The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-10-11
SAYS HIS WEALTH
IS ONLY A TRUST
RockefeIIer's Attitude Toward His
Fortune.
RESPONSIBLE TO GOD ALONE.
Regards Himself Only as Steward OF
the Standard Oil Wealth, and Be-
lieves He Has Been Entrusted by
Providence With Care of Property of
Many Widows and Orphans.

New York Especially - John u.
Rockefeller's private conception OF
himself, heretofore never allowed to
become public, which is that he is
only the steward of the Standard Oil
wealth, responsible to God alone for
! his stewardship, was announced sun
day morning by the Rev. Hobert >.
| Macarthur, the rector of Calvary Bap-
| fist Church, at Sixth Avenue and
| Fifty-seventh Street, before his regu-
lar young peoples Sunday morning
class. Mr.. Macarthur in the course
of a defense of Mr.. Rockefeller and
the Standard Oil Company said:
"a few years ago someone asked
Mr.. Rockefeller privately why it was
that, since he had such tremendous
fortune and his tastes were so simple
| that he could not possible use one
tenth of his income, he did not retire.
Mr.. Rockefeller then made a reply
which he did not intend should be
made public and which gives an at
titude of his mind not appreciate
| by the public.
"'I am the trustee of the property
of Others he said, through the
providence of God committed to my
care. / am the st eward of vast in
terests belonging in great part to
widows and orphans and others who
are actually or relatively poor. For
this holding I am responsible to God.
We're I to give up my interest in
the Standard Oil Company 1 would
| imperil the interests of these people,
according to the popular supposition
| that my withdrawal would hurt the
company's business. Therefore, ]
feel it my duty to God and to the
| people whose money is invested in
my company to continue active in its
welfare
The Rev. Mr.. Macarthur was asked
after his address about the correct
ness of the quotation he had cited.
He said that it was absolutely au-
thentic, and he intimated that he
himself was the one who had heard
| Mr.. Rockefeller so characterize his
position in the world. In his ad-
dress, which was upon "The Virtues
of the Standard Oil Company" DR..
Macarthur had something to say
about the character of Rockefeller.
| Everything connected with the
Standard Oil Company is colossal -
| he said. ''Mr. Rockefeller's income
is enormously great, and his benevo-
lent contributions are corresponding
ly great He has given larger
amount of money to educational, hui
manitarian and missionary endeav-
ors than has ever before been given
in the history of the race. Probably
no man in the past quarter century
has had so large an income, and
certainly no man has given so large
proportion of his income to these
benevolent enterprises.
when the hue and cry of the
present time against Mr.. Rockefeller
and the company which he heads has
passed away l am confident that he
will take his place in the history of
the world as a marvellous genius, the
organizer of the vastest of industries
and a generous giver for the welfare
of the human race. Mr.. Rockefeller
need not disturb himself with all the
present pother against him. He can
calmly await the unprejudiced judg-
ment of posterity."