Editors Eager for Our Views on European War by Walter L. Burgan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 10, 1914

Editors Eager for Our Views on European War

By Walter L. Burgan

Surely the Lord has been good to his people in leading them to take advantage of the opportunities before them to herald the message of his soon coming. As the terrible war in Europe continues, reports are received from different parts of our country telling of requests received from editors for articles giving the Bible interpretation of the conflict. Our constancy in the past, when the world was more at peace than it is today, in giving the newspapers write-ups of our work and our doctrines, has introduced us to the editors, as it were, and they now appreciate the fact that the Adventists are the one denomination which has been predicting these things coming upon the earth. The result is that the editors are now anxious for our ministers to give their views through the columns of the newspapers. Quite a number of long clippings of articles dealing with the European war, have already been received, and requests are being made for more material, with the statement that the editors are willing to print such news.

From the Chesapeake Conference come these encouraging words, indicating that the editors are now changing their position, and instead of our men hunting them up they are calling upon our workers to furnish them information for their readers:—

“Several experiences of very recent date show how much the editors of the daily papers appreciate the information to be obtained from the Seventh-day Adventists. A reporter of the Frederick daily Post called on Elder S. T. Shadel, and asked him to write an article for the paper on the present outlook in Europe from a prophetic standpoint. Elder Shadel did so, and the article was printed entire, making more than a column. With this was the announcement that he would preach on the subject the following night at the tent, and about two hundred and fifty persons attended the meeting.”

“The editor of the religious department of the Baltimore News called Elder R. T. Baer the other day by telephone and asked if a statement was not made at our conference meeting two years ago that predicted this whole European situation. He asked that an article on the subject be prepared and sent to him for publication. This has been prepared, and is now on the way to the office of the editor. The results remain to be seen. We believe that our workers everywhere should take advantage of the opportunities now open to them through the columns of the press.”

Two of the workers in Seattle, Wash., in speaking of the success of their tent effort this summer, give the newspapers credit for the increase in their attendance. They say:—

“The newspapers have been largely used to call the attention of the public to the meetings; then, too, the reports of the sermons have been quite generally published. This has brought to us those who were desirous of knowing the way of life, some even coming as far as from Bellingham, one hundred and twenty-five miles distant, to hear the truth. This was brought about by the printing of the sermons.”

From Iowa comes this word:—

“We have succeeded in getting one paper to print a short article each day. We like the plan because the people have learned to watch the daily paper, and if one issue omits the article, they tell us of it.”

WALTER L. BURGAN.