California Camp Meetings Widely Advertised by Frank A. Coffin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 30, 1914

California Camp Meetings Widely Advertised

By Frank A. Coffin

NEWSPAPERS of California are interesting people in the present truth, as shown by the remarks of those not of our faith who attended the Oakland camp meeting, held from June 23 to July 5. Our ministering brethren tell of conversations they had on the grounds with visitors, who, when they were told of the good meetings being held, said, “Yes, I have been reading about them in the newspapers.” One family had been reading all the articles printed in the leading Oakland paper, which gave considerable space to the truth, and whose management feels very kindly toward our people. This is the Oakland Tribune, which, during the recent Pacific Union Conference, printed an editorial praising our leading men and standing firmly with us against Sunday laws.

The six dailies about San Francisco Bay have a combined circulation of about 425,000. During the twelve days of the camp meeting they published forty-three articles, totaling ten and one-third columns. At least one of these papers has a news service going to various parts of the State, and how far our work and message have been advertised through this means it is impossible to estimate. An article, two columns in length, covering the entire camp meeting, was sent out by our press bureau to one hundred and five weekly and twenty daily papers throughout the California Conference.

During the Sacramento camp meeting, which immediately preceded the Oakland meeting, the four newspapers of that city printed thirty-six articles, totaling over twelve columns. Large headlines were placed over some of these articles, one of them appearing on the front page. The usual camp meeting subjects were covered, and thinking people of northern California were given a chance to learn the stand Seventh-day Adventists take on some of the questions vital to salvation. Some of the papers in other cities reprinted these articles in full, while many were supplied with articles by our press bureau. The report of one of the sermons on the second coming of Christ was published as far East as Peoria, Ill.

FRANK A. COFFIN.