p. 17 | First Annual Meeting of the International Publishing Association

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Nov 3, 1904

First Annual Meeting of the International Publishing Association

By E. T. Russell; A. Swedberg

This meeting convened, according to appointment, in the Seventh-day Adventist Tabernacle in College View, Neb., at 10:30 A. M., Sept. 13, 1904. Elder E. T. Russell presided during the eleven sessions that were held.

The members of the General Conference Committee and the General Publishing Committee were invited to meet with us and to participate in the deliberations of the meeting. During the sessions a majority of these members, as well as the board of trustees and most of the members of the advisory committee of the International Publishing Association, were present, and took part in the business transacted.

At the second session Elder Russell read a memorial, in which he presented the condition and circumstances of the International Publishing Association, and outlined some suggestions regarding future policy. From this memorial it appeared that only $2,870 had been received from the general collection on Feb. 6, 1904, instead of $6,000, which was called for. On account of this, the institution had been financially embarrassed, and had not been able to do as aggressive work as it had been expected to do. The Board had followed a conservative policy, not wishing to involve the institution any more than was absolutely necessary to carry on the work that had to be done. The chairman expressed the belief that the International Publishing Association should be regarded as a sister institution of the other publishing houses, and be granted a definitely outlined territory for the sale of its own foreign subscription books as well as English books. If such a plan could be brought about, the institution would be assured of a steady revenue of a sufficient proportion to insure financial success. This suggestion did not, however, meet with favor, as may be seen by the resolutions that were adopted.

The following committees were appointed: On plans, H. H. Hall, S. N. Curtiss, C. M. Everest, S. Mortenson, W. C. White, J. Staby; on nominations, W. C. White, G. F. Haffner, Allen Moon, Lewis Johnson, J. J. Graf; on by-laws, I. H. Evans, H. W. Cottrell, C. N. Woodward, N. P. Nelson, and E. T. Russell.

The committee on plans brought in some resolutions, which after considerable discussion and one substitution, were adopted in the following form:—

“Resolved, That we approve the action of the board of trustees of the International Publishing Association in buying and fitting up the premises now occupied by this house.

“Resolved, That we approve of the efforts to issue new tracts and a portion of ‘Testimonies for the Church,’ Vol. VIII, in pamphlet form, in the German and Scandinavian languages.

“Whereas, In an effort to secure control of the German and Scandinavian book business throughout the United States, the entire stock of foreign books at the Review and Herald, in Battle Creek, together with the plates for the same, exclusive of the publications of Mrs. E. G. White, has been purchased by this association for twelve thousand dollars, and negotiations have been pending for the purchase of the stock of Mrs. White’s books, published by the Review and Herald, to the amount of about five thousand dollars, and,—

“Whereas, The difficulties of handling the subscription-book business by this association are considerable, and the necessary capital required is large,—

“Resolved, That we recommend that the regularly equipped publishing houses of the denomination receive with favor a proposition from the International Publishing Association to turn over its stock of books and plates bought of the Review and Herald Publishing Co., except such tracts, pamphlets, and trade books as the International Publishing Association may wish to keep in stock; and that the publishing house purchasing the stock assume the indebtedness now held against the stock, after deducting the value of sales since its purchase, also the amount of stock retained, at wholesale rates.

“Resolved, That the Review and Herald, the Pacific Press Publishing Co., the Southern Publishing Association, and our European publishing houses be requested to join us in an earnest effort to dispose, during the coming missionary campaign, of a large portion of the foreign books now on hand.

“Resolved, That a careful study be given to the various publications issued in Europe, and that, where consistent, such publications be imported instead of being printed in this country.

“Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed annually by this body to suggest translations, revisions, publication, and retirement of foreign literature.

“Resolved, That we issue in November four special numbers of our German, Swedish, and Danish-Norwegian papers, to contain similar matter, and to be used simultaneously with and upon the same general plan as is proposed for the four special numbers of The Signs of the Times.

“Resolved, That we recommend the publication of a series of religious liberty tracts, similar to those being brought out in the English language in Washington, in the German, Swedish, and Danish-Norwegian languages.”

The committee on by-laws drew up some articles which, after some suggestions and changes, were adopted in the following form:—

ARTICLE I—NAME

“The name of this corporation is, ‘International Publishing Association.’ The religious body with which this corporation is connected is:—

“(a) Denomination — Seventh-day Adventists.

“(b) Religious body — The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, an unincorporated body.”

ARTICLE II—LOCATION

“The principal office of this corporation is located at College View, Neb.”

ARTICLE III—OBJECT

“The particular objects for which this corporation is formed are as follows; namely, to print, publish, and circulate literature in all languages deemed advisable by the Board of Trustees; to secure and hold copyrights of periodicals, tracts, pamphlets, and books; to disseminate by all legitimate agencies whatsoever religious knowledge and instruction; to receive gifts, legacies, and donations from every source whatsoever; to make gifts and appropriations from any and all of its resources from time to time to carry out the objects specified above.”

ARTICLE IV—MEMBERSHIP

“SECTION 1.—The membership of this corporation shall consist of the following persons; namely, The executive committee of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the executive committee of the Central Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the executive committee of the Northern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the executive committee of the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the board of trustees of the International Publishing Association, the seventeen counselors of the International Publishing Association, and the editors of the foreign periodicals published by the International Publishing Association.

“SEC. 2.—A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of not less than twenty persons.”

ARTICLE V—TRUSTEES

“SEC. 1.—The members of this corporation shall elect annually seven trustees for this corporation, who shall hold their office until their successors are duly elected, and appear to enter upon their duties.

“SEC. 2.—The trustees shall have the ordering of all affairs of this corporation, the management and disposal of all its property as hereinafter specified, and the execution of all trusts confided to it.

“SEC. 3.—A quorum to do business shall consist of not less than four trustees.

“SEC. 4.—The trustees shall elect annually a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The President and Vice-President shall be members of the Board of Trustees. The Secretary and Treasurer may or may not be members of the Board of Trustees.

“SEC. 5.—The Board of Trustees shall elect a competent auditor who shall audit the books of this corporation, and submit an itemized report to the members of the corporation annually, or at such times as may be required by the Board.

“SEC. 6.—The trustees shall have power to fill any vacancy occurring in their membership.”

ARTICLE VI—FUNDS

“SEC. 1.—The trustees of this association are hereby instructed to annually pay a tithe of their net earnings to the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

“SEC. 2.—All assets and earnings of this corporation shall be held for the

furthering of the objects of this corporation, and any amount of its earnings and profits from any source may be appropriated to the work of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists by a majority vote at any regular meeting of its members.”

ARTICLE VII

“The duties of the officers of this corporation shall be such as usually pertain to their respective offices.”

ARTICLE VIII — SEAL

“The Board of Trustees shall provide a seal the ordinary size, and inscribed as follows: The “International Publishing Association,” the same to describe an outer circle enclosing the word “seal” and the word “incorporated.”

ARTICLE IX — MEETINGS

“SEC. 1.—Every regular or special meeting of the members of this corporation shall be called by a notice published three times successively previous to the time of the meeting, in THE ADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD, a weekly paper published in Washington, D. C.

“SEC. 2.—The trustees are always in session, no adjournment ever taking place, and may hold meetings at any time a quorum is present.

“SEC. 3.—When not otherwise especially provided, all votes of the members of this corporation for the election of trustees, or for the deciding of other questions, shall be taken viva voce.

“SEC. 4.—Each voter, whether member or trustee, shall have one vote, and only one, on any question.”

ARTICLE X — AMENDMENTS

“These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members of the corporation present at any regular meeting of said members, when the proposed amendment does not conflict with the articles of incorporation of this association. When it is proposed to change the By-Laws at any special meeting of the members of the corporation, notice shall be given to this effect in the call for the meeting, and the nature of the proposed amendment shall be stated.”

The committee on nominations presented the following report, which was adopted by considering each item separately:—

Trustees: E. T. Russell, A. T. Robinson, J. J. Graf, A. Swedberg, Lewis Johnson, D. R. Callahan, G. A. Grauer.

Counselors: T. Valentiner, L. A. Hoopes, S. F. Svensson, S. Mortenson, James Cochran, G. F. Haffner, C. J. Hermann, P. E. Berthelsen, N. P. Nelson, Henry Shultz, C. A. Thorpe, R. A. Underwood, H. R. Johnson, L. F. Starr, J. C. Christian, C. M. Everest, R. C. Porter.

During the last meeting, the following resolution, introduced by Elder Henry Shultz at a previous meeting, was discussed and carried:—

“Whereas, The papers published by the International Publishing Association are missionary papers, and are used for missionary purposes in every part of the world where those languages are spoken, and as there is a deficit on these papers from Dec. 31, 1903, to the present time, therefore,—

“We recommend, That the General Conference, the Lake Union Conference, and the Central Union Conference share equally in making up the deficit, and in the future pay one half of the wages of the three editors, until such time as the papers in question shall become self-supporting.”

This recommendation was subsequently approved by the General Conference Council, with the exception of the part pertaining to the wages of the three editors, which was struck out.

At a subsequent meeting of the new board of directors, the proposition tendered by the Pacific Press Publishing Co. to take over all our stock of foreign subscription books was considered and accepted. By this step our foreign publishing house in College View will confine its operations in the future to the publication and sale of tracts, pamphlets, and trade books, and to the issue and circulation of its periodicals in the Swedish, Danish-Norwegian, and German languages. The new board hopes to be able to put this work upon such a basis that the institution may be run to its full capacity and be made self-supporting.

From the financial statement of the institution we glean the following items:—

ASSETS Building and lots ............ $2,779 06 Personal accounts receivable .. 2,198 43 Cash on hand ................. 144 13 Merchandise on hand .......... 11,409 11 Furniture and fixtures ....... 876 48 Fuel on hand ................. 20 00 Insurance (unexpired) ........ 93 06 Type and press department .... 6,239 39 Library ...................... 114 77 Stationary ................... 25 00 Paper on hand ................ 100 00 Total ......................... $23,999 43

LIABILITIES Personal accounts payable .... $1,748 44 Bills payable ............... 12,500 00 Various trust funds ......... 2,408 84 Overdrawn on treasurer ...... 194 76 Loan from Cent. Union Conf. . 200 00 Unexpired subscriptions on papers ........ 1,115 00 Present worth ............... 5,832 39 Total ......................... $23,999 43

E. T. RUSSELL, Chairman, A. SWEDBERG, Secretary.