The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-11-01
FORGAVE THEIR DEBT.
Rockefeller's Little Account
Against Cleveland Church.
RUNNING ABOUT FIFTY YEARS

StruEgIcs-Itis Part In Them-Mem-
orRnda of His Gifts when working
For $40 n Month.
AT the recent celebration of the fif-
tieth anniversary of the Euclid Avenue
Baptist church in Cleveland John ID.
Rockefeller, who has been member OF
the church for nearly the full half cen
tHry, made an after dinner speech upon
the subject, "Our Pastors For the First
Twenty-Five Years-lSJl to 1879" in
which he reviewed the early struggles
Of the church and tells Of his part in
them. Mr. Rockefeller was himself then
a struggling young man.
Il have Just been thinking" said Mr..
Rockefeller, "what a picture 1t would
be for you TO go back with us to that
little lecture room around In Ohio street
where we held our services fifty years
ago. 1t was not quite as fine as this.
but il was a dear place To MS. Many OF
my dear friends at this table with
whom | have worked in this church
for nearly fifty years, have often been
in that sacred place.
What picture to go back to the lee
ture room in Ohio street fifty years ago!
II was not as fine place, II was not
as fine n picture, as this. We had no
carpets no oil paintings, but the place
was filed with precious memories. The
first pastor was the Rev. j. Hyatt
Smith, n brilliant young preacher. He
resigned TO take charge of rich church
I'm Brooklyn. We were very feeble folk
and could not afford to pay large
sum.
some Of us young people. quite mex
perienced I'm church matters, couldn't
exactly understand why he should go
to these rich people and leave us, but
we were told 1t was a call from God.
81 Joined the church then and have
been q member ever since said Mr..
Rockefeller. ~ cannot forget those
days. | had canvassed Cleveland in-
dustriously TO obtain position. ! had
completed my studies Gnd was looking
for something to do, but was unsuc-
cessful. That was ia 1885, time Of
extreme depression in Cleveland. At
the close Of that day Deacon Sked, who
was dying, called me to his house TO
give me his last message and after
charging me with my responsibilities
rs a young Christian said TO me very
frankly and pointedly. John. | never
did like you as well as your brother
william
"As good fortune would have II, !
went down TO the dock and made one
t,l1 Z
would come in after dinner they
would see If could come to work for
theM. / went In after dinner ana got
the position and was permitted 10 re-
main in the city and the church.
Il was grateful to the man who gave
me that work TO do. If there ever was
anything | was thankful for In the
world, II was TO have something 20 do,
and | have been thankful for that ever
since. am profoundly grateful to
have had something TO do"
at this point in his speech Mr. Rocke-
feller produced an old memorandum
book which he had kept rs n ledger
when he was boy. He explained that
his wages in his position were only Slt
n month and he was compelled tc
board himself. He kept careful rec
ord Of what he gave at that time. Here
are some of the entries he made:
Nov %, Missionary ouse................,....S0 II
Mr.. Downey, one Of or young ministers II
Mite society ............................ .
Pew rent ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. y
Dec lG, Sabbath school. l............,......... q
Present for the superintendent, Mr.. Farrar ?
Five Points Mission, New York........... i
The Macedonian. a religious paper........ i
Present 20 teacher, Deacon sked.......... ?
Jan 10, Missionary cause..................... O
The poor in the church. i
Feb. 3, Missionary cause. j
Foreign missions ........,...........'..'' 4
March 2, Foreign missions. i
The poor IN the church. !
March 3, Pew nt......................'. y
March g. Foreign missions. j
March q, Y. NJ. G. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ! .
pardon me for referring TO thes
things" continued Mr.. Rockefeller, "bu
| want the boys and girls in thi
church or In any church TO remembe
that If they are ever going to give ava.
money they must begin today and d
what they can today, and we will b
sure OF thpn tomorrow. Pardon me 70
rpadirg all This that seems so simple
and vet il the boys and girls will rt
member, w&ru taty have given any
thing. to pU, II down In the book the
will know where their money went I
and where it came from. aud don't b
ashamed to let people see your book.
~ have never mentioned certain az
count which | have p -1inst this church
II seems too bad 70 all it up on thi
Joyous occasion. bu- as 1t will be som
time before we will have such anothe
meeting as this and havipe alread
presented the question to my dea
: friends here. who have "A right to sa
something about the affairs of III
church-having been here near iift
years-I am going to make bold
speak OF It. and you can pay II or no
MS you think best.
"Now | win read the acco1nt' Ia ls'
l advanced to this church. as per pal
"A Of this ledger, postage and paper
cents: this was cash. Again In lsoO' G