THIS LITTLE TRUMPET
Having had our last issue printed on our neighbor's steam-press, we concluded it would pay us to trade our old press on a jobber and have them print the paper regularly.
Our chief reason for so doing was this: in the time that it would take us to print them on the slow old press, we could make more on job-work than would pay the printing. But, behold, when our neighbors learned that we were getting a job-press, they seemed to think we were intruding on their territory, and not having the utmost confidence in their typographical ability they thought to make us pay a sort of royalty for the privilege of doing job-work here, by raising the price of printing the trumpet from four dollars to eight dollars an issue; and while we conceded the perfect right to charge that price, we were happy for the privilege of saving that amount and printing on our job-press.
Of course, we can print but one page at a time, which makes four impressions for a folio; and if we print as large as the Trumpet has been, it will take eight times running through the press, which, after all, can be done in about the same time it took to print it in two impressions on the old press, and takes one to run instead of three.
When the paper comes to you only half the old size we will call it but a half number, so we will not defraud our subscribers in the least. But we desire to send you eight pages every two weeks if we possibly can. When we can not, please bear with us until the kind providence of God and the liberality of the saints help us to get a paper-press.
The eight-page proposition did not then materialize. About this time was adopted the motto, which was carried for many years: "First pure, then valiant for the truth." The home of the Gospel Trumpet was not long at Cardington. Brother Warner was desirous of having a permanent home for the Trumpet, where he would not have to pay rent. When he moved to Cardington, he did not feel that that would be the permanent place for the paper. Kind brethren in Michigan made very liberal offers and asked him to come there; but a place was opening at Bucyrus, twenty miles distant, in Crawford County. While he was in prayer pleading earnestly for God's direction, three teams drove up. It was the brethren from Bucyrus, who had come to move the office to that place and also help it out of financial difficulties. There was great joy in Brother Warner's heart as he realized that God had answered prayer and sent help. One of these brethren, D. D. Johnston, assisted in the matter of finances. He purchased a lot and furnished material with which to erect a building. His name appeared as publisher in August, 1883.
Brother Warner proceeded to build a small office on the lot at Bucyrus. In the last number printed at Cardington he writes as follows:
While you read this paper, the editor will be personally at work erecting a house in which to carry on the work of the Lord. If we were building a house for ourself we should want to count the cost before commencing; but we are building this house unto the Lord, and the earth and the fulness thereof are his, hence, we need not stop to count since he says go forward. The undertaking is wholly by faith. While at work with our hands we shall pray without ceasing to our heavenly Father to send us the means.
We have had experience enough in our business to know that we never can carry on the paper and pay rent. It is claimed that a paper is not self-supporting with most any number of subscribers without receiving advertisements. Just yesterday in the office of a temperance paper we were told by an editor and publisher that we ought to take in one thousand dollars every year for advertisements, and he could not see how the paper could be carried otherwise. But, beloved, it must be carried otherwise or not at all. Neither do we wish to do any secular job-work if we can help it. We shall dispose of our job-press and material as soon as possible. Now, beloved, when we shall have obtained a good paper-press (and it is already bought, thank God) and a place free of rent, with much self-denial and care we shall be able to send you a paper 22 by 32 every two weeks.