General Conference Bulletin, vol. 2

SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE S. D. A. PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION

THE sixth annual meeting of the stockholders of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association met, pursuant to notices published by the Board of Directors in the Review and Herald of February 23, and two succeeding numbers, in the Tabernacle at Battle Creek, Mich., March 10, at 10 A. M. The president of the board, W. C. Sisley, presided. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.4

The stock represented by shareholders in person was 1250 shares, and 7924 shares were represented by proxy. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.5

The meeting opened with the singing of a hymn, and prayer was offered by Elder J. N. Loughborough. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.6

The reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting was, by vote, waived. The president’s address was then read, as follows:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.7

According to appointment, we, the stockholders of the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, are assembled in our sixth annual meeting under the new charter, for the purpose of electing a board of trustees, and for the transaction of such business as may come before us. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.8

As we look over the past year’s work of the association, it is with gratitude of heart that we acknowledge the helping hand of our Heavenly Father. While many establishments similar in character to our own, by reason of the closeness of the times have had greatly to curtail their business or close down entirely, we have enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. Notwithstanding the stringency of the money market, we have been able promptly to meet all obligations, and discount our bills. Besides this, we have succeeded in reducing our liabilities over fifty-five thousand dollars, twenty-five thousand dollars of which was interest-bearing notes. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.9

The annual report shows that our manufacturing department has turned out $206,893.74 worth of work during the year, which is $62,000 more than the year preceding. The sum of $92,042.89 has been paid for labor to two hundred and sixty-two persons, employed in the different departments, as follows: Bindery, 112; type-rooms, 53; job-room, 14; press-rooms, 18; foundry, 8; engraving-room, 8; proof-rooms, 8; editors and clerks, 12; stock-room, 3; superintendent’s office, 7; miscellaneous, 9; or a total of 247 in the east building. In the west building: Manager’s room, 2; circulating department, 3; subscription department, 2; sales department and packing-room, 3; counting-room, 4; billing-room, 1; or a total of 15 in west building. While the output of our manufacturing department is over one third larger than last year, we are sorry to report a falling off in our sales, which were $113,614.39, some thirteen thousand dollars less than the previous year. This can, in part, be accounted for in two ways: First, a much larger proportion of our orders have been for small, cheap books than heretofore; and, second, the wholesale price of many books has been reduced. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.10

It has been the purpose of the managers to improve, as far as possible, our facilities and methods of doing work. Several changes, involving but little expense, have been made in the manufacturing department, which are at present working very satisfactorily. We have also established a department of circulation, the duty of which is to take charge of the circulation of our various periodicals, books, etc. Although this department has been running but a short time, and is only getting fairly under way, it is already doing very effective work, and is supplying a long-felt need. Besides placing on the market several new books and tracts, this department has been instrumental in arousing an interest among our people in all directions to assist us in disposing of a large amount of comparatively dead stock. In the shape of juvenile and holiday books which have been on hand for a long time. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.11

The gain shown in the subscription lists of our different periodicals is a further evidence of the efficiency of this department. Of course these results could not have been attained without the hearty co-operation of our workers. It gives us great pleasure to note how prompt and earnest all have been to carry out the plans suggested by this department. We feel assured that future plans, though they may be much broader and far-reaching, will not fail for want of willing hearts and ready hands to join in a united effort to make them succeed. GCB January 1, 1897, page 57.12

An examination of the subscription list of the Review and Herald last April, revealed the fact that it had but 10,029 subscribers, and the further fact that the list was slowly but continually diminishing Believing it to be of vital importance that all our people should have access to the paper, we decided to offer it to new subscribers at $1.50 a year, and laid other plans to increase its circulation. By the faithful co-operation of our ministers, colporteurs, and people generally, the list has now attained the highest point which it has ever reached: namely, 12,200. We believe there is no one thing in itself more important in the advancement of the message than for our good church paper regularly to visit the homes of all our people; and while we are sorry to say that they are not yet all subscribers to it, we trust the day is not far distant when they all will be. Quite a number of our old subscribers, after having read the paper for a number of years, feel that they can hardly live without it; yet at the same time they find it impossible, on account of lack of means, to subscribe for it. We believe steps should be taken at this meeting to provide ways whereby worthy persons in our ranks, who are too poor possibly to subscribe for the Review, can have it furnished to them free. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.1

The subscription list of the Youth’s Instructor has grown rapidly since last August, when the department of circulation took its subscription list more directly under its control. It then stood at 5875. We now have 7600 subscribers. We hope, by the hearty co-operation of all, at least to double this list in the near future. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.2

Our Danish paper, the Evangclicts Sendebud, is now enjoying a good degree of prosperity. Within the last six months its subscription list has been increased by 800 new names. It at present has a circulation of about 2500. During the last few months its promoters have spared no pains to increase its circulation. Outside of this country, the paper finds its way into the homes of the people in South America, South Africa, Alaska, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. Vigorous efforts are being put forth to extend its circulation into Australia, New Zealand, Greenland, Iceland, Madagascar, and other countries where there are Scandinavians. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.3

Up to January 1 of the present year, the subscription list of our German paper, Christlicher Hausfreund, has continued to grow, though against many adverse circumstances. Between that date and February 2, 454 new names, singly and in clubs, have been added to the list. On that date the list stood at 2211. The Hausfreund is being more and more appreciated. It is finding its way into the large cities. Our canvassers in the East have demonstrated that it can be sold from house to house. Some persons, even those not of our faith, are interesting themselves in its favor. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.4

The present volume of our Swedish paper, Zions Vaktare, commenced with a special number of 25,000 copies, gratuitously circulated for missionary purposes. The regular list stood, with the beginning of the year, at 1350. During the last three months it has been increased to about 1900. The letters which are being received from our brethren interested in this periodical, indicate a more stable interest in the paper than ever before. Even those not of our faith write us kindly in regard to it. This paper is now being sent to subscribers in countries outside of the United States, as follows: Manitoba, Province of Quebec. British Columbia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, South America, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Sweden, in which latter country we now have nearly one hundred subscribers. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.5

We cannot speak so favorably of the Holland paper, Evangeliebode. Its circulation has been gradually falling off, until at the present time it has less than three hundred subscribers. The supporters of this paper are very few, there being only about thirty-five Dutch Sabbath-keeping families in this country, all or nearly all of whom are taking the paper. Quite a number of these papers were formerly sent to South Africa; but as our people are now publishing a Holland paper in that country, they have no further demand for the paper published here. Experience has demonstrated that it is very hard to circulate this paper among those not of our faith. The policy of the association with reference to the future of this paper should be defined at this meeting. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.6

You will see by the treasurer’s report that our net gain for the year is very small ($3079.31) considering the large amount of business transacted and capital invested. It is altogether too small, if viewed from a money-making standpoint wholly. You will remember that the primary object in organizing the publishing association, however, was not the making of money, but the dissemination of light and truth. In order to attain this object, our policy has been to make our prices as low as possible. A large proportion of the goods handled by our sales department has been sold at cost of manufacture, leaving no margin to defray the running expenses of this department, thus causing it to sustain an actual loss of $509.01 during the year. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.7

All our foreign periodicals and the Youth’s Instructor have been published at a loss aggregating $3851.36 for 1896. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.8

Many of our books in foreign languages are sold at a heavy loss on account of the large initial expense of producing them, and the small sales. Some of these books cost us five dollars each more than they were sold for. The first edition of the Danish hymn-book sells at a loss of about $1.36 a copy. Besides this, the association does quite an amount of gratuitous work each year. It would be well for you to advise your directors how far you desire them to go in this line of benevolent work; for you can readily see there must of necessity be a limit to it, or the enviable credit enjoyed by the association from its earliest days to the present time will become impaired. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.9

Nov. 11, 1896, arrangements were perfected with the General Conference Publishing Company and the International Tract Society whereby they retired from the field as publishers in this country, and sold their entire stock and business to this association and the Pacific Press Publishing Company. The working out of the details of this transfer has required a large amount of care, and has caused some perplexity. On account of this transfer, our stock in the sales department has been greatly increased, so much so as to render it too large for convenience or profit. We trust, however, that in course of time this transfer will prove beneficial to all directly concerned and to the denomination at large. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.10

In conclusion it might not be out of place to state that the spiritual interests of the institution have received careful and earnest consideration, which, through the help of God, has not been in vain. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.11

On account of the hoarseness of the chairman, the reading was done by Elder J. O. Corliss. GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.12

The treasurer’s report was then presented by the treasurer, A. R. Henry. He totals it represented the following items:— GCB January 1, 1897, page 58.13