Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1912 — CHURCHES USE SIGN [ARTICLE]

CHURCHES USE SIGN

Electric Boards in New York Attract Attention. Evangelistic Commission Formed to Ascertain Facta Concerning Religious Conditions In America Many Radical Plans Made. New York.—lt would be hard to tell which was the more surprised by the appearance of a huge sign at 23d street and Broadway advertising the churches, the religious leaders whose office® are grouped in that neighborhood or the nonreligous class who haunt this particular section of Broadway after 10 o’clock at night. The sign, which is 13% by 62 feet, bears the legend, in gigantic letters, "Welcome for Everybody in the Churches of New York." At either end is a cross, and the subsidiary statements, “Men for Religion;’’ “Religion for Men;” “Men and Religion Forward Movement.” The attention attracted is shown by the fact that on the following morning three of the New York dailies printed first page articles about the sign. Other signs were opened later in the week farther up Broadway, and more are to follow. Two at 37th and Broadway proclaim, “The Church Wants Men in Her Work for Man," and “I AM My Brother’s Keeper.” The first one, which is on the top of a 23d street building overlooking Madison square, Broadway, sth avenue and Madison avenue, is in a commanding position. The downtown business men who travel to their offices in automobiles see it at the beginning of the day. Practically all of the strangers in New York visit Madison square to see the Garden, the Metropolitan building and the Flatiron building. There are more national religous headquarters within shouting distance of this spot than anywhere else in the land. Hither come the ministers of New York and vicinity for „ their weekly meetings. None of these various people can escape seeing the big church sign. Radical as are the methods and proposals of this publicity commission, it is only one out of nine commissions which have set out to ascertain the facts concerning the religious conditions of America. Doubtless many radical recommendations will be made. The social service commission has the sometimes sensational experiences of the last winter’s campaigning to draw upon. In most of the cities visited the social service survey has elicited startling facts. Rumor has it that the evangelistic commission also may hit hard at the itinerant evangelists so long in vogue. Nobody can prophesy what may be

the result of this statement of the facts of present day religious conditions which will be made in the conservation congress April 19-24. The strongest laymen in the land wilbbe present, and their mood is to follow the findings. Any sort of shapeup in religious organizations may be anticipated. The tendency is clearly toward new ways for the new days, and for a simplification of religious work, with the local church as the permanent unit and agency.