144
The Publishing Ministry
believe the message for this time engage in such work, thinking to
make money.”—
Testimonies for the Church 7:166
.
One reason the fires were permitted was the proliferation and the
overdevelopment of institutions in Battle Creek; and the failure of the
church to reach out and establish new and viable centers of influence
in many places. The payment of excessive wages to a select few was
also displeasing to God.
The two large publishing house fires were judgments sent because
of the secularization of the Review and the Pacific Press by the over-
production of commercial printing, to say nothing of the large amount
of objectionable literature published. Thus, the printing denomina-
tional literature was made secondary and spiritual influences and power
waned. God and His great work in the earth had to wait while worldly
business interests were put first.
About this time Ellen White made a most interesting observation,
an observation showing an insight that God gave to her:
“Even the men who are endeavoring to exalt their own sentiments
as wonderful science are astonished that men in positions of responsi-
bility in our office of publication—a printing office set for the defense
of the truth of God—have consented to print their books.”—
Manuscript
124, 1901
.
In October of 1901 she wrote:
“In the Pacific Press an objectionable class of work has been taken
in—novels and storybooks which absorb the minds of those who
handled them, diverting their attention from the Word of God.... The
introduction of this class of matter destroys the spirituality of the
office.”—
Letter 140, 1901
.
Also, the managers of the publishing houses failed to a large degree
to train apprentices and workers for service in home and overseas
plants, thus effectually depriving the Review and the Pacific Press
of that missionary spirit that could have been engendered in these
institutions.
Selfish schemes depriving authors of certain royalties and labeled
as a “confederacy” were denounced by the Lord’s messenger.
In this important section, the testimonies of Ellen White relating
to the fires, their causes and the crises represented and brought on by
[169]
these remarkable events are brought together for careful and prayerful