Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/212

 204 Southern Historical Society Papers,

Governor Lee called the vast crowd to order and said —

a member of the Lee Monument Association, and by the action of the association I am its president. The duty, therefore, devolves upon me of calling this vast assemblage to order.
 * Citizens and Comrades^ — As Governor of Virginia I am by law

in the history of Virginia and its capital city, but are of great inter- est to all sections where the heroism of the Southern soldier is appreciated and remembered. The proceedings here will now be opened by a prayer from Richmond's distinguished divine, the Rev. Dr. Hoge."
 * ' The ceremonies now about to commence mark an event not only

PRAYER OF DR. HOGE.

Rev. Dr. Moses D. Hoge, who has been for forty years pastor in Richmond, who rendered invaluable service in Confederate times, and who was the intimate personal friend of General R. E. Lee, had been most appropriately selected to make the prayer.

In clear voice and distinct enunciation he led the devotions of the vast crowd in the following fervent prayer :

Almighty God, Fountain of Life and Father of Mercies, there is no offering of gratitude, no tribute of thanksgiving which is not Thy due — none which we would not bring Thee at this very hour, as we bow before Thy footstool.

With humble reverence we invoke Thy blessing upon this great multitude gathered to unite in these impressive ceremonies.

Let Thy benediction rest upon the strangers within our gates, whom we welcome as friends ; let it rest upon these organizations military and municipal ; upon these associations representing the industrial pursuits of the people ; upon these fraternities philan- thropic and charitable ; upon these institutions and societies whose aim is the advancement of sound learning and the material and moral welfare of the citizens of this State and of our common country.

We recognize Thy gracious providence over our Commonwealth, from its foundation to this auspicious day. Thou hast made it not only the Mother of States, but of the men whose virtue and valor have been illustrated in the halls of legislation and on the fields of conflict — men whose names are the purest in human history — ^and whose memories are the heritage of all whose hearts beat in sympa- thy with exalted worth and unselfish devotion to freedom, truth, and