J. William Jones, Christ in the camp, or religion in Lee's army

[120] than God has given to most. But as a practical life I have endeavored to sketch one that is plainly imitable.

Perhaps the most prominent characteristic of his moral nature was his conscientiousness. In little matters, as in those more important, he was accustomed to ask, and to act upon the answer, what is duty?

“His conceptions of duty,” says Major Venable, one of his earliest and latest friends, “were as true and direct as his performance of it was thorough and exact.” This is imitable by all.

Persevering industry, including earnest attention to little things, was another marked feature of Lewis Coleman's life. In his studies, earlier and later, in all the practical routine of daily requirements, in the study and lecture-room, on the farm and in the camp, whatever service devolved upon him was promptly performed. He seldom had arrearages of business to bring up. He pushed his work steadily before him, rarely needing to drag it along after its appropriate hours. Such an example may be wisely copied.

He was uniformly cheerful and social. He always had a pleasant word for all he met, even for servants. His lively wit, without a shade of malice or ill-nature; his honest ringing laugh, the wonderful sprightliness, felicity and tact of his ordinary conversation, drawing as from a perennial spring sparkling rills of facts, fancies and illustrations, made him a most genial and instructive companion.

He evinced in all his life the most unselfish benevolence of spirit. He sought to promote the happiness of others rather than his own. He lived for others rather than for himself. No friend ever asked him for a favor who did not meet a cheerful and ready response, if the bestowment was within the compass of his means and the approval of his conscience.

And for the happiness and welfare of the loved ones of his own family circle, no sacrifice was deemed too severe. There seemed only one earthly love that could surpass that of mother, father, brothers, sisters, wife and children for him, and that was his love for them.

And this trait of heart, too, is imitable.

Throwing its soft light over all these excellencies was his beautiful humility. He rarely made himself, or anything that he did, the theme of conversation. “He was a man of few professions,”