One morning, while the venerable Dr. White was passing General Lee’s house, on his way to chapel, the general joined him, and they entered into conversation upon religious subjects.  General Lee said little, but, just as they reached the college, stopped and remarked with great earnestness, his eyes filling with tears as he spoke:  “I shall be disappointed, sir, I shall fail in the leading object that brought me here, unless the young men all become real Christians; and I wish you and others of your sacred profession to de all you can to accomplish this result.”

When a great revival of religious feeling took place at the Virginia Military Institute, in 1868, General Lee said to the clergyman of his church with deep feeling:  “That is the best news I have heard since I have been in Lexington.  Would that we could have such a revival in all our colleges!”

Although a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and preferring that communion, General Lee seems to have been completely exempt from sectarian feeling, and to have aimed first and last to be a true Christian, loving God and his neighbor, and not busying himself about theological dogmas.  When he was asked once whether he believed in the Apostolic succession, he replied that he had never thought of it, and aimed only to become a “real Christian.”  His catholic views were shown by the letters of invitation, which he addressed, at the commencement of each session of the college, to ministers of all religious denominations at Lexington, to conduct, in turn, the religious exercises at the college chapel; and his charities, which were large for a person of his limited means, were given to all alike.  These charities he seems to have regarded as a binding duty, and were so private that only those receiving them knew any thing of them.  It only came to be known accidentally that in 1870 he gave one hundred dollars for the education of the orphans of Southern soldiers, one hundred dollars to the Young Men’s Christian Association, and regularly made other donations, amounting in all to considerable sums.  Nearly his last act was a liberal contribution to an important object connected with his church.

We shall conclude these anecdotes, illustrating General Lee’s religious character, with one for which we are indebted to the kindness of a reverend clergyman, of Lexington, who knew General Lee intimately in his latter years, and enjoyed his confidence.  The incident will present in an agreeable light the great soldier’s simplicity and love for children, and no less his catholic feelings in reference to sects in the Christian Church: