Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-29
Lovlngston, Va. oct. ~. 1922.
Leave the Shrine Untouched.

To tho Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
Sir,-I presume the public is. b.
this time. quite we'll informed as TO
the reasons for wanting TO rebuild the
Lee Chapel at Lexington. | also pre-
sumo. having been plainly told. they
understand that Washington and Leo
University, because they own the
property, can do with 1t as they
please.
There is another thing. however. we
should also remember. They hold. IL
is true, the legal tile to this prop
crty. but General Lees memory. and
the duty TO preserve everything that
touches his life and character. and
the great lessons they teach. is the
heritage Of us all, and, therefore, we
against tho destruction Of this. the
most sncred physical thing connected
with his lirc.
Hero he worked and worshipcd
during the darkest but greatest days
Of his Incompatible career, and the
spiritual atmosphere that surrounds
il can never be transferred. No build
ing. no matter how magnificent
therefore. can ever hc comparable -
IL In spiritual Significance. Let US see
now tho reasons for doing what is
proposed:
First. We are told there Is great
danger OF its being destroyed 10y fire.
don't suppose there is anybody in
The South who can consider this pos
sibility without more or less of emo
lion. but have we gained anything.
ii IN the process OF preservation we
n los in
essence? Wha; do you suppose would
bc thought Of the uIan WHO would
seriously propose replacing. in order
to preserve II from possible deStruc-
zion. the little thatch rooted cottage
where Ann Hathaway lived and loved.
by modern hre-proof building?
what do you think would be the att
;udc Of tho English people toward
the hardened materialist who would
tear down the little chapel and dis
turb the bones OF the immortal
Shak espeare to preserve them in
some hrc-proof cathedral some
where? This little cottage. and this
little chapel. strlk!ngly similar to
the one at Lexington. are no less in
fiammable than the one we are discuss
ing. even more so. and Yet they have
stood there these hundreds Of years
under the careful protection of the
English people. unscnthed. Again.
where is the man rash enough to
seriously propose the invasion of the
sacred precincts OF Mount Vernon.
with the plea that IL is done for
protection against fire" The very
suggestion is In either case repul-
Sivc--cven when the end Is material
gain. II the care for. and the care
off ] may be permitted such an
"xpression--a peoples shrines is the
measure of a peoples soul. then by
what rule shall we measure those
who would destroy them? 1T mat
| ;crs not whether this he considered
| sentiment or .'scntimcntality." IL
is, nevertheless. protest against
touching with destructive hands this
| Ark OF the Covenant, this Holy OF
iiolics OF our Southland.
Little need be said abou, the sec
ond reason. because il would seem
that any one who offers as an excuse
FOR disturbing this sacred shrine the
plea that more chapel room is needed
| for the students. has descended to a
level where higher idcalism is for
gotten or unknown. Have we ar
rived at the point where we are
| ready To sacrifice everything. even
our most sacred things. to the in
Suitable nav OF modern progress?
| Now. for the last reason. we are
| told that in carrying out these plans.
| they are soinE what they believe
| General Lee would approve. This
! may he catchy for the unthinking
| hut the argument is entirely beside
the mark The point is not what
| General Leo would do if he were
here. or what YOU think he would
| have you do now. but rather what
we should do TO preserve his mem
| Dry. and with ii everything that
| touched his life. and can help to
| drive home the great lessons Of his
matchlcss career. To have produced
a career like his as an ideal for the
| future, was worth all ii cost in suf-
| fering and sorrow and hcartaches,
and now you seek to destroy the lit
tie building that he erected. and
where, as l have said before. he
| worked, and where we learn, as no.
where else. the great lesson that SUI
preme greatness is not incompatible
with great humility and sclf-abncga-
ton. No one doubts that General
Lee would have made any sacrifice
for young men whom he loved ana
served so we'll. oven to the effacing