The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-11
J. D. ROCKEFELLER
ANALYZES SUCCESS.
Tells His Sons Bible Glass How He
Began His Career.
From the New York Herald.

the preliminary training, the trials.
struggles, successes and failures which
ultimately transformed poor country
boy into one of the wealthiest men of
the world.
For an hour he gave facts. narrated
details of those early days, comment
ing on them, drawing from them
aphorisms for the guidance of his hear
ers in their own struggles. There was
nothing boastful about the address, no
elf-glortication. At times it appeared
almost as ii he were speaking of a third
person. Men and things that had help
ed him were recalled. some times affec-
tionately, several times with touch of
pathos in the voice.
To a business training begun at home
at the age of eight, a nearly under
standing of the value and Importance
of money, hard work, carefulness and
good association Mr.. Rockefeller at
trfbuted his success in life. He gave
instances where each had played a
part, but just as a reference to the
founding of the precursor to the Stand
ard Oil Company was chronologically in
order, he stopped talking. The intima-
ton was that what he had told eX-
planned why success had crowned his
efforts-the rest was unimportant de-
tail.
Name hept n secret.
1t has been the custom for the Bible
class led by John d. Rockefeller, Jr.,
to give an entertainment at the well
furnished club house every Sunday
evening. These include lectures by
scientists and travellers, and talks by
we'll known ministers and professional
men. These have been ordinarily an
nounced beforehand. but for the en-
tertainment last night there was
blank space on the programme when
it came to the name of the principal
speaker.
No word of his identity was revealed
at the previous Sunday morning serv-
ices in the Fifth Avenue Baptist
Church. So secretly was it kept that
not one-fourth of the Bible class men,
bers themselves knew of it and at
tended. There were no outsiders.
Every person approaching the door was
closely questioned, and then if he were
not a member of the class he could
not enter.
The entertainment began with a vio-
lin solo much as usual, and is passed
with the usual applause. Then came
the surprise. John e. Church, vice
president of the class, arose. The
clubs honorary list" he said, contains
the names of fifty-five eminent men,
eminent in professional life, political
me- 'oOtilC ciG lletI III IIllllIdTy ClIC1SS
and still others are great in finance.
"Of all the great departments of
life, industry is the most important.
Everything is dependent upon indus
try, and it is our good fortune to have
with us this evening the greatest cap
tain of industry this country has ever
produced. No doubt we may claim
as friends all the distinguished gentle
men whose names appear on this list
of honora- ! members, but the gentle
man who l introduce to you has given
us abundant assurances of his friend
ship. l have the honor to introduce
to you this evening, my friends, Mr..
John d. Rockefeller"
MIR. Rockefeller Enters.
1t was then a door leading to rear
room opened and Mr.. Rockefeller APP
peared, accompanied by his son. He
had quietly entered the club house a
few minutes before, arriving in 5n "a
brougham drawn by a single horse
His private secretary accompanied
him.
Mr.. Rockefeller wore a gray business
suit, such as business men of twenty
five years ago would wear There was
nothing fashionable about the cut. 1t
was loose, comfortable and had been
worn for some time.
In speaking his voice is we'll modu-
lated and his enunciation is clear. He
speaks slowly, as if he were weighing
his words. and enjoys only one gesture,
emphasizing a point occasionally by
bringing down his right hand from the
shoulder to his waist line His speak
ing manners were those of many min
| listers. He seldom remained still longer
than a half minute. He stood in the
space for the folding doors between the
front and back parlor. He walked al
most constantly across this, turning his
head now to one side and now to the
other, to give all an opportunity to
hear his voice.
The audience of course was most ap-
preciatiVe, but it applauded very dis
creetely. The speaker did not seem to
care for these interruptions, and at
times continued speaking when the
clappings of hands or laughter follow
ed some point or anecdote. At the
| conclusion, however, he bowed smiling
ly at the enthusiastic outburSt, shook
hands with one or two of the officers
of the class and then departed for
home. His appearance belied all re-
ports of a weakened physical condi-
ton and his face was tanned by the
sun. ~
Early Church Association.
Following is a verbatim report Of
Mr.. Rockefeller's address,:
Inc last WOrQ OF the eloquent speak
er has touched my heart" began Mr.
Rockefeller. II am glad to be with
you. AS 1 looked into your faces from
time TO time 1 felt that you were my
friends. have always felt that l
wanted to be your friend So it is a
very great pleasure to meet you here
tonight in this familiar way. we
meet as friends. and IL l were to give
enc reason among others for my secur-
ing the first position in business-my
footing, my first start in life-it would
be that had had the good fortune to
be associated in my early boyhood with
such dear friends as you.
THE association into which was call
ed at IA in the church and in the schools
with good men-with good young men
the. association in which 1 found oc-
cupation in the church, gin the Sunday
school, in the Young Mems Christian
Association, helped me more than
can tell you to make the beginning, 10
get a situation, to begin my life work.
| would name as another help In this
same direction the fact that. from my
earliest recollection. l had a peculiar
training in my home.
1T seemed to be business training
from the very beginning. 1 was taught
to do things-simple things such rs a
boy could do. l was taught to be SELF
reliant. At the age of seven or eight
/ was taught as a boy in the country
to milk COW. 1 could milk a COW rs
well as a man could milk a COW. That
is very simple thing to refer TO- but
that is one of the things 1 began TO
learn