January 28 Tuesday – In the evening in N.Y.C. Sam spoke to John D. Rockefeller’s young men’s Bible class. He’d been invited on Dec. 10, 1901. The New York Times, p. 9 reported on the event.

MR. ROCKEFELLER’S CLASS.

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Bible Students Addressed by Mark Twain and Robert C. Ogden.

The young men’s Bible class of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, of which John D. Rockefeller, Jr., is the leader, listened to a speech by Robert C. Ogden, and another by Mark Twain at the regular monthly meeting of the class last evening.

Mark Twain attempted to teach the class how to reach a person of great eminence, an Emperor, for instance. At 9:20 he stopped short and informed the young men that he would have to go.

“I’m a farmer now,” he said. “Not a very good farmer yet, but a farmer just the same. So I’ll have to go now to be up early in the morning to take care of my crop. I don’t know yet what the crop will be, but I think from present indications it will be icicles.”

…

The Rev. Dr. Rufus P. Johnston, pastor of the church, also spoke. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., was present, but took no part in the exercises.

Sam’s notebook cites a reception after the class: “Leave 7.27; arrive 7.55. Mr. Rockefeller will meet me. Read. (2 stories.) Afterward, to Abbey reception. Louis Tiffany’s, 27 East 72d St.” [NB 45 TS 3]. Note: Edwin Austin Abbey, artist and master illustrator.