The Removal of the Nashville Publishing House
By Geo. I. Butler
It may be news to most of the readers of the REVIEW AND HERALD that the process of removing our Nashville printing house to a place just outside of the city limits is now rapidly going on. The building known as 1025 Jefferson Street has been sold for cash, and other premises purchased, and the walls of a brick building one story high (one hundred19and twenty by seventy feet) have now gone up, and the roof is being put on. The old building comes into the possession of the purchaser next March, and we hope to be comfortably installed in our new quarters before that date. Are we justified in taking such a step as this? This question is important. Our Board surely think we are, or we should not have taken it. It involves considerable expense, of course, and much additional labor, so the reasons for removal ought to be important and weighty. General Reasons for Removal
It is well known that much has been said within a few years past among our people about the advisability of getting our institutions out of the great cities. There has been a general agreement among us that this was light from the Lord. It is certainly good common sense. While there are some advantages in being in the center of these cities, such as easy access to most of the people, and within ready reach of post and express offices, banks, freight depots, and other desirable things, yet there are other considerations which to a religious work like ours far outweigh these temporal conveniences. While we have, of necessity, to do with the world, yet we are not of the world. Our Bible says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. . . . For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” 1 John 2:15-17. While seeking to be a blessing to the people of the world, we must be where we can reach them, and bring to bear the truth of God upon them to save them. Therefore, we should locate our institutions, as far as possible from the congested centers of the world, yet near enough to give them the light of God’s truth for these days. Our institutions have been acting in harmony with the light given. The Pacific Press has left Oakland, and gone into a country place. Our Australian office has also moved out of Melbourne to a country home. The center of our Washington work is in a wooded park, out of the city’s pressure. Our young, weak office is but following the example of these older institutions. Some Special Reasons Why Our Southern Office Should Remove
For two years past the question of removal of our office has been agitated and discussed at our general January meetings, and so thoroughly had the stockholders considered the matter (our stockholders embrace all the leading brethren in the South), that the following preamble and resolutions were passed last January, when the Publishing Association meetings were held:— “Whereas, The Spirit of God has fully indicated that our institutions, such as our leading schools, publishing houses, and sanitariums, be moved out of the large cities, and located in the country; and— “Whereas, The present location of the Southern Publishing Association is not conducive to the physical health or spiritual growth of the employees, or the building suitable for the business, therefore,— “Resolved, That we recommend and urge the incoming board of directors to take immediate steps to select a suitable location for the publishing house in the country, where the conditions mentioned in the Testimonies can be obtained; and we further recommend that the incoming board be authorized to make such disposal of this plant as in their judgment may seem best.” These recommendations were carefully discussed, heartily indorsed by all present, and unanimously adopted. Not a discordant note or dissenting voice was heard against this move. With such indorsement, and positive instructions from the stockholders, what else could the Board do but make the very best efforts possible to find a suitable location, and to do their very best to sell the present premises? This is precisely what they have done. Many inquiries have been made; many visits to various places have been undertaken; many premises near Nashville have been carefully looked over to find that “suitable location” concerning which the stockholders had spoken. For many months we could find not the slightest indication that we could sell the present premises. Because of the financial condition of the association it would be out of the question to undertake to move unless the present premises could be sold. There seemed to be no hope of disposing of our present building until summer was past. Finally a cash offer was made for the building. The price was lower than we had hoped to obtain. We were hardly prepared to accept it. The Board considered this matter of selling the buildings a great many times during the year, and we had always found the perplexity of deciding what to do greater than we could master. Some Considerations Which Led Us to Decide to Sell
There was much diversity of opinion in the minds of different members of the Board as to where it would be best to locate in case we should sell. Some thought it would be well to go out ten miles from the city. Others thought it might be better not to go quite so far. Some of us thought it would be best to keep near enough to the city to have our association still continue a Nashville institution, where our employees could attend meeting at our new church, and our institution’s influence still continue to build up the cause of present truth in this city, which the spirit of prophecy had said should be “the center” of our work in this great Southern field, and we could not see how this could possibly be done if our office were five or ten miles from Nashville. Finally seven acres of land was offered, some little distance beyond the city limits, where there was a small plot of ground, a plateau, just about the right size upon which to put up the necessary buildings for our institution. This knoll is quite sightly, giving an extensive view of the city and surrounding country. It is so far from the city that the black smoke of hundreds of chimneys, where large amounts of bituminous coal is burned, is never very troublesome. This feature in our present locality is one of the most objectionable of any with which we have to contend, especially in the winter. Nothing of this sort troubles the proposed locality. There is a fine well near by, of as good water as can be found, soft, clear, and most excellent. Here many of the helpers can have their houses and garden plots, and beautiful trees, shrubs, and flowers, if they choose to plant and cultivate them. Other unoccupied land is to be found in any direction. In short, we can have the advantages of the city,—its street-car lines, church privileges, ice, coal, good markets, mails, etc.,—and of the country also,—its pure air, and freedom from the city’s dust, smoke, and crowded condition. The cost of moving can be reduced to low terms. The transition can be made so easily as to hardly disturb the workers. Quite a number of families of prominent workers live nearer to the proposed locality than to the present quarters, and were naturally anxious to have this place chosen. The ground was gone over very carefully before any steps to close the bargain were taken. The servant of the Lord was consulted as to whether she could see any objection to this move, in view of the light the Lord had given her. In her reply she fully indorsed the proposed move. She said there was nothing inconsistent with it in the light the Lord had given her in regard to moving out of the large cities. She stated, emphatically, that to move the institution too far from the city would not be well. When we consider that the number of workers connected with the institution constitute more than half the working members of the church, and embrace some of its most influential and most earnest members, one can see at a glance how deeply the prosperity of the church would be affected by such a move. The Testimonies have spoken, over and over, of the importance of our people’s making Nashville the center of our work in the Southern Union Conference. To take a step that would practically take fully half of the efficiency of the church away from Nashville at one move, would be wholly inconsistent with the light given. After moving with such caution, looking the whole subject over carefully, and obtaining all the light possible, the Board unanimously gave their consent to moving the office to the locality in question, as, on the whole, the best that could be done. The offer made for the present premises was accepted. It is believed that the price received will fully cover the cost of our new buildings. Immediate steps were taken to prepare the buildings necessary for our business operations. The sale was made about October 20. Energetic efforts have been put forth, with success, to complete the removal. The Lord has favored us with excellent weather. A Brief Summing Up of the Reasons for the Removal
1. Above all else we present the need of getting out of the crowded city, nearer to nature, and to the influences of nature’s God; better air and light; less dust, noise, smoke, and kindred evils. 2. The inconveniences of the present building for the printing business. The building originally purchased was a city store. A building four stories high was added to this store building. Elder J. E. White erected another very close to this, also four stories high, which was afterward purchased and connected with the other building. The whole was made of pine wood and veneered with brick.20It was in no sense fitted for the printing business. The insurance companies required the highest rates, as it was considered specially liable to fires. 3. The locality and building were unfavorable to health. More than a reasonable percentage of sickness had prevailed in it. Some of our best help have been barely able to continue with us because of poor health, and able physicians have warned them against remaining, if they wanted health. 4. The cost of operating our printing business in the present premises is unreasonably great. After careful calculation by able accountants, it is believed that a saving in expenses of nearly three thousand dollars a year can be made in our new quarters. In the item of insurance alone twelve hundred dollars can be saved. Our new building will be practically fireproof. The building will be of brick, and the floor of cement. The sash and doors will constitute all the woodwork below. The rooms will be high and airy, with plenty of light, where all the operations will come under the eye of the business agent or superintendent. The cost of operating will be much less than now. In short, to those on the ground the change seems to be an absolute necessity. We believe God is honored by this change, and that his blessing will rest upon it. In the saving of expenses, and in the economy of operating, we discern a powerful element in favor of success in the final outcome of our institution. GEO. I. BUTLER,
Pres. Southern Publishing Association.