The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-05-02
Lee as a Religious Man.

The Rsverned ]. Willitm JInes OF
Richmond, Va, preached in st. Louis
last Sunday on the subject Of Lee as a
religious man.
nr. Jones took as his text Acts Xl'
"a: For be was a good man and tull
of the Holy Ghost and Of faith.
at would not be appropriate to use
this language of many of the worlds
public men, aud especially OF the
soldiers" he said,'' but | am here to
declare with emphasis that II may be
we'll said of the great mar Of whom
liam to speak. Robert Edward Lee
vas a good man and full Of the Holy
Ghost auc Of faith.
''From Harper's Ferry to Appomat-
tex | followed his Standard and
learned his Christian character, but
especially during the last five years OF
his life, as president of Washington
College, did he show those qualities
that proved him greater in peace than
10 war;
'General Lee was one OF the most
trustful men in Gods providence | ever
saw" said DR.. Jones. "HIs love Of
the Scriptures and devotion to the study
OF Gods word we're beautiful, The
day after his death | sat by his body,
counting it a privilege to be a watch
er there, and l picked up a Bible from
a table On the fly leaf were the
words: RI. Z. Lee, Lieutenant Colonel,
U. S. A. l opened it and saw that
passages marked we're the more ten
der mes concerning personal saliva
ton and the help to be found in Gods
Word. ! thought how the old book
had Influenced him 10 being the man
he was.
"lu the army be was a daily reader
and student of the Scriptures, even in
his most active campaigns, and when
he came to the college he did every
thing in his power to promote its
study, becoming president of the
Rockbridge Bible Society. In a lette.
to the Hon. Belesford Hope of Eng
land, VINO, with others, had sent him 8
Bible, he said: 1T is the book com
pared to which, in my view, all Others
are OF minor importance, and in all my
perplexilies it has never failed to give
me light.
General Lee was a man of prayer
He always had family prayers at home
and when president of Washington
College was never absent from prayer
In the chapel unless away from towr
or too sick to attend.n
DR.. Jones expressed the belief tina
General Lee was the greatest colleg,
president this coun ry ever possesse,
and SAID he never knew of one wh,
seemed more anxious for the religion
good of the students.
"When one %matriculated," he said
che would ask him about his religion
status, and would then furnish tn
pastors of the town with lists of tn
students to look after
"Then he'd stir US up, too, saying
'Does my young friend Brown q
Smith attend your church? | wish you
look him up And we didn't dare NJ
to do it. We felt that 'Marse Robert,
eye was on us, | hope that there ws
a higher motive, too, but his inhuenC
, was very potent.
DR.. Jones spoke touchingly of Ger
eral Lees death. "He lett no ,la
Words he said. ale had preside
at a meeting of the vestry OF his chur;
that day, when there was an importar
question Of raising money for son
purpose. He was one of the mo
liberal contributors to the cause
b%enevolence | ever knew, and he h;
given almost loo much already. {
this occasion s67 was needed to mai
up a required sum. He said; 81
give the balance
, "He went home a little later
supper, and was about to ask a bles
ing when he was stricken with paral
sis, and lay most of the time unco
soious until his death. But no .s
words were needed. His whole Il
was a living epistle, known and re.
OF all men."-St. LOUIS Republic.
E.-ls-L