Work of the Press Bureau
By W. L. Burgan
As we continue to put forth efforts to have articles concerning our denomination published in the newspapers, the Spirit of the Lord goes before us, and the editors not only receive us cordially, but publish practically everything that is written. Success has crowned our efforts on a six weeks' tour among camp-meetings in the Central and Lake Union Conferences, with the result that the Adventists and the views they hold are much better known to-day in the localities where the meetings were held than before the camp-meetings began. The camp-meetings of the Indiana Conference at Kokomo, the East Michigan Conference at Bay City, the Nebraska Conference at College View, and the West Michigan Conference at Kalamazoo were visited, and were widely advertised through this powerful medium, which is within the reach of every one who will write for it. Not only were the meetings at Kokomo given very wide publicity through the press of that city, but the large dailies in Indianapolis and other cities in the State printed accounts. Scores of residents of Kokomo were attracted to the camp-grounds through reading the reports in the newspapers. While on their way to the camp-meeting some of our brethren and sisters were on an interurban trolley car which stopped several minutes in one of the towns. A resident of the town asked those on the trolley if they were going to the camp-meeting at Kokomo. Receiving a reply in the affirmative, the resident stated that he had read accounts of the meeting in the newspaper of his home town. We never can tell how widely advertised was this meeting, nor how many people had some phase of the message brought to their attention for the first time through the reading of the reports in the secular press. The Bay City papers published long accounts of the East Michigan Conference meeting, as well as the dailies of Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, and other cities in that territory. The writer had been warned that the Bay City editors would give no recognition to his items, and visited the offices anxious to learn how the editors felt toward our denomination. Not only was he given a cordial reception, but the editors were eager to know if he intended to furnish daily reports, as to do so would give them the services of a reporter who would otherwise attend the meetings, to gather news at some other source. The Lincoln newspapers threw open their columns for the publication of reports of the Nebraska camp-meeting, and at its close these papers alone, taking the accounts collectively, had published several pages about it. A camper, who evidently had looked upon the press feature of our work with incredulity as far as having success in getting items published is concerned, announced that he did not believe the big dailies of Omaha would publish accounts; but much to his surprise the papers of that city gave us very liberal space, notwithstanding the fact that the camp-meeting was held sixty miles away. Not only did the Omaha papers publish daily reports, but placed some of them on the front page, the show-window of a newspaper. Dailies in Hastings and other places throughout Nebraska also printed reports from the camp-meeting. The dailies of Kalamazoo were very liberal with their space for reports of the West Michigan Conference meeting. The dailies of Battle Creek and other cities also opened their columns, with the result that the people of the western section of that great State had opportunity to read of what the Adventists are doing toward spreading the gospel of the soon coming of our Lord. The success that has attended the efforts of several of our brethren at camp-meetings in different parts of the United States ought to inspire others to take an active part in the dissemination of the truth through this mighty medium. The Lord can and will use the secular press of the world as a powerful factor in the work of reaching every nation, kindred, tongue, and people with the gospel in this generation. W. L. BURGAN.