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The Publishing Ministry
with the unbelievers, that the truth, by being lived, may be as seed
sown, and its influence touch the ends of the earth.—
Letter 137, 1898
.
Commercial Work Not to Stand First—In no case are the pub-
lishing institutions to be devoted chiefly to commercial work. When
this work is given the first place, those connected with the publishing
houses lose sight of the purpose for which they were established, and
their work deteriorates.
There is danger that managers whose spiritual perception is per-
verted will enter into contracts to publish questionable matter merely
for the sake of gain. As the result of taking in this work, the purpose
for which the offices of publication were established is lost sight of,
and the institutions are regarded very much as any other commercial
enterprise would be. In this God is dishonored.
In some of our publishing houses the commercial work necessitates
a constant increase of expensive machinery and other facilities. The
outlay thus demanded is a heavy tax on the resources of the institu-
tion, and with a large amount of work there is required not only an
increase of facilities, but a larger force of workers than can be properly
disciplined.
It is claimed that the commercial work is a financial benefit to
the office. But One of authority has made a correct estimate of the
cost of this work at our leading publishing houses. He presented the
true balance, showing that the loss exceeds the gain. He showed that
this work causes the workers to be driven with a constant rush. In
the atmosphere of hurry and bustle and worldliness, true piety and
devotion wither.
It is not necessary that the commercial work should be entirely
divorced from the publishing houses, for this would close the door
against rays of light that should be given to the world. And connection
with outside parties need be no more detrimental to the workers than
[162]
was Daniel’s work as a statesman a perversion of his faith and princi-
ples. But whenever it is found to interfere with the spirituality of the
institution, let the outside work be excluded. Build up the work that
represents the truth. Let this always come first, and the commercial
work second. Our mission is to give to the world the message of
warning and mercy.—
Testimonies for the Church 7:162, 163
.
Sensible Prices and Fair Profits—In the effort to secure outside
patronage in order to relieve the publishing houses from financial