The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-25
DEATH CLAIMED HIM.
FATHER DANIEL LEE FALLS REFORB
THE GRIM REAPFRs soYTHE.


Kansas Over Sixty Years Ago and Went
to Oregon Where He Established Mis-.
sions-He also Carried the Gospels
Light into the Sandwich Islands
Toughs and Gamblers stood In silence
Before His Venerable Presence.
Albert Lee Of Hennessey, o. T.. was
| in the city yesterday and brought in
! formation OF the death of his father
Rev. Daniel Lee, at the advanced age
| of So years.
Father Lee" as he was known all
| over, was the father OF William H Lee,
! until recently head OF the Salvation
Army in this city.
In the death OF Daniel Lee a conspicu-
Gus figure has gone across the silent
river 10 that unknown land from which
no traveller has ever returned.
OF all the ideals in history no one can
be described as most like the character
OF Daniel Lee than Bunyon, the author
| OF that wonderful book, The Pilgrim s
Progress" He was man of great
piety and Christian faith-a man whose
own life convinced his fellow man that
Christianity was not an empty dream
or useless profession. He was a man
typical OF the early Christian patri-
archs and apostles.
Apart from his piety and Christian
gear he was a more than ordinary char
acter.
He was born in Canada but at an ear
iy day came over TO the United States
where he entered the ministry. Sixty
three years ago he crossed the plains Of
Kansas. braved savages, privations
and wild beasts to enter the darkness
OF the then unknown west 10 spread the
light OF the gospel. He opened a mis-
sion in Oregon and Travelled among the
Indians of the forest as far north as
Puget sound.
In Washington state, before IL was
even territory. he met his wife, who
was also missionary. That was over
sixty years ago and they lived together
In love and peace-zeal and piety-for
more than half a century. A more
model couple was hard 10 find and when
the good old lady died a few years ago
all who knew her mOurned.
1t was about 1884 that Daniel Lee
CROPPED into the dark farther to rescue
souls and went into the Sandwich
islands. which were looked upon then
as the land of canibals. He organized
missions there and no small part of the
credit for the present enlightment and
civilization of the islands is due to him.
He carried peace wherever he went and
he never had an ambition that did not
involve and comprehend the saving of
human soul for the kingdom of his
Master, the King of kings.
Very little of his life is known to the
writer from that time until nearly
twenty-five years ago when he was seen
on the frontier OF Kansas his patri-
archial form forever moving about do
ing good. He accompanied his boys TO
Sumner county where all OF them took
claims.
Caldwell was then probably the
toughest little town on earth. 1t was
the haven of all the wild characters
from Abilene to the Red river of Texas.
The great Chisholm trail ran through
the city and every desperado, horse
theft and blackleg generally felt in
duty bound TO paint the town scarlet.
1t was the home of a good many honest
men, some Of whom still reside there.
but it is no exaggeration 10 say that the
majority We're the apostles of evil OF
one kind or another. The dive, the
dance house and the gambling den
fiourished like the historical green bay
tree, yet when Daniel Lee, who never
in all his life carried a weapon that
could kill a mousquito, walked down
the crowded sidewalks, his long gray
locks glistening in the sunlight. no man
was ever so drunk or depraved, who
did not treat him with impressive ven
Grafton.
Daniel Lee was in town every day
and in all the hustle of a frontier town
he never failed in or neglected his APP
parent life's purpose-to help some soul
and in his efforts he never offended an
individual. He was as welcome in the
saloon as the best patron ii had and
while he stood around a gambling table
not an offensive word was said He
often stopped the game to give advice
to the patrons of the table and IL has
never been recorded or known that he
was given either a surely or insulting
word although IL was as much as an
other mans life was worth TO interfere.
When the prohibitory law went into
effect it did not change Father Lees
tactics. He did his best work in his life
time through the influence of the Divine
law and he never changed his plan of
action. He did not shake is locks and
threaten men with the laws of men, ne
won the hayward by the influence or
his gentle spirit and through the grace
OF God which he always held In be the
only reliable factor in changing the
hearts and methods of men.
Father Lee might be taken for w.
ing brother Of EngIand's Grand Old
Man Gladstone. He had the same face
and kindly eye that beamed with love
for his fellow men. II any man ever
earned an eternity in heaven he did.