Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-21
N MEMORY OF LEE.
The Veterans Annual Memorial Service
He'd al Union Station Church.
.,uuox OF DIR. vANDE"shioE'
- confederate Chapiain Compares
che life of Lee with That OF """'''
o.,ie,I EuIogy and Emph"-
.,.s Ills Devotion 10 Duty

sizes HIS Devotion TO p"N'
Ice CAMPS memorial service, n''u an
,,snv in honor Of General hoOe''
.,.s birthday. occurred at Inon-9s'''0"
,,...os,., church sunday night ana was
NOS, interesting and patr'oue cn''"o-
,r,. attendance was large the music
81 ono and the sermon by Kew III
a gorge e. Vanderslice' VINO was d ga
81 ,, contaln IN the Confederate army,
q ,se beautiful tribute TO the NE anu
n .,.,rocfcr of the South's noble eh'ei'd'h'
q .r,.. ,oo,obors of the camp. under com
a .s ~ r5cutenant-Commander John NJ
"A -, were out in large numbers, ana
81 .. s,comuauied by about eighty Ve'e-
FANS from the Soldiers Home under com
II Ind of Colonel Charles p. Bigger. Inc
a inch was crowded. As the veterans
a .r, seated. the choir. under the leader
II .b,, Of Mr.. r. $ NJ. Valentine, sang IN
,.,,,tiful strains. Trust Ye in the Mighty
God"
Afsr prayer had been offered The
whole congregation Joined in singing
General Lees favorite hymn. How Firm
Foundation. We Saints Of the Lord
7,,,rirr- tho odertory the choir sang 90 the
,yre of down on the Suwanee River
,be sweet strains OF which seemed TO
touch the hearts Of all. 1--WE Are OoiNS
Home"
Dr. Vanderslice took his text from
Acts. xiii. SO: David, having served ms
generation by the viii OF God zen
on sleep, and was gathered TO Ills
fathers" e..
The speaker gave brief outline oil the
lie Of David from the time ne was
anointed King Of Israel by Prophet sam
ne until his death. referring especiaHs
10 his life as a soldier uom lne Gun
aict with Goliath TO his accession 10
the throne Of Israel. drawing lessons Oh
instruction from prominent events anu
anrlviug them 10 the present occasion.
Pobort Edward Lee was a truthful,
obedient. kind, and gentle boy, especially
devoted 10 his mother who said, he was
both son and daughter 90 her" his father
having died when he was years
ola. He entered West Point in 1875,
i graduating high in the class of 1899. his
j educational advantages being about the
d same as those of all the most promi-
nent generals on both sides IN our late
war
Many 90 through the course Of training
IKE "a blind person. and only see what
they hear. The training that induces
thoughtful Investigation is best for the
Young and not mere reliance on mem
ory.
TRAINING IN THE FIELD.
Da,fd's training was In the field with
sheep as his companions, but God was
his counsellor and the lion and the bear
lol under his trained hand. The war
with Mexico gave Lee an opportunity
20 display his great ability and he was
several times brevetted for gallantry and |
after the war was made colonel Of cavalry /
and served on the frontier.
a dark shadow was settling down |
over his country Lees great struggle |
was TO find out mis- duty. President |
Lincoln rendered him the command |
of the Federal army. Virginia had not /
then seeded. but his reply was. Il cam
not draw my sword against the Southern
states" and at once rendered his re-
Hgnation.
ELECTED HIM MAJOR-GENERAL.
The convention Of Virginia unanimously
elected him MAJOR general. and appointed
him TO the command Of Virginia's forces.
lie was publicly welcomed by the
president Of the convention in a memo
,able speech.
{
most hopeless for the South to contend
successfully with the armies sent against
her, for she was without an army. navy,
or treasury, while the North possessed |
hem all. with the world 10 draw from
ts campaign IN West Virginia was not
success. but when General Joseph
H. Johnston fell before Richmond
and he assumed command, he
achieved successive Victories from
"a II4r
ing. His campaigns reflect credit on
he whole country of which we are citi-
Gems. lie had i'm his army as fine sol
lery as the world has ever seen. men in
be- ranks who could have commanded
0-iments, brigades or divisions, some of
whom were promoted TO these positions
The brightest part of General Lees
lfe shone forth after the eclipse.
At Gettysburg some one blundered.
lie took all the blame when others
should have borne IL. and when he sur
rendered at Appomattox. he said: men.
We have fought through the war to-
geiher; have done my best for you: my
nfaft is too fun TO say more" Traveller
bore him TO Richmond. where he re-
ce'vci an ovation more like "a conqueror
han paroled prisoner
LIFE AFTER THE WAR.
Declining many lucrative positions
General Lee accepted the presidency OF
Washington College at a salary Of 8. 800
where De was quietly inaugurated Octo-
Der =, 1870, and devoted his energies to
the training OF our youth. His admin |.
istratiOn was eminently successful and
his demeanor to the students such as
20 inciie them 90 arduous work. on
september S 1870 he was taken III. !
'in0 dled October 18th, ike jackson. or l
itilhI hlll 20 come up"
he was buried October 18th in the y
urea of the chapel IN a brick vault
prepared for H. with a simple slab !
Robert Edward Lee. !
Born January 10 1877,
Died, october y, 1870
The lesson Of his life that ought IN
be- regarded as a legacy 10 the brave y
men who followed him 81: Devotion :,
o duty" L
There is higher law than desire. d,
Wen must act according 10 their per- :.
puon NJ duty, whether il accord with :,
Judgment or not. 4 man is what God. -
.H country his family, and self make a
''i"' moiihed by surrounding circum- n
.""v,a ana The times in which he lives. ~
i' ouiy rs 20 God drst his country 7,
conn., his family third, and himself h
FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. "
l' conclusion Dir. Vanderslice said: b
'ihiaaes, your old captain is gone. W
we point TO his example let his ringing Il
"e heard. saying: Follow me as &C
.'n'"'l Christ the great Captain OF m
| aviation. Who can never know de- hi
E Pug nose conquering hosts now a
,."'.n 20 bloodless victory for the sub
b.. ,,,', o' ,ne world TO the Cross. with W