Consolidation of Denominational Interests

Just at the close of the conference session a committee on the consolidation of Seventh-day Adventist institutions rendered its report. The committee's recommendations seemed prudent and wise, but they evinced a forgetfulness of counsels given fourteen years earlier, and they ushered in a situation concerning which Ellen White was to have much to say in the succeeding decade. The recommendations adopted in part read:3BIO 449.2

Your committee appointed to take into consideration the publishing interests of the denomination have carefully considered this subject; and in order to meet the increasing demand of our work, and to avoid all sectional feeling and personal interests which are now liable to arise from the present plan of conducting our business by having separate organizations, and also to unify the work and secure the more hearty cooperation of all, would respectfully recommend—3BIO 449.3

1. That steps be taken at once to form a corporation for the purpose of taking entire control of all our publishing interests, thus bringing the work under one general management.3BIO 449.4

2. That the officers of this association be a board of twenty-one trustees, to be elected by the General Conference, with power to organize themselves....3BIO 449.5

The objects of this new organization shall be: 1. To hold the title of all our denominational publishing houses and the equipments thereof.3BIO 449.6

2. To own, publish, and control the sale of all denominational books, tracts, and periodicals.3BIO 450.1

3. To secure, as far as possible, by purchase or otherwise, the plates and copyrights of all denominational books now published by our different publishing houses, or that may be written in the future.3BIO 450.2

4. To encourage the preparation of books, pamphlets, and tracts upon the different points of our faith.3BIO 450.3

5. To appoint editors and managers to take a general supervision of the work of the various offices.—The General Conference Bulletin, 1889, 149.3BIO 450.4

One paragraph indicated the haste that seemed desirable in this matter, and another showed the intent of moving into the consolidation of other lines of denominational work:3BIO 450.5

In order that no time may be lost, your committee would further recommend that a standing committee of twenty-one be elected by the General Conference at its present session to take this whole question into consideration, with power to act. We would also suggest that the very best legal advice be consulted in bringing this new organization into existence.3BIO 450.6

Your committee would further recommend that a similar organization be effected for the purpose of controlling all our educational interests, and owning the property—thus bringing them under one general management. Also, another to control our health institutions.—Ibid.3BIO 450.7

Overlooked were earlier counsels concerning the perils of consolidating publishing interests; the men conducting the work of the church apparently had forgotten or were uninformed concerning this bit of history. As far back as the middle 1870s, the Lord, through Ellen White, counseled against drawing publishing interests together under one management. Writing of this to O.A. Olsen in 1896, she stated that “twenty years ago” she had been shown that the publishing house on the Pacific Coast “was ever to remain independent of all other institutions; that it was to be controlled by no other institution.” She went on to say:3BIO 450.8

Just prior to my husband's death [1881], the minds of some were agitated in regard to placing these institutions under one presiding power. Again the Holy Spirit brought to my mind what had been stated to me by the Lord. I told my husband to say in answer to this proposition that the Lord had not planned any such action.—Letter 81, 1896.3BIO 450.9

From time to time Ellen White was to address herself to the question of confederation and consolidation, elaborating in some detail the principles involved as she pointed out the perils that lurked in moves in this direction. Not alone in the interests of unity and finance were the guarding counsels given in the mid-1890s. This was stressed in the following words of admonition:3BIO 451.1

As the work increases, there will be a great and living interest to be managed by human instrumentalities. The work is not to be centered in any one place, not even in Battle Creek.3BIO 451.2

Human wisdom argues that it is more convenient to build up interests where they have already obtained character and influence. Mistakes have been made in this line. Individuality and personal responsibility are thus repressed and weakened. The work is the Lord's, and the strength and efficiency are not all to be centered in any one place.—Letter 71, 1894. (Italics supplied.)3BIO 451.3