Lane, George

Lane, George a Methodist minister of considerable note, was born in the State of New York April 13, 1784. He was admitted to the Philadelphia Conference in 1805, and located in 1810; was readmitted in 1819, and again located in 1825; but was readmitted once more in 1834. In 1836 he was elected assistant agent of the Methodist Book-Concern at New York. In this capacity first, and later in that of principal agent, he served until 1852, when he retired from all active duties in the Church. He died May 6, 1859. Under his prudent management, the publishing house, then at 200 Mulberry Street, assumed almost gigantic proportions, his industrious and economical business habits having gained him the confidence both of the Church and of the general public. For about twelve years he was also treasurer of the Missionary Society of the M.E. Church. By his energy and business tact this society was relieved of a debt of about sixty thousand dollars, which had long crippled its powers of usefulness. Such was his earnestness in the missionary cause that he was frequently entitled the "father of the Missionary Society." "As a preacher, Mr. Lane was thoroughly orthodox, systematic, and earnest, and often overwhelmingly eloquent; his language unstudied, but chaste, correct, simple, and forcible." — Peck. Early Methodism, page 492 sq.; Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 7.