Mrs. White’s Acquiescence Brings Relief

It was felt, however, that we should lay the perplexing problem before Mrs. White before putting into effect our recommendation to discontinue the printing house in Nashville. As I was soon to visit the Pacific Coast, the Committee requested me to lay the situation before her, and to seek her counsel.AGP 325.3

It was in the early morning of October 19, 1902, that a group of brethren met with Mrs. White at her home—“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California. Besides me, there were Elders W. C. White, W. T. Knox, A. T. Jones, J. O. Corliss, and E. R. Palmer. Brother Clarence Crisler reported the interview stenographically.AGP 325.4

Mrs. White was deeply grieved and sorely perplexed by my recital of the terrible losses sustained by the Southern PublishingAGP 325.5

House during the three years of its existence. She agreed that it must be put upon a basis where there would be no such losses, and said, “If it cannot be, it had better be closed.”AGP 326.1

Not being able to give us a sure remedy, she assented to our proposal to discontinue the printing, to turn the building into a depository, and to purchase the literature from other publishing houses. This seeming agreement with our plans brought great relief and satisfaction to many who had been struggling with the baffling problem.AGP 326.2

Brother Crisler wrote out a part of the interview, and, with this in my pocket, I departed with a light heart. On arrival at Battle Creek, I lost no time in telling the other members of the Committee of our interview, with the assurance that Mrs. White was with us in our plans to close up the Nashville office in a very short time.AGP 326.3