WHY DON'T JWS ADVERTISE IN MAGAZINES/NEWSPAPERS?

by badboy 4 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  badboy

  I SAW A RELIGIOUS AD IN READERS DIGEST,TURNS OUT TO BE CHRISTADELPHIANS.

  SO WHY ISN'T JWS DOING THE SAME?
• 

  blondie

  The WTS used to have Russell's sermons printed in the paper.

  *** jv chap. 5 pp. 55-59 Proclaiming the Lord’s Return (1870-1914) ***

  Opening the Door of "Newspaper Gospelling"By the end of the 19th century, the world was crisscrossed with telegraph lines. Telegraphic communication was inexpensive and fast; it revolutionized the press. News could be quickly transmitted over long distances and printed in newspapers. In the early part of the 20th century, C. T. Russell and his associates saw newspapers as an effective way of reaching large numbers of people. Russell later said: "The newspaper has become the great factor in the daily life of the civilized world."

  The December 1, 1904, issue of the WatchTower announced that sermons by C. T. Russell were appearing in three newspapers. The next issue of the WatchTower, under the heading "Newspaper Gospelling," reported: "Millions of sermons have thus been scattered far and near; and some at least have done good. If the Lord wills we shall be glad to see this ‘door’ keep open, or even open still wider." The door of "newspaper gospelling" did open still wider. In fact, by 1913 it was estimated that through 2,000 newspapers Russell’s sermons were reaching 15,000,000 readers!

  How, though, did Russell manage to get a weekly sermon printed even when he was traveling? Each week he telegraphed a sermon (about two newspaper columns long) to a newspaper syndicate. The syndicate, in turn, retelegraphed it to newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

  Russell was convinced that the Lord had pushed the door of newspaper preaching wide open. During the first decade of the 20th century, the Bible message that Russell and his associates proclaimed became widely known through such newspaper sermons. A publication called TheContinent once stated concerning Russell: "His writings are said to have greater newspaper circulation every week than those of any other living man; a greater, doubtless, than the combined circulation of the writings of all the priests and preachers in North America."

  Moving

  toBrooklyn

  As the newspaper preaching gained momentum, the Bible Students looked for another location from which to originate the sermons. Why? The Bible House in Allegheny had become too small. It was also thought that if Russell’s sermons emanated from a larger, better-known city, it would result in the publication of the sermons in more newspapers. But which city? The WatchTower of December 15, 1908, explained: "Altogether we concluded, after seeking Divine guidance, that Brooklyn, N.Y., with a large population of the middle class, and known as ‘The City of Churches,’ would, for these reasons, be our most suitable center for the harvest work during the few remaining years."

  *** jv chap. 22 pp. 404-405 Part 1—Witnesses to the Most Distant Part of the Earth ***Word to have a part in sharing them with other people. Those whose hearts were deeply touched by what they were learning showed real zeal in doing just that. To assist in the work, printed material was provided. Early in 1881, a number of tracts appeared. Material from these was then combined with additional information to form the more comprehensive FoodforThinkingChristians, and 1,200,000 copies of this were prepared for distribution. But how could the small band of Bible Students (perhaps 100 at that time) put out all of these?

  Reaching

  ChurchAttenders

  Some were given to relatives and friends. A number of newspapers agreed to send a copy to each of their subscribers. (Special emphasis was put on weekly and monthly papers so that FoodforThinkingChristians would reach many people who lived in rural areas.) But much of the distribution was accomplished on several consecutive Sundays in front of churches in the United States and Britain. There were not enough Bible Students to do it all personally, so they hired others to help.

  Brother Russell dispatched two associates, J. C. Sunderlin and J. J. Bender, to Britain to supervise the distribution of 300,000 copies there. Brother Sunderlin went to London, while Brother Bender traveled north into Scotland and then worked his way south. Principal attention was given to larger cities. By means of newspaper ads, capable men were located, and contracts were made with them to arrange for enough helpers to distribute their allotment of copies. Nearly 500 distributors were recruited in London alone. The work was done quickly, on two consecutive Sundays.
• 

  badboy

  BTTTT
• 

  XJW4EVR

  They have millions of volunteers, why should they spend money on advertising? It's always about the money with the WTB&TS.
• 

  WTWizard

  If they had their advertising in one place where anyone interested could check it out, they would not have to have the God machines screeching around in field circus, wasting their time and money. They would also get much less persecution and embarrassment, creating one less barrier against the worldly people. And that's what the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger does not want.