Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/309

 The Monument to General Robert E. Lee\ 301

and whose heart has never had a throb disloyal to Virginia or the South.

It gives me pleasure to introduce to you General Jubal A. Early, of Virginia.

GENERAL EARLY.

The Governor spoke with fine effect, and each mention of the names of the Confederate generals and of Mrs. Davis was heartily applauded. When General Early arose the vast audience cheered, old veterans waved their hats, and ladies their handkerchiefs. There was great confusion. Everybody wanted to see the General, and thousands of voices could be heard asking the people in front of them to sit down, or calling on some one to take down an umbrella. Gene- ral Early waved his hand toward the throng of people and said :
 * ' Silence, gentlemen. Rev. Dr. Minnigerode will now lead in prayer."

THE PRAYER.

Dr. Minnigerode took his stand by the side of General Early and read his prayer, as follows :

O Lord, our Heavenly Father, the High and Mighty Ruler of the universe, who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth, we are gathered together before Thee to attest in all humility our love and admiration for our great and noble leader. It is right and proper to cherish and perpetuate to late generations the memory of the good and great, whose labors all through life and through the great trials of our common country have been to us a blessing and a glory. Most gracious God, whose mercy is over all Thy works. Thou hast blessed our efforts (begun in loyalty and love by a few in our midst, but whose appeals were responded to by the universal and enthusiastic approval of our people,) so that now there stands before us the consummation of a people's gratitude, the monument to this grand and noble and heroic Christian. And as we now unveil his statue and show it forth to the world and the gaze of future gener- ations, we would humbly pray for Thy blessing upon it ; we would consecrate it in Thy name, and offer it as a people^s thank-offering to Thee, our Heavenly Father ; yes, we thank Thee and bless Thy holy name not only for the favor which has watched over our work of love, but, above all, that Thou, the giver of every good and per- fect gift, in Thy gracious providence hast bestowed upon us the greatest of human gifts in raising among us and for us a man so true.