p. 17 | Using the Newspapers in New York City

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 17, 1916

Using the Newspapers in New York City

By C. T. Everson

OUR workers in New York City are endeavoring to attack the city problem on a larger and more extensive scale than perhaps has been tried before.

A large theater in the center of the down-town district has been rented, and a series of Sunday night meetings has been in progress several weeks. About six weeks after the opening of the campaign an opportunity was afforded to move to a larger theater than we at first used.

In attracting congregations, which about fill the building, our advertising has been largely limited to newspaper work. While some tickets, window cards, and circulars have been used, by far the largest part of the money spent in advertising goes to the newspapers. In New York City the metropolitan dailies have a special column on Saturdays devoted to advertising religious services. In some of these papers three and four full columns are devoted to church notices.

By inserting a fairly large advertisement, we have been able to get the leading place in their advertising columns. As a result, the church people and those interested in religion are becoming acquainted with our work. One minister in New York remarked to a worker of another church, that wherever he visited the people in the neighborhood of his church, he heard about our meetings.

People come to these services from different parts of New Jersey, from Staten Island, Brooklyn, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and other places. The wide radius from which they come indicates that it is this newspaper advertising that is attracting their attention, for in most of these places there is no other means by which they could become acquainted with the services.

From some of the finest hotels and wealthy homes, people are attracted to the meetings. It is quite certain that these come because of the advertisement in the newspapers. One of our people going on the boat from New York to Boston, overheard two men talking on religious topics. One was a doctor, and the other a fine-looking business man. The business man remarked to the doctor, “I believe right Bible interpretations are placed on the war at the meetings in the theater.” The doctor answered, “I certainly should like to hear something further on this question.” These men from out of town must have been led to the services by reading about them in the papers.

By advertising in the newspapers we have been able to get some write-ups in the news columns of the papers that have helped quite materially in calling attention to these lectures. One long article in the New York Times, on Armageddon, attracted considerable attention. A doctor, after reading it, came to the meeting, and asked for literature on the subject, mentioning the fact that he had read about this subject in the Times.

Prominent churchmen are also taking an interest in the meetings through the newspaper publicity. Letters have been received from quite a number of persons outside of town, who, having read about the meetings in the newspapers, ask for further information on the subjects advertised. A letter has recently been received from a man in Georgia, who said he had read about the meetings in the newspapers, and asked for more information. One woman wrote from a distant town, saying that she had read about the sermon on Spiritualism. Her daughter had just died, and she wished to know if it was true that the dead come back to this world.

In New York City and some other places there is such a mixture of nationalities throughout the entire city that it is almost impossible to find a strictly American community. Consequently it is necessary to have some method of reaching those Americans who may be living among foreigners. It would be quite difficult to do this with circulars, as such a large percentage of them would be wasted; but the newspapers will get into these homes, and with a comparatively small expense we shall be able to reach people, no matter where they live. Almost every person who is able to read English, buys a newspaper, as it can be obtained for a nominal sum. One person has said that the newspaper has become the American Bible. So by advertising we are able to get to the services people whom we would not reach by scattering circulars.

A few have come to the services from the district known in New York as “Hell’s Kitchen.” They proved to be good, honest people, but lived in that district because the rents were cheaper. It was through the newspaper that they learned of the services.

C. T. EVERSON.