Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-21
HIGH PRAISE OF GEN. LEES
GREAT LIFE AND IDEAL s.
himself Waiting the Call to Service Rev. W. Russell
Bowie Paints Wonderful Picture Of Lees High
Ideals and Fear of God at All Times

It was peculiarly appropriate tina,
within the walls Of historic old ST
iauls yesterday morning there should
nave been preached by Rev Walter
Nnssel Bowie. d. D., n chaplain await.
ing the call to service. sermon with.
out biblical text, but which had AZ
us subject another man who had Sivcr
Elmsclf gladly to his country. a MAJ
OF whom Virginia and Virginians vii
ever be proud--Gcncrai Robert Il. Lee
On one OF the walls OF this church is
inc tablet with it's great shield IN
memory OF tho great soldier whose life
expressed his Ideal OF the highest typ
OF service. and the capital of tho los,
cause for whom Lee gave 90 much WAS
Citing background for this noble
hEurc OF Virginia manhood, painted sc
wildly by Or. Bowie.
We arc to consider o-day," said DR.
Bowie. tho influence which one grca,
HE may have upon our ideals as a pco.
pic. Much of tho history OF humanity
has tccn the history OF it's heroes. /,
i3 true. ot course, that great individuals
arc In measure the product of the
ages in which they live. They would
not be accounted as great il they did
not reflect in themselves desires and
tendencies which already were latent
in the peoples heart. But they arc
rot only the representatives OF what
in measure. Is. They arc the ere.
atcrs OF that which Is to be. The quail
tiles which people secs IN it's herd
begin to exercise compelling sway
upon the general imagination and the
general choice. His faults or his vices
may become identified with a universal
conception OF the way to reach sue
cess.
Loyalty and pride gather about tho
principles he represents. Ills tremcnd-
=. -
u becomes inHtinctivc for thought and
choice TO follow. Fraurht with an
awful kind Of fatofulncss. therefore. IL
tho question a. to whether the real
tendency OF the great mans lcadcrship
be toward evil or toward good"
FUTURE OF NATION DEPENDENT
UPON TYPE OF IT'S MEN
Other great figures OF history were
cited BY Dr. Bowie to prove how the
salient characteristics OF the men them
selves stamped themselves indclibly
upon the nation, and coming down 20
current history. modern Germany was
mentioned as having been fascinated
by the balcful influence of Frederick
the Great and by the standards. ugly
and cynical. which he lifted up 4
policy for nations greatness through
unconscionable wars. The peril 10
tho soul Of Germany through this hour"
likelihood that those who are great in
her eyes may he men OF that same
s.amp-boastful figures who talked OF
The might OF the iron fist" And here
tho rector noted III detail the figures
which had already been most prom
inen;ly concerned in German atrocities
CT tho present war.
For this reason. therefore" con-
tined the speaker. to-day. on this
to consider the character OF Robert
T.. Ice, as II bears upon all our thought
aud policy in this present war Let
us take therefore, the record OF tina,
life which 1t is 50 fitting that We in
This church should honor, and consider
lie assumed that we do not need to re-
view tho life OF Lee. Men and women
who share tho heritage OF Virginia
know that story. They remember what
the supreme choices OF Lees life were
VIVA, he stood for, what lie accom-
plished. what he was in the devotion
OF those who followed him.
First OF all. the spirit OF Robert l..
Lee makes VS. recognize this: that the
suprcmely noble choice can only be
reached by those who bring 10 huma n
life the steady consciousness of its re.
lationship TO God
No one can read General Lees let
ters without reverend recognition
Of the way in which he did approach
all questions in a religious mood. Re
liz ion was no formality with him. II
WIS no thing OF occasional and remote
worship. II was an instructive habit
of mind. His own life was lifted up
20 God in simplest and most vital
obedience. Common motives seemed TO
have no power upon his thought be-
cause of that high and steady SOW
creisnty Of a deliberate conservation In
all his great decisions there was q kind
OF wonderful simplicity. such be-
ionEcd only to those whose thoughts
are lit by that divine light in which
there are no shadows OF earthly selfish
ncse"
He refused the supreme command
OF the Union army. He left the service
with which all his life and friendships
had been interwined. Hc left his home
and sacrificed his possessions. IL VIC
should ask why he did this. VIC find the
explanation in the unostentatious
words he spoke to the Virginia con-
vontion when he said that lie accepted
the service to which he was called in
his native State, trusting to Almighty
God and an approving conscience.'
THROUGH -FOUR YEARS, WAR
WAS ABIDINGLY RELIGIOUS
Through the four years OF the war.
as one follows what he did, and reads
what he wrote to those to whom he
expressed himself most intimately, one
listens again to the clear witness to a
way OF thought which was abidinrly
religion. He took his rcsponsibilitv
for the men under his command a a
holy task. Ho shaped the policies OF
his campaign as one who held himself
70 account before the unfailinE