A SERMON

DELIVERED AT THE INSTALLATION OF THE REV. NATHANIEL HEWIT, D. D., BRIDGEPORT, CONN., DEC. 1, 1830.

Eccl. 7: 1.-A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN PRECIOUS OINTMENT.

DESIRE for the esteem and affection of others is inseparable from our intellectual and moral constitution. But those who are conscious of a special dependence on the good opinion of others for the accomplishment of their desires respecting either their own welfare, or the welfare of their fellow men, and those too, whose moral susceptibilities are heightened and refined by cultivation, must be peculiarly alive to the approbation and esteem of their fellow men. It is accordingly found, that educated and professional men generally feel a more than ordinary interest in whatever concerns their reputation.

But on the present occasion, I shall confine my remarks to the value of a good name in respect to a minister of the gospel.

The subject may be considered, first, as relating to a minister's private enjoyment. Having, like all others, a natural desire for the esteem of his fellow men, he must be gratified when that esteem is manifested. And in consequence of his having more refined sensibilities, and a more intimate and extensive connection with others, than men commonly have, he has in an unusual degree, an aptness to be affected with whatever concerns his reputation.

The possession of an unspotted character is one of his most precious earthly comforts. It animates him in his duties, and helps to render his severest labors pleasant. It is a refreshment to him when weary and exhausted, and a precious solace in seasons of affliction. On the other hand, what calamity is there which wounds him so deeply, as a stain upon his reputation?

But if we would understand the chief value of a minister's good name, we must consider it as the means of promoting his usefulness. In every part of his office, the benefit resulting from his labors will be very much in proportion to the character he sustains in the view of the community. The usefulness of his labors consists in the effect he produces on the minds of those to whom he ministers; and this effect is inseparably connected with their views of his character. Say what you will as to what is desirable and proper; that which I have stated will be a fact, while human nature remains as it is.

For the correctness of this representation, I appeal to the experience of those whom I address. When you have heard a minister of blameless reputation and eminent piety preach the truths of religion; has not your reverence for the man, and your confidence in his goodness given new force to his instructions? Has not the character of the preacher been associated in your minds with the truths he has inculcated? and has it not in this way been the means of impressing those truths more deeply and permanently on your hearts, and of investing them with greater power over your actions? But if you have ever been so unhappy as to attend on the preaching of a minister whose reputation in your view was not good - especially one whose faults were palpable and glaring; has not this circumstance detracted from the benefit which might otherwise have been derived from his labors? How weighty soever the doctrines he has set forth, and how serious and eloquent soever the manner of his preaching; has not the remembrance of the improprieties of his conduct gone far towards preventing the good effect of what you have heard from his lips?

And is not the same true in regard to every other part of min

isterial labor? A minister of Christ comes to you in time of affliction, and with the looks and the language of sympathy, attempts to minister to your comfort. Is not the effect produced upon your heart derived in a great measure from your views of his character? If you have confidence in his goodness; his conversation and prayers take strong hold on your feelings. Everything he says comes to your mind in close alliance with the excellence of his character. The very sight of him when he enters your house, and the thought of him when absent, infuses a kind of sacredness into the sensations of your heart. But have you ever been thus profited by the visits of a minister, for whose character you have had no cordial esteem? In such a case, has not your mind been barred against any good influence from his conversation, and even from his prayers? Have you not been conscious of a kind of involuntary resistance against the most important truths, when introduced by one, of whom you entertained so low an opinion?

You are sometimes desirous of conversing freely with your minister respecting your spiritual interests. Doubts and difficulties arise in your mind, which you wish him to solve. You have a struggle with some wrong propensity, in regard to which you need his assistance. If you esteem and love him, as a faithful minister of Christ; you can unreservedly disclose to him your inward struggles and difficulties, and in many ways derive benefit from his counsels and prayers. But if you suspect that he is not acquainted by experience with the conflicts and enjoyments of the Christian life; your intercourse with him will fail of securing to you any important benefits.

A good name is of great value to a minister, as it gives a salutary influence to his example. If his reputation is unblemished; his daily conduct-the whole course of his life, will have a happy effect upon the minds of his people. But only let them observe or hear anything which mars his ministerial character, and they will quickly regard with suspicion his most virtuous actions, and so even that part of his example which is right, will lose its salutary influence.

There is still another view to be taken of the subject. The Christian world is engaged in many benevolent enterprises. In most of these, ministers of the gospel have a principal agency. Their education, their office, and their influence in society qualify them to be specially useful in forwarding all the objects of Christian benevolence. But there is no way, in which they can contribute more effectually or more permanently to the promotion of these objects, than by the influence of a good name. To be espoused and advocated by one who is esteemed a wise and good man, is an advantage to any cause. The mere knowledge of this fact will make new friends to the tachment and zeal of those who were friends before. If a minister has a blameless and respectable character; every argument he uses and every effort he makes in behalf of a good cause, turns to account. On the contrary, it cannot but prove a disadvantage to any cause, however excellent in itself, that a man of bad character is its advocate. All his efforts to promote it are paralyzed, or rendered hurtful, by the knowledge of his misconduct. In this way Christianity itself has suffered an injury, which human power can never repair.

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Such as I have now described, is the value of a good name to a minister of the gospel, in reference to his own enjoyment, and in reference to the various ways in which he may be useful to his fellow men.

See then in what light we are to regard those who by detraction, slander, or any of the forms of evil speaking, injure the reputation of a Christian minister. We must regard them as guilty of a direct violation of that precept, written by the finger of God on tables of stone: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. They are guilty too of violating that comprehensive command, so often repeated in the New Testament: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Who would slander himself? Who would publish his own failings for the purpose of disgracing himself?

To injure a minister's good name is to transgress that direction of Christ, which is approved by every man's conscience,

and which has been pronounced by all the world to be preëminently excellent: Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye also the same unto them. Now would any one of you regard it a desirable thing, that others should indulge prejudices and evil surmises against you, and by venting them in any of the ways of evil speaking, should endeavor to lower you in the public estimation? Would you wish to have your character aspersed? But if you would not be willing that others should do this to you, how can you do it to them, without transgressing this righteous precept?

The Scriptures make freedom from the guilt of backbiting and slander to be essential to the character of God's people. Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? An important part of the reply is: He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. An apostle says: If any man among you seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain. And another says: Speak evil of no man. And if you wish to know how our blessed Saviour regards evil speaking, listen to his words: “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, false witness, evil speakings." He puts evil speaking in company with the blackest crimes. In like manner Paul puts whisperers and backbiters by the side of fornicators, murderers, and haters of God. And when he enumerated the odious characters that should appear in the last times, he gave evil speakers a prominent place. "Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous evil speakers false accusers." Such, according to God's holy word, is the guilt of backbiting and evil speaking. But this crime, always so detestable in the sight of God, is attended with peculiar aggravations, when committed against one who sustains the sacred office of ambassador of Christ, and is entrusted, in so important a sense, with the interests of the church.

Do any of my hearers wonder, that the inspired writers so emphatically forbid and reprobate evil speaking, and represent it as so heinous an offence? You will cease to wonder, if you