102
The Publishing Ministry
institutions. These important instrumentalities in the cause of God
are heavily burdened and seriously crippled in their work for want of
[120]
means. There are still debts upon some of our houses of worship. If
we would this year deny ourselves, and by our offerings clear these
from debt, would it not be pleasing to our heavenly Father? [
Written to
encourage debt liquidation on churches and institutions at the year-end
holiday season.
]—
The Review and Herald, December 26, 1882
.
Printing Kept in SDA Publishing Houses—I have been consid-
ering the question whether we might not print our books and then place
them with other publications to be bound, and thus relieve ourselves of
the work of binding them in our own office. But I have recently been
shown how this would work. If these books are entrusted to others,
they will come out in a cheap form, because those who handle them
do not take a special interest in the work. It will not be wise to place
our work in the hands of unbelievers, when we have right among us
those who are ready to do the work conscientiously and well. If our
workers will endeavor to become efficient in the various lines of work,
if they will strip for the race and harness for the battle, the Lord will
bless them in becoming more and more intelligent and capable to do
the work acceptably. Instead of seeking for amusements, they will find
their highest pleasure in carrying forward faithfully to the very end of
time the sacred work of the Lord.
In regard to the distribution of the work on our publications among
unbelievers, the light that has been given me is that it will cost us more
in the end than it would to have done the work ourselves in the name
and fear of the Lord. The Lord desires the workers in our publishing
houses to become very proficient, for they will be taken to distant
countries. Many who think they will never be moved from their homes
will be moved away unexpectedly, and unless they have improved
their opportunities to obtain an education, they cannot stand upon the
eminence that Christ desires them to stand upon.—
Manuscript 73,
1906
.
Church Printing to Be Done by Skilled Adventists—There
should be seen in the office at Mountain View a work of education. The
workers should become proficient in every part of the work of printing
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and book binding. They should be trained to do missionary work. But
there are many who need first to learn lessons in the control of their
spirit, and the careful selection of their words. If there is a hardness