During the past two or three years two well-known millionaires in the United States, millionaires many times over, have died.  The one started into life with the idea of acquiring a great name by accumulating great wealth.  These two things he had in mind,—­self and great wealth.  And, as he went on, he gradually became so that he could see nothing but these.  The greed for gain soon made him more and more the slave; and he, knowing nothing other than obedience to his master, piled and accumulated and hoarded, and after spending all his days thus, he then lay down and died, taking not so much as one poor little penny with him, only a soul dwarfed compared to what it otherwise might have been.  For it might have been the soul of a royal master instead of that of an abject slave.

The papers noted his death with seldom even a single word of praise.  It was regretted by few, and he was mourned by still fewer.  And even at his death he was spoken of by thousands in words far from complimentary, all uniting in saying what he might have been and done, what a tremendous power for good, how he might have been loved and honored during his life, and at death mourned and blessed by the entire nation, the entire world.  A pitiable sight, indeed, to see a human mind, a human soul, thus voluntarily enslave itself for a few temporary pieces of metal.

The other started into life with the principle that a man’s success is to be measured by his direct usefulness to his fellow-men, to the world in which he lives, and by this alone; that private wealth is merely a private trust to be used for the highest good of mankind.  Under the benign influences of this mighty principle of service, we see him great, influential, wealthy; his whole nature expanding, himself growing large-hearted, generous, magnanimous, serving his State, his country, his fellow-men, writing his name on the hearts of all he comes in contact with, so that his name is never thought of by them without feelings of gratitude and praise.

Then as the chief service to his fellow-men, next to his own personal influence and example, he uses his vast fortune, this vast private trust, for the founding and endowing of a great institution of learning, using his splendid business capacities in its organization, having uppermost in mind in its building that young men and young women may there have every advantage at the least possible expense to fit themselves in turn for the greatest direct usefulness to their fellow-men while they live in the world.

In the midst of these activities the news comes of his death.  Many hearts now are sad.  The true, large-hearted, sympathizing friend, the servant of rich and poor alike, has gone away.  Countless numbers whom he has befriended, encouraged, helped, and served, bless his name, and give thanks that such a life has been lived.  His own great State rises up as his pall-bearers, while the entire nation acts