The Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association.
By James White
WHEN our Publishing Association was first instituted, in 1861, we advised our people everywhere to take shares in its stock—only ten dollars a share—that a sufficient capital might be created to carry out the design of the Association without embarrassment, and to the best possible advantage. We urged that this done, the Association would be able to donate in publications for new fields of labor, hundreds of dollars annually. Our people came nobly up to the work. Shares were taken in a few months sufficient, at that time, to carry forward the business of the Association to the best advantage. The Association thus owned, free from debt, a fine building, sufficiently large for the work then done in it, presses, type, &c., in fact, all that was necessary to a successful prosecution of its work. But, in consequence of the high prices of stock and labor, occasioned by the war, and not raising the prices of our periodicals, and other publications, to correspond with the prices of stock and labor, during the first four years of the existence of the Association it did but little more than to meet expenses with its entire income. When instituted in 1861, print paper was ten cents a pound. During the war it rose to thirty cents a pound. It has fallen to fourteen cents a pound. With present prices of stock and labor the Association can do all that our first and most ardent expectations led us to suggest. As proof of this, we cite the last report of the Auditor, which gave an income of $7,751.19 for the short year from May 1, 1869, to March 1, 1870. During the year from May 1, 1868, to May 1, 1869, there was an actual decrease of $3,260.06. The increase the last year is no more than should be expected. Money during the past year has been comparatively scarce. Yet with proper industry and economy this handsome sum has been saved. The loss of the year before the last is without an excuse. No man can show why it should have been. During that year the Association did as good a business as in any other year. Money was plenty, and the Association sold more books that year than in any other. It would not help the friends of the cause generally for us to point out the causes of failure during that year, while it might injure the feelings of those who were in the fault, should we do it. We therefore would leave the unfortunate things of the past, and press forward, and labor that the original design of the Association should be carried out. The business of the Association has so far increased that it is too large for the building. The present extent of the business demands another building the size of the existing one. The proper accomplishment of this will require the purchase of two small houses and lots adjoining, at a cost of about $3,000, the removal of these houses, and the erection of a building, which would cost about $7,000. This would place beside the present building another like it, which would give at present ample room for the business of the Association. Shall it be done? This can all be accomplished with the earnings of the Association for one year, with usual prosperity. But we do not propose to use the earnings of the Association in this way, as the increase of business, occasioned by greater demand for our publications, requires a portion, at least, of the earnings of the Association to be invested in additional printing material, stock, and larger editions of publications. And if all the annual earnings of the Association should not be wanted in this direction, justice to the feelings of those who at the first came nobly up to the work of creating the existing capital of the Association, with the expectation that the Association would send out its publications to new fields free when necessary, demands that this first design should be carried out. How, then, shall the $10,000, now wanted to put up the new building, be raised? This is not a difficult question to answer. The sum of $20,000 was raised in a few months nine years since, when we as a people had not one-fourth the ability to do that we have at the present time. Should those who have become Seventh-day Adventists since the Association was instituted take hold of this work with liberal hands, as those did who were in the work at that time, in six months $20,000 would be cheerfully raised. But we want only $10,000 to accomplish the proposed work that should be done the present season. And there are not a few of the old hands, who helped create the existing capital, who will want to take still more stock in the Association. As a family, we have about thirty shares in the Association. We will gladly make them forty, if the numerous friends of the cause respond favorably to our suggestions. Again, we ask, Shall it be done? Shall the freewill offerings from a multitude of devoted friends come promptly in to accomplish this needed work? With pain we are reminded that there still remains a degree of discouragement upon the minds of our people in consequence of bad management in the past. This should not, however, be a matter of discouragement to any one. God lives and reigns! And it may be in his providence, and for the good of his people, that unconsecrated and selfish men should do much to run certain branches of the work into the ground, that the cruelty of those who have murmured against the ones who have faithfully and unselfishly done their duty may more clearly be seen. It is God's cause for which we plead. It must and will be sustained. And while it is a shame that any should be unfaithful with the Lord's work, and thereby give Satan a chance to tempt the Lord's stewards to be covetous, it is Christian in the Lord's stewards to resist Satan's temptations, and in faith in God, and in his work, and with a liberal hand, furnish the necessary means to advance the cause. We shall be glad to hear from our brethren of the General Conference Committee in reference to this subject through the REVIEW. And we hope to hear from our preachers and brethren generally. JAMES WHITE.