In the session of the legislature, which succeeded the death of Judge Minot, as a tribute of respect to his memory, and in grateful remembrance of the services which he had performed to the government, a town in the District of Maine was incorporated with his name, and it is now one of the most respectable in the County of Cumberland.

31

SERMON XXVIII.

THE CHARACTER OF DR HOWARD.

LUKE XXIII. 50.

HE WAS A GOOD MAN AND A JUST.

THE words which I have read remind you of the pious and virtuous Dr Howard, whose obsequies we attended in the past week. As he was greatly beloved by the members of this congregation, I cannot suffer the event to pass, without manifesting that I am interested in it. His character has already been delineated by a venerable friend ;* but you would not excuse me, if I did not present him to your view in the light, in which I have been accustomed to consider him.

The distinguishing feature of Dr Howard's character was good sense. He thought with accuracy and reasoned with clearness. This was the style of his public discourses which were always solid and judicious. As he was not gifted by nature with a mellow and harmonious voice, as there was no frenzy in his eye, no enthusiasm in his heart or head, and as his modesty prevented him from having any confidence in his own elocution,

* President Willard.

he did not aim at, nor did he acquire, the reputation of a popular preacher. But there was not anything offensive in his delivery, artificial and disgusting in his tones; his emphasis, though not forcible, was just; and there was such perspicuity in his language, so much novelty or importance in his ideas, that he seldom failed to command the attention of an auditory.

Is not such a mode of preaching, on the whole, the most useful? The admirers of eloquence, who go to a church as to a theatre, for the sake of having their passions moved, and who think that a sermon is not good, unless it inspires them either with pity or terror, will condemn the discourses of Dr Howard as cold and unaffecting; but when it is considered of what materials Christian congregations are composed, this censure will appear unjust. The hearers, who attend public worship, are commonly the most decent and virtuous part of the community. They are parents, who lead to the house of God their children, who have been trained up in the habits of order and decorum. It is the duty of a minister to confirm such persons in the good practices, which they have already learned, to exhort them to persevere in them, and daily to make new improvements in virtue ; to instruct the young in the obligations, with which, from their want of years and experience, they are not yet acquainted, and to point out to them the danger of yielding to temptation; to fill the minds of the hearers in general with adoration and gratitude to God, the author of every perfect gift, and with respect and affection to Jesus, through whom we receive the Christian religion; and to warn all to prepare themselves for death, to avoid the punishments, and to qualify themselves for the happiness, of a future world. These are important and in

teresting themes: but to display them with advantage, it is not necessary to have recourse to the language of passion or vehement gesticulation.

A different sentiment, it is confessed, prevails among many, both preachers and hearers. The former deal in bold figures and hyperbolical descriptions. They address a congregation of sober Christians, as if they were an assembly of heathen, or a band of thieves and murderers. Their doctrine descends not like the dew, but like the rain in a storm; their voice is not gentle and affectionate, but loud and reproachful: it rolls like thunder, or roars like a whirlwind. They paint the character of the vicious man with blacker strokes of depravity, than the hue with which Milton has drawn the character of Satan; and they represent the Supreme Being as hating the work of his own hands, as fired with anger, and armed with vengeance. The hearers listen with admiration of the wonderful oratorical powers of the speaker. Their bosoms are agitated almost to agony; but they are at the same time charmed; for there are many men, who are never so much delighted, as when objects of terror are rendered visible to their imagination. The effect of such preaching sometimes is, that the hearers, their mental sight being accustomed to none except the most flaming colors, are too much inclined to regard the common and essential duties of life, which are best performed with calmness and moderation, as not sufficiently splendid to be of any value. Religion they suppose to be something more than humble reverence of God, love to Christ, justice, sincerity and benevolence; and it is never so highly prized by them, as when it partakes the most largely of enthusiasm.

To such an impassioned kind of eloquence the tem

perate Dr Howard could not attain; and from my knowledge of his sentiments I can say, he would not have attained it, if he could. But though he was never fervent, yet such was the goodness of his heart and his affection to his friends that he was sometimes pathetic. I particularly recollect two occasions, in which the auditories were much moved by the simple pathos of his voice and language. One was at the funeral of the Rev. Dr Clarke, whose sudden death every one bewailed. The other was at a public Commencement, when his long-tried and faithful friend, President Willard, lay dangerously sick. On both these occasions, though there were other performances, and by men, who were commonly esteemed more eloquent than he, yet the tide of grief rose to its height, whilst he was speaking.

This effect was in part produced by the unaffected simplicity of his character. When Dr Howard appeared to be moved, every person believed that he was really moved. Any event, which so good a man lamented, was a subject of lamentation to all good men: it was impossible therefore to resist being drawn with him into the same current of grief. Simplicity distinguished Dr Howard on these, and on all other occasions. He never covered his mind with the varnish of art; he never pretended to more feeling, knowledge, or virtue, than he possessed; but with manly plainness he exhibited his sentiments and character such as they existed.

This freedom from affectation was probably one of the causes of the taciturnity, which was regretted by, his friends. The Duke de la Rochefoucault observes, that no man ever opens his mouth, unless prompted by vanity; and though we do not entirely assent to the remark, -for Rochefoucault is the satirist of human nature, and