Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-04
100000 Still a Bone
OF Contention in Boston.
CongregationaIist Ministers
Meet and Talk II Over.
Cr. Noble Favors Acceptance and Or.
Evans Replies.

| =, i anu NlclllltS, today, considered
~ question of the acceptance of the
siVV9oo gift from John D. Rockefeller
" the American Board of Commits
siohers for Foreign Missions and the
protest of representatives, of the min
iStefs Of the denomination in New
| England as well as the recent report
On the question accepted by the pru-
GENITAL committee of the American
hoard. With Rev. Or. Thomas Sims of
Melrose. presiding, the meeting was
| almost entirely given over to this sub
lect. Rev. f. A. Noble, D. D.. of Chi
| caSo representing the prudential COM
mittee. defended the action of that
| coinr,ittee in accepting the gift. The
] proteStahtS had named as their speak
| tr Rev. Daniel Evans of Cambridge.
| The hall was overcrowded and besides
the TWO principal speakers many We're
heard Oh both sides when the subject
was open for general discussion.
| The address of DR.. Noble was an
amplification of the ground taken by
the subcommittee of the prudential
committee for accepting the gift. He
| said:
| The American Board is not an in
4
| to look into the morality of the man
| who makes a gift. Thu board was or
| g"niZed to propagate the gospel in
heather lands and the charter provides
that any man who makes bequest
shall have it carried out.
| mo man knows whether the dollar
| that is in his pocket came through Il
| clean channel or came through thou
| sand crooked channels. l know con-
Sregaton in New England which sent
| $50 10 the American Board. Are we to
| go through their gift to see whether
| ii nickel here and there was stolen by a
| car conductor or a dime WAS procured
through the selling of watered milk?
| Shall this $50 be sent back because of
the suspicion that may be laid against
| it" 1t is absurd on the face Of it and
| contrary to our chauer. 1t never has
been done and it will never be done
| "This is an economic question: this
is not a place to fight out economic
questions. My sympathies are with the
| reformers, but not with the men who
want the American Eoird to turn the
| grindStOne while they sharpen their
axes. This organization IS not to be
| torn aslnder by such men.
Il 10 not know how God is moving i'll
| this matter / do MOI know Gods rur-
noses in regard to Mr. Rockefeller. Lut
| | know that the University of Chicago
| tina: has received $4,000. 600 of his
money stands there and is to stand
there for centuries to be light and in
SEPARATION to millions. shall it be RACED
| to the ground becaus" tner" are some
people who do not agree with the
| methods by which the money has been
secured? '
Mr. Evans in reply, said.
Tho question Of tainted money is
not before us. nor IS it question of
scrutinizing every donor and the gift
he places iii the treasury OF the church
for the work of the Lord. Still less is
| il a question Of gripping the work of
the hoard. Tic question before us is
Shall the Congregational church begin
| to receive assistance i'll its Christian
work from J. y. Rockefeller and like
sources?
The vast accumulations of wealth
ana the growth of colossal operations
should make the more visiIant of the
| relations in which the church stands
with them. And the serious national sit
whose methods and practice are moral
| ly inipuitious and socially destructive
| SHOULD alarm the church. The corpora
tons of this evil type are menace to
| All honest business interests. They cor
rupt cur politics. They bride our law
makers. They threaten the very fOun
tlations of ot:r national life. They create
| grave fears in the hearts of many men
for the integrity o. the moral life of
the country. The grave question before
the American people. the government
and the church is whether we can bring
| to bear upon these corporations such a
strong moral public opinion and tho
law of the land as shall correct their
ininutious methods and destructive
practices.
Now. one of the corporations con-
spiCious and notorious for methods and
pra, tee which are mrally iniquitous
and socially destructive is the Standard
Oil Co. whose president is John D.
Rockefeuer An unhappy significance
| was given to the event of our receiv
ine. a Gift from and putting it before
the world by the fact that IA states
| uere nv legislative eHactments pro-
,edino against the Standard Oil Co..
and irving to drive it from their Dor
lders as q ruthless robber and a fatal
FOE. to their life. and the federal gov
lernmert was instituting criminal pro-
Iccedngs against this company.
.tJoweycr much we may attempt to
leave out Of account the facts. they
Are IN the possession OF the general
nubIic and in the light of them our ac-
lcentancc of the gift and our relation to
Ar. Rockefeller is being judged by the
lnlain people. We are told that the board
Icannot arrogate to itself the right 10
pass judgment.
at must however, b. said that an ac-
count of this position of entire respon-
eibiIitv for the moral character of the
lsou,res whence gifts are received has
produced a moral shock and revulsion
and verv many who wer- in doubt as
- nc snecitic case now join their pro
zoe. asa;nst the general principle"
SALE OF FIREARMS