p. 4 | The Association by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 2, 1863

The Association.

By Editor

Two weeks since we gave the amount of shares and donations from each State, &c., raised for the S. D. A. P. Association, since its organization in May, 1861. The Catalogue was not then fully completed, and a final, careful summing up revealed mistakes in our report. The matter stands thus:

State	Amount
Maine,	$300,00
New Hampshire,	95,95
Vermont,	815,25
Massachusetts,	182,00
Rhode Island,	10,00
Connecticut,	44,00
New York,	1842,86
Pennsylvania,	10,00
Ohio,	468,20
Indiana,	352,90
Michigan,	5461,04
Illinois,	508,66
Wisconsin,	794,64
Iowa,	452,46
Minnesota,	45,00
Canadas East and West,	90,00
Elsewhere,	54,65
Total,	$11486,55

It is worthy of notice that those nearest the Office and who know best how things go, are the most liberal. For instance, Michigan raises nearly half the entire sum, and Battle Creek Church alone the sum of $1805,10, which is more than several of the distant States.

Organization has saved the cause. Secession among us is dead. Those States which have suffered most from it, show its influence in their figures. Six years since, Ohio was stronger in numbers and means than Michigan, and New York had four-fold the strength of Michigan. Pennsylvania was then a promising field, and had a cloud of witnesses for the truth, but it takes only $10 stock in the Association, and that one share was imported from Illinois by Bro. Lindsay when he changed States. New England has done well considering its numbers, lack of efficient preachers, and the influence against organization there. The cause in Wisconsin is saved from ruin, and is rising. Eld. Isaac Sanborn is a practical man, and God has helped him to build up faster than others could tear down. The figures from that State show that the cause has friends in Wisconsin. There are also some true friends in Iowa, who have not been carried away by the spirit of secesh, or destroyed by the injudicious course of preachers. Others, in other localities, have done nobly.

But what has been done for the Association has been accomplished by a few hundred persons, while as many thousands should have taken part. If the Battle Creek church can raise more than $1800, Pennsylvania can certainly raise $500, Ohio 1500, New York $5000, New England $3000, Michigan 15000, Wisconsin 4000, Illinois 2000, Iowa $3000, and so on.

The figures given from the Catalogue of shares and donations do not fairly represent the friends of the cause in a large portion of the field, and we propose another trial. The state of things has improved since the call for means for the Association. If the present state of things had then existed, you would now see figures widely differing from those presented. You would not see one church of poor mechanics doing more than a multitude of Sabbath-keepers in two rich farming States. We are not pleased with the appearance of our present Catalogue, and promise another whose figures shall do justice to all interested, as soon as equality can be established in another trial to raise funds.

The present is a most favorable time for a fair trial. Money is plenty, and many have been suffering for fear that it would rot on their hands. What the farmer has to sell brings money at high prices. If he wishes to sell lands which are only a burden to him, for which he has no use only to consume ready cash in paying taxes, the present is probably the best time to sell.

There are demands against the Association of about $2000, but the persons holding them do not want the money. And it is also true that we are putting seven tons of paper in the cellar, for which the Association is able to pay cash. But the demand for publications makes it necessary to keep the steam-press running, requiring more capital. And then, General Conference recommends to the Association the publication of the Prophetic and the Ten Commandment Charts. The publication of these alone would require about $2000 ready cash. If the money be raised for the Association, a splendid lithographed copy can be sold for a little more than one dollar. And probably no individual can be found to engage in the enterprise who would feel safe to sell less than double the Association price. We shall leave for the East in about six weeks. Shall we have the money to publish the Charts, and carry out the wishes of General Conference?

Our success as a people depends upon the concentration of our forces under a proper system. As far as the publishing department is concerned, we think the system cannot be improved. Instead of being from one to half a dozen publishers, each with a separate purse interest, we have one publishing house, owned by the friends of truth, where all purse interest is shut out. The Devil may tempt the stingy to fear that money put into the Association might not be properly appropriated, for he has been known to tempt people to doubt when there were no grounds for doubt. We appeal to the candid and benevolent. The property of the Association is to-day worth one-fourth more than the entire sums of all that has been raised for the publishing department the past twelve years, to say nothing of the real value of its flourishing lists of subscribers for the Review and Instructor, and the privilege of republishing our standard works. Here is a handsome property not brought into the account.

Again, the very men who struggled on with the publishing department until it was a paying concern, plead for an organized Association who should reap all future advantages of a growing cause, and they from choice reap only stinted wages.

The stingy and the jealous may think it piety to doubt even under such circumstances, but the facts of the past, together with our present well-guarded system, will secure the confidence and co-operation of the same, the candid and liberal.

The Association can do a good business in publishing its papers and books with its present capital. With an increase of $5000, it could do this work better, and could publish the Charts. The money can be raised in five weeks, if all the friends would do what they can do as well as not. We do not appeal to those who have already been liberal, to a fault, or to those who have taken shares to the number of twenty or more. These are always ready. But there are hundreds who have taken one or two shares who could just as well take five, ten, or fifteen, and there are thousands who have no share in this matter. Those States which have been cursed with secesh, can now redeem the time. Many who have stood in doubt now profess much faith in the Association, and the work at Battle Creek. This is well; but to show their faith by works will be better. Now they have an opportunity.