A MESSAGE FROM WELSH TRACT PUBLICATIONS...(SANTAMARIA)

We would like to clarify some things.... It appears to be the opinion of some that Welsh Tract Publications has become a "merchandising operation." Why is this? Becaus we dare to charge for the ebooks we produce? We would like to remind those who share this opinion that when our dear brethren Elder Poole and Elder Lackey published books (hardcover), they CHARGED for them. Was this a "merchandising operation?" Sadly, where are these great works now that were published? They are out of print, and the copies that remain cost upwards of $600 used. This is the problem with paper books: they go out of print and thus disappear! The ebooks that we publish now will never go out of print. They cost much less than the paper books, and they can be carried in one's pocket (try doing that with the complete editorials of Elder Beebe! We want these writings to last as much as is in our power. And for those who think that we are becoming rich publishing these works through Amazon, we will tell them that we receive anywhere from 35% to 7o% of the price of the book. Hardly enough to become wealthy, brethren. But what if we did make a profit from our publications? Is this sinful? Is a worker not worthy of his hire? There may be some who see no advantage to the Kindle format.

PS - We would also like to point out to those who think charging for books or for a paper is "merchandising" to carefully examine the Signs of the Times, both past and present.  Beebe charged the paper and had agents all over the country.  He also charged for most of the books he published.  Was this merchandising?  We think not.