The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-26
THE RockEFELLERs IN CHURCH

Dorothy Dix writes IN the New York
Journal:
Non OF Us VIII admit it. OF course. but
probably the most comfortable passage fl
the whole Bihle 70 these Of rs rot blessed
with much Of this worlds goods IS the
story OF Dives and Lazarus II isn't spjr
itUal. but X is human nature. 20 want n
see things evened Up. We like to think
that poor people have 4 close monopoly
or piety, and there is anconfessed conso-
lsstion in believing that when we get 70
heaven we viii be able TO look dewn mr.
on the poor rich man as much as ne did
on Us On earth.
But joan .. Rockefeller has broken in-
To this religious trust with as much en-
ergy, and Vim. and determination r. share
- its perGuisites rs ne ever did into
Standard OIL. or Copper. or Northern Pa
eitic. and one OF tn unique sights OF the
sabbath is the spectacle OF the richest
Inherit his wealth AID power, taking an
active part in the services Of q plain and
questionable little church.
Every Sunday morning at 9.45. before
others Of the Jeunesse doree have even
thought Of awakening, John D. Rock
efeller. Jr.. is leading 8 Bible class IN
the First Baptist church. Il Is the most
unpretentious gathering imaginable In
the main audience room OF Inc church.
well up 10 the front, the pews were filled
with a solid and compact body of men
yesterday, and the scene was typical OF
the usual Sunday Bible class. Many Of
them were old men. with gray heads
Most OF them were plainly dressed, as il
they were clerks or men of small means.
Before them. standing by a table. on
which he leaned. was young Rockefeller,
good-loOking young fellow of medium
height, with q shrewd, intelligent face
lighted up by unmistakable earnestness.
lie was dressed simply. in black. with a
frock coat and black tie. He wore no
Jewelry. not even scarf pin. His face
was clean shaver, and his light brown
hair was combed smoothly and parted
Of the side Eyeglasses half hid his
eyes, but his features are ruggedIy hon
est and his head is notably well shaped
From time 10 time different members
OF the class asked questions or gave their
views, but the talk was practically a mon
ologue, and its salient feature was its
directness. Young Mr.. Rockefeller will
never make an orator He attempts no
fight of eloQuence, and adorns his utter
ances with none of the flowers Of speech
but he hits home every time. Every sen
tence means something and counts. Ii is
business methods carried into preaching
and it strikes you as being a good thing
We have had too many words in the pull
pit that meant nothing.
leans on the table, and talks sensibIy,
earnestly and TO the point He takes life
seriously, and having made up his mind
that thing is right he squares condi-
tons to It. As a special pleaCer he is a
huge success.
Yesterday morning the subject of the
talk was the young man who was told
by Christ that if he would enter the king
dom of heaven he must sell all he had
and give it to the poor
Whether we have s. a week or many
times that income said this modern
Croesus, who must IN his thoughts have
faced that hard condition many and many
time. money is a great responsible
ity, but I do not believe that Christ
meant that judgment to apply TO were
wealth. 1t means that the thing that
one holds nearest and dearest must be
given up If one is to be a consistent
Christian.
1T might mean one pleasure just as
much as money that it would be neces-
sary to sacrifice.
The danger is not in great wealth
but in q mans attitude toward it. Il
Is whether man possesses his wealth
or is possessed by 1t.
The trouble with this young man who
came TO Christ was that his wealth was
the dearest thing TO him, and that was
why Christ bade him sell all nc had. II
it had been pleasure that he cared for
most no doubt that he would have been
told that he must give that up. 4 man
must make his wealth subservient to him
and the good he can do with 1t. What
ever comes between a person and his
highest good must be sacrificed.
The amount of ones wealth does not
constitute ones responsibility. II is ones
attitude toward it. A man can let a lit
tie money come between him ard his
duty to his fellow man and God just as
much as millions. There are men who I
have very little. yet who let their small I
business keep them away from church /
and their religious duties just as much as
il 1t was great wealth.
Il will tell YOU what I think IS the /.
greatest use OF WEALTH. is 20 give and .
no two men have come nearer to me in
this work than two who came 20 me
and offered 10 give Of their little. One
said: II can give tho church So
month now. and the other said 7 can
give 25 cents a month regularly. That
meant more sacrifice TO them than much 4
larger contributions from richer men.
And so / say again. IL isn't what a man
has: it is his attitude toward il that F.
counts
And then there was a beautiful selection
from a string orchestra, and the young
millionaire led in q simple prayer. where
be halted and stumbled FOR words. and .
that somehow seemed the siucerer for .
t-and the simple service was over
There We're only a few minutes between
the ending of the Bible class and the be
ginning OF the regular church services.
but in the interval Mrs. Rockefeller, ST.,
4 handsome woman. handsomely gowned
and Mrs. Rockefeller Jr.. the latter
slender. girlish-looSing young woman. fra
3 simple gray and black foulard. trimmed /
With lace and rows OF pink ribbon. came
10. and were Joined By John ~. Rocae-
eler. Jr. Then. just as the opening hymn
was sung, the great trust magnate came
slowly in. and took his seat in his pew
Disease has robbed Alr. Rockefeller 81
every vcstige Of hair. His head Is ALSO
utelv bald. without one single hair upon
C. and as the organ pealed out the offer
Org and he rose to 20 forw0rd g. take UP
he collection he was q striking. aud FOR
Az his power and wealth, q somewhat
pathetic figure
The keen. sbrewd face IS tanned 70 q
delicate pink by outdoor life ia wind
,nd sun but the features were drawn,
and the nose thin. and as he walked the
houiders bent forward as IL by weakness
As ar. ockefeiler reached the froat ~
ne pulpit a little collection plate was
landed to him. and taking the aisle near
st u the windows on the inner side %
he church. be passed from pew % pew.
making a quaint little stiff bow. each time
IS the basket with its pennies and dimes
md dollar bis was handed back 10 him
Sometimes. when be passed = friend -
miled. and his smile b. very sweet and
sentie. but for the most part he BOXES
-ery WEAR and very sad.
The preacher preached about the Good
samaritan ard wound up his disclosure
81 a beautiful burst e oratory u which
De said that The msr ~no eulov - col-
eyes and gave 70 churches and hasrirais
nd supported charities Here ire Eeec