Publishing Work

In seeking to fulfill Christ’s great commission: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” ( Mark 16:15 ; compare Mark 13:10 ), Seventh-day Adventists proclaim the gospel not only by means of the spoken word through the “foolishness of preaching” ( 1 Cor. 1:21 ) but also by extensive use of the printed word. The publishing work provides a means whereby the speed and effectiveness with which all nations may receive the good news of salvation may be multiplied. The founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church early gave strong impetus to the spread of their teachings by the use of the printing press. They began with the Present Truth (1849) and the Advent Review (1850), both replaced in 1850 by the Review and Herald (now known as the Adventist Review and still the denominational organ); this was followed in 1852 by the Youth’s Instructor. James White was the first editor of these. Later, in 1875, came the Signs of the Times, and in 1885 the Pacific Health Journal (which became Life and Health in 1904). Also in 1885 the Sabbath School Worker was begun, and in 1886 the American Sentinel (succeeded in 1906 by Liberty ). But the early SDA publishing enterprise was not limited to periodicals. From the beginning, James White published tracts (many of them reprinted from periodical articles)—one in 1849, five in 1850, six in 1851, and others later. The small issues were financed by voluntary contributions and until 1853 were distributed gratis. These early tracts on Bible doctrines and related subjects were the first of millions of SDA tracts sent out through the years and, in a way, were forerunners of the Bible correspondence lessons used in connection with radio and television programs. Following is a list of the earliest pamphlets (under 100 pages) announced in the Present Truth, Advent Review, and Review and Herald through 1854. 1849: James White. Present Truth, No. 1 (The Weekly Sabbath). 24 pp. [James White, compiler]. Hymns for God’s Peculiar People. 48 pp. 1850: James White. The Seventh-day Sabbath Not Abolished (Review of J. Marsh). 36 pp. The Third Angel’s Message. 16 pp. James White, ed. Brother Miller’s Dream (with notes). 16 pp. The Sanctuary, 2300 Days, and the Shut Door. 16 pp. 1851: The Bible Sabbath (reprinted from Seventh Day Baptist tracts). [James White, compiler?]. The Seventh-day Sabbath. 48 pp. J. N. Andrews. Thoughts on the Sabbath and the Perpetuity of the Law of God. 32 pp. The Parable, Matthew 25:1–12. 24 pp. Ellen G. White. Experience and Views. 64 pp. [James White]. A Brief Exposition of the Angels of Rev. 14. 32 pp. 1852: Conversation on the Sabbath Question. 16 pp. J. N. Andrews. Review of O.R.L. Crosier (on the Sabbath). 48 pp. 1853: J. N. Andrews. The Sanctuary and the 2300 Days. 76 pp. Ellen G. White. Experience and Views (with added notes of explanation). J. N. Andrews. Refutation of the Claims of Sunday-keeping . . . ; also, A Lengthy Extract From the History of the Sabbath. 40 pp. Supplement to Advent and Sabbath Hymns. 32 pp. “Elihu” (pseud.). The Sabbath by “Elihu” (reprint of an old tract). 16 pp. Robert Atkins. A True Picture; or, Description of the Churches (Millerite work, reprinted). 15 pp. Uriah Smith. A Word for the Sabbath (poems). 64 pp. R. F. Cottrell. Both Sides (letter by E. Miller and reply by Cottrell, also, poem, “It’s Jewish”). 16 pp. 1854: J. B. Cook. A Solemn Appeal (Millerite work reprinted). 32 pp. P. Miller, Jr. The Sabbath (vs. Advent Watchman ). 16 pp. ; 24 pp. with appendix. Ellen G. White. Supplement to Experience and Views. 52 pp. J. N. Andrews. The First Day of the Week Not the Sabbath (“Advent and Sabbath Tracts,” No. 1). 32 pp. J. N. Andrews. New Time Theory Reviewed. 16 pp. ____. Review of Objections to the Seventh-day Sabbath. 16 pp. ____. The First Day of the Week Not the Sabbath (the most important part of the 32 p. tract). 16 pp. [J. N. Andrews, compiler]. History of the Sabbath (selections from SDB sources) (“Advent and Sabbath Tracts,” No. 2). 40 pp. J. N. Loughborough. The Two-Horned Beast. 52 pp. Uriah Smith. The Sanctuary. 32 pp. James White. The Seventh Day of the Week the Sabbath of the Lord (“Advent and Sabbath Tracts,” No. 3). 32 pp. Anna White, compiler. Hymns for Youth and Children. 84 pp. Why Don’t You Keep the Sabbath Day? (Catholic extracts). 36 pp. J. N. Andrews. The Perpetuity of the Royal Law; or, The Ten Commandments Not Abolished (“Sabbath Tracts,” No. 4). 40 pp. [James White and?] Uriah Smith. The Four Universal Monarchies . . . (containing the recent articles in Review and Herald and the tract on the 2300 days and the sanctuary by Uriah Smith). 84 pp. The Sabbath; or, Remarks on the Following Subjects . . . In addition to pamphlets, White began in time to publish longer works, classed as books, the first of which was a 112-page hymnbook (enlarged the next year by the addition of a supplement). His plans late in 1852 for a large doctrinal book of 400 pages were frustrated by a lack of money. The first doctrinal book—if we regard works of 100 pages or more as books—was White’s Signs of the Times (124 pages) published in 1853. The list through 1860 in the order in which the books were announced in the church papers has been compiled thus: 1852: James White, compiler. Hymns for the Second Advent Believers Who Observe the Sabbath of the Lord. 112 pp. 1853: Uriah Smith. Time and Prophecy (poem). 120 pp. [James White]. Signs of the Times. 124 pp. 1854: Sabbath and Advent Miscellany (8 tracts bound). J. H. Waggoner. The Law of God: Testimony of Both Testaments. 132 pp. “Advent and Sabbath Tracts,” Nos. 1–4, in 1 vol. ( see pamphlet list for titles). 152 pp. J. M. Stephenson. The Atonement. 196 pp. D. P. Hall. Man Not Immortal; The Only Shield Against the Seductions of Modern Spiritualism. 148 pp. 1855: [James White (?), compiler]. Hymns for Those Who Keep the Commandments. . . . 352 pp. and 76 pieces of music. J. N. Andrews. The Three Angels of Revelation xiv, 6–12. 148 pp. Bible Tracts, Vol. I (containing: “Sabbath Tracts,” Nos. 1–4; The Law of God [Waggoner]; The Sabbath by “Elihu”; Why Don’t You Keep Holy the Sabbath Day?; A Word for the Sabbath [Smith]. 386 pp. Bible Tracts, Vol. II (containing: Signs of the Times [White]; The Four Universal Monarchies [White and Smith?]; The 2300 Days and the Sanctuary [Smith]; Three Angels of Rev. xiv [Andrews]; Man Not Immortal [Hall]). 402 pp. R. F. Cottrell. The Bible Class. 125 pp. Annie R. Smith. Home Here and Home in Heaven, and Other Poems. 112 pp. J. N. Loughborough. An Examination of the Scripture Testimony . . . [on the nature of humanity]. “Pamphlet of 196 pp. ” 1857: [White and Smith?]. A Brief Exposition of Daniel ii, vii, viii, ix, also the 2300 Days and the Sanctuary. 1858: M. E. Cornell. Facts for the Times (forerunner of the later Source Book ). 137 pp. Ellen White. Spiritual Gifts [ Vol. I]; or, The Great Controversy. 224 pp. Supplement to the Advent and Sabbath Hymn Book. 100 pp. 1859: J. N. Andrews. History of the Sabbath. 100 pp. Uriah Smith. Which? Mortal or Immortal? 132 pp. J. H. Waggoner. The Kingdom of God. 172 pp. 1860: J. N. Loughborough. The Hope of the Gospel; or, Immortality the Gift of God (enlargement of earlier work). 172 pp. J. H. Waggoner. Nature and Tendency of Modern Spiritualism, 2nd ed. , rev., doubled in size. 144 pp. Ellen G. White. Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2. 304 pp. Uriah Smith. Which? Mortal or Immortal? 2nd ed. , rev., enl. 128 pp. In the 1860s Ellen G. White’s Spiritual Gifts, vols. 3 and 4 (1864); How to Live (1865), the first large book on health topics, edited by James White from several pamphlets; and Uriah Smith’s Thoughts . . . on the Book of Revelation (1867) were issued. In the 1870s the publishing work branched out with the opening of the Pacific Press in California. In this decade Smith added Thoughts . . . on the Book of Daniel (1873); and Mrs. White completed three of the four volumes of The Spirit of Prophecy (1870–1884), an amplification of her earlier Spiritual Gifts, vols. 1–3. The 1880s saw the development of bookselling to the general public by house-to-house colporteurs ( see Literature Evangelist ). The first doctrinal book printed for this method of distribution—the combination of Smith’s two books on Daniel and on the Revelation (1882)—is, with some revisions, still in print. Another popular book sold by this method in the eighties was Bible Readings (1885), originally formed from left-over files of a one-volume periodical, Bible Reading Gazette (1884). Another was the fourth volume of Mrs. White’s Spirit of Prophecy, revised and enlarged as The Great Controversy (1888)—the first of the expanded series (Conflict of the Ages) in five volumes, consisting of Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, The Desire of Ages, The Acts of the Apostles, and The Great Controversy. (On the extent of the writings of Mrs. White, see White, Ellen Gould [Harmon], Writings of .) Early in its history, the SDA publishing work branched out into other languages. Plans began as early as May 1856 for a basic tract to be translated for foreign readers in North America. The first tract, printed in German in January 1858 from the translation and stereotype procured from a Cincinnati firm, proved unsatisfactory. About the same time D. T. Bourdeau came to Battle Creek to translate the tracts into French ( Review and Herald 11:56, Dec. 24, 1857). Before the revised German translation came out (June 1859), two tracts were published in French and one in Dutch. Seventh-day Adventists regarded these ventures as preparatory to carrying their message to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” through foreign-speaking members in the United States and Canada, circulating publications among their neighbors and also sending them to their homelands. In January 1872 the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association issued the first number of a Danish monthly, Advent Tidende, which was edited by John Matteson ( Review and Herald 39:36, Jan. 16, 1872; 39:53, Jan. 30, 1872). It was the first foreign language periodical published by SDA s. The first overseas publication was a French periodical, Les Signes des Temps, launched in 1876 in Basel, Switzerland, by J. N. Andrews, the first missionary sent by SDA s outside North America. Publishing houses in several other countries in Europe and other parts of the world soon followed, forming eventually a chain of modern publishing institutions that reaches “clear round the world.” ( See list under Publishing Houses .) The literature produced by these 56 publishing houses in more than 200 languages includes a large and increasing list of devotional and inspirational study helps for church members, biographies, textbooks, songbooks, and children’s books, and also single volumes and sets circulated to the general public by literature evangelists. Popular works in English include the Bible Reference Library (the Conflict of the Ages Series, by Ellen White, in five volumes); a major medical series, You and Your Health; and children’s books in sets such as Bedtime Stories, My Bible Friends, and The Bible Story. These books and others by local authors are printed around the world in dozens of languages. In recent years a large array of audiovisual aids including Chapel Records, compact discs, videotapes, and audiotapes; also, various teaching and evangelistic aids have been developed. Seventh-day Adventist publishing houses sell through their own offices to one another as wholesale distributors, and to overseas fields. Those in the United States sell to literature evangelists through the Home Health Education Services in the unions or local conferences and through the Adventist Book Centers to the church members and others. Lay members distribute tracts by the millions, missionary journals by the hundreds of thousands, educational magazines by the scores of thousands, bound evangelistic books and children’s books by the millions ( see Missionary Literature ). Literature evangelists sell doctrinal and health books, children’s books in sets, and combinations on credit, and single volumes and smaller units for cash. Many devote full time to the sale of evangelistic publications as an occupation; every year college and academy students work intensively selling during the summer to earn scholarships; many church members work part-time selling the smaller books and magazines. These direct selling activities are promoted and directed by publishing department directors working in the employ of the local, union, and General conferences. Growth of the Seventh-day Adventist publishing work is indicated by the value of sales from 1910 to 1992 as follows: 1910 $1,560,510 1920 $5,682,972 1930 $4,715,709 1940 $3,784,032 1950 $12,602,589 1960 $23,543,132 1970 $46,882,359 1975 $47,689,250 1980 $89,911,258 1981 $103,217,078 1982 $95,377,989 1983 $92,908,531 1984 $82,998,797 1985 $75,731,252 1986 $90,979,120 1987 $97,024,875 1988 $84,178,095 1989 $92,840,012 1990 $104,269,564 1991 $96,111,803 1992 $91,844,680 (Lower figures may reflect the weakness of the U.S. dollar.) The three publishing houses in the United States are Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, Maryland (incorporated 1861); Pacific Press Publishing Association, Nampa, Idaho (established 1875); Christian Record Services, Lincoln, Nebraska (established 1899 to serve visually impaired individuals).