Since 1871 when Stephen N. Haskell established the New England Tract Society in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, the Adventist Book Centers have been dedicated to spreading the good news of Christ’s return. The decade that followed saw the spread of tract societies to all the conferences. In 1924 they changed their name to Book and Bible Houses and in 1972 they became Adventist Book Centers.
Whichever name they went by, the ABCs have served the church as the primary outlet for literature intended for outreach. More than a million copies of the sharing book Steps to Christ are distributed through the North American ABCs each year.
The ABCs are also the primary source for Adventist books for personal use and make an excellent source for holiday shopping.
One of the challenges facing the Adventist Book Centers serving their respective conferences is accessibility. In 1940, H. F. Kirk became one of the first to use a trailer to take the books to the people in the Southern New England conference.
The Adventist Book Centers of the North Pacific Union remain on the forefront of our mission as a church. The phone numbers and addresses are listed on page 42 of this GLEANER.
This New England Tract Repository is believed to be the first establishment to sell Adventist literature. It was the forerunner of the ABC system of stores. Picture taken in 1871. (Review and Herald Publishing Association)
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