EVANGELISM BY ADVERTISING
Sta,—Dr. Sangster raises .a very important point when he says that the specimen of a possible advertisement reproduced in the text of the Evangelistic Commission's Report, " The Conversion of England," is not improved by being labelled " The Church of England." That is exactly what I thought, and loudly said, myself—at first. But the Commission was assured by those who understand the technicalities of advertising that it is absolutely necessary that the name of the body responsible for the advertisement should appear with it. And I think this is right. How otherwise can we sign and be held responsible for our statements? Whence otherwise can we direct readers to look for further help? But, as Dr. Sangster says, the thing advertised would be well within the limits of what all Christians hold together ; and emphati- cally it would be a disaster if we were to give the impression that " the Churches were like rival businesses skirmishing for advantages over one another." Perhaps this advertising ought to be handled by some kind of inclusive Churches' Committee. This is another of the very many knotty points which must be more fully considered before any advertising is done. But I can see no escape from the need to include in the text of the advertisement the name of the body responsible for it.
I cannot understand Dr. Sangster's doubts about saying the same thing over and over again It all depends on whether what you say is true, and on whether you say it worthily. All the best teaching is persistently repetitive. It has to be, because, being human, we are all very blind and lazy, and we have short memories. It seems to me to take account of the acid fact that when suggestion and exhortation are at variance, sug- gestion witl always win. Advertisement teaches by buggestion. Provided that the thing advertised is true, why shouldn't we teach it by advertising? To do so is to fortify, not to attack, the royalty of reason.—Yours, &c.,
Cheyney Court, The Close, Winchester. ROGER LLOYD.
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