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Those who personally knew General Robert E. Lee agreed that
faith was the foundation of his life. “In sunshine and in
storm, in victory and in defeat,” observed General John
B. Gordon, “his heart turned to God.” A challenging
childhood, the discipline of military life, the burden of command,
the hardships of war — all were tools of grace that shaped
and reflected the faith and character of Robert E. Lee.
In February of 1864, while in winter camp near Orange, Virginia,
Lee was visited by a delegation of army chaplains. “I can
never forget my first interview and conversation with General
Lee on religious matters,” recalled the Rev. J. William
Jones, who was one of the chaplains. “As we began to answer
his questions about the spiritual interests of the army, and
to tell of that great revival which was then extending through
the camps…he expressed his delight [and] we forgot the great
warrior, and only remembered that we were communing with 'a humble,
earnest Christian.'” As the chaplains left Lee’s headquarters,
one reminded the general that countless soldiers and civilians
prayed for him daily. “The old hero’s face flushed,”
Chaplain Jones recalled, “tears started in his eyes, and
he replied, with choked utterance and deep emotion: ‘Please
thank them for that sir — I warmly appreciate it. And I
can only say that I am nothing but a poor sinner, trusting in
Christ alone for salvation.…”
For Lee, it was a typical statement that reflected his humility
and his abiding personal faith. Said one who knew Lee the soldier:
“He was a foe without hate, a friend without treachery,
a soldier without cruelty, a victim without murmuring…and
a man without guile.” The lasting legacy of Robert E. Lee
would be measured for generations to come not by military genius
alone, but also by the caliber of his character and the fruit
of his faith. |