New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-22
rgr uETHoDIsT BOOK CONCERN.


For se,orol months q rumor has been afioat
among tho Methodists of this city that search
inc investigation of the affairs of their great
denominational Book Concern by the new
Agent ,be Rev. DR.. Lanahan, had led to the
nainful discovery that the Concern, by the mis-
management of several subOrdnates, has for
years been losing large sums. Of money The
rumor has st length found its way 100 'iie
;,sr6ssss, And, Of course is producing excitement
in Ch,rch circles. For the Methodist Book
Concern is the largest publishing house OF TINS
class of UNCONVENTIONAL concerns In the world
its sales in 1857, according to the oinclal
journal of the General Conference OF 1898,
amounting to the sum of $6940OO; it repre-
SCENTS the largest among the Protestant Amerl-
can Churches and its Agents, as well as
tbe msmbers of the Book Committee, are
ouadreonally chosen by the General corner
ence from among Ethe most prominent men OF
the Church. d.
We understand that the investigation OF the
case is not yet concluded ; that 1t may yet take
some months to fully establish all the facts
and that what thus far has been ascertained, is
about "a follows The Rev. DIR. Lanahan, who
in 1856, was elected by the General Conference
Book Agent, discovered some time after his
appointment that the material OF the printing
and binding departments OF the Concern was
NOT purchased directly from houses selling
this material, but indirectly through Other
norties who for their services received a com
mission, amounting, it is supposed, to from
$1,000 to $4,000 year and that this way OF
IL. hao hnn
a perod of at least six and perhaps Oh ten OF
more years, causing to the Concern loss Of
abont two hundred thousand dollars. Inc
heads of the two departments mentioned nave
consequently been dismissed. Neither oil then
is chlrged with having derived any persona
profit from these transactions; but the persons
from whom the material vas purchased. state
that they were requested to sell only through
the third parties who have obtained the heavy
commissions ..... .....
Tn. sensation in the Methodist community
is, of course, intense. The principal questions
now naturally asked are: Did any employees o.
the look Concern have a Share in the commits
sions allowed to the third parties Was thu
way # purchasing materials unknown to thu
formr Book Agents, and why did it remain
unkn,wn for so many years to them and K
| the Iook Committee who meet once n year u
submit the affairs of the Book Concern to al
ofiicil revisionf And in wide circles OF th'
Churdl this other question, often discussed by
the UNCONVENTIONAL press, now forces itself natu
rally upon the consideration OF business men
Should not the Book Concern be conducted IL
| a moe business like manner ! The Agents anI
the members of the Book Committee are II
every instance eminent theologians; but theI
rarely have among them single membe
who has received a regular training In TIT
pubihing business. The larger the Bool
Concern becomes. the more, OF course, is 1T
need of the best attainable business talent. II
is new one of the great publishing houses o
the World and it is certain to grow with th
Church. Has not the time come when thu
Chmch, in order to maintain for its Booi
Conen that general confidence so essential e
it's continued success, should secure for it
management the best business talent which a
canfind in the Church-be it among the clerg,
or among the laityl Can there be the leas
doubt, that if the board of supervisors hat
among it's members such men as the Harpers
Onnge Judd, Lemuel Bangs, George G.. Rand
AMI other well known laymen of the Church, i
would be better fitted to prevent any kind o
fraud than if all its members were theologan
as eminent as st. Augustine This question
Ole may now often hear discussed among thu
intelligent classes of Methodists. The furthe
d,yeloDment of the case may have consider
allie influence upon the future management o
tbs, aud perhaps of all UNCONVENTIONAL bool
Concerns.
HUMBOLDT-AG1SSiZ