[Random Reminiscences of Men and Events by John D. Rockefeller]@TWC D-Link bookRandom Reminiscences of Men and Events CHAPTER VI 7/23
To give a tenth of one's income is wellnigh an impossibility to some, while to others it means a miserable pittance. If the spirit is there, the matter of proportion is soon lost sight of.
It is only the spirit of giving that counts, and the very poor give without any self-consciousness.
But I fear that I am dealing with generalities again. The education of children in my early days may have been straightlaced, yet I have always been thankful that the custom was quite general to teach young people to give systematically of money that they themselves had earned.
It is a good thing to lead children to realize early the importance of their obligations to others but, I confess, it is increasingly difficult; for what were luxuries then have become commonplaces now.
It should be a greater pleasure and satisfaction to give money for a good cause than to earn it, and I have always indulged the hope that during my life I should be able to help establish efficiency in giving so that wealth may be of greater use to the present and future generations. Perhaps just here lies the difference between the gifts of money and of service.
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