Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-14
HIS MEMORY HoNoRED
Dr.. James o. yelling and His Long and
Useful Career.
Tributes to the Dead President OF
Columbian acknowledgements
of EulOgy Delivered.

The hall OF the Columbian university
was well filled last evening by those who
lad come to do honor to the memory and
work of the late president of the univer-
sity, the lamented DR.. James Clarke Well
ing. The memorial exercises were conduct
ed under the joint auspices of the univer-
sity and of the socities and organizations
of which he was member. The platform
was tastefllly decorated with palms and
flowers, and was occupied by the repre-
sentatives of the different organizations
while in the audience many of those most
prominent in educational, scientific and
social circles of the capital were noticed.
The acting president of the university.
the Rev. s. H. Greene. presided, and in
opening the exercises paid glowing tribute
to his predecessor. 1t was no ordinary
occasion which had called them together,
he said. for they had come to do honor
to one who was foremost in learning, and
one whose life had been devoted to the
progress and welfare of his race. 1t was
fitting, therefore, that for such a purpose
they should gather where he had worked
and best been known. DR.. yelling, he
said, touched life on it's better side, and
the nobility of his character called out the
best of all with whom he came in contact.
DIR. Greene then introduced Prof. S. r.
Langley OF the Smithsonian Institution,
who stated that he made the acquaintance
of DR.. yelling at a comparatively late
period of both their lives, and he then
spoke of Iir. Welling's labors as regent
OF the Smithsonian Institution. DIR. Well
ing, he sad possessed, as no other man
possessed, a knowledge of the unwritten
law of the institution, and was a typical
member of the board of regents. He was
non-sectfcnal man, and had the great
advantage of being a pupil and close
friend of the late Prof Henry AS presf-
dent of the hoard Violin O
termed great and valuable work, and was
untiring and conscientious to the greatest
degree. Prof. Langley spoke of the great
learning and literary abilities of Dr. Well
ing, and said lat his death had robbed
the world Of a i;reat work which he had
sehemed to write, a political history Of
the civil war.
As u Philosopher.
DR.. Greene read letter from RepreSen-
tative W. L. Wilson of West Virginia, who
was to have represented the alumni of
the university, regretting that public du-
ties prevented his attendance. quartet,
composed of Mrs. Nellie Wilson Shir-CHff,
soprano; Mrs. Eulalie Dorner Rheem, alto;
Alexander Mosher. tenor. and j. Henry
Kaiser, baritone, with Percy S. Foster, di-
rector and accompaniSt, then rendered
suitable selection, after which Major j.
w. Powell OF the Philosophical Society
spoke of DR.. yelling as deep philosopher,
energetic and profoundly learn
ef. No man better understood how to sep
arate the significant from the insignificant
In philosophical studies and added to that
he was a most graceful and convincing
writer. MAJOR Powell related a conversa-
ton he had with DR.. yelling last sum-
ner when the latter. speaking of his pro-
posed resignation as president of the uni
versity, expressed much pleasure at the
prospect of then being able to devote the
rest of his life to philosophical research.
Major Powell also spoke of the great
friendship that existed between them and
read poem which he had written after
their conversation last summer.
In the University.
After the quartet had rendered Rock of
Ages" Prof. a. j. Huntington, the senior
professor o. the university. spoke of DIR.
W ellinsys work as president of the uni
versity. He referred to DIR. Welling's la
borS as editor of the National Intelligencer
and stated hat DIR. Wellings articles dur
ing the war gained for him not only
position one of the foremost of Ameri-
can writers, but did much to influence the
thought of that period. When
DIR. yelling became president of the uni
versity, it was a weak and struggling in
but by his perseverance and wis
dom lie had lived to see it one of the great
of the land. DIR. yelling, he
said, deserved special mention as a pro-
lessor and possessed that rare accomplish
ment of being a successful teacher. Dur
creased from three hundred and twenty
six to more than nine hundred annually,
and the professors from twenty-five to
more than one hundred. Above all, said
Prof. Huntington, DR.. yelling was moral
and deeply religious man, always taking
ard following Christ as example.
Prof. Otis I. Mason of the Anthropolog-
ical Society said he was commissioned by
the society. of which DR.. yelling was pres
ident. to lay upon his grave a garland of
flowers, and that the tribute might be in
keeping with his comprehensive mind and
range of studies the peoples of the earth
within the circles of anthropogcal investi-
CATION had contributed their national flow
ers. AS DR.. yelling loved to sit at the
feet of sages and singers in Palestine and
to take counsel of the Great Teacher and
Great Apostle. he had therefore entwined
within the wreath roses of Sharon. lilies
of the valley, cedar spray from Lebanon
and hyssop from the garden of the great
king.
Prof e. NJ. Gallaudet of the Literary So
ciety spoke of DR.. Welling's great literary
abilities. He gave several interesting rem
iniscences of DIR. yelling, saying that
once when President Lincoln had sent an
open letter to the National lntellgencer
DR.. yelling had the courage to return the
letter that IL certain phrase In it which Of
Tended his rhetorical conception might be
President G. G.. Hubbard of the National
Society said that DR.. yelling
was many-sided man in his learning and
and speaking of his work
as president of the university, he remark
ed that during his presidency there had
been twice as many graduates as there
had been during the fifty Of his prede-
ressors DR.. Yelling and the late w. w.
Corcoran had been great friends, and 1t
was because of such friendship that MIR.
Corcoran had done so much for the uni
versity.
After DR.. Greene had read letters from
D,.o Of he q IL
States Supreme Court regretting their In
ability to be present, the assemblage was
dismissed by the pronouncing of the bene-
iiction by the lev. DIR. Childs.