The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-12-16
A PrinceIy Christian Merchant.

One of the shortest sermons on record
is said TO have been preached by the
witty Dean Swift. A collection for the
poor was to be taken, and the Dean,
who had been criticised for the length
of his sermon on a similar occasion,
took as his text Prov, 1917, "He that
hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the
Lord ''lf you like the security, down
with the dust" said the Dean, and that
was all, The collection was unusually
large.
But a much shorter sermon was
preached by the Rev. DR.. Muhlenberg
at the funeral of Robert B. Minturn, a
princely Christian merchant of New
York. The minister gave out as his
text the words of the prophet Micah
(6:8) HE hath showed thee. o man,
what is good; and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly. and to
thy God?' The sermon consisted of
emphasis: 80 did hen Nothing
more.
The dead man was worthy of the
eulogy. Throughout the city he had
been known as "the Poor Mans
Friend" Actively engaged in large
business, he was foremost in works of
benevolence. Munifcent in his chari-
ties, he gave, what many liberal men
do not, brains and time, as well as
heart, to helping forward vast variety
of agencies for the benefit of the poor
and afflicted. Every Sunday ne might
be seen sitting on one of the uncush-
ioned benches of the Church of the
Holy Communion. whose glory was
that it could truthfully inscribe over its
doors the words of the Hebrew proverb-
ialist: '.The rich and poor meet to-
gether; the Lord is the maker OF them
all"
One of the noblest charities of the
citv of New York is St. Luke's Hospi-
tai. 1t is Christian institution whose
work illustrates its motto: s Corpus
Sanare, A7ainaan1 SGtUare." Go heal
the body, to save the souD. A gift of
ten thousand dollars, pricately put into
DIR. Muhlenberg's hands by Mr.. Min
turn, started the hospital. The manner
of the gift showed the merchant idea
of the high and blessed way of giving.
He desired that no names should be
affixed to the donations for the hospi-
tai. One Sunday morning, in the ordi-
nary otfertory there were found FIVE
bills of one thousand dollars each, Ia
beled ''For st. Luke's Hospital" Mr.
Minturn happened to be in the vestry
when the offertory was brought in.
"Let me hold those bills moment;
want to touch such money" he said,
overjoyed that others sympathized with
his idea of transformations charity.
Not only poor men but afflicted ami
mails shared in Mr.. Minturn's pitiful-
ness, One morning, it was long before
any society looked after suffering ami
mails, he was walking down town, en-
gagged in earnest conversation with a
friend, -'Stop a minute" he said, abb
ruptly breaking the talk and dashing
into the thronged street, A poor little
calf was staggering between the vehi-
cles in the vain attempt to keep up with
its mother. She was being driven be-
yond her natural gait by a cruel driver.
The friend saw the princely merchant
cross to where job wagon stood. The
calf was gently lifted in, some money
was put into the wagoner's hand, and
he followed after the cow. IL. -.
One morning, while Bishop Potter
was visiting at Mr.. Minturn's country
house, he read at family prayer the par
able of Dives and Lazarus. Referring
to it, Mr.. Minturn said it was a passage
of Scripture that often alarmed him.
"a very solemn one, indeed" replied
the Bishop, "but it is not terror to the
rich who give as they should OF their
riches" "Ah, Bishop. what do any of
us give but the crun16s?' "reioined the
merchant who walked humbly with his
God Youths Companion. -a