p. 13 | Organization by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 6, 1864

Organization.

By James White

AN army must be organized; a meeting must be organized; a school must be organized; and system is regarded as indispensable in any business transaction of any magnitude and importance. It is said, "Order is Heaven's first law." Order is the delight of good angels. Satan by rebelling against the organization of Heaven fell, and has since been a special enemy of good order. "God is not the author of confusion." The Devil is. The saints on earth should be in sympathy with Heaven, and not with the author of confusion.

The great objection in the minds of some against Seventh-day Adventists, is, their organization. And for their benefit we now take up the subject. Now what have Seventh-day Adventists done in the line of organization? They have done only what seemed absolutely necessary. They have moved no further than the necessities of the case have driven them. They formed a Publishing Association, because they could not see any other way to successfully conduct the publishing department.

In 1850 we commenced the publication of the Review and Herald on our own responsibility, because there was then no other person or persons to take hold of this work. In the same way we commenced the publication of books and tracts. But as we were without means, we did business on borrowed capital. The friends of the cause liberally donated from time to time to purchase printing material, presses, &c., but in order to reprint and keep on hand a full assortment of our publications, we had to give our notes for money which the friends of the cause put into our hands, generally without interest.

In 1860 we were in debt at least $4,000. It is true that we had in our hands in printing material, presses, stock, and in books and tracts, to the amount of $10,000, of which we were the only legal owner, yet it was not ours. And in case of fire this would have been swept away, and we left $4,000 at least worse than nothing.

In addition to this, we were charged with exercising the one-man power—being editor of the Review, and in reality proprietor of the publishing department—with making it a matter of speculation for personal advantages, &c.; and it was decidedly an unhappy position for any man to occupy unless he was ignorant of all justice, and unfeeling to all injuries.

We resolved to stand it no longer, and called on our people to form a Publishing Association, which could annually elect its trustees, and into whose hands we could make over the property intrusted to our care. This was finally accomplished, but not without a struggle against the prejudices of many. Now editors and trustees are elected annually by the members of the Association. And all who labor in connection with the publishing department receive moderate wages, below mechanics generally, and if profits should arise from the business, they would add to the property of the Association without being the least benefit to any particular person or persons.*

With such a basis for our publishing department, the friends every where have been free to take stock and to donate. After we made over to the Association, property to the amount of every dollar that had been donated to the office from first to last, for presses, printing material, book fund, &c., and $1,200 more for the use of this property, there was still in our hands, in books which we sold to the Association, an amount sufficient to pay our debts. Thank God for the freedom of being able to "owe no man anything."

The almost unparalleled prosperity of the publishing department of the Seventh-day Adventists, must be attributed mainly to the fact that it is not owned by one man, but by the body; and is not controlled by one man, but by the body. If money is wanted, let the friends of the cause be apprised of the fact, and it comes freely into the treasury. The Devil knows that it would be too glaring an imposition to raise the cry of speculation under present arrangements, and as his only resort, he would inspire prejudice in the minds of those who are willing to be prejudiced against that wholesome, and reasonable organization which has so effectually stopped his mouth.

It is a matter worthy of notice, that the very persons who had so much to say about the one-man power, and speculation, were the first to oppose the organization of the Publishing Association, by which both the means and the control of the publishing department, were put out of our hands. Which displeased them most, having these in our hands, or putting them out of our hands, we know not. They were tempted, pettish, and faultfinding of those things of which they knew but little, and we very much doubt whether any action on our part, whatever it might have been, would have pleased them.

But it is objected that the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association was instituted according to law, and that the property is held lawfully. To us, this is one of its highest recommendations. Do the Scriptures anywhere forbid the people of God the right of legal business transaction? If they do, then to hold real estate legally is a sin. Away, then, with your deeds of farms and building lots, and all this care and expense in securing good title. But in order that publishing for Seventh-day Adventists may be carried on, and they cannot dispense with this powerful means of spreading the truth, somebody must hold the deed of the ground where the publishing house stands. And we ask, wherein is it worse for several brethren to associate themselves together according to law, and hold it in their incorporated name, and transact business in that name, than for one of them to hold it, and transact business legally in his own name? The laws of Michigan provide for both. Is one wrong? then both are wrong, and law and order are a mistake. Such a position will do for the savage and the shattered faunatic; but sober reason and pure religion may inquire, What principle taught in the sacred Scriptures is violated by either?

When we commenced publishing, fifteen years since, we had no idea of the extent of the work, and that it would ever be necessary to employ a capital of $25,000, in the publishing department of the cause of present truth. Then there were but a handful of Sabbath keepers, and we saw no need of that organization which has since become necessary. This, by some, is referred to as proof that we have backslidden. They say, You are doing business on a different scale from that on which you first started. True; then the entire business amounted to only $377, for the first eight months. During the last eight months, the business of the association has not been less than $18,000. A different scale, indeed. We affirm again, as we leave this point, that we have urged organization only where it was absolutely demanded by the necessities of the case, and then we have recommended the simplest form possible that would answer the purpose.

Fifteen years since, we had no meeting-houses. We had no use for them, as our small assemblies could be convened as well in private dwellings. We then saw no need of legally organizing religious societies to hold houses of worship, for we had none to hold. But as the message has gathered its thousands to the Sabbath, besides Tents, or "the Cotton Churches," as they are sometimes called, houses of worship, as a matter of stern necessity, have been built in most of the free states. These houses of worship must be held legally, if held at all. Deeds must be held, either in the names of persons, or of religious societies, organized according to law.

"But can you not trust some good brother to hold your place of worship for the church?" Answer. If it be wrong for a religious society to hold a place of worship—if that church is criminally leaning upon the arm of the law in such a case—it would be equally wrong, and leaning upon the arm of the law, for one brother to hold it. And who would contribute toward building houses in such a case? The chances of their being retained for the benefit of the church would depend upon the honesty, or life, of the one brother who might be selected to hold the deed. Should he backslide, he could close the house of worship. Should he die, his heirs could do the same.

The Adventists of Cincinnati, Ohio, built a place of worship called the Tabernacle, on a brother's lot. Satan tempted this brother, he yielded, got possession of the key, locked out the congregation, and the place built and consecrated for the worship of God was turned into a vinegar establishment. But soon they built a Chapel on a brother's lot whom they could certainly trust. He played a similar trick, and the Advent people were driven to worship in a private dwelling, and the cause went down. Was God honored in this? Did holy angels rejoice? Or did this sacrifice to a blind conscientiousness, unenlightened by the word of God, cause Satan and his angels to shout with great delight over the victory gained. And in the final settlement of affairs will not the question be asked, "Who hath required this at your hand?"

"But it is doing like all the churches." When it can be shown that it is a sin for the various churches to build houses of worship, and hold them legally, then this may be considered a real objection. The law provides but one way for all religious societies to hold houses of worship, and we may avail ourselves of the benefits of that, or have none, as we please. But is it wrong to do anything which the churches do? These very friends of disorder build their dwelling houses like their Methodist and Baptist neighbors, and hold their deeds just as they do. Is it not the duty of Christians to labor to do right, without desiring to be different from others, only when the pure principles of a consistent Christianity require them to differ? Do others love the world more than Christ? They should differ, and love Christ most. Do others revenge the rival Sabbath of the Papacy? They should differ so far as to keep the commandments of God. These and many like differences are commendable. But to differ, for the sake of differing and being odd, appears to us no part of the Christian religion.

Seventh-day Adventists claim that their simple church organization and discipline are scriptural, and that these are entirely independent of their legally organized societies to hold church property. The civil law has no more to do with dictating their church organization, and their church discipline, than it has in directing their manner of worship. Then let no one confound these which are distinct. One is necessary conformity to the requirements of the civil law, to properly hold church property. The other is simply carrying out scriptural order and discipline in the church.

We have been quite definite and lengthy on this subject, first, because some who observe the Sabbath, are laboring under mistaken views of what Seventh-day Adventists have done relative to organization; and, second, because it seems necessary to meet the influence of those who delight to misrepresent us. We want the facts to appear, and the honest undeceived.

We found it reported in Maine, that as a condition of church membership, all were required to send one-tenth of their property to Battle Creek. This slander was doubtless started in consequence of our successful plan of systematic benevolence. We hope all those who may hear this scandal will have the privilege of reading the plain statements of facts relative to our system of benevolence which we have given.

It was also reported that we have become so rich that our yearly taxes amounted to $1,000. This is not the way the Devil likes to have things go. To meet these slanders so industriously circulated by our enemies, we will briefly state the following:

1. No person is compelled to pay one cent into the benevolent treasury.

2. All, with the exception of the aged, infirm, and widows who are poor, are simply invited to enter upon the system which calls for only about one per cent annually of what they are worth. For instance, if one is worth $100, it calls for $1.00 each year. If he is worth $1,000, it calls for $10.00 annually. If he is worth $10,000, it calls for only $100 annually of his wealth.

3. Each person is left to assess his own property, and act freely in the fear of God.

4. We pay into the s. n. treasury of the Battle Creek church, about $40 annually; and beyond this we have no more to do with the funds of Seventh-day Adventists than Abraham Lincoln has to do with them.

5. Our entire annual taxes amount to less than $25.

6. The treasurer of the Michigan State Conference resides at Battle Creek; hence funds for this conference are sent to Battle Creek. Church treasurers in other States, send funds to their State treasurers wherever they may be located, to be used in their several States for the support of the cause. They are no more required to send their funds to Battle Creek, than to Jerusalem or to Mecca.

And, finally, the good order, activity, and prosperity of Seventh-day Adventists are attracting the attention of the world. Some admire, others are stirred with hatred, and there is a general feeling with certain classes that the work must be stopped. One starts a falsehood, and a thousand love to repeat it. And it will be seen that the scripture phrase, "Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie," applies to a large class. Some manufacture, others peddle the scandal, and the Devil is highly gratified. But God lives and reigns, and by his help the principles and practices of Seventh-day Adventists will be fully set before the people, that they may be able to judge righteously between them, and those who misrepresent and slander them. J. W.