The Needs of the Southern Publishing Association
By George I. Butler
In view of the fact that the attention of our people has been recently called to the Southern field by Sister White’s “Appeal to All the Churches in America,” it seems proper that those who are placed in charge of the work here by the authority of the General Conference and the votes of the delegates of the Southern Union Conference, should properly explain the present needs, so that our brethren and sisters in different parts of the country may understand where money is most needed. The wants of the cause in this field are manifold. In this union conference of nine large States, with fourteen millions of people, composed of both races, where, in comparison with other portions of the country little has been done, our churches are small, and few, and far between. Where every branch of the work needs help and encouragement, means can be properly solicited for any of these objects. Yet there is always a more pressing need for help in some directions than in others. Some agencies are of greater importance than others. And the most important of these might be in great straits for means, while others could wait a little later for assistance and not suffer so much. Such is the case in this conference. To the very best of my knowledge, the Southern Publishing Association is the one above all others just now needing financial assistance. In the nature of things, the establishment of a publishing house and its equipment for successful operation, requires more means to begin with than does a work for other purposes. The necessary outlay of means is great. In our enterprise the friends of the cause contributed means to build a comfortable office building, and that was nearly all that came in for that purpose. Then there was machinery of various kinds to purchase, involving quite a large outlay, type and material of various kinds to procure, and paper and other stock to be supplied. The cost of these things aggregated quite a sum. Then help must be hired and paid. Besides this lack of funds thoroughly to equip the office and keep a reasonable amount of stock on hand with which to print books, papers, tracts, etc., also capital with which to keep in stock the various books, etc., published by other offices, to supply the rapidly increasing trade that will center in our office, there are also some debts that have gathered since the building was erected, and one small payment not yet due on the original purchase of the property. Another feature not favorable to our prosperity that has existed since the printing work began in Nashville, has been this: owing to the lack of the means and facilities spoken of, the office could not print extensively enough to do its work with profit. Any one at all familiar with this business knows very well that the larger the editions printed, the greater the profit. For example, much of the cost of printing comes from the setting of the type, the editorial work, the proof reading, making ready for the press, etc., etc. If the edition is small, the preliminary work will not all be paid for by the price the job will bring. Whereas, if it is large, after sufficient has been run off to pay all the preliminary cost, that which is run off later is largely profit; for the cost of the press work is but a small percentage of the whole cost. Then again, the cost of firing up, the changing to and from the press, and other matters, make it impossible to do work profitably on a very small scale. Our office has had to run at a loss for the lack of capital. And our only hope of doing work profitably has been to secure additional capital, and place the work on its feet. Very few can possibly realize the great perplexities of our situation for weeks and months past. Care and anxiety have weighed heavily on the health of some of the managers. These and other difficulties brought us to the point almost of desperation, till we felt that we must appeal to those upon whom we could rely as true friends to our important Southern work; hence the trip across the continent to one whose solemn appeals for years past have been ringing in the ears of our people in behalf of the long-neglected work in this great Southern field. Our appeal was not in vain, thank God. Our hearts have been encouraged. My visits to five of the leading churches of the Pacific Coast, presenting, among other things, the wants of this field, have been rewarded, and in less than two weeks over eighteen hundred dollars was received in pledges and cash. The people are willing to help this needy field if we are only permitted to reach them. Let me say further that our experience in this Southern field is not something peculiar to this locality, nor because of any mismanagement on our part. The early history of the publishing work in Battle Creek and Oakland was precisely the same. Those of us who are old enough, remember full well how the Review office struggled against seemingly overwhelming difficulties in its day of small things. It was at first a small, poverty-stricken affair, and had not our people sacrificed far more in proportion to their means than any of18them have ever done in behalf of our Southern institution, the weak office might have gone under completely. It was precisely the same with the Signs office: had not the Review office advanced many thousand dollars as loans, and helped it in various ways; and had not the generous California believers and many others farther East lifted vigorously in its favor, it never could have reached its present high state of efficiency. We ask for assistance and tender sympathy because we are in the hardest field in America, and have great difficulties to struggle against. We have such confidence in our people that we firmly believe that they will come forward and help us when they really learn how much we need help. Some recent Testimonies have been placed in my hands by the servant of the Lord, bearing on this subject of great interest just at this juncture. I quote from one of them, as follows: “God has given our publishing houses opportunity to co-operate with him by assisting the newly established publishing house in Nashville. When a publishing plant is established in a new field, it must receive help and encouragement from the various plants already in operation, in order that it may develop into a strong, influential institution. Every new institution is to be regarded as a sister helper in the great work of proclaiming the third angel’s message. The publishing house at Nashville is now in need of several thousand dollars to establish its business on a firm basis, and to enable it to do without delay the work that is to be done in its territory. We are instructed by the Lord to call upon the long-established publishing houses to favor the Nashville publishing house as they were favored years ago when in straitened circumstances. They are to act toward the Nashville institution the same part that was acted toward them in their early history. God expects them to help their sister institution by gifts and offerings.” Truly this language is clear and pointed. None can say it is not definite and emphatic. I trust it will result in giving us who are struggling with poverty and great perplexity in our difficult field the hearty co-operation of our strong and influential sister institutions. It was once my privilege to hold the office of president of the oldest and largest of our publishing houses for about ten years. It was an era of prosperity and very large and rapid growth. It is now my duty to preside over this young, needy institution, so recently organized in this Southern field. I confidently expect to see great success and enlargement result here if we can have the full sympathy and co-operation of our strong sister institutions, and liberal contributions from our people, in this our time of need. In all young institutions there is a crisis in their progress. They must have a sufficient equipment to do business profitably. They must also secure their constituency: that is, they must develop their trade, secure their patrons, find large numbers who will desire to buy the things they have to supply, and fill the position God designed the institution to fill when he called it into existence. At Nashville we have reached this important crisis in our work. If any think we have been a little out of order in our efforts to bring our wants before the people, and should have shown greater regard to the regularly constituted agencies of the denomination, our only reply is, In the special straits and difficulties of our position, we felt that we could not sit down here to wait perhaps for a year or two, helpless and running behind, and failing to accomplish the work God has called us to do. We have sought in his fear to make every effort to break through the difficulties that have hedged us about, and see if the Lord would not help us. We are greatly encouraged already. We see light ahead. We thank God and take renewed courage. We have that implicit confidence in our devoted people and in our sister institutions to be fully convinced that they will aid us when they realize fully the difficulties of our position. Next week the readers of the REVIEW may look for an article giving the special reasons why Nashville has been selected as the important center for our great work in the South.