Using the Newspapers in the Southeastern Union Conference by Walter L. Burgan

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 15, 1914

Using the Newspapers in the Southeastern Union Conference

By Walter L. Burgan

WORKERS in the Southeastern Union Conference have had success in their efforts to have different phases of the message published in their home newspapers since the General Conference. It was encouraging to talk with a number of these at the biennial session of the union, which was held at Graysville, Tenn., December 22 to January 1, and to listen to their experiences in connection with this important work.

One brother, laboring in Georgia, told how the newspaper in the town where he conducted a tent effort helped very materially in bringing an audience to his meetings. For two nights in succession, he said no one attended the meetings; he then placed some advertisements and reading notices in the paper. These notices brought an audience, and upon seeing immediate results he continued to use the paper for advertising meetings, and contributed extracts of his sermons, which the editor gladly published. Some of these articles were a column long. The reports of his sermons brought some to his meetings from adjacent places. Among those who began the observance of the Sabbath were a man and his wife who were attracted to the meetings by the reports in the paper.

Elder Stewart Kime, president of the North Carolina Conference, is an ardent advocate of using the newspapers for the spreading of the precious truth, which is soon to lighten the whole world with its glory. In speaking of what has been done in his State during the last two years toward giving the message through this agency, he said:—

“During the last two years we have seen the effect of the newspaper work in North Carolina. We are convinced that the daily press can be made a power for the promulgation of the truth, or it can be made a hindrance. During our last camp meeting we enjoyed favor with the press all over the State. We were given a generous amount of space in the papers of Greensboro, where the meeting was held. Papers all over the State copied the reports, and favorable impressions were made. On both Sundays of the meeting there was a delegation of men who came more than one hundred miles to attend the meeting, of which they had learned through the papers. They are now calling for meetings. Where our tent meeting was held last summer the editor has insisted on having an article every week on the present truth. These articles are regularly furnished.”

Another brother in North Carolina told of the desire of an editor of a magazine published in the Middle West to have articles furnished his publication touching on some of our doctrines. This brother stated that the magazine in question has a circulation of several hundred thousand. It certainly was good to hear this, as this is an most excellent opportunity to further advance the truth through the powerful medium of the press. No doubt other brethren will be invited to furnish to magazines articles dealing with one phase or another of our message, and it is to be hoped that they will avail themselves of such opportunities without delay, and thus help increase the progress of the work. No estimate can ever be made of the area covered by such agencies.

This last session of the Southeastern Union Conference was itself extensively advertised. Daily accounts were furnished the Chattanooga papers, while items of particular interest to various States in the union were also sent out to the leading papers in these States. It was learned that the Chattanooga papers circulate one hundred and fifty miles west of Chattanooga, taking in a part of the Cumberland Mountains. One sister who came thirty miles from a mountain home to attend the meetings said that her neighbors had been reading the reports, and that they were much interested.

We never can tell how many souls will be saved in the kingdom as the result of the efforts our workers are putting forth to give the message through this medium.

WALTER L. BURGAN.