The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-06
Jay Gould and Religion.

As q matter OF course. several OF the
| preachers OF New York and Brooklyn NOR
| allied over JAY GOULD and his career in
their sermons OF last Sunday. and probably
the same theme was discussed in hundreds
of other pulpits Of the Union and the same
conclusion reached. that his methods Of ac-
cumulatlng a fortune were positively I'M
christian and satanic. A woman spiritual
istlc medium reported on Sunday evening
that sho had receiveda communication from
the unseen world expressing grave doubts
as to his souls salvation.
Mr.. GoULD's own pastor. tho Presby-
terrain Dr. PAXTON, did not refer to tho
dead man directly. but he called for more
charity for those who fail to attain the
Christian ideal. The perfection OF CHRIST.
he said. is unattainable. At the most men
can only approximate to it. They can only
| try to overcome their natural tendency to
sin. confessng their inability to succeed
with broken heart and a contrite spirit.
Among DR.. PAxToN's hearers was Mr..
RUSSELL SAGE. SO long and SO intimately
associated with Mr.. GOULD. and whose own
| fortune, simultaneously accumulated, is
one of the greatest OF this country. At the
close of the sermon Mr. SAGE partook OF
tho communion, he being stanch Presby-
terrain in full fellowship. The late DANIEL
DREW. ono OF the sharpest OF the Wall
street operators. but who was forced to
succumb before the greater skill Of Mr.
GOULD. was in his time very enthusiastic
Methodist. He was noted for the fervency
of his prayers and for the passion Of his
exhortations to sinners. Mr.. GOULD him
self was deeply interested in tho subject
Of religion. more especially during the
last years Of his life. He was dill
gent attendent upon the services
of DR.. PAxToN's Presbyterian Church.
and his religious belief was un-
affected by the skepticism OF these days.
A little essay on the Atonement which he
wrote In a lady's album is described as
remarkable for its deep devotional spirit
and orthodox faith. He died in that
faith. So far as we can learn. there was
not II trace OF infldelity in him. His re-
ligious belief was as orthodox as President
PATToN's or DR.. JOHN HALLS. He believed
In the Bible as the infalllble Word OF COB.
in the life eternal. in future rewards and
punishments. and his own everlasting ac-
countability for his course and conduct in
this temporal life
1t was never charged against Mr.. GOULD
that he was hypocrite. Nobody could be
further removed from hypocrisy than he
was. He was not man Of any pretensions
whatever. He never took any pains to
change the injurious estimate OF him which
prevailed throughout his successful career.
lie left people to draw their own conclu-
sions from his acts. and persistently fol-
lowed the line OF conduct he had set out for
himself. He did not seek to conciliate pub
lie opinion. though his reputation frequent
ly was a serious obstacle to his success
even although the terror OF him which it in
cited may have been OF advantage to him
sometimes in carrying out his schemes.
Such a man would not be likely to pro-
TESS religious belief which was not sin
cere. Mr. GOULD must therefore have eX-
pectcd. during the later years Of his life
certainly. that his record on earth would
como before the Judgment Seat OF GOD at
the last day. He must have felt that tho !
material treasures he accumulated hero
were worthless as compared with the spirit
nal treasures he must lay up to Escape the
eternal punishment in which he believed.
Is it probable. then. that this man, so dis
tinEuished among his contemporaries for
looking calmly ahcnd at the logical conse-
qucDccs OF what he did, was prrsstently |
conscious OF violating tho laws Of COP so |
iagrantly rs these preachers now accuse |
him OF having done? Could ho have gone
down to death with the conviction that he
was tho black and prominent sinner whom
their words condemn to eternal punish
ment for his awful misdccds
These arc hard questions to answer. md
they come up when We reflect on the careers
Ut many other strict religious believers be-
sides JAY GOULD.