The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-15
Doesn't Mince Words in Dis
eussing Tainted Money.
UNION OF CHURCHES.
This Well known Divine FavOrs
the Step.
Little Difference in Many of
Protestant Sects.


church is going to cultivate the friend
ship of these rich people who have
gained their possessions by predatory
methods. Are we going to seek the
cooperation OF these robbers Prom
Dr. Washington GIadden's interview.
Rev. Washington GLADDEN., of Column
bus, Ohio. the noted divine of the Con-
gregational church, will address the
members of the United Brethren church
general conference and the public in
general with regard to the proposed
union of the Congregational. Methodist,
and the United Brethren churches at
the Auditorium this evening.
DR.. GLADDEN. came prominently before
the public in connection with his recent
fight against the acceptance Of the
100000 gift from Rockefeller by the
board of missions of the Congregations
al church. The officials of the board,
after some discussion and considerable
delay, finally accepted the money. It
now remains for the board Itself to en-
dorse the action of the officers and rati-
fy the acceptance of the tainted mon
ey." The board. after some discussion
meets this coming September and
whether it will authorize the return of
the money is not certain; it will pro-
badly take some action defining the
principles which should govern the So
liciration of gifts. DR.. GLADDEN. SAYS
that the gift was solicited from the
founder of Standard Oil by the board
of missions. This is probably news to
some Topeka people; it was generally
thought that the money came to the
board as a voluntary contribution from
the hands of Rockefeller. DR. GLADDEN.
does not r0inGn his To
boldly out and says that Rockefeller is
a robber and that everyone who gains
wealth in the same manner comes un-
der a like category.
1T is simply a question: said he,
whether the church is going to culti-
vate the friendship of these rich people
who have gained their possessions by
predatory methods. The government is
fighting them. Are we going to seek
the cooperation of these robbers. in our
missionary philanthropic operations?
The church has leaned too much in that
direction already. 1t is time that we
We're getting away from that sort Of
thing We have been teaching the
young that honor, integrity and virtue
were of more value than money. Are
we to nullify that2 These are things
which the church must decide.
We are now carrying on vigorous
campaign of education against the ac-
ceptance of such gifts. against the So
licitation of such contributions We are
adopting various KINGS OIL If1GLuQQa III
effecting that education; through the
means of pamphlets, addresses, through
the means of pamphlets, addresses,
through the columns of the newspapers
and every other means available in
reaching the people. The west general
" as regards the congregational
church, I find is against the acceptance
of such money. Everywhere that
have been in these western states the
majority of the ministers are against
TT1o of he al
is it so here in Kansas. In the east there
Is more division of sentiment. This is
not fight directed against Rockefeller
alone; it is against all these unsOcial
forces Gifts of money procured from
these sources are Of trifing value COM
pared with the harm they produce I
presume that when Mr. Rockefeller
states that he will continue such contri-
buttons he refers to those solicited.
AT some of these assemblies of the
Congregational church an expression is
being procured with regard to solicited
subscriptions. From the fact that but
a few state meetings are to be held prior
to the meeting of the board Of missions
in September the effect upon that body
may not be decisive. If the expression
were unanimous there is no doubt that
the board would reconsider"
Union of Churches.
In speaking of the union of the var
ious church bodies DR.. GLADDEN. said:
! ference between the various churches
of today. There is but little doctrinal
difference.
you can enter a church today and
in listening to the sermon it is hard
to discover what denomination is rep
resented. Those things which divided
/ the different denominations are rapid
/ ly disappearing. In Canada and Aus
1 tralia there are movements on foot to
unite the Congregational, Presbyter-
/ ian and Wesleyan denominations into
one body. I don't know as to the
/ progress in Australia but in Canada.
/ the movement is wells under way.
! From the standpoint of missions the
/ thing It reduces expenses and in a.
way reduces friction. As rule the
various churches respect each others s
/ territory when engaged in foreign
missions; when one church has Sc
cured a field the other does not enter
into 1t. This, however, does not al
ways occur. Especially is this true
with reference to Europe, and IN 1taiy
and Rome in particular. To the ma
/ tive the presence of so many protest
ant religions IS puzzling and yezing.
| He hesitates before entering into tel-
Iowship with the protestant bodies.
Il think it highly probable that IN
/ the near future there viii be many
cases of the organic union of two or
more Christian denominations whose
| ideas and modes of work are similar,
but I do not think it likely that all
protestant sects vii fbe united in one
! BODY. There is, however, promise OF
a close federation of the protestant
/ denominations for purposes of CO.
operation A great meeting is to be
| held in New York next November, to
promote such a federation; and nearly
all the great denominations viii be
represented at this meeting
DR.. GLADDEN. evidently has had some
experience with newspaper notoriety