En Route for South America by N. Z. TOWN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1915

En Route for South America

By N. Z. TOWN

Room 903, ninth floor, 32 Union Square East, New York, is not a very pretentious-appearing place, but it is one of the most interesting spots in New York City for Seventh-day Adventists. It is only about fifteen by sixteen feet, with one window looking out over the roofs of the adjoining buildings. Here is located the Eastern branch of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, under the charge of Brother L. W. Graham and his helpers, Brethren J. D. Snider, H. S. House, and Elliott Chaplin. The continual growth of our colporteur work made it imperative that our large publishing houses in this country establish branch houses in convenient distributing centers, as the long freight hauls were too uncertain.

The New York Branch was opened in 1907. The literature sales the first year amounted to $26,607.70. This work has gradually grown until during 1914 the value of sales was $56,466.53, and during 1915 the grand total will be $90,000. This branch alone sold 45,802 copies of "The World's Crisis." Here is also a depository for our foreign literature in this country. Supplies of literature in thirty-three languages are kept in stock.

But the New York office is much more than a branch of the Review and Herald. It is a sort of clearing house for our Mission Board. When missionaries are routed to their fields via New York, they ship their goods in care of L. W. Graham, New York, and he sees that they are put on board ship. Requests from our missionaries for necessary purchases receive prompt attention.

Missionaries also appreciate this office as a place where they may meet and make final arrangements before sailing. Many look back with grateful hearts to the help our brethren in New York were able to give them in speeding them on their way.

Friday morning, December 10, the party leaving for South America, consisting of Elder O. Montgomery, Mrs. Montgomery, and Martha, their twelve-year-old daughter, Prof. W. W. Prescott, Mrs. Prescott, and the writer, met in Brother Graham's office to make final arrangements for sailing the next day. On November 18, at the autumn council, when action was taken by the General Conference Committee to organize South America into a division conference, Elder Montgomery was asked to go to that field to take the presidency of the new division. It was a sudden call, as he would have to sail from New York on December 11. When he sent a night letter to Mrs. Montgomery to see how she felt about it, the reply came back, "Willing to go where God may call." So in about two weeks Brother and Sister Montgomery sold off their household goods, packed their trunks, visited their relatives in Michigan, and arrived in New York a day ahead of time for their boat.

Our first stop will be in Brazil, where we expect to attend the conference of the Brazilian Union at the end of December and the first part of January. After spending about a month in Brazil, we go to Argentina, to attend the biennial session of the South American Union Conference. At this meeting the division conference will be organized. After spending a few weeks in the River Plate fields, we shall visit Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and possibly Ecuador; and those of us who are to return, plan to reach Panama about May 1. N. Z. TOWN.