Seventh-day Adventists have the most exalted message ever given men to bear to the world. Of John the Baptist, Christ said that no prophet had arisen who was greater than he. But John was only the voice preparing the way for the first advent of the Messiah, while to us has been entrusted the responsibility of heralding the "one far-off divine event, to which the whole creation moves."
Too many times our methods of evangelism do not measure up to the message we bear. It is impossible for me to imagine Christ carrying on a cheap type of meeting that would repel those with finer sensibilities, if He were doing the work which He has committed to us. I am positive that the logic of His arguments would be unimpeachable, but more than that, I believe that a dignity, an earnest love for souls, and the radiance of a heaven-attuned life would characterize His every act. We need to study ways and means of copying our perfect Example.
In the meetings which we are currently conducting in New York City we have tried at least one new method which the Lord has blessed to add real dignity to our meetings. This method has aided us in our efforts to reach the better classes of people.
We print a church bulletin for every Sunday evening evangelistic meeting, which we distribute to the people as they arrive at the hall. Those who arrive early and have a few minutes to wait until the service begins are always glad to have something to read. By placing our bulletin in their hands, we make use of these minutes to acquaint them with our evangelistic program. Then when the service begins, a newcomer feels that he is already acquainted with a cross section of our work, and becomes more responsive to appeals.
The bulletins, which contain four pages, size 53'2 by 836 inches, may be purchased from one of the numerous church supply houses or bookstores (Methodist, Baptist, etc.) in the cities. We deal with the Augsburg Press, 17 Park Place, New York City. Our first, or cover, page contains a a beautiful picture -which we change each week. We find that the people value these colored pictures, and for this reason treasure their bulletins. On page two we print our program for the evening, which is planned to the minutest detail in advance. Page three contains our notices, drawing attention to the free literature, the special book, the aftermeeting to consider special prayer requests, the Bible class preceding the evening sermon, the offering, etc. On page four we print an advertisement for next Sunday night's meeting.
The usual price for these, with the picture on the front and the other three pages blank, is $10 a thousand. (It may be possible for your Book and Bible house to aid you in securing them even more reasonably.) Then we have our local printer insert our copy. I have found the plan to be relatively inexpensive, and feel that it has made an outstanding contribution to the success of our services for God in this great metropolitan area.
