New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-13
DENOMINATIONAL VIEWS OF DIR. ROCXEFELLER'S
GIFTS

In the issue Of The Examiner" the Baptist
weekly newspaper OF this city for this week. there
Is an article entitled Mr.. Rockefeller and The
American Beard" by the Rev. Richard Hartley.
n course of II he says:
IN the heated controversy that IS wasinG ever the
acceptance OF gift from Mr.. John d. Rockefeller
20 the American Doard Of ComElissioners for For
Raptists 80 a. ~, s' 5i, r Cor ~, 10 he
Silent The bitter arraignment OF Mr.. Roc<o Teller
~ certain newspapers and pulpits has WIDER sig
nihcance than IS generally recognized Is not prac-
neaIiy the whole Baptist denomination. with IT'S
these charges? For quarter of a century and
more from Baptist churches. miss o1ary societies
schools; colleges and various philanthrcpic enter
pLlses haNe come appeals 70 Mr. Rockefeller ior
UNPARALLELED IN the history of Christian philan-
tbnropy The money thus asked for and freely given
S.y mteIleciually and spiritually IN almost every
These facts suggest two questions: First. are We
as Baptists Indifferent 10 the character OF the
sources from which receive gifts to carry on
christian work? There seems 70 be but one answer
70 this question. We have not been. we dare not
Pc, NO man who knows his God to be TlghteoulS
SOD dare invoke the help Of unrighteous men III, In
against the Standard Oh Company? Surely not
great societies are msn Of national reputation. men
OF shrewd business judgment and undouoted IN
are certainly not inferior to the mon who nave
against receiving this gift But one inference can
be drawn from the fact that the Baptist denominn-
Rockefellers nlunifcent gifts and that is that in
our judgment, they were the gifts of a Christian
man whose private life and business methods alike
would hear scrutiny.
The situation may he fairly summed up as fol
lows: The discover of oil presented magnificent
opportunity for capital and business ability into
this arena Mr. Rockefeller and his associates en-
tered. and with them thousands of others Then
followed strife for supremacy such as is taking
nlace every day In every department Of business.
In this legitimate contest Mr.. Rockefeller and his
associates were the VictOrs. and TO them justly
belong the fruits the victory. incidentally. the
country at large Fas been benefited as IT has not
been by any other ind stry carried on by one cor
poration. Tens Of thousands OF men have been FUR
nished profitable and steady employment An al
most Indispensable article Of family use mas been
brought TO the highest perfection and is sold AZ
price that would have been simply Impossible Dut Tor
the marvellous enterprise of the Standard OH Com,
many Incidentally vast sums have been distributed
10 great number of stockholders. incidentally a
few men, and notably one man: have become very
rich. This one man whose life is conspicuously
accompany the possession OF great wealth. whose
sterling worth Of character and exceeding grace
and gentleness OF manner are necessarily person
ally known but comparatively few. deVotes
much time and strength TO STUDYING how best ne
may distribute his wealth for the good OF others
Much Of the good he does IS known. while number
less acts Of kindness are known only 10 hrnselI
and the lives whose burdens are hfted ana heaFts
made glad
II we eliminate from this controversy the claInor
of the demagogue. the bitterness OF defeated com
petitors the sensationalism Of the press the 1901
ishness Of the pulpit and the hasty utterances OF
well meaning but nisinformed men we shal not
have left a residuum that need hinder any con-