The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-07
Daniel Drew as Spectator and rs Thee


himself ana his companions with tales Of /
the strange things he has seen and done in
the wall street world II is true that 1t
has been said that avaiice is the only pas
sion which increases with age, aud
doubtless Uncle DANIEL Will feel many
paug of regret ms he thinks OF what n
precious cargo lies beneath the turbulent
waves of stock jobbng. But If not So
laced ny sweet philosophy, the aged mari
ner is yet sustained by the stout stan OF
theology. Uncle DANIEI. has been through
ont theological rs well as Il stock specu-
lntor.
1t is gratifying to be assured that our
venerable fellow citizen VIII not have to
spend his declining years IN the poor house
or to rely for his bread on the dole of
cold charity. So far as ms physical COM
! forts are concerned, he Is US well of now
as when he welded millions. Though he
has lost the power to frighten Wall street,
he has not deprived himself of the bread
| for which the pauper may cry in VAIN.
! The knowledge that this Is his compare
| lively fortunate case Will somewhat molli-
| ~ the tone OF public sympathy for the
| Wall street veteran. The real sufferer by
his disaster is the theological seminary he
founded.
Mr.. DREW has long felt the duty of pro-
vlding sound theological training Tor the
youth Of the country, aud of keeping the
ranks OF the Methodist ministry supplied
with well-drilled recruits. Himself pow
erful exhorter and man fervent ia prayer,
Uncle DANIEL DREW has taken only less
interest in theology than in puts and calls.
II is reported of him that he would clean
out his brcthr,n with the same zeal that
he would men of the world; but this was
because he never allowed sentiment to in-
tcrfere with business. In the prayer meet
| ing and in the theological board he was
anxious for the welfare of mems souls aud
for the propagation OF sound doctrine;
| in Wall street ne was after their money.
In order to do justice TO the character and
career OF Uncle DANIEL this distinction
7 duty and what he required rs hi secular
| pront must be borne in mind. Though
conspicuous example Of this sort of Chris
tan, he is by no means alone. The de-
mands Of n growing civilization have great
ly mod fed Christianity since it was first
preached in Galilee, aud the eye of the
needle has i'm the course Of nigh upon
| twenty NtululltH UttU EIduuhllN tuldIEtu
| so as 10 admit the biggest camel OF the
herd. 1t is plain that if we make it "A du-
bous matter whether rich men get into
heaven, we discourage trade and set up a
bar against the cultivation of the Iseful
| desire for riches.
Mr. DREws gifts TO religious institutions
which propagate the theological doctrines
he holds, have been great indeed. In this
country aud in this period, when the bene-
factions OF successful fnanciers are OF
much more than prncely muuihcence, he
must hold rank among the foremost of
these givers. We cannot say what is the
exact sum Of his actual donations in hard
cash and solid land, but it must
reach 100000 at least. To the Drew The
illogical Seminary alone. leaving out the
note for S2j00O0 which he made to it as an
| endowment, and the interest on which is
now in default. he has given the vast sum
of s452, 000. Though his failure destroys
the value Of the note, yet the Methodist
denomination may well perpetuate the
name of n benefactor so proflise in fur
nishing the means for the propagation of
it, theology rs DANIEL DREW. Not many
followers of w EsLEY have been so Jealous
| IL Tue noN hHulNtItl Iullldlfn VI W All
street. or so ready to share the spois Of
financial success with the doctors of its re-
lieion rs he. The gold is bright, the green
backs nre crisp, the buildings are strong,
the glebe is fertile, though all came from
the nire OF the Street
But is ii not a little strange hat the theo-
logical plant has grown in such soil? Does
il not furnish food for rcfectionY Give all
thou hast TO the poor ana follow me, was
the injunction Of the Nazarene. He
taught that gold was not salye for a sore
conscience or pavement for the narrow
way to heaven. Such healing must be
won by the abandonment of the sordid
practices by which the gold was gained,
not merely b. the REIMBURSEMENT OF the
whole or part OF the plumber, and that
road must be trod by wayfarers who not
only gave up what they had wrested
through cupidity, but who also eschcwed
cupidty itself and followed tho lead OF n
higher and more spiritual guide. II we
people of New York should practically
take the words of CHRIST as our guide and
follow the example of the chosen COM
panions OF his earthly career whom he
commended, OF even that Of the early Chris
| llhl community WIZ Liu MI lnlHps Ill
common we should have n very different
civilization from that we now boast Of.
1t is idle to deny that the seed planted in
Judea has grown into tree whose out
spreading branches shade and shelter a
much more complex system and one more
adjustable to the desires and passions of
men than the simple Christianity OF the
New Testament This il is which makes the
work ofpreachers and evangeists such up
bin labor. But the great doctrines of the
brotherhood Of man, and that each must
share his brothers burdens, that the un-
varying moral law Furnishes evil doing aud
rewards righteous doing, that man must
work TO fulnl use not to secure selfish
gain only, that duty aud not pleasure shall
rule men's lives. that immortality is the