The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-29


pressing its needs. by some competitor
Offering higher price for the vessel.
Tho Rich Mon OF New York.
Theinventory Of the estate Of the late JOHN
B. TREvoR has been filed In the surrogate's
ONCE In White Plains by tho executors OF
his will. and 1t enumerates property OF the
value Of about $l0.5OO.00O. This. OF course.
Is conservative valuation made by execu-
tors who have no motive for returning 1t
more than it actually is. It Is the price
which the property would bring in the
market at this particular time. Looking at
1t prospectively. the estimate might be put
much higher In all probability.
: OF this estate Mr.. TREVOR left about
81. 0O0. 900 for religious and charitable pur-
poses. undoubtedly with regard to the old
Biblical rule Of giving to the Lord one
tenth OF his possessions. His requests
were chiefly to Baptist institutions. to
which during his lifetime also he had made
munifcent gifts: for he was firm believer
in tho tenets Of that great body Of
Christians. and was especially interested in
their educational enterprises. with more
particular reference to the training Of min
listers for the propagation Of the doctrine
that the Church Of CHRIST consists Of i'm
mersed believers who make their own pro-
fession Of faith and conversion. and do not
take their VOWS through sponsors at their
baptism as infants.
Formerly the Baptists. like the Method
lists. we're distinguished for the stoutness Of
their faith and the enthusiasm OF their re-
ligious feeling and its manifestation. rather
than for their worldly riches and social po-
sition. OF course. the establishment Of the
communion In this country long antedated
the advent Of Methodism. for Baptists
were among the earliest emigrants who
came over from Holland to Massachusetts.
their doctrines having gained currency
among the English Separatists who had
fed to that country before crossing tho
ocean to this country: but the Puritan
theocracy was intolerant Of them. and the
Baptist ROGER WILLIAMS led forth from
Massachusetts, q band of the prosecuted.
who founded the colony that afterward be-
came Rhode Island.
The two denominations. the Baptist and
the Methodist. however. profited equally by
the great religious revivals in the early
part of this century. the precursors Of the
camp meetings Of the present time. From
only a few Thousand in ITO. the Bap-
fists have multiplied until they now
number. as the aggregate Of all their
various divisions, more than four millions
in the United States. In Rhode Island. their
original seat. they prospered materially. SO
that much of the private wealth Of the
State was held by them. and socially
they were prominent. At Albany In
this State they attained some dis
tinction In these respects. and to q
limited extent In the South also. But
generally they were poor and humble. like
the Methodsts. and altogether unfashion-
able. with meeting houses Of the plainest
description. preachers who were oitentimes
unlettered or scantily educated. so far as
human learning is concerned.
During the last generation great change
In their worldly condition has occurred
among tho Baptists. The mass OF them
may be poor. like the mass Of all other
denominations. and still humble In their
social place: but enormous wealth has
come to many OF them numerically.
Their town churches are costly edl-
fees OF much architectural pretension.
and their congregations are as richly at
tired as those OF any other denomination.
Yet even now the Baptists are a very I'M
fashionable communion. the bar to admis-
sion to which is insurmountable except by
strong. sincere. and positive conviction.
Mr.. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, who Is now one
OF the very richest men in the world. is q
firm and devoted Baptist. and. like Mr..
TREVOR. he is ardently DESTROYS OF the prop
agation OF his faith. and liberal in practical
assistance to Baptist educational and mis-
sionary effort He Is a diligent and pune
tual attendant on the prayer meetings Of
the church and often raises his own voice in
humble supplicatiOns as sinner redeemed.
The late CHARLES PRATT. another OF the
Standard OIL milllonaires. was not less ear
nest as a Baptist; and in this city and its
neighborhood are now many others OF the
communion who arc distinguished for vast
wealth. or who possess such wealth without
the knowledge OF the public.
Mr.. TREVOR was one OF those men Of
much greater wealth than Is attributed to
them even by those with whom they have
business relations. He was known as q
rich man. but very few would have esti-
value at which 1t is now officially invento-
Ilcu. AWcuLy yeAo oSo ouCA q ulo-
covery would have provoked some
thing like a sensation. for his es-
tate would have been exceeded only
by those of the AsToRs. the vANpERB1LTs.
the GoELETs. the RHNELANDERs. and per-
haps two or three other families OF New
York. He would have been accounted an
extraordinarily rich man. man famous for
his possessions. Now the value at which
his estate is inventoried excites no surprise.
1t Is only more than 1t was estimated to be-
during his lifetime. In size. his fortune Is
only one among many: u few known. the
most unknown. IL not unsupported.
These vast fortunes, numbered by the
score. have usually been accumulated by
their present possessors solely. men who
started with nothing except their own
strength. sagacity. and industry as their
capital; and In their aggregate they are
making New York the most conspicuous cap
ital in the world for private wealth. Some Of
them are contributing to the lavish display
OF contemporary society; but most OF them
are now held by men far outside the pomp
OF fashion, Their sons and daughters will