The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-06
The Church and Rockefeller


Vine Street Congregational church, the
pastor, Herbert s. Bigelow, discussed
the attitude of the church toward
Standard Oil money. He said in part:
1t is significant sign of the times
that man so sober and even so con-
sentative in his thought and utter
ance as Dr. Washington GLADDEN.
should be outspoken in his objection
to Standar Oil money. He asserts
that this money is the product of the
most relentless rapacity known to
modern commercial history and that
the church which accepts it invites
"the contempt of millions of honest
men,
A few years ago, attended a meet
ing of clergymen where Henry ID.
Lloyds book, Wealth Versus Common
wealth, was reviewed and discussed.
The ministers, one and all, expressed
complete sympathy with Mr.. Lloyd's
indictment Of the Standard Oil COM
pany. But they were almost as unani-
nous in the opinion that preacher
ought not to jeopardize the peace of
his congregation by treating such sub
jects in the pulpit.
Now consider the memorial of the
New England preachers in objecting
to taking this money on the ground
that the methods of the Standard Oil
company are morally iniquitous and
socially destructive" and in refusing
to be put lin relation implying honor
toward the donor"
While this is gratifying as evidence
of the increasing interest that good
people are taking in social problems,
it leaves much to be desired. This is
not wholly an individual problem, and
we do not reach the root of the mat,
ter by pointing a finger of scorn at
particular individuals. Primarily 1t
is question of wise or unwise social
arrangements The remedy is to be
found in social readjustments, not in
personal denunciati0n.
All know that the inordinate power
OF the Standard Oil company has been
built up, very largely by discrimina-
tion in railroad rates. 1t is not enough
that the church should denounce as
bad the men who have profited by such
discrimination. It is more important
to teach people the need Of taking the
railroads out of private hands, that
passenger and freight rates may be as
impartial as the price of postage
stamps.
Mr. Rockefeller is not more knave
that the other fellows have been fools. !
If the rest of us had given more
thought to public questions we would
have owned our own railroads, and
he could not then have done all this |
wickedness. Would it not be more
Christian for us to repent of our neg
1ect than to declare from the house |
tops our scOrn of him?
Surely the people who have done |
and doing nothing to correct these
conditions can not escape their share
of the guilt. Their Indictment does |
not carry the weight it should, because
they do not come into court with clean |
hands. Others havS been guilty of |
sins of commission. We have sinned
grlevously by our political prejudces |
and our mental sloth and neglect of |
civic duties.
If the good people of this country
had had the intelligence and the public
spirit which a citizen of the great re
public Hght to have, a Rockefeller |
would be an imposibility. Therefore,
repentance is more in order than cen
sure.
The church that faces these social
problems intelligently and courageous
ly will not need to reject Standard Oil
money. 1t will not be offered any,. |