JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 413 time, mind you, I was not only paying my living expenses, dothes and food and all, but saving money. ' ' Probably no clearer insight could be given to the Rocke- feller character and thought than is offered by his expressions in his talks to the little people of his Sunday school. They are intensely illuminating. They reflect with unerring ac- curacy the animating impulses of his life. Thrift, industry, perseverance, self confidence, kindliness and charity ; they are all there, portrayed with an earnest sincerity that puts skep- ticism to flight.
- It will not be long,** he said to the boys one Sunday, **im-
til you will be discarding your books and going to follow some life occupation. For your work you will receive a certain amount of money. Li that connection what a fine thing it would be if all employers and those employed were just ; the employer giving the employee his due and the employee work- ing honestly always in his employer's interest. Now when you have earned that money what will you do with it! Take my advice and pay your mother a part of it for your board. Use your best judgment about the rest, but always remember you cannot accumulate money if you squander it You must be saving ; you must practice self-denial. There is not a busi- ness man in the city who can succeed without self-denial at times. Do what you can for the church, for charity. As long as there is a world money will be needed for charitable pur- I>08es. The responsibility does not fall upon a few, myself or anyone else in particular. It is a common duty which falls upon us alike according to our means. God expects us to do our duty in that direction. * * Mr. Rockefeller's home life has been ideally beautiful. It has been his supreme recompense in all these years of harass- ment and censure. In one of his Sunday morning talks to the congregation of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church several years ago he turned and looked into the placid face of his wife, seated near at hand. "People tell me I have done much in my life, ' ' he said, and paused while his mind traveled swiftly down the bygone years. * * I know I have worked hard, but the best thing I ever accomplished and the thing that has given
