New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-07
A CENTURY OF HONOR.
LONG LIFE OF THE BOOK CONCERN.
METHODIST EPIscoPALANs TO CELEBRATE
THE ANNIvERsARY-THE NEW BUILDING

| METHODIST EPISCOPALIANS TO CELEbhAIt
THE ANSIvERsARY-THE NEW BUILDING
| SKETCH OF THE INSTITUTION.
Tomorrow the centennial anniversary Of the Method
st Episcopal Book Concern will bc generally cello
| bratsd by Methodists. There wll be additional
interest owing TO the fact THAI the Book Concern
| has Just taken possession Of its new building In
Fith-ave. The history OF the Book Concern Is an
Interesting one In 1850 the Church appointed John
Dickens, OF Philadelphia, as book agent. This was
in accordance with the policy OF John wesley "ho
believed thoroughly In print as an evangeizng FORCE
Dickens began business by borrowing 5000 as
capital and was at once successful In 1so4 inc
business was removed to NewYork and Ezekiel Cooper
was made book agent He resigned in 1909 leaving
the business worth 145 900, immense sum IN tnose
days In 1922 under the direction OF Agents Nathan
Barys and Thomas Mason, the first book was bound
IN the house. which was then In Crosby-st. In 1874
the concern began the business OF printing, ana IN
1926 the first number of The Christian Advocate
issued. This paper has since become lde ie~r
Ing organ OF the Methodist Church and takes rank
with the ablest UNCONVENTIONAL papers in the country
In 1888 the business was transferred 10 NO. sVo
MuIberryst In 1896 the entire building was ourhea
and as 1t was FIVE stories high the insurance COM
pancs had refused TO issue policies on IT, SO 'ha'
the loss total. Tht sum OF S9o,ooo was SUI"
raised and a new building erected In looe ulc
o..
building was used for saesrOom and for ofices OF
the publishing department and the missionary
society of the Church, the manufacturing
department being still at No. 200 Mulbery-st The
salesroom, offices and manufacturing department VIII
all be in the new building in Fifth-ave, which is I'M
doubtedly one Of the most complete buildings OK the
kind in the world.
Some idea Of the business done by the Book Concern
may be gained from the following figures Last year
the sales Of books aud periodicals Of the Newfork
concern amounted to 81 ,093,55o; those OF the Cih-
clnnau concern amounted to $7S9,943
Tho following church organs authorized by the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and most of them are
issued by the Book Concern: THE Christian Advo-
cate" Now-York The Western Christian Advocate
Cincinnati The Pittsburg Christian Advocate" The
Northern Christian Advocate Syracuse. n. Y; The
Northwestern Christian Advocate Chicago; The
Central Christian Advocate ST. Louis; The California
Christian Advocate Portland, ore. "Ihe South
western Christian Advocate" New-orleans; and The
Ms9G eran peoc Ghs e IN Der
Apologize and Hans und Herd" "The Methodist
Review" bimonthly, and large number of Sunday
school publications are also issued.
Tho agents Of the Book Concern have all been
ministers, with the single exception Of the late John ~
Philips. That they we're good business men is'eyi,
dent from the success Of the concern, the
profits of which, between the years 1898 ana
1882 we're more than $25OO,OO0 Tho editors OF
"The Christian Advocate have been able and brilliant
men. and the of Bangs, Durbln Bond, lsbel,
stevens. Thompson and Curry are household words
James NJ: Buckley, IS a remarkably able newspaper
man. and under his editorship The Advocate has
The centennial of the Book Concern is to be cele
brated principally in the Eastern conferences. The
present book agents Hunt & Eaton have issued cir
cuar to Church at large, urging that the centen
NAL be observed by extending the circulation OF the
Uhurch's periodicals. And II Is hoped that the ami
versary Will thus mark epoch in the history Of
this great and successful institution.