Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862 (vol. 1)

Establishing the First “Adventist Book Center”

The trunk James White had brought with them was full of books and tracts, and he reported selling $75 worth of publications at the Koskonong meeting. He then told of the first steps taken to establish what we know today as an “Adventist Book Center,” if only in embryo form: 1BIO 297.1

The subject of publications was taken up at this meeting, and the importance of giving our publications a wide circulation was felt by the brethren. We stated that it was not possible for us to publish tracts and send them out into different States, $100 in a place, and wait till they were sold for the pay, for this reason: we have not the capital to do it with. But if the brethren in Wisconsin would raise a small fund, and put it into the hands of an agent, who could send the pay with the order for publications, we could furnish common tracts and pamphlets, neatly printed on good paper, at the rate of two thousand pages for $1, and would pay half of the freight bill on the books from Rochester to Wisconsin.—Ibid. 1BIO 297.2

It was proposed that several of the brethren of a given church should join together, each giving $20 to establish a capital of $150. Book sales would keep the business going. At Koskonong, E. S. Sheffield, who was zealous to handle the book business, was chosen to serve as the agent. At the next weekend meeting, at Rosendale, six hundred assembled in a grove. On the evening after the Sabbath, the people met to consider the matter of publications. The same plan proposed for Koskonong was adopted, and an agent chosen. Here James White sold $75 worth of literature he brought with him. The interest was such that they stayed more than a full week beyond what they had first planned. 1BIO 297.3