The Former Slave & the Former General

There is a story which has as its setting the time period immediately after the Civil War.

White and black, rich and poor, ladies and gentlemen, former slave owners, as well as former slaves were present for the Sunday morning service that day. And as was common for that time in our nation’s history, white congregants sat on the main floor of the sanctuary, and black members sat in the balcony.

As the service neared its conclusion, the pastor announced that communion would be served. And as you might imagine, the custom was to first serve the white attendees, and subsequently, the blacks. And as you might also imagine, everything generally fell together according to tradition.

… But not this time.

For as the music began playing, and as newly “retired” Confederate troops, tradesmen, women in their “Sunday Best,” and even former slave holders prepared to rise from their seats, suddenly a black man appeared in the main aisle of the church, and slowly walked towards the communion table. No doubt, a dull murmur arose, as the stooped old man strode towards the table on which the elements lay.

Then he kneeled at the altar; with hands stretched out before him.

And it was as if the body of believers were frozen in their seats. No one dared to move. They hardly dared to breathe.

And then, just as suddenly as the black man appeared in the aisle, and made his way to the front, a distinguished old white man with his characteristic gray beard, and matching suit rose from his pew, walked the several steps to the altar rail,

… and knelt down beside the first supplicant.

No more than two feet separated the former slave, and General Robert E. Lee; the southern general who fought so long and so hard for what he was convinced was a matter of providence. A good man. A Godly man. A man who believed in the power of prayer, and who worshipped a God who has the power to both raise up and depose kings and armies.

And then, after what seemed like minutes, but may have amounted to only seconds, first one, and then another, white and black, rich and poor, former soldiers, and slave owners, tradesmen and women in their Sunday best rose, and knelt along that same altar rail; hands outstretched.

Together.

A former slave. A defeated general. Role models for a long and convoluted season which would follow what has sometimes been referred to as the War Between Brothers.

A new, but decidedly uncertain beginning.

 

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 14. Volumes 1-15, Copyright 2015.

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