The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-18

So much has been written about
tanned money in connection with the
offer of 500. 900 by John D. Rookie
Teller 10 the American Board Of For
cign Missions that it may be almost
suI.erfuous to recall to mind the fact
that an enormous number of church
es. as we'll as religious and DhiIanthro-
pic institutions. in Europe W their
origin, their endowment ard their
maintenance to money that connot be
described as otherwise than not mere
ly tainted. but actually of evil origin.
Thus, the great public gambling es-
adjustment at Monte Carlo %controD-
utes each year a sum Of $4,000 to-
ware the payment of the salary of the
bishop Of Monaco and toward the
Cathedral. which latter was entirely
rebuilt and endowed by the Casino
Company. the proprietors Of the most
celebrated gambling establishment in
tho world.
Tn nearly all of the continental
countries Of Europe state. provincial
and municipal lotteries. with money
prizes. are run for the benefit OF the
various public charitable institutions.
while in France the government. with
the object of putting an end to the
robbery of the public by dishonest
bo0kmakers and pool room owners
has taken charge of all the betting on
races-runs. in fact. a huge state
boOk1naking establishment. the profits
of which are entirely turned over to
the various DhilanthroDic Institutions
maintained by the state.
The Whole of EurpOe the continent
as we'll as the United Kingdom. Is dot
ted with churches. hospitals. and
charitable institutions which have
been erected and endowed with money
WrOngfully obtained by the Dious or
inlpious founder and benefactor. [
think it was Mark Twain who deserih-
ed this form Of munificence and liber-
atty as insurance against fire. But
no matter what the origin of the mon
ev. it is accepted abroad and devoted
to the to which it has been
assigned. There was no more infa-
nous usurer in England than the late
Sam Lewis, who is responsible for thu
ruin Of more houses of the British
aristicracy than any other Of his call
ing. At his death he left his widow
q fortune of nearly S2O,OGO.OOO. lgnu-
bly, acquired. Since then she has made
a practice of giving each year a sub
s,:ription of $4,000 to the Kings hos
pital fund organized by Edward VII
for the purpos of .~extricat1ng the
great London hospitals frcm their fl
nanciaI embarrassment and in order
to helr, them to continue their work
of relieving the ills and the SufferlngS
of the poor. Neither the King nor
any of the great Drelates Of the
Church of England. of the Church Of
Rome, nor yet the eminent statesmen
who are associated with the sovereign
in this hospital fund work. even
dreamed Of declining this subscrip-
ton Of the widowed Mrs. Sam Lewis
on account of the ource Of her
wealth. They accepted the money
with gratitude. knowing the opDortl1-
mites which it affords of helping the
poor. and they vaunt her charity. the
King and Queen recognizing e gen
crosby by receiving her at court.
Surely if money such as that. given
by the widow Of Sam Lewis can be
accepted for good works by a commit
tee to which the Archbishop of Can
rerbury, the Roman Catholic prinrate
of Great Britain. the leading noncon-
formist divines. and the chief rabbi
Of the United Kingdom belong. there
should be no soueamishness- on the
part Of the Board of Foreign Missions
at Boston in accepting Il donation
from John D. Rockefeller. who. after
all has violated none OF the accented
ethics of trade and industry in build
ms ~ his enormous fortune.-Mar-
n'iise lie Fontenoy in WASHINGTON