"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving
favor rather than silver and gold." Prov. xxii:1.
A good name involves all that can render man exalted and amiable, or
life desirable. The good opinion of mankind has, in all ages, been
considered as a blessing of the first magnitude, and has, in various
ways, been sought for by all. There is no man so dishonest, but what
labors to impress upon others the conviction of his honesty; no man so
deceptive, but what wishes to be considered sincere; nor cowardly, but
desires to be reputed brave; and no man is so abandonedly vicious, but
what desires to be considered virtuous by his fellow creatures. All
choose a good name in preference to a bad one. This being a fact the
appearance of virtue is kept up where the reality is wanting, and the
shadow is often mistaken for the substance.
There are many, that are, at heart, insincere and false, who pass in
society generally for persons of sincerity, candor and virtue, while
their real principles are known only in their own families and among
their confidential friends. They desire a good name and outwardly
maintain it, while they in reality but little deserve it. In order to
know what a man really is, we must be acquainted, not only with his
public, but his private character. In his own family, every man
appears what he really is. There the heart, word and action art in
unison. They embrace each other. In public, they too often separate;
and the word, or action, speaks what its divorced companion, the heart
does not feel.
Such not only literally choose, but often bear a good name. But this
is not the choice suggested by the text. All men, even the most
vicious, in some sense or other, choose a good name. But the passage
under consideration has a higher, a nobler aim, than a mere choice
unconnected with virtuous principle and action. It has a higher aim,
than to encourage men to be rotten at heart, and by an outward,
hypocritical maneuver, maintain a good name among their fellow
creatures. By the text, we are to understand, that a man should early
cultivate, in his heart, a virtuous principle, as the pure source from
which all those outward actions spring that justly merit the esteem of
mankind, force approbation even from the vicious, and thus entitle him
to that good name which is far above all price. This will not only
afford its possessor unbroken peace arising from the inward
consolations and joys of virtuous sincerity, but it will also open to
him another rich fountain of felicity, arising from the consideration,
that he enjoys the confidence and esteem of the great and the good,
with whom he is conversant in life, of his intimate friends, of his
companion and children, and above all the smiles of kind heaven and
the approbation of his God. His life is calm; his sleep is sweet and
associated with golden dreams. No fearful spectres haunt his brain,
but the kind angel of mercy is ever at his side. He looks forward to
death undismayed, yes, with satisfaction and composure looks beyond
that dark scene, to brighter worlds and more substantial joys. He
feels the assurance, that even when he shall be here no more, his name
shall live in the hearts of those he left behind, be embalmed in the
memory of the just, and that it is beyond the power of rolling ages to
sully it. This is what we understand by choosing a good name as stated
in our text.
Of the truth of this, there can arise no misapprehension when we
compare it with the subsequent phrase with which it is contrasted--"a
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor
than silver and gold." By the choosing of riches, we are to
understand, not only a desire to obtain them, but that this desire
shall be sufficiently strong to prompt us to use all the honorable and
efficient means in our power to accumulate them. The wise man did not
mean that every man had the offer of a fortune, and could possess
himself of it by simply making choice of it independent of means. No--
his choice must be manifested by industry and economy. The means must
be used to secure the end. Just so in acquiring a good name. The
person desirous of obtaining it, must pursue that upright and virtuous
course of conduct, which alone could insure it. And just as well might
a man expect riches by being indolent and extravagant, as to expect a
good name by indulging in every species of vice. We are therefore to
understand our text thus--A good name, through pursuing a virtuous
course of conduct, is rather to be chosen than great riches, through
the plans and means by which they are obtained.
Man is a being of many wants, and to supply them he is too much
inclined to forsake the path of virtue and resort to dishonorable
means to obtain wealth.
In view of this master-passion for earthly splendor and greatness,
Solomon uttered the words of our text to recall the giddy mind from
its chase of shadows, sad turn it to the only source of unmingled
felicity in the pursuit of virtue. This would afford the mind those
rational delights that wealth, with all its dazzling splendors, cannot
impart. It does not possess the charm to convey unbroken peace to the
heart.
But there is a strong inducement to engage in a virtuous course,
because it is the surest road to wealth and honor. The thief and
robber were never rich, nor nor could they be happy if they were. An
excellent writer, observes--the importance of a good character in the
commerce of life, seems to be universally acknowledged. To those who
are to make their own way either to wealth or honors, a good character
is as necessary as address and ability. Though human nature is often
degenerate, and corrupts itself by many inventions, yet it usually
retains to the last an esteem for excellence. But even if we arrive at
such an extreme degree of depravity as to have lost our native
reverence for virtue, yet a regard to our own interest and safety will
lead us to apply for aid, in all important transactions, to men whose
integrity is unimpeached. When we choose an assistant or a partner,
our first inquiry is concerning his character. When we have occasion
for a counsellor, an attorney, or a physician, whatever we may be
ourselves, we always choose to trust our property and lives to men of
the best character. When we fix on the tradesman, who is to supply us
with necessaries, we are we are influenced by fair reputation and
honorable dealing. Young men, therefore, whose characters are yet
unfixed, and who consequently may render them just such as they wish,
ought to pay great attention to the first steps they take on entrance
into life. They are usually careless and inattentive to this object.
They pursue their own plans with ardor, and neglect the opinions which
others entertain of them. By some thoughtless action or expression,
they suffer a mark to be impressed upon them, which no subsequent
merit can entirely erase. Every man will find some persons who, though
they are not professed enemies, yet view him with an eye of envy, and
who would gladly revive any tale to which truth has given the
slightest foundation.
Though a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and is
the surest road to wealth, yet there are thousands, who pay but little
attention to possess themselves of so valuable a treasure. They turn a
deaf ear to that hallowed voice, which pleads with them in behalf of
their dearest interest, and take the downward road to dissipation and
vice, and, by their wretched example, lead other thousands to the dark
abodes of sorrow, grief and pain. Enchanted by the siren voice of
false and fleeting pleasure, they hurry to the tremendous precipice,
where reputation and fortune lie in broken ruins. There they drag out
a wretched existence in disappointed hope, satiety and disgust. They
pay their devotions at the shrine of ignominy, where the dark and
stagnant waters of guilt and condemnation roll. There the sweet voice
of heaven-born peace was never heard, and the beauteous feet of
religion never trod. There dwells the family of pain--there is the
hell we are cautioned to avoid. This is not an illusion of fancy--it
is no reverie of the brain, but a reality too visible in the pathway
of human life.
Thousands, in this condition, are hurrying to a premature grave, and
go down to that dark abode covered with infamy, having robbed
themselves of all the substantial joys, that a virtuous conduct, and a
good unsullied name are calculated to awaken in the heart. Dissipation
darkens the brightest prospects of life. It rolls its floods of misery
indiscriminately over the dearest earthly hopes of companions,
children and friends, and paralyzes every pulse of joy that beats in
the human bosom. Many a child has been spurned from the presence of
its brutal father, and been beaten for asking bread to satisfy its
hunger. Intemperance stupefies man to the moral impressions of the
gospel, and hardens the heart with the touch of its benumbing powers.
It is the giant of human wo that slays his thousands and prostrates
the happiness of man. This champion of human war draws his sword of
vengeance against the balmy repose of public and private life, and his
fatal touch withers the brightest flowers of domestic hope and joy,
and mingles the poisonous bowl with the bitter drugs of misery. His
government is absolute monarchy, and his subjects the most
contemptible slaves. When he lays upon them his cursed hand, they reel
to the ground. When he strikes the stunning blow, they drop insensibly
to the earth. The oppressions and scourges of the most wretched slave
are enviable in comparison with those severe wounds inflicted by this
merciless tyrant, this infernal scourge of the human race.
Intemperance is a monster that may well be personified. He frolicks
through the blood, preys upon the vitals, ploughs up the brain,
dethrones reason and laughs at the feeble resistance of the best
constitution, and finally bears down all opposition before him. Like
the devouring flame, he presses on with irresistible force, urging his
deadly siege, till he consumes all that is fair and lovely in the eye
of virtue. His present gifts are poverty misery and distress, and his
capital prize, a premature grave.
This champion is ravaging our beloved country, and seducing her sons
of freedom to the disgraceful ranks of slavery and oppression.
Intemperance is that tyrant that has under his control many formidable
evils that infest the world. His boasted labor is to hurry on
thousands of victims to the commission of crime, and bring down upon
them the many misfortunes that attend man in this mutable world.
Intemperance involves public broils, tumults and disturbances, and
domestic discord, misery and strife.
We trust the number among our readers is small, who are so regardless
of a good name as to have abandoned themselves to the intoxicating
bowl, or who have sundered all the ties of moral obligation,
determined to tread the downward path of vice to a disgraceful tomb.
We hope they have a higher regard to the invaluable worth of a good
name; and we pray that they may venerate its price far above the
momentary glitter of silver and gold. That shall live, when wealth
shall have lost its lustre, and flourish immortal, when gold shall
have corroded to dust.
Blasphemy is another unreasonable vice against which the public
speaker or writer should raise his voice. And let no one flatter
himself because we believe in the universal and unbounded goodness of
God, that a man may go on as he please. So long as a Being of infinite
wisdom is enthroned in the heavens and governs the universe, so long
he can never fail to measure out to every offence its adequate
punishment, and has all the means at his disposal to bring it
unavoidably upon the head of every transgressor. He, who flatters
himself that he can sin with impunity, is ignorant of the government
of his God, and has never reflected upon human life in all its varied
lights and shades. Do you profess to be a Universalist, and yet treat
with irreverence the name of HIM who made you, and whom you
acknowledge to be a faithful Creator--an indulgent Father? Your
professions are nothing. "He that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself even as he is pure." That very breath by which he inflates the
lungs, can you breathe it back in blasphemies against his holy name,
which angels never pronounce but with veneration and awe? Choose, O
choose a good name, which can only be obtained by choosing a virtuous
course of conduct. However lightly you may treat your own station in
life, or however much you may disregard the dignity of your nature,
yet remember the station you hold, however obscure, is stamped with
responsibility. You are surrounded by a generation of youth, among
whom are your own children, ready to imitate your example. Do you wish
them well! Then guard your heart and life by setting a reasonable
value on a good name, and remember you cannot move without touching
some string that may vibrate long after your head rests on its cold
pillow of earth.