The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-20
kept But let us see that they be kept right

Committee recommends that IL De done o.
contract. The Committee believe that tn
present embarrassment can be worked ou
of, and the cause can become successful snt
free from debt-reduce expenses and ye
increase the efficiency of the work. The
whole thing is practicable to change the man
ner of our publication, and not to contract
but to expand the work. The difficulty il
the past has been largely on account OF lti
inordinate expenses. The Committee are
not to blame for that. They entrusted the
work to DR.. Baird, who was sanguine OF sue
cess. The expenses were too great, and Sc
great that it finally led to the bankruptcy OF
the Committee. The Committee did not ap'
preciate my motives in calling attention to
this. Under the new plan, expenses can be
cut down to a very small amount. Now tor
the work of the plan. We 60 to the publish
ing house and give them the contract to pub
lish our books. They attend to the printing
of them. They take the responsibility OF the
publication. They must publish every book
we put on our catalogue. We believe that
under that arrangement we can obtain roy
atty on every book published from our plates,
and so pay the entire expenses of this Com
mittee. If we fail at the first, we can yet
gradually work to it, and so all the money
contributed for Publication can 90 for free
distribution of books at small cost above
the expense of publishing, and will not cost
dollar for the distribution. A society now
seventy years old, organized for the sole pur-
pose of disseminating the literature their faith
approves-after having gone on as we have
only for fifty instead of eleven years
found, to their utter aStoniShment, they were
bankrupt. Seven years ago they changed
their front, and took this very plan now pro-
posed. In six years they paid off their entire
Indebtedness and had money to loan. These
are the views of the entire committee as to the
plan We should pursue.
Next, as to the sale of the Publishing
House, the only difference of opinion in the
Committee was, that some were in favor of
selling the building any way, except that it
should not be sacrificed. That was my con-
viction, but we cannot all expect to have our
particular views. We must compromise with
each other. The present Indebtedness on
the house is $31, 900. 1t cost $45,OOO the
seller afterwards making deduction of ST.
600. The house, the Committee say, is good
and solvent for the debt. l have looked into
this thing. I wrote to friend of mine in
Richmond, and he wrote to me that it was
taxed at $33 900, could be sold promptly for
$50, 900, and that it could be sold with time
for about what it was taxed at. The Secre.
tary reported the house as worth what it
cost. He ought not to have done it, and the
Committee ought not to have let him do it.
Was l to blame for making these inquiries !?
No, Moderator; when brother honestly and
for reason desires to investigate the Commit
tee, ne ought not to be horse-whipped and
scratched and called a sore-head. Any man
who raised his voice against DR.. Baird's work
well, he dared not do it.
The Assembly cannot throw all this re-.
sponsibility on the Executive Committee, nor
on DIR. Baird. If the Assembly had pro-
tected those who were willing to examine into
this matter, things would not have come to
this pass.
DR.. Hoge-In the Assembly at Savannah,
when your Presbytery asked for an exami-
nation of our affairs, | proposed that an in
vestigating Committee be sent was in
favor of the appointment of such a commit
tee, although l did not know that anything
was wrong; and if it had been sent, per-
haps-
Mr.. Kennedy-I am glad to hear the
chairman say that But will say that when
the Presbytery sent up the overture to ask
this examination, we expected it to be &C.
cepted by an overwhelming vote. We were
surprised beyond measure when we heard
that learned men on that floor actually spoke
of censuring the PreSbytery. MonStrous
doctrine could not stand the enunciation
of such doctrines l am glad DR.. Hoge had
nothing to do with it. Nevertheless it was
done, and done with threat of censure.
Mr.. Moderator, the management of this
business, before it fell through, was more or
.less failure. But we are not to assume
that it cannot be conducted successfully on
different principle. Why, sir, it is known
that ninety.nine out of hundred men who
enter business fail; and it is also known that
those who fail in early life generally succeed
in after life. They take advantage of theil
former ignorance.
Mr.. HOweH-What is the different method
of conducting the business proposed?
Mr.. Kennedy-The Committee have beer
having their books printed by contract, ant
have also kept store. To keep it they paic
$4,000 to business agent, and then four Of
five other salaries were paid to employees
Under this proposed plan the publishing i
done by contract, and instead of our payins
clerks, etc., $4,000, we propose that the.
shall pay us for the privilege of publishing
our books.
do not despair but what we may fnall,,
make this work eminently successful. Whe
you give publisher your contracts, he wi
! be introduced through our entire Southern
Church. He will secure the sale of larg
amounts of his own publications for he Wi
send his own catalogue with the catalogue Q
the Committee. 1t would be perfectly fea
sible to operate this plan successfully. W
> propose not to keep bookstore, but to haV
some man pay US for the privilege of sellin
9 our books.
In answer to question, Mr.. Kennedy sal
? that the endowment fund was in great jeoI
s ardy. If anything is saved, it will be for th
= future action of the Assembly to decide wins
to do with it. Under this plan, no endo7
}. ment is needed, which is an argument for tn
= plan. The Earnest Worker and Children
a Friend will go in this same contract, and
n publisher could be found who would pay on
It half of our official expenses for the purpO
e of getting the publication of the papers.
e The recommendation to remove the r
Y strictions as to terms on which publication
are sold, will necessarily be approved. The
le restrictions required them to sell the hym
A..A ..AGk Rnnidon oil =