The Review Office by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 6, 1903

The Review Office

By Uriah Smith

In the shadow of a great calamity, we are of good courage. We have no disposition to draw back in the face of untoward circumstances. Fire has wiped from the face of the earth the visible symbol of what has long been regarded as an object of love and veneration. But God lives, and his truth endures. The original office building erected on the removal of the work to Battle Creek in 1855, still stands. The publication of The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald was begun by Elder James White at Paris, Me., in 1850. In August, 1851, the office was established at Saratoga Springs, N. Y. Seven months later it was removed to Rochester, N. Y., and in 1855 to Battle Creek, Mich. The first issue from Battle Creek was dated Dec. 4, 1855. In May, 1861, the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association was incorporated. In the summer of 1857 an Adams press was procured, also a steam engine to furnish power. The association immediately erected a new brick office building two stories in height. In 1871 a second building was erected, and in 1873 a third building was added. In 1878 the first and third buildings were united by a large four-story building, with two three-story wings. In the year 1881 a large press room was added to the right and rear, increasing the floor space to forty thousand square feet.

All this space was equipped with first-class machinery for printing, folding, book-binding, electrotyping, stereotyping, photographing, photo-engraving, mailing, shipping, etc., to which equipment had recently been added three typesetting machines. The machinery was most modern in all its branches. This is the building which has gone down before the flames. It was the expensive and delicate machinery which helped to swell the aggregate loss to a large amount. Against this there was only one hundred thousand dollars' insurance. But the promises of the Lord are sure. He has promised to go with us, even to the end of the world. The strength of the cause is the love for his appearing, which we bear, and our willingness to respond to any demands which his providence may lay upon us.

U. S.