New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-08
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
DAVID, NOT HIS MONEY, TAINTED
a niOhoal Reference Which Clergym.n Ar.
asked to Apply to Rockefeller and carr.,..

To the Editor % The Tribune
or college Professor vvb, o..
mas Ne"-England conscience tvba,s-.- . ..la.
- - u"S t''d the Tribune readers az b5s -
if'y lest Mr. Carnegie has been recsivin, -s.1
- ~ "i7 oeen putting a faint on HE -,
rms matter Of rebates seems TO 10 tha 49, my
OF Complaint on the part 1f those Cleo
lu'f Sy"patnizers who attack Mr. poo,,.-,,-
'"eSt good people should understand thar ., -.
- "o'"'hs more than the % per cent gfvar. ~ -,
e,uS pu''l9',erS 70 teachers and cIergymen or N.
hf!f rate tickets on railroads which seer, - -
clergyman : perquisite But grantI,v tn. -.
IN themselves are not wholly right even +bos
granted 70 clersymen and teachers. OF even "a So
pers OF freight one cannot help thinking that ~,
proteStantS on high moral grounds are a +riea o.
Jealous lhey base their protests on morals That
standard is found in the Scriptures and b,- -.
Scriptures they should be Judged ~
King David OF Israel was 4 devon, ma, ~
much OF MS prosperous reign 10 busted bf77sel, =,
IccumuIaung gold, silver bronze and i-or al =
winch was q" be devoted 10 the erection OF a rnaz
nlhcent temple His method Of accumulatine rbis
wealth does not commend itself % Us o. r,oaa-,
times. He waged unprovoked wars uno7 his 80
bors- He treated the conquered people with say.z.
cruelty, and looted their cities. but the booty us
dedicated TO his God. When in advanced ,s,-z =
proposed 70 erect the temple prophet Of the Lord
he should not build the house. that WORK No. -
Done bE a man OF peace. The money however rs
not TO the money; the building was erected bv Solo
mon with Davlds money. AMI was his monument
For argument sake. IL may De conceded than Mr.
ttocketelIer, and, Tor that matter M t.r0eE's
also, have been. metaphOricaIy. men OF war hloo5S
men, VINO by cruel methods In trade have lo1-aF
homes and ruined families. that their condrrf r,5
been As bad as that Of David. the King C10.adf0g
all this, ~ Is difficult to discover how their rr1rso
Is any more tainted than that OF David Like
him. they are devOtug their wealth 10 what rnsy
believe 10 be the good Of mankind but thev We
been better than he for they have not awaited in
structions respecting the expenditure They simply
assign their funds 70 definite purposes and leave
the planning and expenditure 20 peaceful men such
az college presidents and Librarians whose hands
are sweet and pure free from any commercial stain
II the God. whom these Clergyuen adore. who ia
perfect. onntsCIent and Interchangeable saw no rainr
in David 3 money, though He saw a faint IN him
one cannot resist the conclusion that these vccf-
erous obJectOrs are Overzea IouS for the good and
are setting for themselves q higher standard 81
morals than their God set for Himself The Mis-
sionary BOARD was consistent in asking and a~-
cepting the gift; its detract0rs are inconsistent
or course. this argument concerns only such
cleTgymen and chUrchmen see in the Scriptures
the rule Of faith and practice II does not concern
those who see in the Scriptures merely collection
Of legends but the takes for granted that
these anxious Cergynleu accept as true the Script
ures on which they base their sermons.
JOHN j. STEW ESSON
NeW-1ork University, New-YoTk. May :. 1895.