The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-20
Rev. DR.. Hills Says Cannot
Serve God and Mammon in
Peace
THROWS HIMSELF ON
MERCY OF FRIENDS
Brooklyn Divine Makes State
ment to Congregation While
Heads Are Bowed in Sorrow
at His Plight

New York. Sept. 1s.-The confession
which DR.. Hilles read to his oonersga.
tion followed Immediately after tho
collection and offertory The usua1
cnureh calendar was not provided nj
To-Day service. Following the hvrnn
uesihhihg: -. Thou by long experience
'rieo' near whom no grief can long
anide, the pastor made the announce.
hehts- Then the suspense which fol.
io"ed the song OF Mrs. Caroline n.
AieAander was broken by the preachers
announcement that he felt that
ne owed his congregation p,,bIio
statement pao'o
90. AN hour and half ago." he began.
wrote few words. My dear fffen6
and attorney, Mr., Frederick w Hian-
fiehs' does not know what am sofna
70 say. This is the only staternapt +
snail make for myself am ro,to,vi,..
the hght l have had in the last few,
minutes Then the speaker read Prom
manuscript, apparently improvisinr
lows: % as hoi-
During the past few months I hav.
lne center of storm with face to
the front and / owe public s.atsn,.nt
to my friends in and out of pi,r,a,,.s
Cnurch. Let me say at the o,,tss, go.
'his statement Is NOT intended
'oss' Tor am not conscious OF hav.
ms at any time betrayed the TRUST ,b.t
Tue people have reposed in me.
Helping Others.
he ten years ago for reasons thar
se1h'eu just and honorable. and undas
.he influence of what | believed -.
oe my duty, l endeayored to maLa
provision for the future of my nxx,1
a ally ana others dependent upon me.
aa Aiso 70 Sive certain young men q
IN HIe. In the interest also %
nature, ! decided to invest s,,n, -
money, which / had accumuIated -
.ee.urer ana writer. am asha med Ia
say now much in view OF the wa reu
Oh working people and the poor.
Lake many others. when I trust
trust completely. and when | give
my confidence. / give it with al, nv
heart. Those in whom had most
confidence advised me that thar.,
eouIo De no doubt OK the safety and
conservatism of the investment Of rnv
funos. or the ability and capacity or
-ti'ese who had charge of them. For
several years all went well The,
came the panic of 1907, with later
business reversals for some of thos,,
TO whom l had related myself in con.
rection with these enterprises.
I awakened suddenly to the dis.
covery that there was doubt as q.
the real value of some Of the pron-s
erty in which l had invested At NV
own expense and Initiative. / sent an
expert to examine crucially the assesSi
ana the actual values and report IA
me as To the actual values. l heca MI
convinced that inaccurate statementG
had been made.
To Begin Life Anew.
Immediately set before mvselr.
the task of seeing to it that no ono
suffered any financial loss through con-
ndence in myself. or even through any
introductions which had given. Now
am told that have enough to nav
on the last of any Indebtedness. m
that hope soon TO begin life again
without debt
"Of late serious complications nave
arisen. which l shall try to meet &C,
cording to the light which Is given
me. Henceforth my attorney. Freder-
lex w. Heinrichs, will speak for mo.
but al this time my words are nina.
and mine alone. For several years 1
have been disturbed lest the little ina
fuence l may nave had upon some,
students and young ministers was Tan
from my ideal. I have feared lest /
"oS cAoSsh9 SiiCSc youuS tuGn LCWdIQ
the lecture pla torn. public life and
prosperity. instead Of toward obscure,
gentle. tender Christ-like service.
ITO these young men l owe this
statement-that often / have loved
my books more than the poor; / hav6
loved position and office and honor.
and sometimes l nave thought OF MY
own interests when every drop Of my
blood and every ounce OF my strength
and every thought of my mind be-
longed to our schools. to the sick, the
friendless. the poor and the boys and
girls with their eager and hungry
minds.
Should Remain Poor.
"Often have had honors offered to
me when should have chosen solici-
tude. and dwelt apart. and listened e
tho voice OF God and tried to repenfs
For years l have had "A growing con-s
Iviction that minister has no right
to make money, and does his best
work without II. II. therefore, thApQ
IL anywhere in this broad land 4 nobfo
boy studying for the Christian min
4stry who has done me the honor m
read my books and sermons, or -
listen ~tos my lectarss, and who -
come to cherlah secular idea o. thoE
Christian ministry. let me Nv w hiI
engaged In charity work whose eA0eI
lachets am not worthy 70 stoop dcWR
and unlace.
Lite il abort. Great II tn ~
fiuenc0 Of the law ana medicine, Won
derful tho task Of the jnrist ab6s
statesman: marvellous the poWok 04
the press: great also the oppoFENn3
|0f the merchant and manufaGejSy0
|whb feed ana ctuths tins psopies hsE
- - Ia.