Times of Volume Seven
ix
offices of publication received spirit of prophecy messages pointing
out the dangers of this work and calling for a reform. Then, too,
through the years, as the denominational work should continue to
develop, the time was bound to come when the facilities and the staffs
would be needed exclusively for denominational work. It was not,
however, until both the Review and Herald and the Pacific Press were
destroyed by fire in succeeding years that these messages bore their
full fruit. As plans were laid for the work to be conducted in the
rebuilt offices, the leaders stepped forward by faith, dedicating the
new buildings and equipment solely to the printing of denominational
literature. They did so in the light of the counsels of volume 7, which
have had a molding influence on our publishing work around the world
.
[7]
As Mrs. White made her journey from St. Helena, California,
to Battle Creek, Michigan, to attend the 1901 General Conference
session, she took the southern route, stopping at Nashville to inspect
the newly established publishing office and visiting some of the new
schools at other points. These enterprises had been called into being
largely through her appeals set forth in the columns of the Review and
Herald for the beginning of a broad work in the South. Her counsels
had inspired and guided those who fostered the work, although at the
time of writing she was in Australia. Now it was her privilege to visit
these centers and with her own eyes see what was being accomplished
.
With this firsthand view of the field and its needs, supplementing
the revelations that had been given to her, and with new views of
the work, she was impelled to call for a larger number of regularly
employed laborers and lay men alike to push into the Southern States
to take advantage of the opportunities for spreading the message, grap-
pling with the problems of the conduct of the work, both among the
white and the colored people. These stirring appeals written during
this two-year period form an important part of volume 7. They were
instrumental in leading not a few families to move to the great South-
land to herald the message through quiet Godly living and in active
evangelism. An abundant harvest of this sowing is seen today
.
As Seventh-day Adventists in their early experience practiced and
taught reforms in living, they led out in the development and manu-
facture of health foods, some to take the place of harmful articles of
diet, and some to aid in providing an appetizing adequate and balanced
diet. It was the efforts and teachings of Seventh-day Adventists which