The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-20
New York Mail Express.

It is natural enough that the Bible
class Of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'
should arouse a good deal Of curiosity.
Humanity speaking, it is a curious
thing that a man of twenty-seven, who
is the heir to the largest private for
tune ever amassed in the history OF
the world, should care to make MS
appearance every Sunday morning az
9:45 on the lower rostrum OF little
BAPTIST church, and there instruct
class Of young men in the Bible, and
that he should add to this a good deal
of work every week in stimulating, in
a friendly and familiar way, mouse
club formed by these young men. 1t
is no wonder that certain morning
papers should send their reporters TO
Mr.. Rockefeller's class and, after their
wont, make the most piquant news
| articles they can out OF his talk, py
| detaching certain phrases from their
| context and heading them up as II
they were something extraordinary.
| Perhaps the most surprising thing
about Young Mr.. Rockefeller's Sunday
morning appearances at the Fifth Ave-
nue. Baptist church is that he keeps on
making them, in spite of all this mis-
representing publicity. 1t takes
purpose, Of one kind or another, to
enable man whose personal instinct
is Wholly against publicity, and who
might easily persuade himself, it
would seem, that he could discharge
:, his responsibility to the public and the
church with dollars, instead OF GOOD,
hard labor, to go on doing the thing.
Mr.. Rockefeller's class itself is q
surprise to one who was brought UP
in the old-fashioned Bible classes,
. where a couple of pews full of young
people and grown-ups, in the corner
of church or lecture room otherwise
devoted to a Sunday school Of child
rem, listened to one mans verse-to-
verse exposition of the Scripture, and
discussed or argued the meaning OF
: each passage with him as they al
:. went along. These old-fashioned Ri.
BILE classes were an easy-going, socia'
, BILE kind Of affair, in which ever,
m mber might have his say if hi
chose to take it, and in which thu
r meaning: Of a great deal Of Scripture
I has undoubtedly been hopelessly mud
. died. SO far ais the weak brothers ant
? sisters in the class We're concerned.
= The Glass in Session.
Young Mr.. Rockefeller's Bible in
struction is different. It is practical
e " a, sermon, delivered to a congrega
n ton Of men. Not all young men
$ either, unless even young men are get
n ting to be gray and bald nowadays
IS You are. shown by an usher to sea
:. in the main audience-room of tn
e church, the same room that the regu
: lar preaching service will be held i
s, an hour later In front Oh the pup!
SO in this Fifth Avenue Baptist church
50 there is platform raised some 81
i'd inches higher than the main foo
On this platform is a baize-covere
table, with a bible upon it, and a high
he backed siastical-looking chair.
IS In front of the choir's perch at tn
t. left sits an orchestra, composed of Sc,
Of eral instrument violin, cell
IS flute and perhaps one or two NOR
rs The exercises are opened by sfngin
er led by the chorister and accompanie
by the orchestra. Then the orchestl
plays q selection Of devotional must
re and the class-th there were 135 me
OF present on the Sunday devoted to. tn
st study-sings another song.
lie By5this time a young man, smootl
rs. faced and rather below than above II
lg, Medium height, faultlessly dressed
tn black, with a high collar, has entert
by and taken his seat in the high-back'
m chair on the raised platform: IT 1t
ne, the first time you have seen this YOU
nd man, who is the heir to fortune tn
en- kings envy, you naturally study. !
re, face and general appearance closely.
-, - The Leaders Personality.
The face is grave and serious enopI