Newspaper Activity in Australia by Walter L. Burgan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 11, 1914

Newspaper Activity in Australia

By Walter L. Burgan

It is interesting and also encouraging to learn of the progress that is being made in heralding the message of the soon-coming Saviour through newspapers outside of North America. Ministers throughout the United States and Canada will be pleased to learn of the systematic efforts that are being put forth in Australia to proclaim the gospel through the secular press of that country. Brother John Bell, one of the workers connected with the Australasian Union Conference, tells what is being done along this line in that section of the world, making prominent the thought that the newspapers are entering thousands of homes and attracting many to the gospel truth. He says:—

"I am fully convinced that the printing work is a great help in the third angel's message at this time. There is no better way of reaching the people than through the printed page. The newspapers have a circulation everywhere. They go to the masses; so it is a good thing to capture the printing presses of the world in the interests of the last message. I am sure that God is pleased with any effort put forth in this direction, and will use it.

"Some three years ago I began sending articles to the papers. They printed them, and I have been doing this work ever since, and there is no part of the work which I like better. Throughout Australia there is a good provincial press; that is, every country town of any account in Australia has its newspaper. The press is well represented in Australia. The leading papers are well conducted, and as literary efforts are independent and outspoken. The country press is also well provided for. The editors are educated men, and their papers have a wide country circulation, going even into the backwoods. Besides getting my articles into the city press, whose circulation runs into thousands, I send them to many of the country papers. During the past two years I have received over one hundred papers a month, sometimes one hundred and forty. These country papers have a circulation of 1,000 to 5,000. One hundred papers having an average monthly circulation of 2,000 each, would give an article a circulation of 200,000.

"Then come the city papers, into which I often get an article. These papers have circulations of from 50,000 to 136,000 an issue. The writing of these weekly newspaper articles keeps me very busy. Many of the papers have published an article every week since I started sending the articles. Some have put my name on their free list. My endeavor has always been to work upon current topics, something which strikes the public mind: The Balkan War; The Eastern Question; The War Devil; Spiritualism; The Dead, Where Are They? Confederacy; Labor and Capital; The Use of Islam; The Balance of Power; Churchill Calls a Halt; Europe in Arms; The Glories of War; The Mailed Fist of Europe; Armageddon; The King of the North; Our Young Lions; The Mediterranean; Where the Money Goes; 1848 and Now; The Industrial Armageddon; Agitators Everywhere; The French Revolution; The Robespierre of Today; The Monopolist; Church and State; The Union of Churches; The Competition of Armaments. Every subject leads the mind down to the crisis, and the events as they come along give many opportunities for educating the people upon prophecy, where we are in history, and the crisis which is coming upon all. This is something of the nature of my work. Many of the articles have been used as leading articles, and the papers have gone to many places in Australia.

"The ministers also send reports of their work to the editors in the towns where they are working. The work of the press bureau is also going forward. I think it is being carried on in the same way as in America. God is blessing the press work in this field. This may give you an idea of what we are attempting here. A work is now being opened among the churches in order to bring them into line with this effort, so that as much as possible may be done to bring the truth before the people at this time."

Not only are the Lord's servants in Australia using the newspapers to good advantage, but the faithful in a number of the foreign-speaking nations are also writing for this medium. Thus we see the hand of God guiding in this feature of his great work on earth.

WALTER L. BURGAN.