O B I T U A R Y A D D R E S S E SONTEXOOGISIOK07THEFTJ^^TERA-LOP PROFESSOR"WILEYLANE, DELIVEREDINTHEUNIVERSITYCHAPEL,FEB'Y 18,1885, BT RE V.WI LLI A MW.PA T T O N,D .D .,LL.D ., President ofHoward University, HO N.GE O R GE F.HO A R ,ofMassachusetts, T O Q S T HS B WI T HT HB AOXIKESSX3O FMI LK . T . MO S S , PK O F. J.M.G-B E GO B T ,PR O * .3 " ; L,CA B D O ZO , K K V.F.JHow.PK E D E R I O K D O T T &LA S S , K EV. 0.H.A .B U LK LB Y ,D .D .,ME. G." W.CO O K , ANDPEO*. T HO MA S B O B I NS O K " , DELIYSSSDi. TTHS MEMORIALMEETING EXLDUNDSBTHB SIBSOTION07 THB A LU MNI O FT H E C O LLE GE D E PA R T ME NT In theFifteen th-St. Presbyterian Church,March3,1885.PRINTEDBYORDEROFTHECOLLEGEALUMNI." WA S H I NGT O N :PR I NT E D B Y JT JD D &D E T WE I LE R . 1885. PROFESSORWILEYLANE.B R I E FS K E T CHO PHI S LI FE . Prrfessor LanewasbornoffreeparentsatE lizabethCity, N.C . November22,'1852.Hisrudimentaryeducationwas acquiredn iider private instruction.A fterhavingcompleted the 'iiToialcourseofstudyintheschoolestablishedinhis cityby Mr.T homasO ardozohe,intheyear1870, en teic 1the PreparatoryD epartmentofHowardU niversity. FromthePreparatoryhepassedtotheCollegeD epartment, fron i ',vhichhegraduatedin1877,takingthehighesthonors ufh;s class. In thefallofthesameyearhewenttoA m-herst("ollege, wherehespenttwoyearsinfurtherstudy,and wasgraduatedfromthatinstitutionin 1879,withhighclass ran k. ThreemonthsaftergraduatingfromA mhersthe was aj poin tedaninstructorintheNormalD epartmentof HowardUn iversity, audthefollowingyearwaspromotedto thepriLif'ipalshipoftheD epartment.I n1883hewas elected Proffd^-or ofthe GreeklanguageandliteratureintheCollege D epanir.ent.T hispositionhehelduptothetimeofhis death OBITUARYADDRESSES. The fun eral servicesofProfessor" WileyLanewereheldintheU niversity chapel oaWednesday,February18,1885.PrayerwasofferedhytheE ev. S. ifXewman , pastorofthePirstCongregationalChurch,Washington, D .ofwhichProfessorLanewasamemher. AI)I>jRESS O FR E T .WI LLI A MW.PA T T O N,D .D .,LL.D ., PR E S I D E NT O PT HE T T NI T B E S I T Y . Godis speakingtothisinstitutionbyhisprovidenceina very directandimpressivemanner.O nemonthsince,we wero assembledinthischapel,topayourtributeofrespect to the memoryofastudent; andto-daywegather, toperform the same officeforoneoftheCollegeFaculty.S olemnlyare weremin dedthatweknownotwhatadaymaybringforth, an dthat consequentlyitbecomesustodowithourmight, whatsoever ourhandfindethtodo.ProfessorWileyLane, whose earthlyremainslie beforeus, hadcharacteristicswhich wt-lldeserve mention,andwhichshouldhavespecialinflu-en ce on the youngwhoarepresentinsuchnumbersonthis sorrowful occasion. Firstofallwashisfaithfulnessinthelineofstudy. Wheuhe cametothisinstitutionabrightandamiable youthitwaswithaconsciousandclearlydefinedpurpose. He oaruetostudy,andhedidstudy.T hereareprofessed Ftaden tswhoseemtocomemerelybecausetheyaresentby paren ts orguardians,orbecausetheyhopetoseealittleof the world,andtohaveapleasanttimewithcongenialcom-pauion s. B utWileyLanewasintelligentatidconscientious withrespect tousingtheeducationaladvantageswhichGod had bestowed. Hedidhisbest,asascholaT ,inthePrepar-atory an dintheCollegeD epartments,andconsequentlyal-ways . ed his class.I n thatinfancy oftheU niversityhecould '(S ) 6 notenjoyalltheadvantageswhichhedesired,andwhich wecannowbetterbestow; andso,afterhisgraduation,he wiselyaddedtwoyearsofcarefulstudyatA mherstCollege. T here hemanifestedthesameunwaveringfidelity,andgained therespectofhisfellow-students,andthewarmcommenda-tionsofhisinstructors.A fterhebecamehimselfateacher, firstintheNormal,andthenintheCollegeD epartmentof thisU niversity,thistraitwasstillconspicuousinthezeal andindustrywithwhichhedevotedhimselftohisduties, andeversoughtbettertoequiphimselfforhiswork. Nextwemaynoticehisscholarlytastesandpursuits. Physicallyslenderandfrail,hisqualitieswereprincipally intellectual.Hewasabornstudent.Helovedlearning for itsownsake,andnotmerelyasameansoflivelihood.He enjoyedbooksandliterarysociety.Hisscholarlytaste, unitedwithanativemodestyanddelicacyoffeeling,kept himfromwhatevei* waslowandcoarse.Hehad afeminine shrinkingfromeverythingvulgar.NooneeversawWiley Laneinbadcompanionshiporinimproperplaces.A lways ,washeintentuponelevatingandrefininghisnature,which hedidbytheconstantpursuitofknowledgeinhischosen departmentofclassicallearning,andasfaraspossiblein otherrealmsofscienceandliterature. O nemayalsoproperlycallattentiontothesuccessofhis career.'T hewordcareer,sooftenusedwithlittlemeaning, mayinthiscasebefitlyemployed,thoughhisyearsnum-beredbutthirty-two.Providencedidmuchforhiminthis respect; forhelivedatthetimeofoneofthegreatestsocial revolutionswhichtheworldhaswitnessed,andhimselfbe-cameamarked illustrationofthealmostmiraculous changes whichitmadepossible.I canputthesalientfacteintoa singlesentence.T houghnotactuallybornaslave,asIhad supposed,hebeganlifeasacoloredchildina slaveS tate,at theverybottomofsociety,andhediedprofessorofGreek inauniversityestablishedbyCongressin theNationialCap-ital.T \70suchterminalpointsmaywellbesaidtoinclude acareer,andforothersofhisracetoincludeaprophecy. T huprngresswhichourdepartedbrothermadefromthe firstwas sosteadilyonwardandupward,thatevensoearly adeathleavestohismourningrelativesandnumerous fn en ds a n ame ofhonorthatwillnotsoonbeforgotten. An dhere I maybepermittedtoalludetowhatwerehis creditable plan s forthe future.E verythoughtfulman plans forthe future, andhisplansmarkhischaracter.Hemust live forsomethin g morethanthepresentmoment.Wiley Lan e, then , had hisambition; andthiswas hisI 'ight,within reasc>n ableboun ds. Norwashisambition merelyselfish.I t wasffi"his race aswellasforhimself; itwasforhisracein hiin se^"ason etowhomGodhadgiven(largelythrough the liberality ofhisfriendandpatronherepresent,Hon. Mr. Hn ar, S enatorfromMassachusetts)special opportunities. Hesoughtto maketheinostofhimself; toriseashighas itwas possible,andtoacquithimselfthoroughlywellinhis alln tteii sphere. D uringthelastyear,I calledhisattention to theschoolatA thens,inGreece,sustainedbyA merican colleges forlinguisticandarchaeologicalpurposes,andI put into'. lishan dspublicationsdescriptiveofitswork.T his ezcite,an dafterwardthecollegecourse,inGeneralHowards timeHethenspenttwoyearsatA mherst,wherehe graduated in1879.I attendedthecommencementofhis c:a^5 an dmethimatthehouseofthedistinguishedPresi-den t Seeley, whotoldmethat Lanewas"auniversalfavorite bothwithteachersandpupils." Hethenenteredtheser-vi.-eofthisU niversity,rapidly rising,untilatlasttheyoutli born in NorthCarolinainthedaysofslaverytookhis liun ored andassuredplaceamongthescholarsoftheland. The oldestofthegreatE nglishpoets,inthedayswhena ft wmen seemedborntocommandandthemassofmankind tobecommanded,drewhisexquisitepictureofhisyoungknu-U t" Curteyshewas,lowelyandservysable." Courtesy, m-desty,service.Whatcanones&ybetterofourfoend thanwhatChaucersaidfivehundredyearsagooftheflower ofEn glishchivalry?Hehadthecourtesyandgraceot bearin g that comesfromtheheartofthetruegentleman. I -Jf* badthat modesty anddiffidence'thatthrowsuch acharm overthe mannersofyouth.Heaspiredtoconsecratehis lifetotheserviceofothers.Hedidnotforgettherace fromwhichhesprang.Hehadcontinuallyinhisheart the eagerwish toservethepeoplewithwhomhehadcome out ofslavery, andwhomsomeofthisassembly,befqre^their heads aregrey,willseenumbering morethanthirtymillion in 'hiscountryenoughofthemselvesforagreat,strong, aiKlfreepeople.I nGod'smysteriousprovidencethishope, ab^econceivedit,hasbeenbaffled.B ut,afterall,hehas he'Aed his kindredbetterthanhe knew.I tisnotchieflyby legi=lation orbythedecisionsofcourtsorbytheartsof pn litician s thatthecoloredpeopleare togainandkeeptheir equalplace inA mericancitizenship.I tisbytheindivid-2 10 ualexamplestheyshallfurnishofpersonalworth,oftrue tuanhoodandwomanhood,thatintheendtheywillcause theirrightstoberespected.I tmaybethattheearlyend-ingofthisshortlifemaycausehissterlingqualitiestobe appreciated,astheymightnothavebeenifhehadlived. T helasttimeI sawhim,aboutaweekago,hewasfullof thehopeofgratifjdngadesirewhichhadlongpossessed him,tovisitA thens,tofithimselfstillfurtherfortheduties ofhisprofessorshipbythestudyofGreekliteratureand history-intheirnativeland.T hroughthekindness ofGov-ernorLongarrangementshadbeenmade forinsertingin the appropriationbillthelegislationnecessarytopertnithis absenceforayearfrombispost.T hevisionhasbeenreal-ized,butnotashehaddreamed.Hehasgonetostudy truthandbeautyinafairerlandthanGreece,bythelight ofasunbrighterthaneversankbeneathMorea'shills,ina templeimperishable,moregloriousthantheParthenon,a hbusenotmadewithhands,eternalintheheavens. R ev.F.J.GK I MK E closedtheserviceswithprayer. OBITUARYADDRESSES T HE ME MO RI ALME E T I N GFI FT E E NT H-S T R E E T PR E S B Y T E R I A NCHU R CH, T XT E S D A Y ,MA R CH3 ,1885. (" ) MEMORIALMEETING.An i'^etin g inmemoryofProfessorWileyLanewasheld in thyFifteen th S treetPresbyterianChurch,T uesdayeven-ingsMarch3, underthedirectionoftheA lumniA ssociation ofthe CollegeD epartmentofHowardU niversity.Mr.E , T.iloss,presidentoftheA sspciation,presided,andD r.J.H Howardactedassecretary.A ftermusicbythechoirof the church,PresidentWI LLI A MW.PA T T O Nofferedprayer. M'" Mossthenaddressedthemeeting. A D D R E S S O FMR .R .T .MO S S . Ladies andGentlemen andMembersoftheAlumniAssociation: We haYemetto-nighttopaytributeofrespecttooneof theiiblestandmostpromisingmembersoftheA ssociation. To onewhommanyofusknewasamemberof.thePrepara-toryD epartment,asamemberoftheCollegeD epartment, asamemberoftheA lumniA ssociation,and,finally,as Profen sor ofGreekinHowardU niversity.D uringallthose years, trueas aneedletothepole,hislifetendedtohigher an dn o'^ler things.A saboyhislifewasabovereproach, as a I'lan hislifewasanexampletousall.Heuniteda strun g mindwithanobleheartandtruefaith.I twasnot surj risin g, gentlemenoftheA lumni,that,knowingWiley Lan e asyoudid,thatyouearnestlyrequestedthetrusteesof theUn iversitytopromotehimtothechairofProfessorof Greekas soon asitbecamevacant.A tthetimemanywho kn ewn otthemanthoughtthatthe-leapfromteacherof En ghshto teacherofGreekwasdaringandimproper,but theveryacceptablemannerinwhichheperformedhis duties satisfiedthedoubtsofhisopponents,andcaU edforth (13 ) 14theapplauseofhisfriends.T hisA ssociation,foundedin theinterestofthegraduatesofHowardU niversitybycall-ingthemtogetheronceayear,oronceinthreeyears,to comparenotesofprogressinthedifferentprofessionschosen byits members,did honortoitselfand toourAhnaMater byusingitsinfluenceinbehalfofsoworthyaman. A smembersofthisA ssociationweoweadebtofgrati-tudetotheT rusteeswhobefriendedhim,whichwehopeto repay. B uthehasgone,andanotheroneofourchairsisvacant. Weshouldnotbesurprisedthathelaiddownthepenof thescholartotakeupthecrownofthesaint.Weshould notgrievewhenProvidencetakesthetrue,theupright,and thegood,sincetheyare,afterall,strangersandpilgrims here,whomthetrialsandtroublesoftheworldwasteaway. WhattousisablowGoddesignstobeablessingHehas takenhimformorecongenialemployment. T hereweretwothingsthatespeciallyendearedProfessor Lanetomeduringthelongyearsofouracquaintance:O ne washishonestyinwordanddeed; theotherwashislove offamily.B ythesetwotraitsI ^awplainlythatheloved hisraceandmankind.Noonelovesmankindwhoisnot truetohimself,norcanhelovehisraceifhelovesnothis family.ProfessorLane'swordwashislaw; itruledhim withgreatpower.I donotrememberofhearinganidle wordfallfromhislips.Whathe meanthe saidin amanly, straightforwardway.A fterhehadreceivedhiseducation andsecuredagoodposition,hedidnotwastehistimeina vainshowandtheillusionsofsociety,buthisgreatheart wentouttothebrothersandsistersathome.Hedenied himselfthattheytoomight tasteofthegweetsofknowledge. I feveryyoungmanofourracewaswillingtodenyhim-selfandhelpbuildhisfamilyupashebuildshimselfup,a greatproblemwouldneednosolution,itwouldsolveitself. B ut;gentlemen,Iamdetaining youtoolong, thereareothers herewhowillspeakmoreeloquentlyandappropriately.IwillcallonD r.Howard,the S ecretary,to readthe resolutions inmemoryofourdeceasedbrother. 15T>.IIowASD, theS ecretary,readthefollowingresolutions: T HE R E S O LU T I O NS . Whereas ithaspleasedourHeavenlyFathertotakeunto himself our belovedbrotheralumnus,WileyLane, it becomes us,as an A ssociation,toexpressinfittingtermsouresteem ofliis character,histalents,and-hisachievements: R fsol ved,T hatbythedeathofProf.Lanethis A ssociation, haslost on eofitsablestmembers,andhisraceamodest, scholariy,Christiangentleman,whowasinspiredbythe gener'^'usambitiontowinaplaceofhonorin'thefieldof letters, bymeans.ofwhichhehopedtobenefitmankind and toplevate hisrace. Resolved,T hathisworkasprofessorofGreekinHoward Un iversitywaswelldone,andpromised,hadhelivedtoan oldt-r age,to placeiiimsidebysidewiththemosteminent Grtekprofessorsofhisland. Resolved,T hathisbriefcareerofenergyteachestheaspir-ingyoungmenofhisracethatnopositionofhonorand trustI S beyondthereachofhimwhounitesapurelifewith scholarlypursuits. ll^sfhis goingthere,andtospeakinhisbehalftotheofficers ofthat institutionandtohisnoblefriend, theMassachusetts Sen ator, forthefartheranceofthatidea.T heyoungman, while astudentintheU niversity,showedelementsofgreat promiseandI wasdesirousthatheshouldhavechance tVrfurtherdevelopment.T heopportunityopened.He en tered theJxiniorClassofA mherstCollege.A llthrough his firsttermthereI wasanxious.Heworkedhardathis his studies, tooclosely,I feared,forhisphysicalstrength. Those first twelveweekspassed.Favorableaccountscame frumhisinstructors.Hissuccesswasinsured.T hrough 40 therestofliiscoursehemaintainedthesameearnest spirit,faithfulapplication,andtruegentlemanlydemeanor thatmarkedhisenteringterm.T hesecharacteristicswon forhimaliketherespectofstudents,instructors,andciti-zens, andthepersonalloveandattachmentofallwhoknew himintimately.S incehisdeathI havereceivedletters fromhisclassmatesandothersmakingaffectionateen-quiriesconcerninghis life,andexpressingsorrow at his early andsuddendeparture, and Icannotdobetter thangivesome fromoneoftheseletters.Mr.CharlesS .Palmer, oneofhisclassmates,writes: " I learnedonlyafewdaysagoofthedeathofourfriend Lane; Ihadexpected to meethim in " Washingtonnextweek;andthisisanotherofthosestartlingsupriseswhichmake us awareoftherealitiesoflife. "IwaswellacquaintedwithWileyLane,perhapsaswell asanymaninourclass.I havenotseenhim sincewesep-aratedat graduation.* * When, atthe T hanksgiving recess,I sentalinetohimrenewingtheinterruptedfriend-ship,he repliedwithaletterfulloftheoldheartycordiality. B ysomemistakewefailedtomeetourlastchancein thisworld,.asitnowseems.S o Ihave only myrecollections ofhimatA mherst; butthoseareofaqualityamplysuffix cienttopicturewhathehasbeenwithyou,whathewould havebeenifspared,whatheis inhishighermatriculation. " WileyLanewasoneofthebestnatured,oneofthe most symmetrical,gentlemanlymeninourclass.I tishardto analyzethecharacterofafriend,ortoweighhimfairly. I nscholarshipheeasilywonourrespect.* * * I n mentalandmoralandpoliticalscienceheimpressedme by amentalgraspofthoughtabovetheaverage; indebate,es-peciallyinabilitytoaddresshimselftoalmostanyquestion withoutpreviouspreparation,andtodo thiswithgoodeffect, withadignityandgraceofbearing.A llthiswascommon impression.I nChristiancharacterandexperience,asfar ashe openedhimselftous,heshowedthe make-upofahigh soul,ofdeep,sincereconviction,andofafine-grainedspirit 41delicatelyandsensitivelyadjusted.I tisnounfair omparisontosaj^" I thinkfriendPalmerputsitvery n . 'Idly hereinspeakingofouroldAlmaMater,foritshould .eunderstoodthatthestudentsofA mherststand sowellin ^hosemattersthattheyaredeemedfit,byanotaltogether radical faculty,topracticallygovernthemselves." I tisno 'jiifair comparisontosaythatthemenofourcollegeare-at leastuptotheaverageofdevelopmentinallthemanly g'-ac^s.B utWileyLaneexcelledthemostofusinability to perceivethosefineandnicedistinctionswhichcharacter-ize 'nature'sgentemen; 'hisloyaltytothemwas aninstinct, Imust notrunon; honestwordsarefewandsimple.T he testimon yofafriendforafriendshouldbebriefasitis sin-cere. Hismemoryisthatofonewhoneverintrudedhis lequaintanceuponus; headmittedusontermsofconscious eijuality.I havetriedtogivemyimpressionofhimasIhadit, asI shallalwayskeepit.I donotwritethisasa formal statement; itisanaturalexpressionofanaturalad-'I.ration . Y ouareatlibertytouseitasyouchoose."Now, Mr.President, asmanyofmyhearersknow,Iamnot accustomedtospeakofmanas ablackmanorwhiteman,or an yother modificationofthegenus; butthere areoccasions when the fullforceofmanhooddoesnotappearwithoutthe qualification . T heextractsoftheletterread,andsimilar lettersunread,meanverymuchastheystand; butwhen "tbe consideredthatWileyLaneandoneothergentleman werothe onlyrepresentativesoftheNegroraceamongfour hun dred students,drawnfromallpartsofthecountry,and tn at theyhadtpstandontheirmeritandnotonpersonal favors, suchtestimonialsmeaninfinitelymore,andgofar to show howtheearnest,faithfullifeofanymanwillalways jun t farmorethanhisphysicalcircumstances. Thequestionwasputontheadoptionoftheresolutions ifferedbyD r.Howard,andtheywere unanimouslyadopted. T hobenedictionwasthenpronouncedbytheR ev.F.J. GR I XMK E ,