Notes of Progress

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 6, 1906

Notes of Progress

Our summary for September is both late and incomplete. Doubtless the publishers' convention has had something to do with this, for several of our fields which have reported promptly before have been slow this time. Let us improve upon this point, and do our utmost to send in the reports for each month by the middle of the following month.

The Convention Report

We have received from the Review and Herald copies of the “Proceedings of the Publishers’ Convention.” We are greatly pleased with its arrangement and general appearance. It contains all the papers read at the convention, and quite a full digest of the discussions, and a summary of recommendations. It contains 256 pages. The price, post-paid, is only ten cents.

This report will be valuable for reference. A comprehensive index, prepared by Brother Rogers, statistical secretary of the General Conference, has added a practical feature; for instance, the name of every person attending the convention appears in the index, and following his name there is a reference giving the topic and page of each paper and each remark made by him during the convention.

On the other hand, each topic considered also appears in the index, followed by reference to the pages where statements or papers are found on that topic. The good work done by Brother Rogers on the index will be particularly appreciated by our workers. Every Seventh-day Adventist ought to have a copy of this report, and read what the Lord has been doing for the publishing work, and what plans have been laid for its future progress.

Reasons for Thanksgiving

We have reached the season of the year when it is customary in a special way to count our blessings. It is well for us to do this frequently, for our blessings are so many that the recounting of them will often chase away the shadows of doubt and fear. The following are a few of the blessings which have come to the Publishing Department during the recent past:—

Publishers’ Convention

A publishers’ convention has been held, in which the officers of the General Conference, members of the General Conference Committee, conference presidents, treasurers, and tract society secretaries joined with the members of the Publishing Department in an earnest study of the needs of the world-wide work from morning till night for a full week. We were thankful for this great privilege and the general interest expressed in the publishing work, and have reason to believe that days of splendid progress are before us.

Universal Prosperity

We are thankful days of progress have begun. Without any exception the publishing work is prospering and increasing in importance and volume in every union conference and mission field in the wide world. The evidences of this which come to us in the reports from month to month are a cause of great rejoicing.

Opening Doors

Several countries in Europe and Asia, which in years past have been largely closed to our publications, have now

been opened, and the work is made easier.

Spanish Literature

Demands are increasing rapidly for literature in the Spanish language. Where orders for hundreds of copies were received a few years ago, we now receive orders for thousands of copies. Active efforts are being put forth by the Pacific Press Publishing Company and by the Hamburg Publishing House to produce a first-class up-to-date literature in the Spanish tongue.

For the past two months Professor Caviness, of Mexico, has been in Mountain View, engaged in this work with the Pacific Press. In a few days “Coming King” will be issued in Spanish, and will doubtless fill a long-felt want for a book about that size and style for canvassers in Spanish fields. Elder Conradi also reports from Europe that “His Glorious Appearing” is now ready. “Christ Our Saviour,” “Gospel Primer,” and “Steps to Christ” have been revised, and are now ready.

Valparaiso

An interesting report has recently been received from Brother Steele, manager of our publishing office in Valparaiso, Chile. The depository was destroyed by the earthquake and fire, but the paper stock was saved. They immediately issued a special number of their paper, and within a few days sold more copies than have been sold under normal conditions in a year; and Brother Steele writes that they will soon bring out another special, which they believe will have an equally large circulation. Thus the Lord has used apparent calamities for hastening on the gospel, and we are able to “rejoice in tribulations.”

Australasian Union

Reports recently received from the Australasian Union Conference bring us the good news that the publishing work during the past two years in Australasia has been more prosperous than ever before in the history of that field. For more than ten years the work in Australasia has been developing upon a strong, consistent basis, and we rejoice that the work is still onward and upward.

Steps were taken at this union conference to establish a small printing plant in Singapore for publishing a paper, and tracts and pamphlets for the Malaysian Peninsula and the East Indies.

Australasian Publishing House

A letter recently received from the manager of the Signs of the Times Publishing Association in Australia, brings us the good news that the publishing company has moved up into the Warburton Mountains, and has been running successfully there on denominational work only, for the past five months. In fact, they have had more work than they could do. Thus it always is when we work wholly for God. We never look for work. The old publishing plant in the city of Melbourne is being disposed of.

Pacific Press

The Pacific Press Publishing Company is arising with strength and courage from the ashes of its factory. The loss has been great, the embarrassments have been many, and the work now is being done under adverse conditions, and yet there is great cause for thanksgiving as we study the true condition of this office. For the first time in many years they are entirely free from commercial work, and even under present adverse conditions they are doing better work for the third angel’s message than has been done for a long time. There is no uncertainty in the board of management as to the policy of the office. The employees are contented and of good courage, and rejoice that they are working only upon our denominational work. We thank God for what he is doing for the Pacific Press.

Review and Herald

The Review and Herald has become well established again, and has a clean, well-organized, splendid office. The atmosphere from the basement to the garret is denominational. There is harmony and strength among the workers, and the Lord is blessing them in the office and in the field. There is cause for thanksgiving, and for thanksgiving only, as we see how the Lord has led this office through fiery trials and out into the strength of a clean, strong gospel work.

Southern Publishing Association

The Southern Publishing Association has moved out from Nashville, and is improving its work in quality and in volume, and the managers express the hope that soon they will be able to cut out commercial work entirely, and have their hands more than full of the message.

International Publishing Association

After many discouragements and trying experiences, the International Publishing Association at College View, Neb., is doing a better and more successful work each year in supplying literature to the hundreds of thousands of Germans and Scandinavians in the United States. A movement has just been started there which promises to expand their work and increase its importance. The representatives of the German, Swedish, and Danish languages will each undertake to promote the circulation of literature among the people of one, two, or three kindred languages in the United States. Thus, many who have been neglected will be supplied. Other steps are also being taken to supply literature to the people who are coming to the United States from many lands.

Thus it is that God is working for this department in all parts of the world. Even our most isolated mission fields report progress and good courage.

Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Dept.