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Rtv. James M. Teresi Pays
Tribute To Robert E. Lee
As Christian and Educator
Editor's Note—The* full text of the
address of Rev. Jnmc.s M. Teresi
at memorial ser\’ices held Sunday
afternoon in memory of General
Robert E. Lee is as fellows:
Robert E. Lee is known is history
as one of the greatest military lead
ers of modem times. In the opinion
of many outstading military men of
a past generation and of the pres
ent General Lee was perhaps th"
greati-st C«»mmand«*r and Srld'er
who ever lead an army on the field
of battle. Von Moltke a yreat mili
tary leader of Germany is said to
have expressed the opinion tho*
Wellington and Lee were the two
greatest soldiers of all t mes and he
considered Lee fully the equal of
Wellington. To his men. who liter
ally worshipped him and rfned nl
all hours ready to do what he said
do. to go where ho -aid go, even
ihn it meant to go into the very
jaws of death, he wns !ho Peerless
Lender the Perfect Soldie
I should, therefore, cause injury to
an institution which it would be my
highest desire to advance." The
trusters disregarded the reasons he
gave for net accept
his acceptance again,
accept. Bishop Wilr
he discussed the mnt
I/e was convinced 1
br.d ojK-ned up for 1
tunity of service to
rrjc&ce anl praise forever the OoJ
and Savior she so long and truly
served. Let that be our comfort and
our consolation."
When made Ccmmander ol the
Army of Va.. he said, "Trusting to
Almighty God an approving con
science and the r. Id of try native
state."
He closes a letter to his wife in
April 186!: May God bless and pre-
serve you and have mercy upon air,
our people, is the constant prayer
irged’of ycur affectionate husband."
■d to in another letter to his wife: When
■horn 11 reflect upon the calamity impend-
thnt, j n g over the country, my own sor-
Icncejrows sink into insignificance. Bel
>por- content and resigned to God’s will.” |
and j i n another: "What a glorious •
the i
in his remaining years, |W n rid Almighty God has ;
He only wished
competency to fulfil 1
Robert E. Lee his soi
of Lire makes this
think he wps influer
up his mind to ncccj
by the great need i
his state and in the
the opportunity tha
Washington Crllcre I
moot firm the bcgii
helping, by his expe
ample, the youth of
become gcod and u
roa
His
His
Idir
dents ir the
morded by
occnrr* d :i*’ti
nmazin**,
warfare*
The inci
ful battle of App*
of the overwhelm ii
him. I/s* determine
his men to further ■
rides to surrender,
that after he surren
to his men nnr
said. "Men. we
er through the
attested by two qu
Lee :
?ot to submit attained.
is recorded Nothing
~d, he turned d<*pres‘
cenrider the
he South's yr
portant i.bjet
and one fr
benefit may
will com pens
n of the sti
f his. How thankless and ungrateful we:
Copt.-ore, and how we labour to mar his
tions I gifts."
"In Him alone is our hope." i
ikim 7 ! Writing about the death of his bc-
itio n | loved daughter Ann*** "I cannot cx-
n * n i press the anguish I felt at the death
3 by I of our sweet Annie. God in this, as
* !! |in all things has mingled mercy
! "I* I with the blow, in selecting that on**
frr ;bc*st prepared to leave us. May you I
ox 'jbe able to join me in saying. "His
v t* 1 1 will be done." On her tombstone he J
’ had written: "Perfect and true are ■
itinn j 0 n His ways Whom heaven adore* |
uca-1 nn d earth obeys."
well j Acain he writes: "It is a fearful i
rrom condition, and we must rely for
* °‘|guidance and protection upon a bird'
m t-! Providence.”
uca ” J These quotations nicked at random i
'"’ from Lee's letters reveal something •
' bo icf his abiding Faith. to stord out. First, his faith was
i He cave definite expression to his ■* ucb tba t like his Master in every
|religious beliefs and experience by act and experience, he was constant-
regular attendance upon the services. saying, "Father not my will but
Pontiac
*615
as low as
LiM ptlcTM at fmntimr. Mick,
KUz.'t ?ksj
Standard grit up nf ocraamarirt ri lr »
RALPH SIMMERSON,
RALPH SIMMERSON,
Milledgeville, Ga.
Sandersvilie, Ga.
and
with choking voice moral anil inle’lcctua
ave fought togeth-' state should take the
ir. I have done my measures to revive its schools and
mv heart is too full colleges, and to elevate the standard
to rnv more." Then as he march- of living." Again h • quotes Lee: *‘l
ed cit the field along the lines of have n self-imposel task, which !
the Federal soldiers, they burst forth must accomplish. I have led the
in loud cheers. It was a sincere arl young men of the South in battle, I
spontaneous tribute by a conquering have ’een many of them fall under
army for a great conquered Lead- j my Standard. I shall devote all mv
er of a vanguished army. But it is ( life now !o training young men to
not of Lee the soldier that we wish; do their duty in life."
to speak but about two phases of
this wonderfful man which appeal
to me far more than the Soldier
side. We wish to speak of Lee the,
Educator and Lee the great Chris
tian.
^ of his church. It is most revealing be done." Second, his Self-
of this deeply religious leader, to denial. He took literally the chal-
note that one of his last public act*: ^ the Captain of his Salvation
was to attend a church meeting j when he said. "If any man would
over which he presided in a cold ! com e after me. let him deny himself,
auditorium. At this business meet- an d take up his cross daily and fol-
ing two matters were discussed in j low me." On his last visit to North-
which he was deeply interested: ! eni Va.. a little mother brought
the planning oC church building, and | her babe fer Lee's blessings. He took
rais’ng of the salary of Doctor | the baby in his arms, then looked at
Pendleton the pastor. At the meeting | bis mother and slowly said, “Teach
a collection was taken, when count- i him he must deny himself.” When
cd they lacked the sum of $55.00. life's little, but fruitful day
How fitting, as we are gathered
in this beautiful college auditorium,
and in this splendid educational
canter to think of Lee the Educator.
After the weary and broken-heart
ed Hero of the heroic Southern
farces laid down his arms, bis only
desire, ns expressed in some of his
letters, was to retire to some quiet
place where he could make a simple
living and as a good citizen, set an
example to his fellow citizens that
would help heal the wounds which
great ideals of Educa-
| lion. First, that no education is com-
ylete, rr what it should be, unless it
Christian. On one occasion he
expressed the concern that every
young man who entered Washing
ton College should before he left be
come a devoted follower of Christ.
If he did not become a Christian
before leaving college, he felt that
his education was a failure and the
college had failed tr adequately pre
pare that student for life. The other
ideal was that Education should be
Practical. With the help of his
faculty he launched forth on new
fields that led the way in the South
for Practical education. The New
York Herald impressed by Lee':
had h«-n made in the heart nf the . ldmlnistra , ion „ nd the effort, alone
nation by tho war. How anxious hc[ ncw Unc ,. at W ashintfrn college pro
ws. for tho restoration of tho well- , dk1cd . .. That ^ was likely to make
bein K and prosperity of the whole, ( , renl an | mprcss |on upon
nation is eyldoneed by the letter* L , ch ools and eolleaes as he did
he wrote immediately followlna the , n tectic , old foyov
cessation of the war. To Cov. I.eteh- mn)nndar , in th e palmy days ot
or he wrote: ‘’."ho duty of its citi-' rebcIUon , 0 black and
yens. then, appears to me teo plain j om j ncus dn y when at Appomatox
to admit of doubt. All should unite lLc{ , wcnl Washington Colleae to
in honest efforts to obliterate the| occupy , hc prudent 1 :; chair, there to
7 and to restore the j unselfishly train Southern youth for
effects of the
blessings of peace." In a letter to! uieful Christian citizenship. Obedl-
Capt. Tatriall cf the Confederate
once Respect.
How fitting too. on the Lord's Dav
that Lee loved and reverenced
deeply and sincerely to speak for
Navy: “I believe it to be the duty
of every one to unite in the restora
tion of the country and the reestab
lishment of peace and harmony."
But Lee with his outstanding moment about Lee the great Amen
ability and sterling character was, can Christian. Gamaliel Bradford,
not to be left in quiet retirement, j outstanding historian of our dav.
Offers from various sources came.well says that “Lee was one of the
to him in rapid succession, insurance! greate-rt spiritual leaders the world
companies and railroads offeringihas ever seen.” Unquestionably Rob-
him many thousands of dollars n j ert E. Lee was the most Christ-Like
year for the mere u«c of his name, j man whe ever occupied a position - of
"He turned a deaf ear to all. His good nrcmircnce and responsibility
name was net for sale. Lucrative ’ American public life. Pcrhans. the
positiens had no allurement frr him. outstanding thing in his Christian
althou: >* hi: r.wn fortune had been jlite as manifested by bis words and
depleted by the war. {deeds was his unshakable and un-
In Aug. 1865 the Board of Trus- j wavering faith in the wise, over-
tees of a bankrupt and disrupted ruling Providence of God. Like an
small college had the audacity to* Abraham his faith was steadfast and
send a letter of notification to Genj sure in defeat ns well as victory, in
Lee, stating he had bc**n elected adversity as well as In prosperity.
President cf Washington College. How filled are his letters with hi*
They couldn't posibly offer him radiant faith. Writing to his son we
more than $1,000.00 salary for the read* “Be true, kind and generous,
first year. He was reluctant to ac- and pray earnestly to God to en-
cept not because of the poor fi- able you to keep his commandment*
nacinl reward but as rcnvoadel in and walk in the same all the days o'
his letter, because he felt himself your life."
unable to do so. He unites: "Fully j May God Guard and bless you
Impressed with the responsibilities all.”
o? the office. I have feared that I To a daughter in Feb. 1862. "This
should be unable to discharge ib* Js a serious neriod. Indeed, and the
duties to the satisfaction of the t; roe looks dark, but it will brieht-
trustees or the benefit nf the coun- j ^ again, and T hone a kind Rod-
try. The education of youth requires donee, will yet smile open ur. :
net only great ability but T fear c j ve us freedom and Indenenrler
mj**e strength than T now po®- Pray for the aid of cur Father
sess. Being excluded from the heav
terms of amnesty in the prcclamn- and their distressed families."
turn nf tho Pros, of the IT. s. and an Wrltln* to his wife on tho doath of
objeot of censure to a portion of tho Mrs Guslis: "May God eive von
country. ! have tlimieht it prnb- st reneth to enable vou to bear and
able that my oecupatim, of <he posi- sn> . .. His wil] ^ don( . .. s|lc hn ,
1 gone from all trouble, care and sor-
a holy immortality, there to
Lee who had already given genero
usly, quietly said, "I will give that."
This turned out to be the last act
of the unselfish service for God and
man that he rendered. He went home
from that title church and was
stricken with fatal illness at the
family table.
Lee’s religious life was deeply
nurtured by an habitiual prayer
an of prayer. Had
family prayers every morning be
fore breakfast. He made much
private devotions. His letters
friends and loved ones have in them
recurring phase. “God,
guard and protect you is my pray-
He fed his religious life with
habitual Bible reading. How he I
loved the Word of God. About it hej
wrote: “A book, which supplies i
the place of all others, and cannot j
be replaced, by any other." To Rev.
W. Jones he once remarked:
‘There are many things in the old
Book which I maynever be able to
explain, but I accept it as the in
fallible word of God, and receive its
teachings as inspired by the Holy
Ghost." On another occasion he said,
l I prefer the Bible to any other
book. There is enough in that t?
satisfy the most ardent thirst for
knowledge: to open the way to true
wisdom, and to teach the only road
to salvation and entcmal happiness.
It is not above human comprehcn-
and is sufficient to satisfy all
its desire." Like His Master he truly
believed that man is not to live by
bread alone, but i>y every word
that proccedeth from the mouth <f.
God."
Freeman writes: “In his eyes, h-il ,
ligion oncerred itself equally with I
ts and beliefs. One question was
er before him! What was his duty
a Christian and a gentlemen?"
In summing up the religious life
of this great soul, two things seem
ended for Lee, and they laid him
tenderly in his last resting place,
how fittingly that they should sing
song that he loved so well in life,
and that wel fitted all his eventful
days, and that epitomized his reli
gious faith:
How firm a Foundation, yc saints
of the Lcrd,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent
word!
What more can He say than to you
he hath said.
You who unto Jesus for refuge have
fled?
The soul that on Jesus hath lean
ed for repose, I will not, I will not
desert to its foes. That soul, tho‘ all
hell should endeavor to 3hake, I'll
never, no never, no never, forsake."
On this Lord's Day we leave it to
others to think of Lee as the great
soldier, but we prefer to think of
Lee the great Christian Educator, of
Lee the sincere Christian gentleman.
In this hour of great moral and
spiritual need in the South and in
the Nation, may God grant that the
spirit of this noble Christian leader
may fall upon the leadership of the
nation in this our day.
Lord Gcd of Host*?, be
yet, lest we forget, lest we
what makes a people truly great j
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