The Minister as an Advertising Medium
By F. M. W.
THAT the minister is oftentimes used for the promotion of various schemes and enterprises, and that, too, to the lessening of his influence in the community, is too many times sadly apparent. William A. Lee, writing to the Standard (Baptist), says of his experience with some of these promoters:— Almost every week brings to my study either some agent or some piece of mail, offering me a blessing to some enterprising individual or company deftly disguised as a benefit to myself. For instance, I have but lately received the offer of a choice lot on Long Island. All that I was under obligation of doing was merely to mail my acceptance of the offer, and permit the proposed donor to let it be known that I, a clergyman of reputable standing, was a property-owner in the community in question. Another proposition reached me recently from a life-insurance company. The commission tendered was one easily within an active minister’s busy life. It was but to put the company’s agent in possession of the names of men in my church and community who were “interested in life insurance.” The agent would do most of the rest,—all, in fact, except to speak the good word which I was to drop in the most casual sort of way, as pastor of the various “prospects.” Another concern, this time a publishing-house, has offered me, in company with other “prominent professional men,” a certain set of books merely for an indorsement over my signature. A tailor once offered to make my clothes “at cost,” provided only that I would be his “sandwich man.” Of course that was not the way in which the offer was put, but it amounted to that. I was to parade about my parish in clothes which he was to have the privilege of pointing out as having been made by him. I am being constantly besieged by agents of divers sorts, and of divers degrees of persistency, for indorsements of patent mops, of “wholesome plays,” of current periodicals, of so-called religious books, of “helps” almost innumerable for church workers, and of scores of other things which time has charitably carried out of memory. That many others might bear similar testimony goes without saying. We see many testimonials from clergymen for various enterprises, and for various articles being circulated through the country. In concluding, Mr. Lee says:— Now “these things ought not so to be.” They involve the minister who lends his prestige in their behalf in a variety of complications, no one of which can bring him a single ounce of additional leverage for his legitimate work in the church and community. In most instances they must inevitably detract from a man’s power, at least among intelligent people. They can not do otherwise; for they all presuppose a diversion of one’s ministerial influence into channels that are of the earth’s earthy. Probably it would not be too strong to say that they all entail a subversion of the minister’s office and power. . . . With some this may be a trifling matter. To me it is an item that important beyond its dimensions. Commercialism is the great foe of Christianity, whether we look within our own borders, or abroad upon non-Christian nations which we are seeking to win to Christ. For a minister to be tainted with this thing is for him to stand in jeopardy. These observations are just. The minister of the gospel, above every other man, should be careful to what enterprises he lends his influence. He should not permit the members of his flock to be exploited by some advertising shark, through any personal advantage which may accrue to him. The representative of the gospel work can not afford, through the hope of mercenary gain, to let down the holy character of his sacred calling. F. M. W.