Twenty-First Meeting by William C. White; William A. Spicer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jun 1, 1905

Twenty-First Meeting

By William C. White; William A. Spicer

The twenty-first meeting was called at 9:30 A. M., May 24, Elder J. N. Loughborough acting as chairman pro tem in the opening of the meeting.

Prayer was offered by M. C. Wilcox. It was then announced that the session would be devoted to the Publication Department, and W. C. White, chairman of the department, was given the chair. He called for the departmental secretary’s report, which was presented by H. H. Hall, as follows:—

Publication Committee’s Report for 1903-04

Through our publications every Seventh-day Adventist may assist in carrying the third angel’s message to the world in this generation. To emphasize this truth has been the one great aim of your publication committee. Among the efforts put forth to accomplish this aim have been the following:—

MISSIONARY CAMPAIGNS.— Three great missionary campaigns have been conducted during the past two years. At the beginning of 1903 four tracts were printed, and our people were encouraged to distribute them systematically. As the result, nearly a million copies were circulated. Near the close of that year the Capital and Labor number of The Signs of the Times was issued, and more than a half million were placed in the homes of the people. But the times demanded greater efforts, so when the campaign for the fall of 1904 was planned, the following clarion note was sounded:—

“We recommend that a mighty missionary campaign be inaugurated this fall which shall know no cessation until this gospel of the kingdom is carried to every nation, tongue, and people.”

During the first battle of this campaign nearly a half million copies of the Gospel Series of The Signs of the Times, 120,000 of the Southern Watchman, 116,000 of the foreign papers, and 200,000 special tracts were circulated, and a large work done with forty-per-cent books. One of the most encouraging features of this battle is the fact that with thousands of our people found that they could actually fight. Having scented the powder, and learned the need of soldiers, they have decided to remain on the fighting line until the close of the war.

MISSIONARY CONVENTIONS.— At these conventions various topics of missionary interest are discussed. These topics are announced one or two weeks before the meeting, and different individuals are asked to lead in their discussion, after which all are invited to make suggestions and relate experiences. Our observations lead us to believe that these gatherings have been very helpful in suggesting definite plans for local work.

MEETING OF THE PUBLICATION COMMITTEE.— The General Conference Publication Committee held a meeting at Omaha, Neb., March 2-8, 1904. Not only were important actions taken, but a spirit of unity was brought into our publishing work. One very important recommendation looking toward the encouragement of an army of home workers was passed. This recommendation sets apart the following small books for their use:—

Education, Mount of Blessing, Steps to Christ, Cobblestones, Vegetarian Cook-Book, Little Folks’ Bible Nature, Things Foretold, Power for Witnessing, Thoughts on Daniel (paper), Thoughts on Revelation (paper), Great Nations of To-day (paper).

A discount of fifty per cent is given on these books to those who canvass for them. If our home membership would make the most of this opportunity, the circulation of our books would soon be doubled.

REDUCTION IN BINDINGS.— A recommendation favoring a reduction in bindings of our large subscription books was enthusiastically passed, and is being carefully considered by our various publishing houses at the present time.

Actions favoring (1) a net price on all books and pamphlets intended primarily for our own people, (2) a net price on all forty-per-cent books, except to those who canvass for them, (3) a twenty-five-per-cent discount to our people on all regular subscription books, were also taken, and are coming into general operation. This will solve many perplexing problems concerning discounts.

BOOKMEN’S CONVENTION.— A bookmen’s convention was held at Mountain View, Cal., having for its primary purpose the upbuilding of the missionary work in the Pacific Union Conference. Practical suggestions were made concerning all lines of missionary work, and particular attention was given to our large subscription-book business. Brother E. R. Palmer gave a talk on “The State Agent and the Basic Principles of His Work,” W. B. Scott sounded the call for the return of old canvassers, Brother James Cochran read a paper on “How to Secure and Retain Agents,” Brother and Sister J. L. McGee, and W. R. Beatty told of their work in the cities with “Desire of Ages,” and A. D. Guthrie gave an inspiring account of his two years’ work in northern Utah and southern Idaho. Altogether, it was a meeting long to be remembered, and one that has given an impetus to the sale of large subscription books on the coast.

CIRCULATION OF FOREIGN LITERATUREIN THE UNITED STATES.—

Recognizing the need of stronger efforts to reach the foreign population of the United States, the International Publishing Association has been organized. During the past year it has printed more than a quarter of a million of new tracts in Swedish, Danish, and German. It has also printed 122,000 of the special papers in these languages. The Pacific Press Publishing Co. has taken the responsibility of supplying the foreign subscription books, and has already imported “Steps to Christ” in a number of languages, together with a large order of German “Daniel and the Revelation,” Swedish “Controversy,” and a full supply of Revised Bibles in German, Swedish, and Danish. Still greater efforts, however, should be put forth for the hundreds of thousands of foreign-speaking people who are coming to our shores.

SMALL LEAFLETS.— For years there has been a generally recognized need of a series of tracts condensed to the very last degree presenting the different phases of present truth. To this end The Family Bible Teacher has been published, and more than a million copies circulated. A series of sixteen leaflets in briefer form, under the general title of “Signs of the Times Leaflets” has been issued recently.

“POINTERS TO SUCCESS” is the title of a small booklet prepared by E. R. Palmer for the benefit of our agents. This is another step taken to assist people in finding that “specific place” in this message to which their talents entitle them.

“THE CHURCH LIBRARIAN.”—A committee of experienced missionary workers is just completing an instruction book for church librarians. This will be ready for distribution by camp-meeting time, and will be very helpful to that important missionary official.

The Removal of Our Publishing Houses to the Country

A mighty step forward has been taken during the past two years in the complete removal of the Pacific Press Publishing Company from Oakland, Cal., to the village of Mountain View, Cal., forty miles south of San Francisco. The Review and Herald is also about to take a similar step, while the Echo Publishing Company has purchased a country location, and will begin building at an early date.

Cash Policy

We note with intense interest the trend on the part of our people generally to pay as they go. May we not expect that this policy will soon be generally recognized in the handling of our publications?

Other Countries

AUSTRALIAN UNION.— This union leads the world in its book sales, which amounted to $136,968.75 for the past two years. Their missionary periodical, The Signs of the Times, is steadily increasing in circulation.

GERMAN UNION.— Many strange things are told us of the work with the printed page in this field. From our headquarters at Hamburg, more than one hundred and ten million people may be reached by mail at a cost of twelve and one-half cents for a package weighing ten pounds. In portions of this remarkable field, the deliveries are made through the post-office carriers, just as we send C. O. D. shipments by express in this country, with the exception that the money is turned over to the shipper when the package is sent. If the delivery fails, the book is returned, and the agent refunds its price. These deliveries are quite successful, but a deposit is usually secured on the order by the agent. Verily the American canvasser has not all the advantages in the conducting of his work, after all. The sales in this union conference amounted to $100,419.93.

BRITISH UNION.— Here we find a population of forty-two million people within a night’s ride from London, where the International Tract Society is located. Their periodical work has been remarkably successful, as is shown by the fact that the Good Health, their health journal, has a circulation of fifty thousand a month, which is more than that of all other British health journals combined. The average weekly circulation of their missionary paper, Present Truth, has been 18,359. They also show genuine progress in book work, having circulated $66,429.78 worth during the biennial period. They have issued a Zulu edition of “Christ Our Saviour” and five Welsh tracts as their part toward making it possible to carry this message to every nation, tongue, and people.

AFRICAN UNION.— Our friends in Africa publish three papers, South African Sentinel, which has a circulation of four thousand; Journal of Health, with a circulation of fifteen hundred; and the South African Missionary. They have fifteen agents, but did not report value of sales. They have a little printing plant valued at $1,350.

MEXICO.— This mission field also has a printing plant, valued at two thousand dollars, and employs two native printers. They print their own paper, as well as small tracts. The tracts recently issued are “Sabbath in the New Testament,” one cent; “The Second Advent,” two cents; “Is Man Immortal?” one and one-half cents; “The Virgin Mary,” one-half cent. They feel very anxious that immediate steps be taken toward publishing some other works in the Spanish language.

CHINA.— Something in the publishing line has been done in China, too, as will be seen from the following list of tracts published:—

Sinners Need of Christ ........1 cent. Sabbath ........................2 1/2 The True God ...................2 1/2 The First Seven Chapters of Genesis ...2 1/2

JAPAN.— Japan is not slow to realize the value of the printed page, as may be seen from the publication of a sixteen-page monthly paper entitled Gospel for the Last Days (truly an appropriate name), and the following tracts and pamphlets: “Steps to Christ,” “His Glorious Appearing,” “Marshaling of the Nations,” “Second Coming of Christ,” “Sabbath in the New Testament,” “Way of Salvation,” “True God and His Sabbath.”

INDIA MISSION FIELD.— A printing outfit consisting of a cylinder press, a job-press, a paper-cutter, a stitcher, and a fair amount of job and body type, together with sufficient Hindi and Bengali type to do a considerable amount of printing in these languages, is located at Karmatar. Elder Shaw says, “There has been no part of the work in which we have realized more of the blessing of God than in the canvassing work.” Their missionary periodical, the Oriental Watchman, has had a circulation of from three to four thousand copies monthly. In addition to a number of tracts published in the Bengali and Hindi languages, “Steps to Christ” has recently been printed in the Bengali. In closing his report, the superintendent of that great field says, “Multitudes, vast multitudes able to read, are waiting for the gospel message in their tongue, and in harmony with our faith we must with courage meet the problems which shall arise in this mighty undertaking.” To this sentiment we all say “Amen.”

ORIENTAL MISSION FIELD.— Brother Wakeham, of this field, says: “When I went to Egypt, I found almost nothing

in the Arabic language concerning the vital truths of the message. As soon as possible I took up this matter, and with the valuable assistance of Elder Awada, our native minister, as translator, I soon had printed five thousand each of three tracts on the Sabbath question. These were followed by five thousand each of two more—one on the coming of Christ, and the other an abbreviation of our English tract, ‘Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists.’ Shortly before I left, an edition of one thousand copies of ‘Sure Word of Prophecy’ was run off. I am now at work on a similar brief exposition of the book of Revelation, which I hope to put into print as soon as I return.”

Book Sales for 1903 in Full

AUSTRALASIAN UNION Sub’n books ........$115,789.12 Helps ............... 13,894.12 Trade and tracts .... 7,285.25 $136,968.75 GERMAN UNION ...... 100,419.93 BRITISH UNION ...... 66,429.78 LATIN UNION .......$ 8,857.16 SCANDINAVIAN UNION .. 68,657.16 NORTHERN AND LAKE UNIONS (estimated) ........ 69,561.94 PACIFIC UNION Sub’n books .......$ 43,778.86 Trade ............... 8,155.11 Tracts .............. 3,743.55 $ 55,677.52 CENTRAL AND S. W. UNION Sub’n books .......$ 90,005.65 Trade .............. 13,508.92 Tracts .............. 7,654.75 $111,169.32 ATLANTIC UNION Sub’n books .......$ 97,757.70 Trade ............... 4,808.85 Tracts .............. 5,836.56 $108,403.11 SOUTHERN UNION (estimated) .... 50,000.00 CANADIAN UNION Sub’n books .......$ 9,681.38 Trade and tracts ... 1,702.37 $ 11,383.75 Total sales reported $787,528.42

Some of the Results

Turning aside now from statistics and records, let us speak of what is being accomplished by all these visits of the printed minister. Men who are in a position to know assure us that there never was a time when the salvation of so many souls could be traced directly to the reading of a tract, paper, or book as to-day. Allow your secretary to relate a single instance. At the close of a meeting recently a lady stepped up to me and said, “I was a Catholic, bitterly prejudiced against Seventh-day Adventists. My work as a teacher led me to a rough frontier town, and compelled me to take a room over a saloon. While there, The Signs of the Times began coming to me through the kindness of a distant friend. Within three months I accepted the truth, and have been rejoicing in it ever since.” As I listened to that sister, saw the joy of a new life in her face, and pondered upon her experience, I became deeply impressed with the fact that she was a type of thousands of others who, through similar efforts on the part of some humble workers with our truth-filled publications, will finally hear the welcome words, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

That all our people may have some part in bringing about such results is the prayer of your committee.

General Conf. Publication Committee, H. H. HALL, Sec.

As the report was read, Brethren M. C. Wilcox, W. W. Prescott, and W. D. Salisbury were called upon to speak briefly concerning the removal of the Pacific Press to the country, of the Review and Herald to a suburb of Washington, and of the Echo Publishing Company, of Melbourne, Australia, to a country location. All spoke of the assurance of divine guidance in these moves.

E. H. Gates spoke briefly of the printing plant in connection with the Avondale School which has brought out publications in Rarotongan, Fijian, Tongan, Maori, Tahitian, Samoan. In addition to this, the Avondale press prints the Union Conference Record and the Australasian Good Health. The students assist in this work, which is a strong missionary department of the school.

W. C. Sisley stated that the reason why about one thousand believers in Great Britain could put out so much literature was that all are united to do something toward the sale of our publications. They work at it the year round, the same in the summer as in the winter, old and young taking part in it, going from house to house with the messengers of truth, our books, tracts, and papers. Interesting experiences were related, showing how even people not in our churches have taken hold to help sell and distribute our literature.

A. J. Haysmer reported for the East Caribbean Conference, which is publishing seven thousand copies of the Caribbean Watchman monthly. These are sold by members of the churches. They have a small outfit of type, etc., hiring the printing done by outside offices.

The meeting adjourned.

W. C. WHITE, Chairman, W. A. SPICER, Secretary.