The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-04-15
Noted Columbus Divine Ayers
Church Has Proclaimed
Right of Robber to Bestow
Loot on Religion by Accept
ing Rockefeller's Gift.
Prudential Committee Decides
to Take 100000, Alleging
That They Have no Right
To Prevent any Man from
Doing a. Good Act.

COLUMBUS, O.. April 12.-When in
formed this afternoon of the final
action of the prudential committee ac-
cepting the Rockefeller gift. Rev. WASH
lngton GLADDEN., DID,, authorized; this
statement
THE prudential committee has pla ced
itself on the broad and Ineligible posi-
ton that all gifts must be received no
matter what may be the character Of
the giver nor by what immoralities or
crimes his gains may have been gath
cred.
mo discrimination is henceforth to
be made. The pirate or the train rob-
Der may bring his booty to the treasury
of the American board. and it will be
thankfully received, and if sufficiently
large, will be described as a 'magnifi-
cent gift
Rejects Gods Word.
by the decision the prudential COM
mittee rejects the word of Him, who
said: I hate robbery for burn offer
1ngs,' and reverses the ethical judy:
ment respecting the rewards Of iniquity
which has guided christendom neither
to. It openly proclaims that money to
which the giver has no moral right may
be: rightfully given to a missionary
society if only his motive is to do good
with it; and it assumes the power of
judging the motive of the giver. It
there can be no motive but that Of
benevolence in the bestowal Of this gift.
THAT is a great testimony from such
a high authority. From this decision
the appeal will now be taken to the
conscience of the Congregational
churches and the conscience of chris
tendom."
Money Is Accepted. -.
BOSTON, April ia statement was
made public today by the prudential
committee Of the American board of
commissioners for missions which yes
terday voted to accept 100000 offered
to the board by John q. Rockefeller.
Two weeks ago the prudential COM
mittee recommending the acceptance Of
the money. but in view Of the strong
protest made by the Congregational
clergy final action was deferred until
yesterday, when a supplementary report
was made by the sub committee. This
report together with. that of two weeks
ago, was adopted. >,
The supplementary report, WHICH was
made public today, takes up. the objec-
tions Of the protestants and asserts that
they are not sufficient to prevent the
UOdEu 1IOIu dCCSpklnS Tic IlIOIlcy.
Spring Legal Point
One of the principal points raised in
the report, is the claim of the COM
mittee that the American board cannot
now legally return Mr.. Rockefeller's
money because the decisions Of the
highest court are TO the effect that
trustees who have once accepted q gift
and, assumed certain obligations, have
no power to return the gift and to alb
solve themselves from those obligations
The committee holds that the action
proposed by the .protestants, namely,
the return of the gift, would have been
wrong for It would express "disap-
probation and condemnation Of a man
when he was doing. an act of benevol-
ence." The committee says: ..>'"&:>%
:. :. Must Let Him % Good. .
This would have been to confuse the
issue, and to act contrary to the Chris
tian spirit. To prevent any man from