p. 188, para. 3 | HOME AGAIN by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 13, 1878

HOME AGAIN.

By James White

In company with Bro. Gillett, formerly from Monroe, Wis., we left Oakland, Cal., May 31, and arrived at Battle Creek, June 5. Mrs. White will attend the Oregon camp-meeting, and will probably join us at the General Conference the 1st of September. We think the climate of California is not good for either of us. We think it not good for any who are disposed to consumption or heart disease. We have never urged our people to remove to that distant State, only men of means who could be of service to the cause in Oakland. The poorer brethren are much better off in the Eastern States than they can be in California.

The Pacific Press is in a most prosperous condition. It has succeeded beyond our most sanguine expectations. The circulation of the SIGNS is nearly double the circulation of the REVIEW. On returning home to Battle Creek we find that the three Office buildings are crowded with Printing, Binding, and Electrotyping machinery and a hundred active workers. For the three months of March, April, and May it has been necessary to run five of our presses day and night.

The experience of the last three years, which had clearly demonstrated that it was impossible with our then limited facilities to furnish the Tract Societies with Annuals, Premiums, and tracts promptly and on time for each winter campaign, forced us to purchase a complete bindery, two cylinder presses, and to establish complete Electrotyping and Stereotyping foundries at an expense of about $10,000. These were bought none too soon as they have been worked to their utmost capacity since the day they were set up. The Michigan publishing house is a strong institution. The increase of capital has been rapid; but when we take into account the fact that it has expended over $10,000 during the last year for machines necessary to publish tracts and premiums which are furnished at a trifle above cost, and the fact that our tract societies owe the Office for over thirteen thousand dollars’ worth of books, and that this, with what the College still owes, has forced us to hire and pay interest on a large amount, leads us to take this earliest opportunity to correct the impression that may have arisen from our statements relative to the strength of the REVIEW Office, that it no longer needs the especial support of our brethren.

We regret to find the tract societies so heavily in debt. Each tract society should immediately raise funds to pay for all the books it has on hand, and not leave the offices to carry the tract societies. We beat the world in furnishing our publications cheaply. Tracts especially are furnished at marvelously low prices to encourage the tract work, and we appeal to the officers of all the tract societies to reciprocate this liberality by the soon payment of about $13,000 which they owe these offices. This will stop the interest which they are to-day paying.

From J. H. Kellogg, M. D., and W. C. White, we learn the facts as to the condition of the Sanitarium. We are surprised at the prosperity of the institution. The building is completed and completely furnished. It has capacity sufficient to treat three hundred patients. There are one hundred and twenty here to-day. The reputation of this institution is such abroad, and especially in this city and State, and the people have such confidence in the integrity of S. D. Adventists, that three hundred can be gathered here as well as one hundred. Those who have reflected upon the general management of the Sanitarium have done the managers great injustice.

We do not ask our people to take shares in the stock of the institution, but we appeal to them to give us their confidence, their influence, and their prayers. Dear brethren, there are many of you who should be reducing your property, and freeing yourselves from unnecessary burdens and cares; but we do not at this time ask you to reduce the principal. We appeal! to you to help the work in Battle Creek at this time, by loaning to the REVIEW Office and the Sanitarium the sum of $30,000, without interest, and receive their notes to be paid at times to suit yourselves. This you can do without reducing your property one dollar.

Here we call your attention to one remarkable fact, that while our brethren and sisters who have had means to put out to interest have lost not less than $100,000 during the last five years in bad notes and in rotten savings’ banks, you who have deposited your money at Battle Creek during the last twenty-nine years have not lost one dollar of it. The notes of either of these institutions are better to-day than those of any bank in the United States. These institutions are founded upon the moral integrity of twenty thousand Christian men and women, whose religious basis is founded on the rock—God’s great moral code, the ten commandments. We ask you in the name of the Author of the last great message of mercy, and in view of the coming Judgment, to come to our help just now.

Last evening we received a letter from a brother in Minnesota, who is in feeble health, inclosing a draft for $300.00, which he wishes deposited at the REVIEW Office, without interest, in such a manner that should he be taken away it shall remain a donation to this Office. There are scores of others among our people who should do likewise.

We are completely disgusted with wills to religious societies, when we consider the manner in which they are usually managed. The brother or sister makes his or her will, their property to be used in the cause after the testator’s decease. They then sit down and fold their arms in the delusive belief that they have helped the cause, while in ninety cases in one hundred these very persons will most certainly outlive the wants of the cause. We do not object to people’s making wills, but in all such cases let them be their own administrator while they live, and faithfully use the means God has given them while they can attend to it themselves. Up to this date, not more than ten per cent of that which has been willed to the cause has been received. About one-half has been spent in law, and the remainder, except a tithe, has been swept from our hands because of the illegality of the wills.

And again, the wills made to the Publishing Association or the Sanitarium would stand a comparatively poor chance in the courts. These are supposed to be self-sustaining, but wills made to our College would be looked upon with favor. Colleges are never self-sustaining. All such institutions of learning are expected to receive donations and large legacies. But again let me now say to those who have means they wish to put in the cause of God, to attend to this important work promptly, that while they live they may have the satisfaction of seeing the good accomplished by a faithful discharge of their duty. J. W.