Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-16
JOHN D. CAN NOT
BOSS HIM, SAYS
HIS PASTOR
Noted Divine, Here for Annual
Winter Vacation, Discusses
His Wealthy Flock.

This talk of Rockefellar's control of
any church is all bosh. Ny views are
in no way hampered, my actions are
in no manner interfered with just be-
cause l happen to be the pastor of
Mr.. Rockefellers church in Cleveland"
declared Rev. W. o. Bastard, in charge
Of the Euclid Avenue Baptist church,
Cleveland, Ohio, today at the Piedmont
hotel.
Aste snapped out his opinion of
Rockefeller's critics, particularly along
religious lines. DR.. Bustard's teeth
cracked Ominously as he bit the syl-
tables that said: I'D just as soon say
what l think in front of Mr.. Rookie
Teller as I would to any other man.
Just because he happens TO be a mem
Der of my church does not deter me
from expressing my exact opinion on
any subject that, comes to my mind
.as worthy Of the attention OF our church
members. That's final and for all.
owe no debt of regal obedience to any
one save my God"
Will Spend Several Days Here.
Mr.. BASTARD is in Atlanta on his an
nual winter vacation. He is accom-
panied by his wife. and intends to re-
main here for several days before pro-
ceeding to Florida.
Il can not emphasize too strongly the
fact that John d. Rockefeller, in all of
his church activities, is a simple
minded earnest Christian gentleman
He is not even interested as a trustee
in his Cleveland church, where he was
baptized. He leaves the entire bust
ness control OF that institution to the
trustees. All Of this rumor that we
hear of his firing that preacher or hir-
ing this one is mere rubbish-senti-
mental stuff printed purely to cast as
pensions upon his Christian life" That
summed up the Cleveland parsons at
titude toward the man who it Is alleged
has his religion dealt out to him in
selected courses similar to his diet
milk and cracker sustenance."
Rockefeller's athletic preacher is a
fine figure of a man. He is about six
feet tall, with a name of black hair
slightly tinged with gray that marks
him wherever he appears. He speaks
at the Tabernacle here Monday, Tues
day and Wednesday night and proba-
bly, tomorrow. He will be remembered
here as a speaker at the Baptist jubi-
| lee last year where large audiences
greeted his appearance.
Weed Out Church Members.
Continuing along the lines Of his at
titude toward working for a church
popularity called "Rockefellers own"
DR.. BASTARD said: Why UP IN CIeve-
land we have 1900 regular working
Baptists in our congregation. Every
year we weed out several hundred
names from our list OF church mem
bers. These we discard as deadwood
Our church unit is a live body of men
and women recruited from all walks OF
life and capable of carrying on a great
and good work. We have three mis-
sions in active operation in Cleveland.
One for down and outs and two for
foreigners.
Our young people are banded to-
gether in what we call the League
over 500 Of them. These youngsters
have baseball teams, a crackerjack
gyrnna SUM and are champion basket
ball players"
Dr. BASTARD is himself an athlete. He
captained the famous Brown baseball
club during his -four college years,
1892 to 1896. He was fullback on the
championship winning football team of
Brown university in 1894. He toured
the country with the all-stars," d col
lege aggregation Of baseball players
which drubbed Harvard university
three times out Of three in
1893. He boxes as we'll as he
wrestles and talks as well as he boxes
and lastly but not least, fights as hard
as he played football.
Dr. Bastard succeeded DR.. Charles
Eaton to the pulpit of the Cleveland
church. His whole appeal has been
to the manhood of his congregation, as
he puts it. All In all, he is considera-
BILE of a mans man. His diotion adds
m this irnpresa{op