Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1912 — LIGHT TO LEAD WAY [ARTICLE]

LIGHT TO LEAD WAY

Signs May Be Used to Lure Crowds From Broadway. Dr. William C. Covert of Presbyterian Church In New York City Tells of Modern Advertising Methods and Urges Their Adoption. New York. —Electric signs on Broadway with the legend: "Why not go to church?" may compete with similar signs advertising beverages, hosiery and breakfast foods, in New York, April 19-24, if some of the publicity plans for the conservation congress of tbe Men and Religion Forward Movement succeed. The plan to use modern publicity methods for church purposes has been considered for some time by leaders in the movement. “We want to examine concise, dignified phrases which might be used for advertising purposes of the congress in this way,” said Dr. William C. Covert, pastor of the Forty-first Street Presbyterian church, the other day in Chicago, in discussing the plans. “We already have offered a prize of SSO for the best article of 250 words on the significance of the congress, and we are ready to institute a competition to secure good advertising ideas. This is an experiment and it will contribute to the success of the Men and Religion Forward Movement, I believe. The advertising can be forceful, and at tbe same time maintain dignity." The committee on Christian publicity, which held a meeting in Chicago recently, and of which Doctor Covert is a member, is preparing its report on the methods of publicity necessary for the churches. The report will be 35,000 words long and will be submitted to the New York congress.

To carry out its aims the committee has submitted a series of interrogatories to editors of newspapers and magazines. Speakers at the congress in New York next month will include President Taft, Ambassador James Bryce and J. A, McDonald, Toronto editor, who will address tbe meeting International night; William J. Bryan and William T. Ellis, who will speak on America’s foreign influence; Archdeacon Madden of Liverpool, Bisho'p Greer, Bishop William McDowell, Booker T. Washington, Robert E. Speer, Fred B. Smith, John R. Mott and J. Campbell White. In Chicago tbe Oakland group of churches, comprising congregations in the vicinity of Oak wood boulevard, have organized to carry out the program of the Men and Religion Forward Movement Tbe canvassing is being carried actively forward in the Woodlawn district Considerable interest in the missionary program was shown at the meeting at the City club, of tbe central division committee of tbe Laymen’s Missionary movement, which is carrying oat tile missionary plans for the Men and Religion Forward Movement The Chicago committee reported that the city bad been divided into 12 districts for the eight-day campaign. Two missionary institutes will be held each evening during the days of the campaign, April 8 to 14. It Is planned to have one speaker at each of these Institutes "to Impart a missionary vision,” and another speaker on methods. Names of those to be in charge have not been made public.