The International Publishing Association
By A. T. Robinson
“Remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee.” JOHN W. DRAPER, in his “Intellectual Development of Europe,” says: “The history of the Reformation does not close, as many European authors imagine, in a balanced and final distribution of the north and south between the Protestant and the Catholic. . . . Macaulay and others who have treated of the Reformation have taken too limited a view of it, supposing that this was its point of arrest. It made another enormous stride, when, at the American Revolution, the state and the church were solemnly and openly dissevered from each other.” The act of those brave and far-seeing men who signed the Declaration of Independence—this crowning event in the great Reformation of the sixteenth century—made this new world an asylum for the oppressed millions who have flocked to our shores from over the sea. The discovery of America was not an accident. Its shores were discovered at an opportune time. Just before the last final message of the everlasting gospel became due,—a message destined to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,—God’s providence prepared this nation to be the cradle of that message. Here men and women came from every nation that the sun shines upon. Merging every national difference, this heterogeneous mass of mankind grew to be one great people, one mighty nation, the power and influence of which has been a source of amazement to the peoples of the old world. Here in this new world where men had learned to sink national differences in the one common interest of becoming a great nation, the truth of the third angel’s message had its birth. How fitting that the message to be heralded to all nations on earth should receive its mold in this land, where it has found a response in the hearts of living representatives from all other nations. It has been in the direct providence of God that men of other nationalities, receiving this message here, should carry it to their respective countries. Our Brethren From Over the Sea
Not to speak of other nationalities in this country, according to the United States census of 1900, there are 2,600,000 Germans, 559,212 Danes and Norwegians, and 473,905 Swedes; while since 1900 every week has brought to this country ship-loads of people who speak foreign languages, about 400,000 coming annually. To meet the needs of this people, there was begun several years ago in Battle Creek, Mich., the publication of the Hausfreund (German), Sendebud (Danish-Norwegian), and Sions Vaktare (Swedish).18Soon after the burning of the Review and Herald Office in Battle Creek, Mich., the publication of these papers was transferred to College View, Neb., where for a time they were printed by the Union College Press. Steps Toward Organization
At the Nebraska annual conference and camp-meeting held in Grand Island, Sept. 6-16, 1903, the following brethren assembled to consider how best to serve the interests of the people of these and other foreign nationalities resident in the United States: E. T. Russell, W. C. White, I. H. Evans, N. P. Nelson, Lewis Johnson, S. F. Svensson, J. J. Graf, Theo. Valentiner, A. Swedberg, C. A. Thorp, J. Wallenkampf, L. A. Hoopes, Fred Johnson, F. H. Westphal, J. Sutherland, and A. T. Robinson. From the minutes of the Grand Island meeting we note action taken on the following points:— “In our study of the situation we find the following conditions:— “There are in the United States many hundreds of thousands of Germans, Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians, to whom the closing gospel message must be presented by evangelists of their own nationality, or by literature in their own tongues. “That in order to revive and maintain a general and successful work throughout the West, there should be selected a center where there shall be maintained not only a school for the education of evangelist canvassers, but also a well-organized publishing house whose business it shall be to issue our foreign periodicals, and also to print, advertise, and sell tracts, pamphlets, and books on all phases of our message. “That College View, Neb., is the most favorable place for such a publishing enterprise. “That a publishing society be incorporated which shall be a non-stock and non-dividend-paying organization, to carry on this work. “That the name of this association be The International Publishing Association.” The second annual meeting of the association was held in College View, Sept. 5, 6, 1905. From the minutes of this meeting, we quote the following extracts from the annual statement of the president, E. T. Russell:— Quotations From the President’s Address
“At this another annual meeting, it seems fitting to take a retrospective view of the work of the International Publishing Association. Perhaps not all that was expected or hoped for has been realized; nevertheless the association has been permitted to be an important factor in sending broadcast the message of truth for this time, for which we are grateful to God. “The German paper, Christlicher Hausfreund, had an average circulation of 3,800 copies a week, or about 200,000 copies during the year. The average circulation of the Danish paper, Evangeliets Sendebud, and of the Swedish paper, Sions Vaktare, was 2,250 copies a week, or 117,000 copies each during the year. Aside from the regular weekly issues, a special series of four consecutive numbers was printed last November, aggregating 15,000 in the German, and 10,000 in both the Danish-Norwegian and Swedish languages. The undertaking, on the whole, was a success; and according to the reports received, some souls were led to accept the truth through the matter presented in these papers. A second special number of the three papers, containing the “Open Letter Appeal to the Clergy” and other appropriate matter, was published during the months of February and March; and now plans have been laid to issue during the coming campaign a good twenty-four-page special number, with a neat cover page. The little German paper, Der Deutsche Arbeiter, has a monthly circulation of 1,200. “The editors have likewise been quite active in getting out a good line of tracts and pamphlets. “In some respects the work of the association seems brighter than ever before. I have reference to the job work that has come in, which will assist in making the enterprise self-supporting. But there are other features that are not so flattering. An unsettled feeling has existed in the minds of some connected with the association in the matter of perfect co-operation in the carrying out of the international idea, which means the blending of the interests of the three nationalities represented in the organization. Owing to a spirit of unrest which this feeling has created, the board of management has found that their efforts to advance the interests of the institution have been largely neutralized.” “Call to Remembrance the Former Days”
Some of the things alluded to in the president’s address at the last annual meeting of the association suggest a condition of things not so much to be wondered at when viewed in the light of the history of our people in the past. It is another instance where men equally sincere, equally honest and earnest, all aiming at the one object, the advancement of the message, have differed in their way of viewing things. If the history of this denomination should ever be written, there would stand out prominently the fact that many times differences of opinion have existed among the strongest minds in the denomination. Those differences, if carried to their logical results, would many times have brought confusion and disorder to our work; but thanks for the blessed gift that God has placed in the remnant church, whenever special issues have come, special light and instruction has come through the spirit of prophecy, which has led to united action and greater strength than could have been the result had not these special crises been permitted to arise. This was especially true in connection with the last meeting of the International Publishing Association. Many of our brethren came to this meeting with more or less apprehension. A wide-spread feeling had arisen that it was impossible for this work to be conducted as an international enterprise, and the opinion was entertained by many that at this time there should be a rearrangement of the work, so that each nationality specified would to a large extent control in the affairs of its own work. On the day the meeting opened, the morning mail brought several communications from Sister White, two of which were addressed “To the Brethren Connected with the Publishing Work at College View.” Several hours were spent in reading and studying these Testimonies. To show the tenor of these communications, we quote the following extracts:— “Why are many of us so weak and inefficient?—It is because we look to self, studying our own temperament, and wondering how we can make a place for ourselves, our individuality and our peculiarities, instead of studying Christ and his character. Brethren who could work together in harmony if they would learn of Christ, forgetting that they are Americans, Europeans, Germans, or Frenchmen, Swedes, Danes, or Norwegians, seem to feel that if they should blend with those of other nationalities, something of that which is peculiar to their own country and nation would be lost, and something else would take its place. My brethren, let us put all that aside. We have no right to keep our minds stayed on ourselves, our preferences, and our fancies. We are not to seek to maintain a peculiar identity of our own, a personality, an individuality, which will separate us from our fellow laborers.” “I approve of the efforts that have been made to establish our German and Scandinavian publishing work at College View. I hope that plans will be devised for the encouragement of this work. The whole burden of the work must not be left with our foreign brethren. Nor should our brethren throughout the field leave too heavy a load on the conferences near College View. The members of these conferences should lead out and do their best, and all should come to their assistance.” “Our German and Danish and Swedish brethren have no good reason for not being able to act in harmony in the publishing work. Those who believe the truth should remember that they are God’s little children, under his training.” “If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tender-hearted and pitiful,—if we would do this, brethren, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one. But though professing to be converted, we carry around with us a bundle of self that we regard as altogether too precious to be given up. It is our privilege to lay this burden at the feet of Christ, and in its place take the character and similitude of Christ. The Saviour is waiting for us to do this. Christ laid aside his royal robe and his kingly crown, and his high command, and stepped down, down, down, to the lowest depths of humiliation. Bearing human nature, he met all the temptations of humanity, and in our behalf defeated the enemy on every point.” “Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of all the gifts of heaven, and to exclude the rest of God’s family in the world. But Christ came to break down every wall of partition. He came to show that his gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of19rain that refresh the earth. The life of Christ established a religion, in which there is no caste, a religion by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked together in a common brotherhood, equal before God. No question of policy influenced his movements. He made no difference between strangers and neighbors, friends and enemies. That which appealed to his heart was a soul thirsting for the water of life.” The reading of these Testimonies brought light, joy, and comfort to the hearts of those assembled. Those addressed to the brethren connected with the publishing work at College View were read in the evening, and by special request read again the following morning. The cloud that began to lift the night before, seemed to rise higher and higher until the darkness was dispersed, and the light of God’s countenance rested upon the assembly, lighting up anew the future pathway of the International Publishing Association. During the remainder of the day the annual business of the association was speedily accomplished. The utmost love and harmony prevailed, characterizing the action taken on every measure brought before the association. A financial statement was presented, which showed the business of the association had been conducted along safe and economical lines. The idea had quite largely prevailed among the members of the board of counselors that the institution had been running behind. The treasurer’s report showed the opposite, quite a substantial gain having been made during the year. Among the recommendations passed were the following:— “Whereas, The General Conference endeavored to raise a donation for the assistance of the International Publishing Association, and,— “Whereas, There was realized from this donation only about half the amount which the General Conference had anticipated would be raised, therefore,— “Resolved, That we petition the General Conference Committee to assist the International Publishing Association in raising five thousand dollars to cover obligations already contracted in equipping the International Publishing Association. “That said International Publishing Association pledge itself to co-operate with the General Conference in every way possible to secure said funds.”