, which is right. In its last analysis, a refusal to pay our taxes would be treason. We recognize God’s government by paying a faithful tithe, which he has required. In its last analysis, a refusal to pay tithe is treason against God’s government. The Lord said, “Ye have robbed me,” but no person can be robbed of that which is not his, therefore the tithe is the Lord’s property.

At the first prayer service in Fresno after the camp meeting closed, several spoke of having conversed with persons who read the newspaper items and were much interested in them. One lady said of the Adventists, “They must every one of them be rich, judging from the amount of money they give to missions.” We know that this people’s love for souls, not financial ability, has prompted the gifts. But our Father is rich, and is able to give us much more than we have yet received; and as we give, we are enriched with an inheritance which “fadeth not away.”

Newspaper men themselves may become interested in the truths preached at our meetings, as a result of articles submitted to them by our ministers. An experience of this kind came to one of our workers in San Jose. Extracts from sermons had been printed from time to time, and one day a synopsis of a sermon on justification by faith was handed to the editor of the leading newspaper. He manifested enough interest in it to request our brother to preach it again when he could attend. They agreed upon a date, the editor inserted in the newspaper a free advertisement, gave considerable space to a news article about it, and attended the service.

One of our young ministers at Barstow Colony, near Fresno, is writing synopses of his sermons for a weekly newspaper, published near the place of his meetings. These items have brought him an increased attendance, he says. He feels confident that, as a result of the meetings, some will fully obey God.

Years ago the Lord told us that as far as practicable the discourses at our camp meetings should be written up and published in the newspapers. Thus the message given in the meetings to comparatively few may reach a great many. Only the great gathering day in the kingdom of God will reveal all the good accomplished in this way.

FRANK A. COFFIN.