The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-15
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Who is the Poorest Man?

"Who is the poorest man in the
world today? The poorest "a |
know is the man who has nothing at
all but money-nothing else in the
world but money-only money"
1t WAS a man with iron-gray hair
and iron-gray mustache who spoke
the words, and he spoke the last ones
with emotion. The speaker was
John ID. Rockefeller, who, recently,
in the parlors of the Fifth Avenue
Baptist Church, N. Y, spoke to the
young mems Bible class.
Mr.. Rockefeller held in his hands
a cheap-lookmg, yellow-backed &c
count-book.
This is my ledger" he said. "NIy
first business training was in keeping
a ledger. 1t was at the time when |
began to spend my first earnings in
my first struggle to get Il footing. 1t
was Il very hard struggle. When |
put my head on my pillow the con-
tents of this little ledger kept run
ming in my mind until | awakened
the next morning.
"Bcsides the accounts | kent in
this boz there were memoranda of
occurrences. In after years | found
it. | kept it more than forty-two
years ago. | place great value upon
this little book"
Mr.. Rockefeller's hands trembled
as he turned the pages of the vol
ume.
"It was important to me to be par
ticular at that time about items of
receipts and disbursements" he con-
tinued. 81 hope all you young men
are careful. | beliye it is II religious
duty tc get all the money you can.
Get it fairly, religiously and honest
ly, and give away all you can.
"This book reports what | receiv-
ed and paid out for several years.
Here is an item: Income from De,
cember 2G, 1855, to January 2G.
1856, $50 And | lived within my
income. Out of that | paid my
washerwoman, the lady with whom
| boarded, and | saved Il little and
put 1t away.
II see that paid in the Sunday,
school every Sunday one cent. Il
was all ! had to give. | had Il larg,
increase in revenue the next year
1t was an increase of $50 Il month.
81 was us Independent in thos,
days as Mr.. Astor, but when | go
that increase | felt guilty. | feel
like a criminal-like Il capitalist
We had no trusts or capitalists il
those days.
81 bought my clothes from ii cheal
clothier. The clothes were good, ant
such as could pay for. Let m,
give you all a word of advice: Liv,
within your means.
"What is success :" he continued
"ls it to get money? Well, is tina
success The poorest man | know
is the man who has nothing bu
money. If | had my choice toda,
I'd be a man with little or nothing
but Il purpose in life. 1t is not th'
money itself that is SO desirable
Money is good if you know how t.
use it.
"Let me give you little word O
counsel: Know just what you lc
ceive and how you spend it. Writ
down just what you do with it, ant
don't be ashamed to let your fathers
and mothers see what you have writ
ten down.
"ln year or two | managed t,
save nearly $1,000. Here is an item
as to clothes: My clothing from
November, 1855, to November, 1856
cost me just 5000. Here is one bi
of extravaganza which had quite es
capped my memory: Pair of flu
gloves, 81.
"All these little things helped m,
to come into sympathy with man,
undertakings, both religious ant
philanthropic. Ny opinion is tina
no man a trust himself to wait un
til he has accumulated "A great for
tune before he is charitable. Ht
must give away some money contin
ually."-PaciFc Methodist.