The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-15
MEMORIES OF THE LIFE
OF THE LATE DR.. LANIER
A Learned Lawyer, Profound Thinker, Conse-
Grated observation-disclosures Lees Histori-
cal tumble of the Civil War sssg

Joice that l have known him so long
and SO well. His example, his sound,
unbending religious life was an exam
pie and an inspiration.
He was married twice, his wives be-
ing sisters and daughters of the late
DIR. John r. Hicks. one of Granville's
leading physicians in his time. Mrs,
Bette Lanier survives him. He leaves
i four daughters and four sons living,
| Robert, the eldest son, Maj. A. S. Lam
! Ter, a lawyer of Richmond, Va; Her.
| der, who resides in Baltimore, and
/ Thornwell, a lawyer, who lives in Ok
! ford.
Before closing this very imperfect
/ tribute to the high personal worth of
/ one | held in much reverence and es-
/ TEEN, | must relate an incident that
/ strikingly illustrates his fine sense of
responsibility to God and his generous,
self-Sacrif1cing nature, and at the same
| time presents to what has been to me
| a very impressive manifestation
through well-nigh forty-five years of
the clear workings of Divine Provi-
! dence in overriding a personal mat
! ter of q devout, conSecrated servant of
| Jehovah. In the summer of 1859,
DR.. LaAier was sitting In his remarka-
bly, large office surrounded by his am
pie library. as / recall it, when a gen
| tlenan entered, and introducing him
self as a Virginian Presbyterian min
lister, told him his errand. He was
travelling agent for Union Theological
Seminary, of Sidney Col
lege, Virginia, and he was soliciting
subscriptions from friends to raise q
fund to endow a scholarship in that
school of the Prophets, to be repre-
sentative of the two States-North
Carolina and Virginia. He made his
plea, when DR.. Lanier informed him
that he had already giver all that he
was able TO bestow for the current
year. But this did not satisfy the
pressing and faithful solicitor. He
renewed the charge, and urged earn
estly upon the pious Presbyterian lay
man the necessity of help, and how he
had heard of the brothers liberality
in giving, and religious conscientious
ness, and would be greatly disappoint-
ed if he failed as he had particularly
counted upon his aid. After listening
quietly to the urgent, repeated appear
he left his seat and went over to the
remote western corner of the office.
He presently returned with $4,000 in
his hand and giving it to the brother
he said: For several years | have
been collecting that sum. | particu-F
books that cost $120. The only way
| could expect to ever buy them was
by giving a dollar or five dollars to-
wards it now and then according to
my ability. Take the amount, and /
hope it will do some good" Now
comes the sequel, Just three weeks
from that day, a stranger from an
other State appeared at oxford. The
morning after his arrival he went to
the court house, and sought the old
clerk, Augustine Lands. He told him
he was in search of a lawyer who was
a good draughtsman and also a thor
ough laWyer-that he had an import
ant instrument or opinion he desired
to have drawn. Do you know such a
man? Mr. Lands at once sent him to
DR.. Lanier He introduced himself,
made known the object of his visit,
stated the case and asked him if he
thought he could draw it. The answer
was: There is no special difficulty in
| the way. | understand your state
| ment, it will take some time to write
| it, but come tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock, and | think it will be ready"
| Promptly the stranger appeared, the
| legal document was handed to him,
and was read carefully. He said:
This is all right, it meets my wants
precisely. what do / owe you for it,"
Mr.. Lanier told him he had been an
noyed as to what to charge. 1t in
volved much experience and some
| learning, but he did not wish to charge
any more than its real value. That
he had been unable to decide" Then
| spoke the client: 81 can help you out.
How will $50 do?" Mr.. Lanier said:
THAT would be ample, more than /
would have named" Said the stran~
| ger: 81 am acquainted with such mat
ters somewhat, and | am quite willing
to pay you the sum mentioned. He
! handed $60 to DR.. Lanier, and he at
once went to the place of deposit in
| the room, and put the amount-the
very same sum he had given to the
agent-in the place of it for the pur-
chase of his English law books. Was
there no Providential design in all
! that--no over-ruling wisdom? Was 1t
not testimony too, as to the Christian
/ spirit and self-sacrifice of the faithful
| Presbyterian?
His unbroken, consecrated, profound
religious life is the best guarantee that
this good and, faithful servant of God
| was fully ready for the end. [ have
heard nothing of his statements of
| faith in the last year or two of his
| life. That he was well prepared for
! the inevitable summons all must be-
| lieye who knew the beloved disci-
pie" Full of years-eighty-s years
| he mad scenic mas gone 10 MS re-
| ward and is, as l confidently believe
with his bessed Saviour in the Para
disc of God-Heaven. This day shalt
thou be with me in Paradise" ITO him
| that overcometh will | give to eat of
the Tree of Life, which is in the midst
of the Paradise of CONFEDERATION
81.
Writing entirely from memory,
without a line of data, | realize how
| imperfect, even unsatisfactory, is the
above. If / could have done so,
would have been glad to present the
precise legal qualities of his mind
showing wherein he was strongest, and
to give some account of his range of
legal studies. But as said in the be-
ginning, not being a lawyer I am in
sufficient unequipped for such
work in writing of a lawyer of
remarkable rank, virtue and learning.
Some practiced writer who is a lawyer
and knew DR.. Lanier, could do the
work necessary, and present him in
| fitting colors. | remember that some
| six years ago, | wrote fifteen page
| paper on Chief Justice Leonard Hen
1 Il