Smuggling Bibles by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 31, 1871

Smuggling Bibles.

By James White

Smuggling Bibles from Canada can hardly be reconciled with the words of the apostle, “Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom.” Rom. 13:7. For such acts as receiving Bibles from Canada fraudulently without paying the duties on them, the law of our country imposes a fine of confiscation, imprisonment, and $1000. If received by mail, however innocently, the very least the law knows in the matter is confiscation of the Bibles, or the American value of them.

We design to keep at the Office a large assortment of American Bibles. These can be afforded at low prices. We shall also keep an assortment of English Bibles, which we shall sell at reasonable prices to those who can afford to purchase them. And we invite all our preachers to give the Association the benefits of such sales. J. W.