Evils Resulting from Centralization and Colonization
121
Ellen White’s definition of Confederacy and Consolidation—
words that are often used in this discussion—follows.
“You know what a confederacy is—a union of men in a work
that does not bear the stamp of pure, straightforward, unswerving
integrity.”—
Manuscript 29, 1911
(
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary
4:1142
.)
“The work committed to us by the Lord will advance rapidly only
when we labor in unity.... ‘Yes,’ says one, ‘this is exactly what I
believe in—consolidation.’ But Christian unity is not what the world
calls consolidation. Unity among brethren results in consolidation with
Christ and with the heavenly angels. Such consolidation is Heaven-
born.”—
Letter 67, 1903
.
Confederacy and Consolidation in raising wages, in selfishly con-
trolling royalty rates, in the publication of certain favored books, and
in seeking control of the Pacific Press—these were among the painful
steps away from the Lord and His counsel.
In the Review and Herald Publishing House was centered the
confederacy of men who sought to dominate the publishing work in
North America. The influence of this overbearing work was strongly
felt in other institutions, and the results were demoralizing.
Even the General Conference Association was involved in efforts
to bring control of everything under the sway of Battle Creek. Ellen
White wrote:
“Covetousness has been woven into nearly all the business trans-
actions of the institution, and has been practiced by individuals. This
influence has spread like the leprosy, until it has tainted and corrupted
the whole. As the publishing house has become corrupted, the General
Conference Association has stepped in, and proposed to take the dis-
eased child off its hands, and care for it. But it is a snare for the General
Conference Association to take the publishing work on its shoulders.
This puts no special sanctity upon the work, but upon the General
Conference Association a burden which will weigh it down, cripple
it, and weaken its efficiency, unless men who have firm principle,
mingled with love, shall conduct the business lines.
“In this step there has been a change of responsibility, but the
wrong principles remain unchanged. The same work that has been
done in the past will be carried forward under the guise of the General
[143]
Conference Association. The sacred character of this association is