Removal of the Printing Work to Michigan, and Its Results
By J. O. Corliss
Experiences of Former Days— No. 12
Removal of the Printing Work to Michigan, and Its Results
As the course of day moves from east to west, so, in the providence of God, the center of influence in the third angel’s message was directed after the same order. The printing work, in its infancy, had no settled home, but was moved from one place to another, ranging from Maine to New York. In the meantime, friends of the truth were being raised up in what was then known as the Western country. Such men as my Father Lyon, Dan. R. Palmer, John P. Kellogg, Cyrenius Smith, and others of the same stamp in Michigan, became burdened to see the printing work removed to their State, believing that through its influence the truth would gain adherents faster in the West than in the East. Finally negotiations were opened between these brethren and Elder White (who at that time personally owned the Review and Herald printing outfit), to have the plant removed to Battle Creek. Accordingly a small one and one-half story wooden building, eighteen feet by twenty-four, was erected at the corner of Washington and West Main Streets, and to this place the printing-office was removed from Rochester, N. Y., in 1855. Up to that time the REVIEW AND HERALD had been printed by hand on a small press. Shortly after the removal to Battle Creek, new friends developed, and it was found that not only was the building where the printing was done too small, but that more rapid devices for doing the work required must be inaugurated. The situation was clearly and simply set before the readers of the REVIEW, and they were asked to contribute the means to build a new home for the paper, which was supposed to meet the demands of the times. To quickly inspire confidence in the people, Elder White, about this time, made over all his interest in the printing work to an association, so that the people might know that no private interests were being served by their contributions. The money came to hand in one-hundred-dollar donations, and a brick building in the form of a Greek cross was erected on the site of the old house, which was moved to the back end of the lot, to be used as a storeroom. This building was begun in 1860 and finished in 1861. It was soon found necessary to add a power-press to the appliances, and again the people were appealed to for one-hundred-dollar donations, which soon came in to insure the purchase of an Adams press. But no press was installed until the means were forthcoming with which to make it the absolute property of the association. But even with these rapid improvements, how slowly the work was turned out! All the papers and pamphlets were folded and stitched by hand, after which they were trimmed on an improvised affair having a long wooden lever, which was worked by hand. The writer well remembers the weariness he often endured after working this lever continuously for a day. But this was all changed long before the fire which destroyed the Battle Creek plant. The buildings had been enlarged until it became quite a journey to make the circuit of all the rooms, and most forms of modern machinery were there, with which to expedite work. It was indeed a ponderous affair. So long, in fact, had it stood, and enlarged its borders, that some might well have had it in mind that, like the cherished opinion of the ancient Jews concerning Jerusalem, it must stand until the end of the world. But God sees things from a different point of view than man. Long years ago word was given this people that before the end the message would return to the East, whence it started, and carry great power with it. The influence of the publishing work in the West had done a noble work, by spreading the printed truth throughout its borders. This, then, was the time for the message to return to the East, and how could it be done more fully than by locating the publishing work in its most important city, the capital of the nation?