CHURCH SERMONS ARE BROADCAST IN “LOST CAUSE” VOICE

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 November 1949, Page 4

CHURCH SERMONS ARE BROADCAST IN “LOST CAUSE” VOICE

NAPIER, Yesterday (PA).—The view that three out of every four ministers conducting religious services over the air had “dogmatic, lost cauae” voices and should be excluded from broadcastings, was expressed by the Rev. E. P. Blamires, of Auckland, at the annual conference of the Mehodist Church of New Zealand last night. He was answered by the Rev. A. H. Scriven, of Auckland, with the comment that jazz, crooners and politicians should have hardened New Zealand listeners to any sort of voices. The discussion arose from a report by the broadcasting committee, which said the standard of broadcasting was not high enough and recommended the cultivation of a direct, informal, person-to-person approach in sermons and morning devotional periods, the use of good poetry and music, the inclusion of discussions such as brains trust or open forum, a dramatisation of appropriate literary works, and the recording of sermons to be broadcast. The Rev. W. H. Greenslade, of Wellington, who presented the report, said that street corner addresses and blitz wagons could not touch the air as a medium for evangelism. There would be no sudden alteration in the form of ordinary services, but the idea was to “vary the diet.’’ The Rev. Blamires said that far more care should be taken in the selection of those to broadcast, so that speakers would be the most suitable available. “If I was an outsider listening in 1 would turn at least half of the present speakers off,’’ he commented. The conference adopted the report and reappointed Mr. Greenslade to the national central religious advisory committee.