Forty of these are laborers who have been sent from America, and of the 172 native workers 22 are preachers, editors and bible workers; 96 are canvassers and 54 are employes of the printing houses.MMM 368.19

As the question has been asked, what it will probably cost to maintain our foreign missions on their present scale of work, and it seems very desirable to know beforehand how much we need to raise during the year for this work, we have endeavored to examine the accounts of the year and comparing with the amounts paid our missionaries in 1887, to secure an approximate estimate of next year’s expenses, provided we make no addition to ‘our present corps of workers. Our estimate is as follows:MMM 368.20

Australia, 5 native and 4 American laborers $2,060 00 $4,730 00MMM 368.21

British, 9 native and 9 American laborers 1,175 00 6,861 00MMM 368.22

Central European, 27 native and 5 Am. laborers 3,500 00 4,286 32MMM 368.23

Scandinavian, 7 native and 6 American laborers 1,531 00 5,127 49MMM 368.24

South Africa, 2 native and 4 American laborers 1,62 005 1,320 30MMM 368.25

Total $9,91100 $22,315 33MMM 368.26

To this may be added:MMM 368.27

Annual loss on Present Truth, (16-page semi-monthly) $1,200MMM 368.28

Rent on British Mission office, salesroom and A. M. School. 1,300MMM 368.29

Loss on the French and German journals, pub. at Basel 1,800MMM 368.30

Loss on Scandinavian journals, pub. at Christiana 800MMM 368.31

Expense of maintaining the missionary ship, with a crew ofMMM 368.32

5 men, and 4 competent laborer 3,500MMM 368.33

Total $8,600MMM 368.34

To this might be added the probable expense of some of the most important enterprises which we ought to engage in at once:MMM 368.35

A city mission and canvassing school in Hamburg $2,000 00MMM 368.36

For ship mission work 1,000 00MMM 368.37

To send and maintain 2 laborers in Russia 1,700 00MMM 368.38

To issue Russian publications (tracts, pamphlets and letters) 2,500 00MMM 368.39

To issue tracts and leaflets in other tongues in which we now have nothing 2,500 00MMM 368.40

Grand Total $60,536 22MMM 368.41

Our brethren sometimes ask, will the cause in these mission fields ever be self-sustaining? In Switzerland it is so nominally; in New Zealand it is the same; in Victoria, Australia, it would be so if the brethren confined their labors to that colony, but Victoria is only one of the five Australian colonies, and shall we expect the three or four churches of that colony to bear the burden of sending the truth to New South Wales, to South Australia. to Queensland, and to Western Australia? This example illustrates the while question. Our churches raised up in foreign lands are just as faithful as our American brethren in paying their tithes and are liberal according to ability in sustaining missionary enterprises. Shall we stand quietly by, waiting for the catise in these countries to gain strength to carry the Message to the great mission fields around? Or, will the American brethren continue to use the experience and finacial strength which God has granted them in pushing forward the work in foreign lands? It seems to me there can be but one answer to such a question.MMM 368.42

There is a most promising field now open in Holland. Shall we furnish the necessary means to issue the publications needed in this country? I believe our brethren will say yes.MMM 369.1

Another question which is sometimes raised is this, will our mission printing houses ever be self-sustaining? The answer is much the same as that about the missions. The larger books being published pay their way, but there is not sufficient profit on these to bear the expense of translating and publishing new books. There is now a great demand for tracts in the Russian language. The expense of translating and publishing these will be considerable, and the returns for the first year or two will be very slight.MMM 369.2

There is also a call for books in the Polish and Hungarian languages. Also, the Finnish, Armenian, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, Indian, Hawaiian, and the native tongues. Shall we print them? Or, shall we wait till our office in Basil can save enough money from the sale of the few German and French books which are now paying a small profit to bear the expense of this new enterprise?MMM 369.3

Every new book of considerable size requires $1,000 or $2,000 of capital to meet the expense of translating and typesetting, and to buy the stock upon which it is printed. The “History of the Sabbath” in German and French is now in process of publication. This large work put into two languages will require $2,000 or $3,000 of capital. Shall we go forward with the publication? Or, shall we stop for lack of means? This illustrates the publishing problem as it presents itself in each of the mission offices. I believe we should be profoundly thankful that the Lord has opened the way so that our books will sell in these mission fields.MMM 369.4

We see that new books will constantly be called for in those countries where work is new most successful as well as for the new fields not yet entered, and as the publication of each new work requires capital, we shall need to set apart each year a liberal sum for this purpose.MMM 369.5

The Australian work can probably be carried with Australian capital, and it may be that the increase in the African stock can be provided for in the same way, but the Scandinavian house will no doubt require an increase of three or four thousand in their stock.MMM 369.6

The advantages of printing for Great Britain and the colonies in London, are such that we believe $10,000 should be invested there, and as much more in the work at Basil.MMM 369.7

GENERAL CONFERENCE

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE MISSION