p. 76 | Our Publishing House by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Mar 6, 1879

Our Publishing House.

By Editor

In less than four weeks from the date of this paper the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association will be held. Blank certificates of proxy have been sent from the Office to the stockholders; and we hope that every one who cannot come to the meeting will sign a certificate, date it, and have it certified by some officer of the church. Do not neglect either of these points. Fill the blanks as they are made out, and they will be all right. But we request all to come who possibly can, as this will be an important meeting, and we greatly desire the presence of the body of the stockholders of the Association. We are happy to state that we anticipate a satisfactory showing of progress since our acquaintance with the office, about three and one-half months ago. For a season we were most sorely pressed for means to meet urgent demands. Though sometimes placed under discouraging circumstances, the Lord has favored us and brought us safely through thus far. We give Him the praise, for we felt our inability to press through the darkness which seemed to gather round our institution, and we did not cease to cry unto Him for help. We have been compelled to borrow $4,000; but over against this we have paid bills to eastern Houses, $5,058.86; freight on paper, books, and machinery, $1,250; taxes, $700; bills at home $2,000; making a total of $9,008.86. This was all outside of current running expenses. We have received on stock, or pledges, only $2,000.

We have some bills standing against us which ought to be paid soon. While we do not look distrustfully on the future, we hope that those who have pledges standing for stock will see the necessity of paying them to relieve us of all possibility of embarrassment. Some of these pledges are overdue; all are due on the first of next month. A little effort on the part of those who have made these pledges will be of great benefit to the cause at this time.

The establishing of a type foundry at this Office was of the nature of an experiment, and to some, and especially sometimes, seemed to be a hazardous one. We must confess that we sometimes indulged fears of this kind, but they are all passing away. This is a business in which our people had no experience; of which they had not even any personal knowledge. They were compelled to take entirely upon trust those who recommended themselves as being able to set up and carry on such a business. While the first one employed was found to be a capable workman in some branches, we found him incapable in others; consequently there was very little progress made, up to about two months ago. But we did not suffer as much from a want of capability on his part, as from a lack of principle. Here our establishment sustained the greatest injury. When certain facts came to our knowledge we called in the Directors, who took prompt steps to relieve the Office of such a dangerous burden.

We mention this unpleasant feature in our experience for the benefit of those who cannot personally know the difficulties which have beset our way. We would that this were all. Our most trying perplexities have come from that class of friends who always have a burden of murmuring and fault-finding, and who meet our most strenuous efforts with distrust and complaints. Some of the complaints against our action have taken such tangible shape that we shall present them to the meeting of the Association for its consideration.

Section 2 of Article 3 of the by-laws of the Association says: "The appointment and the duties of the committee on publication, also of all editors in the employ of the Association, shall be by the advice of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists." As neither of the editors elected were or could be in Oakland this year, the General Conference, at its last annual meeting, voted a request that we act as editor till the next meeting of the Conference. It was also there decided that Brother J. E. White accompany us to this coast to act a part in connection with those who were bearing, and were to bear, responsibilities in the work here. We did not accept this trust without many misgivings and apprehensions. The trials and discouragements to which we have referred proved that our apprehensions were not without cause. The Office was in a precarious condition. The cause, in part, of the existing state of things, was fully indicated to us, which was a lack of united effort, and of counseling together by those who were in the work. Under definite instructions, we came; we have followed these instructions most strictly, and the result has more than met our most sanguine anticipations. We have tried to move slowly and carefully in important matters, especially in effecting changes, earnestly asking the Lord to guide us, and he has blessed us at every step.

At the time of our coming no one of our people was learning anything pertaining to the business of the foundry. Nor was there any opportunity for them to learn. But we are happy to state that we have now skilled workmen who manifest no disposition to claim a patent on useful knowledge, but show a cheerful disposition to impart instruction to those with whom they are connected. We have four young men, of whom Oregon has furnished three, who are receiving instruction in machinery, type casting, finishing, and stereotyping. We expect that another year will show more largely than the present, the benefits of changes which have been made. We do not consider that our work is accomplished—it is but fairly begun. Our aim is toward a higher standard of workmanship in all that pertains to this cause at this important post.

Some mistakes were to be expected. Some have been made which we deeply regretted. But even these mistakes we can turn to account. By them we were compelled to give that personal attention to the work which has afforded us an insight to the business so that we could hardly again be placed so completely at the mercy of a designing man.

We shall invite the Directors and Stockholders to carefully examine all our actions, and the condition of the whole establishment. And we feel assured, that when they have made such examination, they will not only extend their confidence to this Office, but assist in checking those who throw obstacles in our way.

We are looking forward to, and working for, the time when the SIGNS OF THE TIMES will have to be supported by its own efforts, and the patronage of the Pacific Coast. When that time comes, if not before, we believe that our efforts to equip the foundry with first-class machinery, and to train up devoted young men with skill to handle it, will be appreciated by all the true friends of the cause.

Again we invite all the stockholders to come to the annual meeting, a notice of which will be found in this paper.