Norwich bulletin., 1918-11-11
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR CHAS. W. WILEY

we parted. He was assigned for duty, on the Herman Frasch and sailed for Europe with supplies for the allies.
 On the night of October 4th, in dense fog. the Herman Frascn was rammed by another vessel and cut in twain. The earthly career or our young hero was ended. His sun had set to rise in a fairer world.
 l can't help but think that the Christ who held out his hands and caught Peter, was near to Charles Wiley that night on the dark sea Peters life was incomplete and so he was spared cnly to receive the martyrs crown in later life. We never would have thought that our brothers work was done but God evidently thought 1t was and came down and crowned him with only the great waves of the At- lantic and the angels to witness the coronation.
 There is a passage in Virgil which speaks of Evander as coming to the end of his career. He recalls the past with tears and regrets The present moment was big with opportunities but he was unable to measure up ro them. Responsibilities were there but his shoulders could not carry them. An unexpected crisis has come but he wasn't equal to the occasion. The hour demanded a leader with the strength of giant but he was as weak as babe. Evander exclaims in his grief: "Oh, that I was as in the day when I led my army out in the Valley of Praeneste" How pathetic | the hero's cry. Gone forever the en- ergy that in his youth never tired. Gone the zest of living. Gone the passionate ambition to dare and do V46 Af,s. Ia5 1Ac were lost forever.
 But what a contrast. We think of our young hero as crowned in the very zenith of his young manhood
 Every faculty alert, enthusiasm at fever heat. a passionate desire tc make good and the future all rosy with promise.
 Charles Wiley was not out on 8 pleasure trip but in the path of duty and he died at his post-died in the sacred cause of world freedom. Mil lions will see the dawn of new day and live in the atmosphere of hol-
 fer freedom because Charles W. Will
 ley in the atmosphere of holier free dom because Charles w. Wiley ant others dared to make the supreme
 sacrifice. We feel keenly-more thar words than ever tell-his going away but are sure that our loss is his gain | We sorrow. but he is glad in a lant of perpetual joy and sunshine.
 How my heart yearns to show vol the Fathers love and design in thi seemingly strange act of Providence Through the clouds of sorrow and dis appointment, it's difficult for Us to set our Fathers face beaming with love
 But life is a mockery if we can't banl
 oN that love which simply can't fail
 May suggest an analogy. Lons ago in Bethany there was hom
 where Jesus on many occasions wa most royalty entertained. Lazarus
 member of that household was strick en with disease and Mary and Mar Itha sent a message to Jesus inform ing him of their brothers illness. The,
 made no request for Jesus to com
 but simply assumed He would com
 because Jesus tarried. The sister
 must have wondered why their Tor,
 was so long in coming. Lazarus die land was buried Then Jesus start for Bethany. We like to believe Jesu
 is never late but He seemed to be O.
 this occasion. The sorrowing sister
 greeted Jesus with these words
 Lord, if thou i1adst been here, m
 brother had not died" But Jesu planned not to be there He had lls I
 wanted them to see Gods glory. Bu the darkness of the valley must pre- eede the glory Of the mountain tor
 They journeyed to the spot wher
 Lazarus lay. Then the holy Chris
 cried with a loud voice. lazarus
 come forth" and instantaneously tn glory of the omnipotent God burst up
 on the scene and the brother was aliv
 again. Who will dare to describe tha journey homeward. Now the sister , must have been glad Jesus wasn
 there, and we are glad, too. If H came late there was a, reason for i
 During many anxious hours we waite l and prayed that the same Chris might have come and snatched ou brother from the cold waves of tn
 Atlantic. But Christ tarried and H tarries still. But some day He wi come and we shall behold Gods glor ! in Charles W. Willey-his face beam
 ing with joy and on his brow tn lero's crown. And then, without | doubt, we shall rejoice that Chris came in His own way and time
 Attending the service were William Hull, William Ringland. Raymon Wilcox and Robert PecIlham, repre- santing the Fri Kappa fraternity ( the Norwich Free Academy of whic Mir. Wiley was a member and rer resentotion of, his graduating class { the Academy. Many members of tt Rebekah lodge. in which Mrs. Willie is a past grand, attended. thus ex
 pressing sympathy. Among the re atives and friends from out of tow ? at the service were Mrs. Fred Beet and daughter. Miss Ruth Beebe : ] Springfield, Mass: Mrs. Fred Beeb 5 Jr., of New York. Mr and Mrs. Charlt Crane, Willimantic: William Davit and daughter. Miss Carrie Davies, New London John Chaffee, Bridge
 port; Mrs. John Rathbone and SO :. Inhn Rafhhnnn of I crI1-nll