k, some of whom were deeply involved in the business
interests of the institutions there.
Not all that was contemplated in the action calling for consolidation
came about, but sufficient did materialize to start a train of movement
toward consolidation and to load the General Conference Association
with the financial obligations of the publishing houses, tract societies,
educational institutions, and sanitariums throughout the world. With a
full meeting of the committee held only rarely, it was inevitable that
routine decisions affecting the interests of the cause throughout the
world were made by a handful of men in Battle Creek—often no more
than four, five, or six men. In her communications Ellen G. White
protested the moves toward consolidation, and other moves which
did not bear God’s endorsement. (See Life Sketches, Pages 319-330,
chapter, “Danger in Adopting Worldly Policy in the Work of God.”)
The situation at Battle Creek, involving both institutions and the
General Conference, seems to be
27
well summed up in the article, “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before
Me,” written in September, 1895, and appearing on pages 359-364. The
reader would do well to peruse this carefully.
The E. G. White communications to Elder Olsen, president of
the General Conference and of the General Conference Association,
contained many messages of reproof to those who would take
upon themselves the responsibility of making decisions touching so
intimately the work of the denomination around the world. Much of this
instruction sent to Elder Olsen is to be found in Testimonies to ministers.
As noted above, he put the messages into print, that the instruction and
warning might be sent to others.
FAR-REACHING PUBLISHING-HOUSE PROBLEMS
Unfortunately the step of expediency taken in our publishing work
in early years, which led the publishing houses to take in commercial
work, deeply involved these institutions in the mere business of printing.
It reached the point at times when approximately 70 percent of the
printing was commercial work and 30 percent denominational printing.
Those responsible for the financial interests of the publishing houses
envisioned the work in their hands as that of printers, and this led them
to accept for publication manuscripts of a character which should never
have been printed on the presses of the church. (See Testimonies for the
Church 7:161-168, chapter “Commercial work,” and Selected Messages
2:350, 351, “The Perils of Hypnosis.”)
At the same time, some men in responsible positions in the
publishing work turned from important basic principles which had
governed our institutions in the remuneration of its personnel. It was
reasoned that
28
the work had reached its state of prosperity because of the special skills
and talents of those who served in managerial lines; therefore these
men should be favored by special remuneration more in keeping with
their positions in management. As a result, certain men in key positions
received remuneration double that of a skilled factory worker.
The same spirit led the management of the publishing house at
Battle Creek to take every step within its power to gain control of the
literary products it handled, and this resulted in cutting off a fair royalty
income to authors of the books published by the house. In this way
the income of the publishing house was enhanced. It was argued that
those in positions of management in the publishing house were in a
better position to understand the needs of the cause, and know how to
use profits which came from literature, than were the individual authors.
The authors, they felt, might fall short in proper stewardship of royalty
incomes. In several communications, Ellen White, writing to those in
positions of management, pointed out that selfishness motivated such
plans. Counsel in this area is found in Testimonies for the Church
7:176-180.
GENERAL CONFERENCE PRESIDENT PUBLISHERS TESTIMONIES
The influence of selfish, grasping methods and the exercise of
“kingly power,” as Ellen G. White termed it, were contagious. Elder
Olsen, president of the General Conference, in his hope that he could
stay the evil work of such influences, made available to the ministers
of the church many of the messages of counsel which came to him
and other leaders in Battle Creek during this critical period. These
messages, published in pamphlet form, were sent out as special
29
instruction to ministers and workers. They were often prefaced by an
earnest statement signed by the president of the General Conference or
by the Committee. In Elder Olsen’s introduction to the second of these
numbered pamphlets, written about 1892, he states:
“We feel it our duty again to send you some selections from recent
writings from Sister E. G. White that have not as yet been in print,
and also to call attention to some very important extracts from writings
which have already been published. We do this to bring the truths
contained therein fresh to your minds. They are worthy of most careful
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consideration....
“For three years the Spirit
