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 THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 ENDOWED BY THE 
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 GEN’L ROBERT E. LEE. 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED BEFORE 
 
 THE STUDENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF THE SOOTH 
 
 OCTOBER IS, 1870, 
 
 By Rt. Rev. Jos. P. B. Wilmer, 
 
 Bishop of Louisiana. 
 
 NASHVILLE, TENN. : 
 
 PAUL & TAVEL. 
 
 1872. 
 
GEN’L ROBERT E. LEE. 
 
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 WS~5 
 
 AN ADDRESS 
 
 DELIVERED BEFORE 
 
 THE STUDENTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH 
 
 OTOBER 15, 1870, 
 
 By Rt. Rev. Jos. P. B. Wilmer, 
 
 Bishop of Louisiana. 
 
 NASHVILLE, TENN.: 
 
 PAUL & TAVEL. 
 
 1872. 
 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 Right Reverend and Dear Sir : We beg leave to communicate to you the following resolution 
 of the “E. Q. B. Club” of the University of the South, adopted at their last weekly meeting : 
 
 Resolved, That the Bishop of Louisiana, Rt. Rev. Jos. P. B. Wilmer, be respectfully requested 
 to furnish to this Club a copy of his remarks before the students of the University on Saturday 
 morning last, after Morning Service, upon the occasion of the demise of General Robert E. Lee, 
 with a view to their publication; and that a committee be appointed to communicate with the 
 Bishop on the subject. 
 
 The intimate personal relations long subsisting between General Lee and yourself, and the gen¬ 
 eral tenor of your remarks to the students on the day referred to in the resolution, make it, in our 
 opinion, very desirable and proper that those remarks should be put in some permanent form. We 
 therefore hope that you will find it consistent with your sense of propriety and duty to furnish them. 
 
 Most respectfully yours, 
 
 JNO. D. PHELAN, 
 
 J. GORGAS, 
 
 F. A. SHOUP, 
 
 Rt. Rev. Jos. P. B. Wilmer, Committee. 
 
 University Place , Sewanee, Tenn., Oct. 20, 1870. 
 
 BISHOP WILMER’s REPLY. 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH, 
 October 22, 1870. 
 
 Gentletnen : I have endeavored in the few hours allotted me, to reproduce the remarks made 
 at the request of the University authorities on the melancholy occasion, so fresh in our memory. 
 
 They have no interest beyond the place and the hour, and I hope will fulfill their mission as 
 privately as possible, [without publication.] * 
 
 I have the honor to remain very respectfully and faithfully, 
 
 J. P. B. WILMER. 
 
 Hon. Jno. D. Phelan. 
 
 Gen’l J. Gorgas. 
 
 Rev. F. A. Shoup. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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ADDRESS. 
 
 The last scene has closed upon an illustrious life—a 
 life fraught with lessons of wisdom to the old and with 
 inspiration to the young of this generation. The earth 
 opens this day to receive to its bosom the most precious 
 treasure which has been left to our bereft and stricken 
 people. The great and good man, whose name has so 
 long been a household word in our land, goes to take 
 his place among the silent congregation of the dead. 
 Until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away, he is 
 buried from our sight—his presence is lost to us, but not 
 his heroic virtues and the brilliant deeds which have 
 given his name to history. 
 
 Stars have been extinguished in the sky, whose light 
 continues to travel through space, and to linger in our 
 sight; and in the sphere of humanity there are examples 
 of men so elevated above this world that when they 
 ceased to live they have not ceased to shine—their pres¬ 
 ence abides with us, and the radiance of their life re¬ 
 mains to cheer and bless the world they have forsaken. 
 The lamented friend whom we commemorate to-day was 
 one of this race of heroes. His life is an enduring 
 inheritance to his country and the Church of Christ. 
 
 Personally, he was a man of rare gifts, physical and 
 
6 
 
 mental. To these were added the advantages of a fin¬ 
 ished culture. Providence had endowed him for a career 
 of distinction. The descendant of an honored house— 
 allied by marriage to the family of our great Washing¬ 
 ton, he reflected in his character the ennobling influences 
 of his early associations with the great and good. Habits 
 of temperance, frugality, industry, self-control, formed in 
 youth, adhered to him .through life. With every tempta¬ 
 tion to luxury, he was an example of moderation—with 
 every incentive to pride and ambition, his tastes were 
 restrained within the limits of an elegant simplicity, and 
 his whole life was one of profound submission to the 
 duties of the hour. 
 
 The profession of arms, which he had chosen, was not 
 likely to make him conspicuous during the reign of 
 peace. But his great mind had already asserted its 
 power, and won for him a proud distinction among his 
 contemporaries. Indeed, his reputation was such at that 
 period, that when this institution was first projected, 
 upon a scale of grandeur commensurate with the cir¬ 
 cumstances which gave it birth, the attention of its 
 founders was directed to him, and the wish was unani¬ 
 mous to make him the head of the institution, to usher 
 it into life and to preside over its destiny. Providence 
 had chosen for him another sphere. It is reserved for 
 the convulsions of society to form heroes, as convulsions 
 in nature form mountains. The late war, so destructive 
 of every thing else, was fruitful in deeds of heroism 
 almost without parallel in history. Conspicuous above 
 all others in that momentous struggle was your departed 
 
7 
 
 chieftain. A great man was required, and great spir¬ 
 its were ready to gather around him. In what tem¬ 
 per of mind he entered on this contest I can speak with 
 some confidence, from personal interviews with him, soon 
 after the commencement of hostilities. “Is it your ex¬ 
 pectation,” I asked, “that the issue of this war will be to 
 perpetuate the institution of slavery?” “The future is 
 in the hands of Providence,” he replied, “but if the slaves 
 in the South were mine, I would surrender them all 
 without a struggle to avert this war.” I asked him next 
 upon what his calculations were based in so unequal a 
 contest, and how he expected to win success—was 
 he looking to divided counsels in the North, or to 
 foreign interposition? His answer showed how little 
 he was affected by the hopes and fears which agitated 
 ordinary minds. “My only reliance is in the help of 
 God.” “Are you sanguine of the result?” I ventured to 
 inquire. “At present I am not concerned with results. 
 God’s will ought to be our aim, and I am quite contented 
 that his designs should be accomplished, and not mine.” 
 What results might be expected when sentiments like 
 these should be developed into action? Aims so pure 
 and unselfish could not fail to produce in a strong 
 character, that calm intrepidity of soul, that singleness 
 of purpose, that meekness of spirit in the midst of 
 violence and passion, that self-abnegation in the hour of 
 victory, that sublime heroism under adverse fortune, 
 which made him the idol of his friends, and now com¬ 
 mands the confidence and respect of the civilized world. 
 Other men have gained great conquests, and filled the 
 
8 
 
 nation with their fame, but where do we find a man 
 whose greatness was so pure from every earthly passion, 
 and of whom it may be truly said that he would have 
 rejoiced to reform and bless the world, without its being 
 known that he was in it? 
 
 At the close of the war, we followed him with admira¬ 
 tion unabated, to his chosen retirement. His great mind 
 harbored no resentments; he uttered no complaints. 
 He accepted the consequences of the war with a spirit 
 of resignation which few can emulate, but which we all 
 revere. We thought now that his sun had gone down 
 in night, but we were in error. The joy and glory of 
 nature are truthfully represented in activity, not in rest. 
 The tired swan which has winged its flight from other 
 scenes, and cleft its way through storm and tempest, 
 does not seek an inglorious rest upon the still and 
 motionless earth, but aims rather to fold its wings upon 
 the lake, and in the quiet action of the waves to exercise 
 and refresh its strength. The change in the life of this 
 unconquerable man is not one from labor to idle repose 
 and inanity. He sought activity and usefulness, and he 
 did not seek in vain. 
 
 I was seated at the close of the day in my Virginia 
 home, when I beheld through the thickening shades 
 of evening a horseman entering the yard, whom I 
 soon recognized as General Lee. The next morning he 
 placed in my hands the correspondence with the authori¬ 
 ties of Washington College at Lexington. He had 
 been invited to become President of that institution. 
 His mind was perplexed and craved sympathy. I con- 
 
9 
 
 fess to a feeling of momentary chagrin at the proposed 
 change — shall I say, revulsion in his history. The 
 institution was . one of local interest, and comparatively 
 unknown to our people. I named others more con¬ 
 spicuous, which would welcome him with ardour as their 
 presiding head. I soon discovered that his mind tow¬ 
 ered above these earthly distinctions—that in his judg¬ 
 ment the cause gave dignity to the institution, and not the 
 wealth of its endowments or the renown of its scholars 
 —that this door and not another was opened to him by 
 Providence, and he only wished to be assured of his 
 competency to fulfill the trust, and thus to make his few 
 remaining years a comfort and blessing to his suffering 
 country. I had spoken to his human feelings; he had 
 now revealed himself to me, as one whose life was hid 
 with Christ in God. My speech was no longer re¬ 
 strained. I congratulated him that his heart had been 
 inclined to this great cause, and that he was spared 
 to give to the world this august testimony to the im¬ 
 portance of Christian education. How he listened to 
 rfty feeble words—how he beckoned me to his side, as 
 the fullness of my heart found utterance—how his 
 whole countenance glowed with animation, when I 
 spoke of the Holy Ghost as the great Teacher, whose 
 presence was required to make education a blessing, 
 which otherwise might be the curse of mankind. How 
 feelingly he responded, how eloquently as I never heard 
 him speak before, can never be effaced from my mem¬ 
 ory, and nothing more sacred mingles with my reminis¬ 
 cences of the dead. 
 
IO 
 
 Into this new sphere of duty he entered with that 
 steadfast spirit of devotion which adorned his whole 
 life. His example was needed to restore the droop¬ 
 ing spirits of his countrymen. He felt it, and lavished 
 all his strength in the effort to make them feel there 
 was something to live for in the future. With the 
 pale signet of death upon his brow, he toiled for the 
 young under his care. He led them with his right 
 hand, and ruled them prudently with all his power. 
 He sought to kindle their ambition to heal the wounds 
 of their country, and above all things endeavored to 
 raise them to a new and higher life with God. Be¬ 
 hold him, then, while distant nations were applauding 
 his name, walking the daily round of duty, seeking 
 only to do God’s will and to conquer his own. With 
 what success he addressed himself to this sublime mis¬ 
 sion, is attested by the rapid growth of the College 
 under his charge, now become one of the most thriv¬ 
 ing and vigorous institutions in the land. 
 
 Very imperfect mention has been ma4e of the reli¬ 
 gious character of General Lee. The lesson ought 
 not to be lost on a proud and gainsaying world, that 
 its own chosen hero lived and died a Christian in word 
 and deed. The world had its portion in him ; his own 
 
 portion was not on earth. The renown which he had 
 
 % 
 
 won upon the theatre of worldly distinction, he knew 
 to be the breath of popular applause which must soon 
 be hushed in the silence of the tomb. The princi¬ 
 palities and powers of this world, which had involved 
 his sword for their protection, he knew, were doomed 
 
to an early oblivion: but in the religion of Jesus 
 Christ, his faith assured him that he was possessed 
 of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that 
 fadeth not away. The religion of our honored friend 
 was not a creedless religion. His faith embraced all 
 the doctrines of a pure and primitive Christianity. He 
 was a communicant of this Church. His children were 
 baptized at her Font. Her ministers leaned upon his 
 strong arm for support. The Church in the Diocese of 
 Virginia derived strength from his frequent presence in 
 her councils. His last act was to preside at a meeting of 
 the vestry of his parish. Our beloved Zion was the 
 chief mourner in the funeral procession which followed 
 him to the grave. A great writer has asserted that 
 every nation is to be judged by its heroes. His country¬ 
 men would consent to stand before the tribunal of 
 history, and to accept as their representative in war and 
 in peace the chivalrous and sainted Lee, for “God has 
 set him among princes, even the princes of his people.” 
 
 It remains for me to say, for the encouragement of the 
 young men assembled before me, that the character 
 which is here portrayed was not one of sudden growth. 
 The Church sheltered his early youth as it shelters you. 
 He was a good boy before he was a good man. Some 
 youths are tempted to think it manly to defy authority— 
 to be impatient at least under discipline. It is recorded 
 of Robert Lee that during a life of four years at West 
 Point, he never received a demerit, and he found it no 
 hardship, so complete was his subjection to the law 
 of duty. Others are tempted to think of religion as 
 
12 
 
 a great humiliation, and to affect indifference and un¬ 
 belief as a token of independence. You mourn one 
 to-day who was a devoted Christian, and has the know¬ 
 ledge of this fact ever chilled the hearts of men towards 
 him, or quenched one ray of his glory? True religion 
 adds to every man’s power; it helps to make men 
 heroes, scholars, gentlemen. The religion of Christ 
 is stronger than thrones or empires. It invests a man 
 with honor to be a Christian. It is the only true honor, 
 and a perishing world will shortly find it to be so. This 
 life is hastening to its end. It is not in our power to 
 arrest the progress of time, but we can improve it. 
 We cannot prolong the bright morning of our days, but 
 we can make it productive of permanent results. We 
 cannot fix the evening rays of life in their shadowy 
 horizon, but we can have our portion in that life which 
 knows no change or decay—which is the ornament 
 of youth, the joy of manhood, the glory of old age. 
 “ Him that honoreth Me, I will honor, and he that de- 
 spiseth Me, shall be lightly esteemed.” 
 
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This book is due at the LOUIS R. WILSON LIBRARY on the 
 last date stamped under “Date Due.” If not on hold it may be 
 renewed by bringing it to the library. 
 
 DATE 
 
 DUE 
 
 RET. 
 
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