Used Newspapers During Early Camp Meetings by Walter L. Burgan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Jul 23, 1914

Used Newspapers During Early Camp Meetings

By Walter L. Burgan

DURING the spring camp meeting season recently closed considerable was done in different parts of North America to advance the truth through the newspapers. Writers appointed by the local conference presidents appreciated the importance of using this medium, and they devoted the best part of their time to furnishing daily reports to the papers.

Along the Pacific coast and in the North Pacific Union Conference those who prepared articles found editors of the newspapers quite willing to give of their space for the reports. In several places articles one page in length, with interesting illustrations of the encampment, were printed, and these served to attract strangers to the meetings. At different meetings in the Atlantic and Columbia Union Conferences the papers published interesting articles. Large extracts of sermons on doctrinal points were printed, together with accounts of the rapid growth of the denomination, and other features of our work. Reports state that camp meetings in other sections of the continent were well advertised.

An encouraging feature in connection with this newspaper work is the willingness of editors to publish our reports. Even in the large cities, such as Boston, the editors receive our workers with courtesy, and express thanks for their contributions. In both large and smaller cities the editors tell about the same story—that they do not employ enough reporters to send to every place where news develops, and they are glad to have some one not connected with the paper furnish reports. No less than nine reporters visited the Massachusetts camp meeting held just outside of Boston, and they themselves wrote interesting articles. Each reporter’s aim was to get something different from the others, and in this way, those large dailies, some of which have a circulation of several hundred thousand, dwelt on a variety of subjects connected with the camp meeting. The papers also displayed an eagerness for illustrations, which gave the meeting more than ordinary advertising. Brethren, we should not let slip an opportunity to use the secular press for the advancement of this precious truth. The editors have their minds set to publish articles for us, and now is the time to take advantage of their liberality.

Our worker on the Isle of Pines, one of the West Indies, says, “I am trying to use the press whenever possible, and so far have had good success.”

One worker in Porto Rico, in telling how he has used the newspapers, says: “Just a word to let you know how we are using the press here in Porto Rico. Since the legislature met, we have translated several articles and asked the leading papers to publish them. One of them, the Correspondence, received us very kindly, and has published several articles on religious liberty. I had the leaflets “Principles Too Little Understood,” “Why Sunday Laws Are Wrong,” and “Limits of Civil Authority,” translated, and the paper has published them. In another paper was published the leaflet “The Logic of Sabbath Laws.” I intend to furnish the editors material as long as they will publish it. We hope that many will have their attention drawn to the truth through reading these articles. I have talked with some of the leading men, and they have expressed themselves as being in perfect harmony with the principles of religious liberty, but do not see in the little harmless Sunday law that we have any reason to be alarmed, but I hope these articles will lead them to see that just there the danger lies.”

It is our duty to make these principles plain to the world, and just what dangers are involved; and the newspaper is one of the greatest mediums through which these principles can be taught.

Let others follow in the footsteps of our brother in Porto Rico, and give the message through the press.

WALTER L. BURGAN.