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The Publishers' Convention

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 18, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 42.

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The Publishers' Convention

By E. R. Palmer

According to appointment the meeting of the members of the General Conference Publishing Department convened at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., October 3-10. The General Conference Committee, together with many presidents of State conferences, had been in counsel during the week preceding the convention; and when the hour arrived for the convention to open, this large delegation joined enthusiastically with the special representatives of our publishing work, and contributed their strength, long experience, and enthusiasm to the work of the convention throughout the entire meeting.
The convention was a grand success. In the opening devotional exercises the Spirit of the Lord came into the convention in a marked manner, and abode with us till its close. Many weighty questions were considered, but in every discussion there was a unity and strength and brotherly consideration of the various interests of our work which enabled the convention to arrive at unanimous conclusions.
The convention was entertained at the Washington Training College. The conveniences of the school, the assembly rooms, and the comfortable facilities for entertainment, being placed at the service of the convention, were greatly appreciated, and contributed much to the success of the meeting.
The following members of the General Conference Publishing Department were in attendance: W. C. White, C. H. Jones, E. R. Palmer, S. N. Curtiss, I. A. Ford, James Cochran, D. W. Reavis, B. B. Noftsger, F. E. Painter, A. F. Harrison, J. B. Blosser, J. S. James, W. L. Manfull, I. H. Evans, and W. A. Spicer.
At the opening of the meeting a resolution was passed inviting union and State conference presidents, treasurers, general agents, State agents, and tract society and missionary secretaries, and all representatives of publishing houses and their branches, who were not members of the convention by appointment, to take active part in the deliberations.
The following-named persons were present to represent their respective fields:—
Atlantic Union: E. W. Farnsworth, S. N. Curtiss, H. W. Carr, F. E. Painter, F. F. Fry, T. D. Gibson, H. C. Wilcox, H. F. Ketring, W. J. Fitzgerald, W. A. Westworth, C. F. McVagh, J. R. Ebersole, F. H. De Vinney, W. B. Walters, D. W. Reavis, S. J. Hersum, Morris Lukens, T. E. Bowen, Frederick Griggs, R. D. Hottel, W. H. Zeidler, C. H. Edwards, V. H. Cook, E. J. Dryer, O. E. Reinke, E. R. Nutter, C. M. Snow, W. A. Colcord.
Canadian Union: W. H. Thurston, Wm. Guthrie, B. B. Noftsger.
Southern Union: Geo. I. Butler, J. S. Washburn, I. A. Ford, R. M. Kilgore, S. B. Horton, T. H. Jeys, W. A. Wilcox, A. F. Harrison, W. R. Burrow, A. J. Haysmer.
Lake Union: Allen Moon, William Covert, H. H. Burkholder, I. D. Richardson, A. G. Haughey, L. H. Christian, C. E. Weaks, J. B. Blosser, C. McReynolds, A. J. Olsen, J. W. Mace, S. Mortenson.
Northern Union: R. A. Underwood, C. M. Everest, I. S. James, W. L. Manfull, J. G. Walker, H. S. Shaw, E. G. Hayes.
Central Union: A. T. Robinson, Jas. Cochran.
Southwestern Union: C. N. Woodward, W. W. Eastman.
Pacific Union: H. W. Cottrell, W. H. Covell, A. J. S. Bourdeau.
General Conference: A. G. Daniells, G. A. Irwin, L. R. Conrad, W. A. Spicer, I. H. Evans, W. W. Prescott, W. C. White, C. H. Jones, G. B. Thompson, K. C. Russell, G. F. Haffner, Geo. F. Enoch, E. R. Palmer, J. L. Shaw.
The following is a list of the principal topics considered by the convention:—
1. Chairman's Address:— (a) The demands of the times in which we live. (b) The work of the convention.
2. Secretary's Report:— (a) The general progress of the publishing work. (b) Questions needing special consideration by the convention.
3. Organization of Convention and Appointment of Session Committees.
4. Sphere and Work of the General Conference Publishing Department,—Paper by A. G. Daniells.
5. The Importance of the Publishing Work as an Evangelizing Agency,—Papers by A. G. Daniells, W. W. Prescott, G. A. Irwin, and E. W. Farnsworth, followed by general discussion.
6. Organization. (a) In the church. (b) In the conference or local mission field. (c) In union conferences. (d) In publishing houses. (e) In foreign mission fields. Paper by E. R. Palmer, followed by W. C. White, A. G. Daniells, G. A. Irwin, H. H. Hall, and others, in general discussion.
7. The Work of Our Publishing Houses:— (a) Denominational work only, or denominational and commercial work mixed. (b) Economical arrangements and facilities for printing, and broad, comprehensive plans for publishing. (c) Co-operation between printing houses. (d) Commercial relations to State tract societies. (e) Conservative policy in publishing new books, tracts, and pamphlets. Paper by C. H. Jones, followed in general discussion by S. N. Curtiss, I. A. Ford, James Cochran, and others.
8. How to Man and Equip a State Tract Society Office,—Paper by T. E. Bowen, followed by general discussion in which conference presidents and tract society secretaries were particularly requested to lead.
9. Business Methods and the Qualification of Secretaries,—Paper by H. H. Hall; general discussion, introduced by James Cochran, R. L. Pierce, and D. W. Reavis.
10. The Need of State and Union Conference Agents, and Their Qualifications,—Papers by C. N. Woodward and A. F. Harrison, followed in general discussion by G. A. Irwin, R. A. Underwood, and W. B. White.
11. What Constitutes a Well-Qualified and Equipped Canvasser, and What Methods Are the Most Economical and Effective for Giving the Necessary Training,—Papers by J. B. Blosser, W. H. Covell, and A. F. Harrison, followed by general discussion.
12. Our Colleges as Training-schools for Canvassers and Missionary Secretaries,—Papers by A. G. Daniells, Professor Lucas, and W. H. Covell, followed by general discussion.
13. How to Handle Agents in the Field. (a) State Agent's Duties,—Paper by W. W. Eastman, followed in general discussion by J. S. James, F. E. Painter, and others. (b) Tract Society Secretaries' Relation to the Canvasser,—Papers by H. H. Hall and T. E. Bowen. (c) The Assistance that Can Be Given by Conference Presidents and their Committees,—Papers by W. J. Fitzgerald and W. W. Eastman, followed in general discussion by E. T. Russell and C. McReynolds.
14. Methods of Imparting Information:— (a) Union and State conference papers. (b) Neostyle and other duplicated letters. (c) The reporting system. Paper by J. S. James, followed in general discussion by F. F. Fry and J. B. Blosser.
15. Concentration of Effort in Selling Books, and the Number and Style of Bindings,—Paper by F. E. Painter, followed byJ. W. Mace, W. B. Walters, and R. L. Pierce.
16. Our Periodicals:— (a) Their legitimate field. (b) How to increase their circulation. Paper by A. J. S. Bourdeau, followed by D. W. Reavis or State and I. A. Ford.
17. Forty-per-cent Books,—Paper by H. H. Hall.
18. How May the Tract and Missionary Work Be Revived among Lay Members,—Paper by A. J. S. Bourdeau, followed by general discussion, in which the tract society secretaries were invited to lead.
19. Missionary Campaign,—Paper by D. W. Reavis, followed by general discussion.
20. Special Need of Publications and Facilities in Foreign Fields,—Paper by W. A. Spicer, followed by general discussion.
21. How to Supply Publications in Foreign Languages in the United States:— (a) German, Swedish, Danish, and Finnish. (b) Spanish. (c) French and Italian. (d) Chinese and Japanese. (e) Yiddish. (f) Other Languages. Paper by G. A. Irwin, followed by general discussion by E. T. Russell, H. H. Hall, W. C. White, James Cochran, F. C. Gilbert, and others.
22. New Publications:— (a) Examination of manuscripts. (b) The publication of new books. (c) Authors as publishers, advertisers, and agents of their own books. Papers by W. C. White, W. W. Prescott, M. C. Wilcox, E. R. Palmer, and W. A. Colcord, followed by general discussion.
23. Needs and Work of the Southern Publishing Association.—Papers by G. I. Butler, I. A. Ford, and A. F. Harrison, followed by general discussion.
24. News and Work of the International Publishing Association,—Papers by E. T. Russell and A. T. Robinson.
25. Needs and Work of the Canadian Publishing Association,—Papers by W. H. Thurston and B. B. Noftsger.
26. Other Miscellaneous Topics to Be Presented by Members of the Convention.
Other subjects were discussed, as will appear in the Bulletin of these meetings, which will be issued in a few days.
In future numbers of the REVIEW we will endeavor to give our readers some of the most valuable papers presented on the various phases of the publishing and tract and missionary work. It was decided to issue the proceedings of the convention in pamphlet form. The most important papers, and a digest of practically all the discussions, will be published. Doubtless this report will contain between two and three hundred pages, and will be furnished to conferences, tract societies, and individuals at ten cents a copy, net.
The Bulletin will cost considerably more than this, but the General Conference has generously undertaken to act as publishers, and contribute the remainder of the expense for the benefit of thousands of our people who will wish to enjoy some of the good things we have here received. Orders should be sent to any of our publishing houses or State tract societies.
With all our hearts we thank God for the privileges of this convention. It has been pronounced by all present as the most successful publishers' meeting we have ever held. The interest and enthusiasm were beyond description. The attendance was large at all the meetings, and the interest was well sustained till the close. The interest taken in this meeting, and the fact that such a large number of representative men joined in the close study of the various phases of our publishing work, give promise of better and more prosperous days.
May the Lord's blessing attend these representatives of our work as they go to their several fields, and may those who could not be present catch the inspiration of the hour, and all join in building up the publishing work.
E. R. PALMER, Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Dept.