Newspaper Activity on the Pacific Coast by Walter L. Burgan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 2, 1914

Newspaper Activity on the Pacific Coast

By Walter L. Burgan

THAT the success of some of the efforts that have been put forth during the past year in California to win souls to the Lord, has been principally due to the publication of sermons and other articles in the newspapers which attracted people to the meetings, was the statement made by workers attending the biennial meeting of the Pacific Union Conference, which was held at Oakland, March 11-22. Two of the brethren who labored in one of the coast cities in that great State during the past tent season, where about fifty accepted the message, declared that they based much of the success they had had in winning souls to this cause, upon what they had done through the daily papers in that particular city.

Both stated that they used the newspapers practically every day. The announcements they had published either in the form of sermons or news events, such as the program for the following week's meetings, helped to fill the tent each night. They had an average attendance of five hundred during the week and a larger audience on Sunday. These brethren stated that not only did people come from the city where the tent was pitched, but some from other places also attended. The regular attendants said that they had come to the services as the result of reading about them in the newspapers.

The members of a very well-to-do family living about nine miles from the location of the tent were attracted to the meetings by the newspaper reports, and they were nightly attendants, driving from their home in their automobile. They are numbered among those who have accepted the truth as the result of this effort.

That a number of the Pacific Coast papers are eager to publish articles about our work, is shown by an experience one of the brethren had with an editor in Los Angeles. The editor publishes a paper in another city, and one day not long ago he and our worker from the same place met in Los Angeles. The editor hurried across the street, and after greeting this brother, urged him to be sure to give him some more articles for his paper.

This same eagerness has also been shown by an editor in one of the big cities in central California. Our worker in this place has taken advantage of the liberality of the editor, and has had large reports on his discourses printed. He said that these articles not only aroused comment but also brought a number of strangers to his meetings. The editor will publish about anything our brother writes. He gives the assurance that he is always glad to get the reports, and says he will publish more.

One of our ministers, who held a series of tent and hall meetings at some of the beach cities in Southern California, made use of the newspapers practically every day of these efforts. In speaking of the success of his meetings, he said that the newspaper reports attracted large crowds, and that the places where the meetings were held were packed every evening. He said that the enemy of souls became quite aroused over the progress the truth was making and the manner in which it was impressing honest hearts, and stirred up men to issue challenges for debates. The straight truth was preached. Extracts of the sermons were published every day, and the truth triumphed to the extent that a number of souls embraced it. This minister declared that the daily reports in the newspapers did much toward attracting persons to the meetings who otherwise would have been ignorant of the fact that gospel services were being held. This publicity kept up the attendance, and some of those who came because of it were among those who took their stand with this people.

Something is being done in Utah, the stronghold of Mormonism, to enlighten the people of that State with the pure gospel truth through the newspapers. The brother located at Ogden, one of the two principal cities in that State, stated that he has articles published in the newspapers. One of the papers is quite friendly, and he finds an advantage in giving reports for publication. He said the account printed about the purchase of two lots on which a church is to be built later helped him and also the work, and gave him an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the people there. This brother realizes the importance of this medium, and intends to use it oftener in the future.

The same may be said about Arizona. Only a short time ago, one of the brethren held an extended effort in Phoenix, the capital city, and made good use of the papers. Some of the sermons he had published ran a column in length, and many of the fundamental truths of the third angel's message were heralded far and wide through these agencies.

Brethren and sisters, the work is still moving forward. The Lord has impressed our hearts with the importance of using the newspapers to proclaim the gospel for these last days, and we ought to persist in our efforts to swell the message to its loud cry, always considering this medium as an important factor to be used of God in helping to bring the gospel to its consummation and causing the fulfillment of the Lord's promise that he will cut his work short in righteousness.

The Pacific Union Conference meeting was widely advertised. The Oakland Tribune, especially, gave excellent accounts. The San Francisco dailies, especially those published in the morning, printed reports, and the associated press sent out articles. During the progress of the convention, clippings of articles dealing with the meetings came from as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Spokane. It is impossible to learn how far the meetings were really advertised. But with this success, it ought to be realized that we have just touched this newspaper feature with the tips of our fingers, and with each passing day we ought to seize every opportunity to give publicity to one phase or another of this grand and thrilling message which has been committed to us.

WALTER L. BURGAN.