Introductory Note.—Our commission is to go to "every creature." After a series of outstanding Bible lectures has been given in a community, there are those who say they did not know that the evangelist was conducting such a series. Because of limited funds, we rarely advertise our services to "every creature" in an entire community. There is a way in which this can be done without cost, if it is handled properly. The servant of the Lord tells us: "Ministers of God's appointment will find it necessary to put forth extraordinary efforts in order to arrest the attention of the multitudes"—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, p. 109. One of these "extraordinary efforts" may well include obtaining control of an entire special edition of a local newspaper. This has been tried to advantage in many places, especially in rural communities, and has been successfully used at times in the Missouri Conference, reaching the entire population of the local community.—E. L. Branson, President, Missouri Conference.
One of the first requisites in securing an entire issue of a newspaper is that the evangelist become a friend of the editor, the town officials, and others who can help him. Perhaps one of the best ways to meet the editor is by presenting letters of introduction from officials, such as State or national senators and representatives, city mayors, county officials, or editors of other newspapers in States where the evangelist has previously labored. It is better still for the evangelist to have one or two such officials accompany him to the office of the editor to give him a personal introduction. Such preliminaries help to establish confidence in the minds of local authorities that the evangelist and his associates are dependable.
Before making an attempt to gain complete jurisdiction over one or more issues of the newspaper, the evangelist should have spent at least four weeks in the town, conducting meetings, Such a length of time is required to make necessary contacts with local officials, and to gain a thorough acquaintance with the locality, and with the operating policy of the local newspaper.
After the evangelist has arranged to take over an entire issue of the paper, he ascertains the cost, and then assures the editor that he will assume full responsibility for financing the issue. Every newspaper editor has a government permit which allows him to send out without additional charge three sample copies of his paper, making a complete city and county distribution. The evangelist may obtain the right of this "sample permit," thereby mailing his issue free to every home in the county.
An important step is the arrangement for advertising. One of the evangelistic company, together with a member of the publication staff, interviews the businessmen of the town. One of the strong talking points is that ordinarily the paper enters but a fraction of the homes of the county, but this particular issue will enter every home, thereby increasing the number of people reached, without additional cost to the advertiser. The evangelist may even offer his services in helping write the ads for those businessmen who are somewhat reluctant to contribute. It is well to suggest to the prospective advertiser that he make some mention in his "ad" of the campaign conducted by the evangelist, by way of boosting the lectures.
The principal features of the issue of the newspaper which the evangelist uses will probably be the regular local news, editorials covering prominent men of the city, the advertising, cuts of the entire evangelistic company, and a general sketch of the work which the evangelist is attempting to carry forward in the city. In addition to this, statements from the mayor, editors of other papers, and officials from other sections where the evangelist has labored, will help the evangelistic program.
It might not be out of place to state that a sermon on the Sabbath question would hardly be appropriate in this issue of the paper. It should also be kept in mind that the title of the paper, with the stamp "Sample Copy," must appear on the front page.