Guest post by
Bernhard
In
the early history of the Bible Students Association (I.B.S.A.) we often
encounter the term “Newspaper Syndicate” in its writings. But what exactly was
this “Newspaper Syndicate?” When was it founded? Who worked in it, and what
results did it achieve?
Essentially,
the term "Newspaper Syndicate" is another name for a press
association, such as the American Press Association of New York.The purpose of
such an association is to sell content such as articles, columns, photos, etc.
to various newspapers and magazines, or to ensure that desired content is
published and paid for.
Publishing
religious sermons in newspapers, for example, was naturally very effective. Firstly,
because it allowed for an incredibly large readership worldwide, and secondly,
it saved the high printing costs and the time required by many people to
disseminate all the content, even though various sermons and advertisements
were not free and consumed considerable sums of money.
Charles
Taze Russell was aware of the influence of newspapers. He stated in 1912: “Few indeed are those that realize the
opportunities and the power of the Press in this the twentieth century. So
great is this power that the generally accepted opinion of a nation upon a
subject may be completely reversed within a month. This was not so fifty or one
hundred years ago. Under former conditions it would have taken a century to crystallize public opinion on such a matter as the
recent Dr. Cook and Commodore Peary North Pole controversy. This case was,
through the Press, placed on trial before the “Tribunal of Public Opinion,” and consequently was readily settled,
furnishing an excellent example of how the people of the whole world take
knowledge and settle matters in this our day. ... Thus is manifested an
unprecedented opportunity for the Press. Will it be grasped? Yes! The
Newspapers at present constitute the only channel through which the solution of
this mighty problem can be speedily disseminated among people. The Daily and
the Weekly Press of the present day are the sole source of information for
millions of families, and these families assuredly will, through the Press,
learn a harmonious, complete and satisfactory explanation of heretofore incomprehensible
doctrinal questions.“
The Bible Students “Newspaper Syndicate” was founded by
Charles T. Russell in New York in 1908 to contact national and international
newspapers to regularly provide them with his sermons and weekly Bible studies,
as well as to advertise various lectures and events related to the
International Bible Students Association. However,
long before the syndicate was founded, Russell's sermons were published weekly
in newspapers.
The December 1, 1904,
issue of the Watch Tower announced that sermons by
C. T. Russell were appearing in three newspapers. The next issue of
the Watch Tower, 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 1908 sermons were being published in eleven newspapers.
Wherever
C. T. Russell traveled, gave lectures, or attended conventions, he telegraphed
a sermon (about two newspaper columns long) to the “Newspaper Syndicate” which
then distributed the sermon to many daily newspapers in the United States,
Canada, Europe, and Australia. Initially, the sermons appeared only in English;
from 1912 onward, they were also published in German and Swedish.
In
Watch Tower, April 15, 1909, this newly founded “Newspaper Syndicate” is introduced: “Another
item: In the interest of the work we have contracted with a Newspaper Syndicate,
giving it a general control of the sermons,- to say -which newspapers may have
them and which may not, the terms, etc. This Syndicate will handle the sermons
for profit, nevertheless at a low price. Be assured that Brother Russell makes
no profit by the sale of the Gospel. In view of this we advise that our friends
hereafter refrain from any effort to have the sermons published in any
newspaper-contenting themselves with the encouragement of the papers publishing
these sermons will be sent to us.“
In the article “The Newspaper Syndicate’s idea“ (Watch Tower 1912, p.36) we can read: “For
the benefit of our readers we remark that Brother Russell is very anxious to
co-operate with the Newspaper Syndicate which handles his weekly sermons. While
he retains fullest liberty in respect to the subject matter of his discourses, he
yields other points considerably to the Syndicate’s wishes. This will account
for his greater care in his clothing, his more frequent use of cabs and parlor
cars. The Syndicate insists that Brother Russell’s personality has much to do
in placing his sermons far and near. And Brother Russell is glad to yield to
the Syndicate’s business judgment, because he desires that his Gospel message
shall be heard the world around.“
In
1913, it was reported that clergymen were resisting the publication of
Russell's sermons in newspapers. Russell wrote:
“Divine providence is still favoring the presentation of the Gospel in the
public press. The efforts of the enemies of the Gospel of the kingdom to misrepresent
our teachings and to prejudice editors and publishers against them have not
prevailed. In this also we perceive that He that is for us is mightier than all
they that be against us. The day may come when the truth will be crushed to the
earth by slander and misrepresentation, but that day has not come yet. Indeed,
in quite a number of instances the editors, although worldly men, have
appreciated the situation, despised the unjust principle manifested by some
preachers in their opposition, and have given space and prominence to our
message. The latest figures given us by the Newspaper Syndicate which handles
the Sermons and Bible Study Lessons in the United States and Canada show 1,424
papers publishing weekly. About 600 papers in Great Britain, South Africa and
Australia publish weekly. This in round figures represents 2,000 newspapers. How
many millions of readers are thus reached by these papers we know not, nor can
we tell how many of those reached are reading and being influenced. We do know,
however, that the whole world is waking up, and that the truths we are
presenting are gaining adherents and exerting influence everywhere.“
The December 15,
1914, issue of the Watch Tower reports that the
spread decreased: As our readers are aware, Pastor Russell's sermons and
weekly Bible studies have for several years been very widely published in the
secular newspapers. The number publishing is not so large as formerly;
nevertheless, we are probably reaching more people than ever, by reason of
inserting the sermons in metropolitan newspapers – in New York, Boston,
Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Baltimore, Washington, Los Angeles. … The
difference between the two services is that in the smaller cities the sermons
are published strictly as news, the newspapers paying for the stereotyped
plates twenty-five cents per column weekly. It is the business with these,
conducted by a newspaper syndicate, that has fallen off considerably. The
number now publishing the sermons, etc., regularly, is about one thousand.
The Lecture Bureau
This “Newspaper
Syndicate,” newly founded in 1908, had its lecture bureau in the Metropolitan
Building, New York, in room 3040. The building was located at 1 Madison Avenue
in Manhattan. From March 1916, the office of John G. Kuehn of the Mena Film
Company was also located in room 6078 in the same building. Several people were
members of both the newspaper syndicate and the Mena Film Company.
The
department consisted of journalists, reporters, typists, and photographers.The
office was headed by George Chester Driscoll. At the same time, there were
three permanent staff members (Isaac Page Noll, George Minor Huntsinger, and
Dr. Leslie Whitney Jones), as well as several outside assistants and photographers.
Reporter,
Director and Travel manager
Driscoll was the person responsible for
Russell's public funding, activities, and travel arrangements. For
twenty years (from 1897) he was in special newspaper syndicate work. In 1908 he organized and became manager of
the Pastor Russell Lecture Bureau, which syndicated Russell’s sermons through
the American Press and other newspaper Associations in America and also in
foreign countries, through which Russell’s sermons were published in over 4000
newspapers. He supervised the publicity of Russell’s various Foreign campaigns,
and as publicist preceded the Foreign Investigations Committee as well as
arranging for the advertising etc., in connection with the public meetings
which Russell addressed on that tour. He was Russell’s special advertising
manager in connection with the Photo Drama publicity.
In 1915 he became president and manager of the Pyramid
Film Company, in 1918 he became a director of the Mena Film Company and in 1919
he became a manager of the Kinemo Kit Corporation and worked as Moving Picture
Producer. In 1920 he travelled with J. F. Rutherford, A. H. Macmillan, A. R.
Goux and D. W. Soper to Palestine and Egypt. Some movies were made for the
Kinemo Company.
After one year’s service in America Hollister was manager
of the Pastor Russell Lecture Bureau of Great Britain (in 1910), Africa and
Australia. In 1912 Russell gave him the management of translating the first
Volume and other messages which were subsequently disseminated in Japan, China
and Korea and other countries, necesitating much travel and work in these
countries. For this reason he was made Foreign Director in the Mena Film
Company. He became the Watchtower Representative of Japan and the far east.
Hollister arrived in Australia in late 1913 and spent several months of the
following year in Australia and New Zealand.
William James Hollister and his wife went
together with Robert Reuben Hollister in 1913 to China and Japan.
Huntsinger, of Independence,Kansas, was
recognized asone of the best court reporters in the country. He was one of the few stenographers who could take notes while
speakers spoke quickly. He died in 1915 after an illness of three years from
tuberculosis.
Jones of Chicago, was a doctor and physician (M.D.) and
some sources describe him as a chirurg
(German for surgeon). Since 1905
he produced the “Souvenir Convention
Reports.“ Jones was also involved in the Mena Film Corporation and became a director
of this Company. He was also a member of the Foreign
Investigation Committee on the World Tour in 1912. He had charge of several
Trans-Continental Special Train Parties. He died in a road accident in 1946.
Noll worked together with Jones, Huntsinger and Driscoll
in the “Newspaper Syndicate.“ Noll reported on the Russell-Troy debate in 1915.
In 1919 he became a director of the Kinemo Kit Corporation and the Pyramid Film
Company.
He was one of the official photographers in the time of
Russell and Rutherford. He was a member of the Cleveland class, Ohio. In 1919
he was a cinematographer of the Kinemo Kit Corporation. Together with
Rutherford, A. H. Macmillan, A. Goux and G. C. Driscoll he visited Palestine
and Egypt in 1920.
She
served also as secretary in the “Newspaper Syndicate.“ She was married to John
Frank Stephenson. The “Ming Yu Bao,” The
Chinese Recorder, March 1913, page 134-135, wrote: “We have received two
copies of a paper called “Bible Study,” and inside one is a letter signed
“Bible Study Club, V. Noble, Secretary” addressed to “Fellow-servant in a foreign
field,” and reading in part as follows: - “We proffer you our little journal
free on receipt of a postal card request. Even postage included, the expense
will not be a serious item to us”! This is followed by the intimation that on
the reverse side ofthe letter will be found a place for the addresses of
missionaries, which may be entered on the subscription list, ad libitum, but
only at their request.”The Continent, a Presbyterian journal noted for opposing
Russell and The Watch Tower, sent someone to visit the Bible Study Club offices
located in the Metropolitan Building in New York City.The magazine reported: “The
office to which Mr. (sic! Mrs.)Noble
invited correspondents to write is occupied by a business concern of an
entirely different character, which reports that “Mr. Noble” simply receives
mail at that address. This firm disclaims all connection with him. On a corner
of the glass in the door is the revealing line, “Pastor Russell Lecture
Bureau.” (Bruce W. Schulz, A Separate Identity, Organizational Identity Among Readers
of Zion’s Watch Tower: 1870-1887).
For a period of time Russells sermons were
published weekly in more than 2,000 newspapers, with a combined circulation of
15,000,000 readers ; and in all about 4,000 different
newspapers published his sermons. Some idea of the scope of his work can be
understood from the words written in The
Continent, a publication not friendly to him: ”His writings are said to
have a greater newspaper circulation every week than those of any other living
man; greater, doubtless, than the combined circulation of the writings of all
the priests and preachers in North America; greater even than the work of
Arthur Brisbane, Norman Hapgood, George Horace Lorimer, Dr. Frank Crane,
Frederick Haskins, and a dozen other of the best known editors and syndicate
writers put together.” (Harp of God, p. 239)
So Brother
Russell became the greatest syndicate writer of his day.
Many came to a knowledge of the truth by means of these published sermons.
After Brother Russell
died, another effective method of spreading the good news began to be used. On
April 16, 1922, Joseph F. Rutherford made one of his first radio
broadcasts, speaking to an estimated 50,000 people.
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