The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1905-04-11
TAINTED GIFT
NOT ACCEPTABLE
L.ARORING MEN REFUSE TO At
TEND CHURCH.
Rev. Josiah Strong Says There + Doubt
OF R"ckcftjlcr,> Neral Right to
Money lie Gives AWAY.

llcSl'Dll. pl IL t'.--NNh .lt'NItli III tllS
Of New York. president of the America
Institute of Social Service, has juinc
in the protest ci Congregational minis
tiers against the acceptance Of the Rookie
Teller gift to the American Mission
Board In communication to the com
n1ittcc Of the protesting clcrgvmcn. DIR
Strong says:
I'VE are told by those who approx
the acceptance Of the gift that it is no
the business of 4 church, charitable or
ganl1ation or missionary society to sit il
Judgment on the character Of the con
trihntors to it, work. This simply beg
the real question at issue Can a churCl
or society thus wash its hands Of all re-
sponsibility touching all gifts which may
come to It's treasury without violating
fundamental principles of ethics:o
"A man may become possessed OF
money to which he has no moral right
in great variety of ways. but whatever
the method the fundamental ethical
principle remains the same. namely. that
a man has no right to give that which is
not his, and no one has a right to receive
a gift which the donor has no right to
give. This ethical principle which is
beyond all possible question, is precisely
applicable to the case in hand, and the
prudential committee can vacate it by
refusing to recognize it.
1T is charged by many that Mr.
Rockefeller has acquired a large pro-
PORTION of his wealth by illegitimate
and that to such ill-gotten
gains he has no moral right illegal
rights do not enter in the discussion).
believe that undiscuted
facts raise a reasonable doubt, to say
he least, whether Mr. Rockefeller has
moral right TO the money which he gives
away. 1t follows, therefore, that the
BOARD has no right to accept his gift
Until that reasonable doubt is removed.
For more than twenty years We have
leplored the fact that working men, as
class, refuse to attend church. When
sked why, the habitual reply is that
he churches belong to the capitalistic
lass which is not dealing justly by la
Or. When men who have kept back
he laborer's hire contribute largely to |
he religious objects and their gifts are
ccepted, workingn1en believe that the
hurcl1 condones injustice and are en-
Uttered toward her.
The conscience of the church touch
lg wealth profoundly needs quicken
lg. The new conditions of society de-
and higher ethical standards. This is }
most favorable time, to respond to the
ew neel"
On the same subject the New Orleans
ates says:
1T now turns out that nearly one-half
the Rockefeller donation of S1oo,oool
the missionary fund. the acceptance
which called forth Washington Glad
ms protest, had already been expend-
before the objection was raised
ainst it. This sum having been COIL {
rted to the uses for which it was de-
med, it may be contended that the
ctrne of vested right attaches as in
TT justification of the decision of the I
ard to retain the whole sum. Pending ;
investigation of the Standard Oil l.
ust, Mr.. Rockefeller's observation !,
1t it is immaculate in its virgin purity l.
Il be strong plea of justification for 7
action by the board" T