Remembering William Lasley

LASLEY

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 11/22/2007 at 06:42:28

In the tragic death of William Lasley we have lost a real friend. He was a Negro. His parents were slaves. While his skin was dark, his life was pretty white. Character is what you really are. Reputation is what others think you are, and many a fair reputation is skin deep. During our twelve years of service as postmaster here, William Lasley was the government mail messenger between railroad station and the postoffice. He was proud of his position with its responsibilities. There have been messengers, without doubt, as reliable, efficient and responsible as Mr. Lasley, but none more so.

After his retirement from federal service, Mr. Lasley took particular interest in the betterment of his people and especially in their religious life. Licensed to preach the gospel, he served his last years as a minister of a number of the African churches and was still active in his work when death overtook him.

And we wonder. We wonder what happened when the soul of William Lasley appeared before the pearly gates of Paradise. After looking over the book of Good and Eviil, did the Recording Angel, with a slight uplight of the eyebrow, address the soul of William Lasley as follows: "Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of your Lord, but I am sorry son, you will have to go around to the service entrance."

-- “Bystander’s Notes“ by Charles S. Rogers, Publisher-Editor of The Free Press [weekly newspaper published in Mt. Pleasant, IA] Monday, January 22, 1945 p. 2