Future Labors by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 11, 1871

Future Labors.

By James White

At present we can form no definite plan of future labors. It is true that camp-meeting season is near, and our people in different States are trying to secure our labors at their meetings. But we can give no definite statement to any one. We should be glad to attend all the camp-meetings of the season, and, with the blessing of God, could do so as well as not, if others who have an equal interest in the cause would share the labors, sacrifices, and responsibilities, with us.

After overworking last season, we returned from camp-meeting labor, late in the season to find neither of the editors of our three periodicals at their posts. Either from sickness, or from other causes, they were from the Office. The Secretary also was absent, recovering from fever.

During the season, in addition to other arduous labors, we had sold books, taken subscriptions for our periodicals, and done other business for our Office, amounting to about $8,000. Very much of this business still remained noted on pass books, and not closed up. We needed a month, at least, to attend to home matters preparatory for winter, close up unfinished Office business, and obtain a little rest. But here were three periodicals to edit. One hundred letters, many of them requiring thought and an answer, were waiting our arrival. Instead of taking rest, we took hold of this great amount of work, and, like a man exerting himself to put out a fire in a building, we rushed from one thing to another, till failing health and discouragement led us to decide to call the General Conference in February instead of March, with the design to lay all our burdens down at the feet of the brethren, and take one year’s comparative rest.

But General Conference did not release us from one burden; but in addition to former burdens, laid upon us several new ones, such as the management of the Health Reformer, and the building of the new Office. We have been compelled to discontinue the articles in the REVIEW AND HERALD entitled, Our Faith and Hope, simply because we had not time to prepare them.

The new building, and the lots upon which we place it, will cost not far from $10,000. This sum must be raised, principally from those brethren who have not taken stock in the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association. Who will see to the raising of this amount? This will take thought, and care, and energy.

Again, there are more than $2,000 due from the subscribers of the Health Reformer. We have sent out in the April number, bills amounting to more than $1,000 to those only who have not paid up to volume five, number one. There are at least $5,000 due on the REVIEW AND HERALD, and $500 due on the Youth’s Instructor, making the sums due on our periodicals not less than $7,500. These are matters of importance. Who will look after them? We know of no man among us, at the Office, or away from it, that takes the least responsibility of this department of the work, excepting ourself, and we cannot as yet find time to properly attend to it.

And, again, we might call attention to the wants of the Health Institute. Present indications warrant the supposition that there will soon be more patients there than can be accommodated. There are a very few persons who should receive back a portion of their stock, as soon as others will take new stock. This matter needs attention. A building worth $5,000 must be put up immediately for Lecture hall, and dining room, on first floor, and rooms for patients, on second floor. There should be raised at once, $10,000 for the benefit of this worthy institution. This will require effort and energy. A good example was set at General Conference. The sum of $1,500 was raised by the comparatively few present.

Those who were guilty of bad management at the Institute, which involved losses have been separated from it, and prudent, God-fearing men and women have the charge of it under its present flourishing condition. They deserve the encouragement and co-operation of all the friends of health reform. The wrongs of unworthy persons caused a great reaction in the feelings of the friends of the Institute, and produced great discouragement. But there are no reasons why such feelings should continue. The causes of the discouragement have been removed, as far as they can be, and doubt and distrust on the part of the friends are unreasonable.

While there is so much work suffering to be done at headquarters, which is left for us to do, our friends cannot reasonably expect us to attend the camp-meetings, unless they can devise means for our release from Battle Creek.

The question may here be asked, What can be done to release Bro. and Sr. White from Battle Creek, so that they can attend our camp-meetings? We give first a general answer as follows: Let all the friends of the cause, whether they be ministers or people, act promptly, and cheerfully, and liberally, their part in the cause, and expect of us to make only our proportional part of the sacrifices, and do only our proportional part of the work. This course will free us from extra toil, and lift us above present discouragements, and give us courage to go forward and bear a free testimony.

But some may desire that we give a more particular and definite answer. For the benefit of such we give the following particulars:—

1. All of our preachers, and many of our brethren and sisters, should write short, spirited, clear, godly articles for our periodicals. Every one of our ministers should report himself as often as once in two weeks in the REVIEW. We should have each month as many as ten short articles from preachers and others for the Health Reformer. And ministers and people should remember the precious Youth’s Instructor. A proper attention to this part of the work would add greatly to the interest of our periodicals, and the general encouragement of all at the Office.

2. Each State Conference should become responsible for the payment of our periodicals circulated in its State. We can furnish to proper persons in each State a printed list of all the subscribers of the REVIEW AND HERALD, Health Reformer, and Youth’s Instructor. Traveling ministers have a good opportunity to attend to the collection of dues. The president of the New England Conference stated to us in February, that they would be responsible for all subscribers in that Conference. Will others do the same? Let each Conference collect all that should be collected, and let those be marked free that should not pay. Then the Association will discount one-fourth, and means can be raised to pay the Association three-fourths, by donations from the liberal in each Conference. And while this is being done, it can be ascertained if our periodicals are sent to unworthy persons, and discontinued to such. Also, at the same time, many new subscribers, both paying and charity subscribers, can be obtained. Shall this good work be done? We have nearly worn out our lives to build up our publishing interests. And now, at this encouraging, thriving, condition of things, if our friends excuse themselves from prompt co-operation in sustaining the publishing interest, they may expect, while we carry the burdens here, that we shall feel perfectly free in excusing ourselves from camp-meeting labor.

3. The amount of stock taken in shares of ten dollars each in the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, and donated to it, is only $30,000. This was principally taken ten years since, by the few believers at that time. Since that time, our numbers have increased at least fourfold; and but very few of those who have come to the faith during the past ten years have taken any stock in the Association. Now let these come up and bear their proportional part, and the Association’s stock will be raised to at least $100,000. Besides twenty years of the best of our lives, we have stock, and have made donations, to the amount of $500 in the Association, and propose to make the amount $600. Will our brethren, who should be equally interested in this work, take equal share in it? If they will, we can go on with the work free from embarrassments. Will our ministers take hold of this work? Will they set the example, and encourage the people to follow? If they will co-operate with us in this work, God willing, we will co-operate with them in their camp-meetings, and the general interests of the cause.

4. The amount of stock taken in the Health Reform Institute is $30,000. This is taken by a comparative few. Should all others, equally interested, take stock as the few have done, the entire amount would not be less than $100,000. We have taken stock to the amount of $1,000. When others come up to the work, and free the Institute from embarrassment, we shall offer one half of our stock for sale; for $500 would be our proportional part of at least $200,000. The directors must go on immediately and put up a building for lecture room and dining room below, and good rooms for patients and offices on the second floor, which will cost $5,000. Will our ministers in the several States take hold of this matter? And will our people everywhere bear their proportional part of the work, according to their ability? If they will, it will be a matter of great relief and encouragement to us; and they will find us ready to co-operate with them to the utmost in their local interests in the several States.

5. Should we attend any of the camp-meetings, we should be glad to work as hard there as other ministers. But we shall never add to the general oversight of the meetings, religious and business, the sale of books, and general business of periodicals, and the like. Let each camp-meeting employ suitable men for this work. It will then be an excellent opportunity for State Conference Committees to see that all subscribers in the State pay up. Will our camp-meetings take this work off our hands? Without pledges that they will, they need not ask us to meet with them in camp-meeting.

The matter is now quite fully before our people. We shall not make calculations to meet our people in any of the States in camp-meetings, unless State Conference Committees have sufficient interest in the matter, to offer cheerful co-operation. Not three years since, camp-meetings among us as a people, were an experiment. We took hold of the work, determined that they should be a success. We have labored against prejudice, coldness, indifference, slackness, and sometimes against feelings of rebellion, because we plead that all connected with the meetings should be in order and respectable. We now design to write on the subject of camp-meetings, and then leave all to form their opinion of the manner of conducting such meetings.

JAMES WHITE.