New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-31
SUBMIT GIFT QUESTION.
PROTESTANTS ACTIVE.
Rockefeller Present Rel ferred to Min
listers of Country.

Boston. March 30.-Despite the fact that the
prudential committee of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions has prac-
tically decided to accept the gift of 100000
from John d. Rockefeller to further the work
of the board. committee representing the Con-
gregational clergymen of Boston and its vicinity.
who are opposed to the acceptance of the gift,
to-day and decided to continue the protest.
1t was agreed by the members of the committee
that wide expression of opinion the ques-
tiCn desirable, and for this purpose a COM
mittee appointed submit the facts and
documents in the matter to the Congregational
ministers of the country. The prudential COM
mittee will not take final action on the accept
ance of Mr.. RockefelIers gift for two weeks. and
it is the intention of the protesting committee to
learn, If possible, the general feeling among the
clergymen of the denomination.
To-days meeting, which was private. was
held at the rooms OF the Twentieth Century
Club. ana was attended by fifteen members of
the committee. Tonight the following state
ment regarding the proceedings was issued by
the Rev Herbert w. Gleason. secretary of the
protestants' committee:
The committee considered the reply of the
prudential committee to the protest, and were
a unit in the conviction that this reply raises
still more Fundamental! and serious issue name
ly that the prudential committee discIaims all
moral responsibility for discrimination as to
Christian work. For this reason it seemed to
the committee all the more necessary to MAIN
tain the protest. Therefore since the pruden-
tial committee has deferred final action for two
weeks, in order that wide an expression of
opinion as possible might be made upon the
issue, 4 committee was appointed to submit the
facts and documents in the matter to the Con-
Sregatonal ministers of the country This COM
mittee was instructed to confer with the pru-
dental committee and endeavor to secure if
possible. their cooperation in this action
DR. Washington GLADDEN.. of Columbus. Ohio.
and President William j. Tucker of Dartmouth
college, were in communication with the COM
mittee by telegram and letter President Tuck.
er wrote in part as follows:
In regard to the general position taken bv the
ueIehderS OF the action of the prudential COM
mittee IN accepting Mr.. ROckefeller's gift, that a
missionary organization mas no right to discrim-
unWarranted judgment upon the business meth
ods OF the donor, 1 take issue at once The ac-
ceptance by the American Board of a gift from
TINS source, under the present conditions must
mean one of two things. Either the board be-
leVes that the business methods involved are
correct or that they are a matter of moral in
dlIIerence so FAR as the reception of the money
Is concerned For one, do not like to see the
American Board take either one OF these pOsi-
tions. Such action hurts the conscience of the
coming generation more than that of the GEN
Grafton which is passing 1t is not an incentive
to missionary zeal
No organization set to the high and lasting
ends of Christian service allow itself to be
thought Indifferent 70 the moral issues of the
day. whenever these issues necessarily af-
fected by its action.