The Washington herald., 1910-04-11
OIL KINGS CHURCH
TO HAVE new HOME
Rockefeller Gives Half of
Cost of Edifice.
APPEAL COMES UNEXPECTEDLY
DR.. Aked, of the Fifth Avenue Bap-
fist Church, Explains He Wants
unprecedented Gifts and Gets
Prompt Response-JOhn D., Jr,
Adds $4,000 10 His Wife's $1,000.

New York, April l0-Within half hour
this morning the members OF the Fifth
Avenue Baptist Church, of whom John
d. Rockefeller is one. pledged $S22 900 for
the building of new church at Forty
sixth street and Fifth avenue, where the
present edifice stands DR.. Charles +.
Aked, the pastor, made an unexpected ap-
peal for funds from the pulpit. because.
he said afterward, he wanted to see how
much he could raise from unprecedented
gifts. One-half of the sum was given
by Mr.. Rockefeller himself.
When DR.. Aked rose 20 preach. he gave
as his text the verse from the Twenty
fourth chapter of II Samuel:
Neither will I offer burnt offerings TO
the Lord my God which cost me nothing.
He went on to preach q regular but
brief sermon. in which he observed;
Life is mainly a strife TO get and a
passion to enjoy Constituted as society
now is your strife TO get is entirely legiti-
mate if you acquit yourself CALAMITY and
II you use what you acquire for the good
OF mankind" Then he slammed shat the
Bible and said:
need at least $4,000 and make my
appeal to you for that. I ask for that
amount, and ] ask for It to-day.
Wants All TO Give.
I've do not desire that our new church
shall be the gift Of a handful Of rich
men. Surely. you would not wish to put
a minister in the position Of being the
employe OF ole or two rich men. No
minister who has any self-respect would
preach a single sermon TO a congrega-
ton willing 10 put him in such degrad-
ing Position"
The Gshers, at a signal from DR.. Aked,
began 10 distribute pledge cards. After
an interval of five minutes the collect
ing of the cards began. As fast as the
cards were brought to him Dr. Aked read
out the names and the amounts. The
first one was that Of Ericsson S. Bush
nell who gave $500, which he had prom
ised two years ago, when the time should
come, Before reading Mr.. Bushnell's
card Dr. Aked said:
"One dollar from an old washerwOman
was the first pledge given years ago for
the building of this church We are in to-
day I am glad 10 see that we are start
ing better than that this time"
Many Give Small Sums.
Several cards promised $95, 900, and sew
eral more $4,000. but these generous gifts
were interpreted with hundreds Of cards
for IS. 81. and s.. In Difference 10 the
wishes of some Of the givers DR.. Aked
read the amounts without the names. DC
casiona!ly some one present in his haste
20 remain anonymous, forgot to inscribe
his name on the card and in such instance
the pastor would say:
II have here card for so many dol
lars with no name. II the promisers will
meet me after service, and give me some
idea where the money is coming from, I
shall be grateful
After number Of cards had been read.
an usher approached the Rockefeller pew.
He ct once called out to DR.. Aked
''Air. John D. Rockefeller. jr., gives
t250O0 can audible gaspO Mrs. John d.
Rockefeller. Jr.. gives $1,000 Mrs. John
D. Rockefeller gives 5000; Mr.. J. D.
Rockefeller (pause) offers 10 give"
shouted the usher, joyously. dollar for
dollar for any sum which may be pledged
here to-day up to $4,000"
The audience came perilously near ap-
plauding.
IF we can but raise $4,000 then" DIT.
Aked exclaimed, I'VE will have the whole
amount"
In spite OF several exhortations the
giving Jagged, and after receiving pledges
for $16l,O00, which, with Mr. RockefelIer's
orfer. insured SS22, 900, DR.. Aked asked the
congregation 10 rise and sing the DoxoI-
ogy. The pastor said after the sermon
that he was immensely pleased with the
response to his appeal. that the appeal
itself had been sprung as a surprise on
his flock, and that he would have the
remaining $4,000 pledged for Mr.. Rookie
feller 10 meet within a week