p. 20 | Five Thousand Dollars

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Oct 29, 1903

Five Thousand Dollars

At the last General Conference, held at Oakland, Cal., the following resolution was passed: “That we give the Southern Union Conference our moral support and active co-operation in making an appeal to our people in America to raise a fund of ten thousand dollars to complete the equipment of the Nashville office, and to provide that office necessary working capital.” Thus far only a part of this amount has been raised. A few donations of small amounts have been received. These donations, however, have been entirely inadequate to meet the needs of the institution in providing proper machinery, although we have got along with just as little machinery as possible; yet there were some things that were absolutely necessary in order that our work might be done with as little expense as possible.

All the press work on our books requiring very close register — that is, the color work where two or more colors are printed in a single picture — has, in the past, been done by outside firms. This has been very expensive. We have now installed a new Miehle printing press, as good as there is made, so we are printing our own color work, and thus saving considerable. We had no sewing machine; hence, all our books of any size had to be sewed outside. We have paid about twice what it was worth to have this done. We have, during the past week, put a new sewing machine into our bindery, and have also installed a new wire stitcher. Another piece of machinery which has been added to our bindery is a folder, thus enabling us to fold The Southern Watchman, and also a large share of our book work, at a very great saving of time and expense over hand labor.

We are very sure that all the readers of this article will be glad to know that we have these pieces of machinery. These things have been greatly needed ever since the institution was first started, and much might have been saved if they could have been purchased at the start, but for the lack of means the matter was deferred until within the past few days. We have also been obliged to get some other things, in the way of stock for making books, etc. In this way we have incurred a debt of a little over five thousand dollars. This is only half of the amount that it was voted to raise at the last General Conference. Now, we are in pressing need of this money at the present time to meet these accounts. We have gone ahead in faith, as the Lord has told us to do, and we have confidence to believe that our people will help us in this one grand effort to put this association in a position where it can carry forward the work of the Lord economically and aggressively.

The spirit of prophecy has told us that the Lord would impress hearts to help us in this work. If any of the readers of this article feel impressed to send us help at this time, it will be most gratefully received. We have had a long, hard pull to get the institution in a condition to be self-supporting, and now that this is almost accomplished, we appeal to our people once more to help us in the final struggle. We hope that some will send us large donations, and that all will do something, according as the Lord may impress their hearts. Send all remittances to the Southern Publishing Association, 1025-27 Jefferson St., Nashville, Tenn.