Printing in Australia by Stephen Nelson Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 11, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 10.

Printing in Australia.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

It will be interesting to our friends in America to learn some particulars respecting our printing work, and how we are getting along. We have the privilege of sending by this mail the second number of the Bible Echo, which is printed on our own press, the work being done in our own office. There are many reasons which might be given why we selected Melbourne as the place to locate our publishing work, although on many articles prices are higher here than in some country towns. If our work was to be local, or if we had twenty-five years or more in which to warn the world, then a country place would have been better. But there is no other place in all the Colonies that has the influence everywhere that this place has. Melbourne is to Australasia what London is to the United Kingdom. It would have been as well, if not better, to use papers published in America for general work, as to have printed a paper in any country town in Australia; for an American paper would have more influence in this city than one published outside of this place.

Then all commercial interests center here. This city and Sydney are large shipping centers. Had we gone to some country place, we should have had to ship to Melbourne, and then from Melbourne, not only incurring the extra expense of reshipping, but making it necessary to have some one here. All our goods received from America would have to pass the customs if we were not located here, which would be very inconvenient as well as expensive. At the beginning of the Saviour's ministry, he moved from the quiet town of Nazareth to Capernaum, which was a Roman community, and where was the junction of the roads of commercial trade from Damascus, the commercial center of Syria, Tyre and Sidon, the commercial headquarters of the sea, and Egypt and Arabia, by the way of Jerusalem. From this point the news of his work would be carried to all parts of the known world. These are some of the principal reasons why we considered it expedient to locate here.

In some respects this country is independent, and isolated from all other portions of the world, and no paper published in America or England would answer for the cause here as well as one published here. As far as the paper itself was concerned, a good influence ever went with the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The paper was well liked; but home production is the pride of this country, and the inquiry was continually raised, "Why do you not publish it here?" There was a continual call for this, even among those who were not in sympathy with our views, but felt to encourage our work. Then it was the only way we could get before the public, except by preaching in the tent in the summer. In short, it would more than treble our strength and usefulness to publish the paper here; for while it would give us standing in this community, it would also have an influence in all parts of the Colonies and show the progress of our work.

At first we thought that we would only publish a four-page sheet, and use that with the SIGNS; but the expense would be much greater in proportion than that of printing a sixteen-page monthly if we had our own printing outfit. Another consideration was, paper is cheaper in this country than in America, and we would have the advantage of doing some job work, which gives good returns here, as labor is high. We could also do our own advertising, and this is considerable. It costs more to hire printing done here than in America. When we commenced the tent-meetings, we wanted to advertise much more than we had previously done, and it would be a great saving of expense, could we do this ourselves. Accordingly, we at first purchased type sufficient to set a four-page sheet, and do our own work; and we continued to purchase what was needed until at the present time we have an outfit, including a gas engine, a large and a small press, stitching machine, paper cutter, etc., etc., the entire cost amounting to about $3,500. The cost of running the engine is about four cents an hour. The prices of everything except the large press are about the same as in America; this is much cheaper. A press that would cost in America $2,000 or more, cost us about $1,250. At the present time everything is in good running order, although we have not paid for the large press and the engine,—about $2,000. If some of our wealthier brethren felt it a privilege to give $1,000 each for this purpose, it would be means well laid out.

We feel that in some of these things God has favored us in moving on hearts to help us. Men of influence not of our faith have manifested a sympathy in our work. One man said that our efforts should be seconded in this city. He had helped the Salvation Army in their work, and he thought that our work was more worthy; so he would give us £10 ($50), and set our press for us, which would be £5 ($30) more. He proposed to introduce us to some other men, who, he was sure, would do as much. Finally, after thinking it over a moment, he said that he would see these men himself, as he was acquainted with them, and see what he could do for us. What the result will be we cannot tell.

We feel that God is in this work, that he has gone before us, and that we shall see of his salvation as we have not yet seen it in the Third Angel's Message. If God was in the starting of this message, and we move in his fear, he will open the way before us. To his name be all the praise. Those who do not, in a time like this, come to the front and help in the cause of truth with their means and their influence, will find in a short time that they have made a fatal mistake. God is not dependent on any one man or class of men in his cause. From Europe, America, and distant Australia, by his Spirit and by his providence the word is, "Go forward." Oh, for a spirit to hear and understand the voice of God, and a heart to respond, and to move toward the heavenly Canaan!

S. N. H.