Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/300

 CHAPTER XIX.

JAY GOULD'S RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC.

There are interesting features of the life of Jay Gould regarding his relations with the public, the church, the press and the people whom he met.

Jay Gould was not what is called a religious man. He was a pewholder in the Presbyterian church at Irvington and in the Rev. Dr. Paxton's church on West Forty-second street, but not a communicant. If he ever expressed any religious views it was to the Rev. Dr. Paxton. Certainly he did not to the Rev. Dr. Henry M. MacCracken, chancellor of the University, nor to the Rev. Roderick Terry, with whom he was on intimate terms of friendship. Dr. Terry said:

"There was no pretense about Mr. Gould. He never made any public profession of Christianity that I know of. On the subject of religion, as on so many others, he was extremely reticent, unless he unbosomed himself to his pastor, Dr. Paxton. He certainly never talked with me about his feelings on the subject of religion, though the opportunity offered more than once."

Mr. Gould's wife was a member of the South Reformed church for many years, but afterward became a Presbyterian. The millionaire of late years