An Important Part of Our Publishing Work
“A FAR greater effort should be made to extend the circulation of our literature in all parts of the world. The warning must be given in all lands and to all peoples. Our books are to be translated and published in many different languages. We should multiply publications on our faith in English, German, French, Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and many other tongues; and people of all nationalities should be enlightened and educated that they, too, may join in the work. “Let our people do all in their power to diffuse to the world the light of heaven. In every way possible call the attention of the people of every nation and tongue to those things that will direct their minds to the Book of books.” “There are thousands in America perishing in ignorance and sin. And looking afar off to some distant field, those who know the truth are indifferently passing by the needy fields close to them. . . . Wake up, wake up, my brethren and sisters, and enter the fields in America that have never been worked. After you have given something for foreign fields, do not think your duty done. There is a work to be done in foreign fields, but there is a work to be done in America that is just as important. In the cities of America there are people of almost every language. These need the light that God has given to his church. “The Lord lives and reigns. Soon he will arise in majesty to shake terribly the earth. A special message is now to be borne, a message that will pierce the spiritual darkness and convict and convert souls. ‘Haste thee, flee for thy life,’ is the call to be given to those who are dwelling in sin. We must now be terribly in earnest. We have not a moment to spend in criticism and accusation. Let those who have done this in the past fall on their knees in prayer, and let them beware of how they put their words and their plans in the place of God’s words and God’s plans.” “I approve of the efforts that have been made to establish our German and Scandinavian publishing work at College View. I hope that plans will be devised for the encouragement and strengthening of this work. “The whole burden of the work must not be left with our foreign brethren. Nor should our brethren throughout the field leave too heavy a load on the conferences near College View. The members of these conferences should lead out and do their best, and all should come to their assistance. The truth is to be proclaimed to all nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples.” — Mrs. E. G. White, in “Spirit of Unity,” Series B, No. 4. Supplying Literature in Foreign Languages
THE most important work in the world to-day is the proclamation of the everlasting gospel to all nations. The International Publishing Association, located as it is in the United States where we have representatives from every nation in the world, must stand as an important agent for the carrying forward of this great work.20 The main object of its establishment as set forth in the minutes of organization is to print, publish, and sell religious, health, and educational literature throughout the United States in the German, Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, and other foreign languages. The importance of its mission must be apparent to all when they consider that annually about one million immigrants land on the shores of the United States and Canada; thus a wonderful opportunity presents itself for doing foreign missionary work in this country, and also in the Canadian provinces. As in this country there are representatives from every nation, there is thus afforded an opportunity to place a knowledge of present truth before other nations. Through representatives of other countries receiving the message here, and from this country conveying it to their home land, the work has been opened up in many of the dark corners of the earth. Wonderful examples of the planting of present truth in other lands have occurred, of which I will present a few illustrations. How the Work Started in Russia
Nearly a quarter of a century ago an aged brother by the name of Behthold, who had an impediment in his speech, went from South Dakota to Russia, taking with him a large supply of our tracts. When he arrived there, he went from house to house, and, not being permitted to preach the message, he would take the tracts and hand one to some person, saying, “Please read this tract for me.” The person would read it for him, and the authorities could not arrest the brother for teaching heresy, as the people termed it, for he was only asking them to read for him. Those who thus read the tracts could not help knowing for themselves what they contained. Sometimes he would leave the tracts with them. Frequently he would take a book and say, “I have a little book here. I wish you would read it for me.” And so he kept on from place to place, until he had in various neighborhoods well circulated our literature, getting the people to read it for him. In this way the truth began to find its way into Russia, and thus many people accepted the message. Also our German brethren in this country who came from Russia wrote letters and sent reading-matter, such as papers and tracts, to their friends in that country, helping in this way also to spread the message in that country. Ministers were then sent over from the United States to follow up the work thus begun. The truth has now spread throughout the Russian empire until it is known in nearly every province, and Sabbath-keepers in Russia are numbered by the thousands. The work was begun in Switzerland by a Polish Catholic convert to Protestantism in America, who learned something of our work, and returned to Europe and taught the Sabbath truth in Switzerland. How the Work Began in Scandinavia
Elder J. H. Matteson, a Dane, accepted the truth in this country, and returned to Europe to open up the work in the Scandinavian countries. Before returning to Europe he learned typesetting in Battle Creek, Mich., in order to print the first tract in the Danish language. Through his efforts the publishing work was started among the Scandinavians in this country. A Greek shoemaker, Brother Anthony, of California, returned to his former home in Constantinople in 1859. He taught the truth to Z. G. Baharian, an Armenian student. Brother Baharian went to Basel in 1890 to study, and through study to become better acquainted with the truth; and after a time he returned to Turkey, and began translating and preaching. At present there are about two hundred and twenty-five Sabbath-keepers in that empire. Seed Scattered in Argentina
About nineteen years ago two Russian-German brethren by the names of Riffel and Frick, in Kansas, felt impressed that they ought to go to Argentina, South America, and assist in spreading the truth in that country. About sixteen years ago they sold out in Kansas, and moved with their families to Crespo, Argentina, where our school is now located. As a result of their labors many have accepted present truth. Many more illustrations might be given to show how the truth has been carried to other lands by foreigners who have accepted it in this country, and then have returned to their home land or gone to other countries to spread the light of truth. As the International Publishing Association has been established to place the message of the soon-coming Saviour before the foreign-speaking people of North America, all must realize the importance of its mission. It was organized in the fall of 1903, and in the spring of 1904 began active operations in a small factory in College View. Since then its work has gradually increased, so that at present its factory is running to its utmost capacity. That it may be provided with much-needed facilities in order to more effectually carry forward its work, it is imperative that it have several thousand dollars. The General Conference Committee, knowing of its needs, has set apart Sabbath, November 3, as the time when a general collection should be taken for its benefit in all our churches throughout the United States and Canada. Let all assist by a liberal contribution, and may our prayers ascend to heaven in its behalf. E. T. RUSSELL,
Chairman International Publishing Association. “AND IF one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Eccl. 4:12. In the past there has been some uncertainty regarding the field and work of the International Publishing Association. But during the recent meetings21of the Publishing Department, in Washington, D. C., and more especially in the actual meeting of the association just held in College View, these uncertainties have been cleared away. Now as never before is there a well-defined plan of united action and hearty co-operation fully established between the association and the Pacific Press, for supplying our precious literature to the many thousands who do not read English, in the Central, Northern, Pacific, and North Pacific Union Conferences, and also between these two publishing houses and the European publishing associations, for the supplying of foreign literature to the non-English-speaking people of the Eastern States. Well-studied plans are being considered for the establishment of a polyglot book depository in Greater New York. This will greatly facilitate the distribution of present-truth literature in the East. At the same time the International Publishing Association is planning to employ corresponding secretaries, to help forward the tract and missionary work among the Germans, Swedes, and Danish-Norwegians in the United States and Canada. More literature is greatly needed. Will you help to secure its publication? W. C. WHITE.