The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-31
PURE AS SNOW.
Baptist Minister Gives Rockefeller
Certificate of Character.

New York, May a1.-The recent
criticisms Of John D. Rockefeller
growing out of his gift of 100000 to
the American board of commissioners
for foreign missions are declared in an
article by the Rev. DR.. Robert Stuart
Macarthur pastor of the Calvary
Baptist church of this city to be pub
dshed tomorrow in the Examiner, a
Baptist publication, to be coarse, cruel
and perhaps criminal and to have
maigned the entire Baptist denomina-
ton. He protests against the con
demnatiOn of our churches by these
c0wardly and unjust attacks, declares
that no one knows better than MT.
Rockefeller that he cannot buy the
approval of Baptists by his millions,
that Baptists would advocate his ex-
pulsion from the church if it were
proved that he had acquired his mon
ey dishonesty or by means morally or
socially destructive. He adds that he
has investigated certain business
transactions which have been fiercely
denounced by Mr.. ROckefellers critics
and has found them in accordance
with the highest standards of com
mercial morality. Mr.. Rockefeller, he
asserts, is worthy of confidence, adj
miratiOn and affection, and appeals
for fairness Of judgment for him.
DR.. MacArthur's article is entitled
a'The Baptist brotherhood Defended, -
and is in part as follows:
1.-THE recent coarse. cruel and per-
haps criminal criticisms of Mr.. John
D. Rockefeller have maligned the en-
tire Baptist denomination. His ira
ducers are its defamers. Baptist pas
tors ought no longer to remain silent
when their denomination is made the
subject of such unjust criticism AS a
member of the Baptist brotherhood, ]
protest against the condemnation Of
our churches by these cOwardly an6
utterly unjust attacks. affirm tha
the censures inflicted upon the de-
nomination and upon Mr.. Rockefeller
as a prominent member of a. Baptist
church, are unjust.
Worthy of Highest Honor.
al have known Mr.. Rockefeller for
many years. and my intimate persona
acquaintance with him has convinced
me that he is worthy of the highes
honor as a man, and Of the fullest
confidence, esteem and affection as {
Christian I have taken pains tt
make careful inquiry regarding Ger
tain business transactions which have
been the subject of fierce denuncia-
ton on the part of some of Mr. Rookie
1eller's critics and I do not hesitate
to declare, on the basis of such knOwl
edge, that these transactions, whel
fully understood and fairly judged
are in accordance with the highes
standards of commercial morality
My examination has shown me tina
many charges are based upon hal
LTuLNGr ana lldL NAAGlL bAAG A0AA Il ull
was ascertained, these very transac
tons rebound to Mr.. Rockefeller
honor as a leader in business and as
professor of the Christian faith; in s
enormous business as that of tn
Standard Oil company it is inevitabl
that agents of the company perform
acts without MI ROckefeller's knowl
edge and without his approval.
high officer of the Standard Oil com
pany. intimately acquainted for neari
q generation with Mr.. Rockefeller
daily influence in his councils in
formed me recently that Mr. Rookie
teller had always been quick to de
pIore and to correct instances of un
3ust and injurious over-zeal.
aDr GLADDEN.. in one of his defama
tory articles, quotes the denunciatio
of an Ohio judge of a railroad office
for making a certain contract with a
agent of the Standard. But DR. Glad
den forgets to state that this was near
" 4 generation ago that the Standar
was. never a party to the suit and wha
IS more this very contract was ordere
cancelled as soon as It was brough
to Mr.. Rockefeller's attention and be
fore any complaint was uttered abou