Union recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1886-current, January 23, 1936, Image 2

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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 "N0THDK BUT INSURANCE PUe 473 C K. ANDREWS A SON REX CAFE Ice Cream Parlor New ud Modem Fnm A Mickle 'Hot Dog' To a Banquet A TRIAL MEAN A PATRON tkXi^AiL;tA;sL::!:xxxxs:XXgI»ITTXXXIX~XXXXXXXXXXl SOME FUN EH? Take A Tip From This Youngster 6 Minutes and the Day is Yours It only requires about 6 minutes to prepare your laundry and phone SNOW’S and the rest of the day is yours. . .Hours of leisure time added. 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