ORGANIZATION by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 19, 1861

ORGANIZATION.

By James White

As we are speedily approaching the time for effecting an organization for publishing our

papers and books, and as some may still have doubts about the propriety of the action, I wish to say a few words through the REVIEW. A remark recently made to me by a man from one of the Eastern States I shall make the immediate foundation of this article.

This person asked me how the REVIEW Office was held, and by whom owned. I explained to him the circumstances. He appeared to be pleased to get correct information, and said that a man in the State of New York told him that Eld. White was a designing man; that he had induced the friends of the cause to contribute funds to establish the Office, they supposing that it belonged to the church; but it now turned out that he owned it all.

However averse we may feel in general to make an individual the subject of remarks, there are times and circumstances when such feelings must be put away, and the truth itself must be vindicated in the persons of its adversaries. I wish to refer to some facts in the past.

Alone and unassisted, Bro. White commenced the publication of present truth. "Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 2," which every one should read, will give some idea of his trials and labors. After the establishment of the Office at Rochester, Bro. White, as publisher, editor and preacher, was engaged in editing the paper, purchasing materials, overseeing the publishing and printing, stitching and folding, &c., answering correspondence, giving advice, writing books, besides which he was expected to attend all the conferences and important meetings, and was sometimes strongly censured for failing to attend them where a failure was unavoidable. While thus laboring on with scanty means and falling health, dissatisfaction arose. Some who had been for years benefited by his labors, but who had borne no burdens themselves, and therefore could not appreciate the trials of others, began to raise the cry that the cause could not prosper—too much power was placed in the hands of Bro. White! This, of course, was trying to Bro. W., and to all the true friends of the cause, who plainly saw that one power he did not possess to a sufficient degree to bear up under his complicated labors, to wit: "the power of endurance." Under this spirit of jealousy the "Messenger" was started; and as Bro. W. had long borne too many burdens, that was deemed a fit time to throw them off, and at once relieve himself, and save from a trial of mind those who were like to be deceived by the murmurings and misrepresentations of the Messenger and its friends. Accordingly, he resigned the office of editor, placed the materials fully in the hands of the church, and transferred the books he had published to the charge of a committee at a very low rate.

The conference appointed a Publishing Committee to take charge of the business, who hired Bro. White, at a merely nominal price, to transact the business for them.

The Messenger having accomplished its work, and drawn away the crooked and rebellious spirits out of the church, God's servants took hold of the work with renewed zeal and energy, and the cause prospered for a season even beyond the most sanguine anticipations of its friends. The publishing facilities needed to be increased, and it was decided to obtain a power press. Bro. White, as the agent for the committee, solicited and received contributions and purchased a press, engine, &c. It soon became evident that the Office building was insufficient for publishing purposes, and this gave rise to a question as to the title of real estate. If the Office was removed, a new site must be purchased, but if it was not removed, the present location must be purchased from the individuals owning it before the necessary alterations could be made. It was then seen that the conference committee could not obtain any legal title as they were not a body recognized by the law; again the question arose as to the ownership of the office materials, and it was found that the committee were equally incompetent to hold gifts or donations, and that the title was really vested in Bro. White who had received the contributions. This was as much a matter of astonishment to him as to any one else, and as he had seen the use that the enemy had made of his position in 1855, he did not feel willing to go forward and increase the property of the church unless the church was competent to hold it. In other words, he refused to do what the enemies of the cause are accusing him of doing!

Although he has passed through some trying scenes, they have not so blunted his sensibilities (as some appear to think) but what he can feel the force of malicious accusations and insinuations. Any and all who will take this home to themselves will see that no one can act free where their actions are so very liable to be misunderstood and misrepresented.

Bro. White has occupied a place where great responsibilities have necessarily rested on him; this fact has been viewed in a wrong light by many of his true sympathizing friends. They say the Lord has called him to occupy such a place, and we are satisfied to trust him in that position. But I now think we should make a different use of the fact. Allowing that the Lord has placed Bro. W. in his position, does he not require that he shall be free in that position? Surely, it is not a sufficient reason for binding unnecessary burdens on a man, that he is called of God to do his work. The messenger of the church who goes forth to proclaim the present truth, desires to be as free as his circumstances will possibly permit, and we consider that person no friend of the cause of God who will needlessly add to his burdens. There are greater responsibilities and heavier burdens necessarily attaching to Bro. W.'s position than to that of any other laborer in the message, and of course there is a proportional necessity of his mind being free from perplexities and embarrassments that do not legitimately belong to his position, or to his calling.

Although there has been an aversion to changing the order of things pertaining to the publishing department, it would be well to bear in mind that the present state has not been sanctioned by the church. The very act of the conference in appointing a Publishing Committee, and the endorsement of that action by subsequent conferences, shows that the body did not contemplate having Bro. White bear the burden and responsibility that he has borne; and he only demurred when he found that the Committee were legally incompetent to perform the duties for which they were appointed, and that he was in fact sustaining a position that he repudiated in 1855, and that the conference of that year had not the remotest idea of placing him in. All this considered, with the further fact that the late position of the Office gives occasion to the enemy to cast blame and reproach upon the most tried friend of the cause, will justify the course of the late conference in taking steps for the organization of the Publishing Association.

Late information from Lansing gives us to understand that a bill has passed into a law, under which we can organize. We shall soon be made acquainted with its provisions, and the friends of the cause, who stand waiting to aid by becoming members of the association, will have an opportunity of joining us in the work. We hope that prejudice will be laid entirely aside, and reason and love of the cause control the action of every one. J. H. W.