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Gardiner, J. S. J.
A Sermon. . .George Higgenson.
Boston, 1812.

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YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1941

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SERMON,

DELIVERED

AT TRINITY CHURCH, MARCH 21, 1812,

ON THE DECEASE OP

MR. GEORGE HIGGINSON.

J. S. J. GARDINER,

RECTOR.

BOSTON,
PRINTED BY MtJNROE AND FRANCIS, 4 CORNHHX,
1812.

CJ.33 £3 if

ACTS XI. 24.
HE WAS A GOOD MAN-

Of the various qualities, with which man may
be endowed, there is no one more amiable in itself, or
more useful to the world, than goodness. It is this
more particularly, which attracts our love, and gives.
rise to those kindly and benevolent affections, so in
dispensably necessary both to publick and private
happiness. Goodness is one of the distinguishing
perfections of God himself, and which, in a more es*
peeial manner, is the source of our religious love,
His more awful attributes of power and justice inspire
us indeed with veneration and respect ; but it is his;
goodness, that lays hold on our affections, and em.

boldens us to look up to him, as the Father of mer
cies and God of all consolation.
The same qualities, which affect us in the Crea
tor, affect us in a similar manner towards ; the crea
ture ; and, however we may admire the talents of the
great, we love only the virtues of the good. The
statesman, who plans with ability enterprizes impor
tant to our country, and the warriour, who executes
them with success, may excite our admiration, and
lay claim to our applause. But our love we reserve
for those, with whom we are more intimately ac
quainted, and who are more distinguished by the vir
tues ofthe heart, than the abilities of the head. ' He
was a good man.' No higher praise can be given to
mortal ; andhej who deserves it, is more justly the ob
ject of admiration, as well as loVe, in the eye of rea
son and religion, than he, who devises or achieves the
most brilliant; exploits.
I have always been opposed to the composition of
funeral sermons, as they commonly contain indiscrim
inate eulogy ; and of all places in the world the pul
pit is the least adapted to flattery and exaggeration.
The result too is seldom successful. For, whilst the

friends of the, deceased, from a venial partiality, think
that the preacher says too little ; the rest of the audi
ence, who are less interested, conclude often, that he
has said too much. The former may recollect some
virtue, that was omitted ; the latter many imperfec
tions, which, of course, could not be mentioned.
These considerations have deterred me from giv-;
ing characters at full length, except those of a publick
nature, or of uncommon excellence. These latter are
of so rare emergence, that they possess in some mea
sure the grace of novelty ; and justice seems to re
quire, that they should not be allowed to depart with
out respectful notice. They seem to be sent into
the world by its alLwise Governour, as monitors to re
mind us of our duty, and as examples to prove to
what a height of religious and moral excellence even
frail man can attain, in this transitory and imperfect
state. They are designed to excite our emulation ;
and, though We should not equal the virtues, which we
admire, the very attempt to imitate them will make
us wiser men and better christians.
In portraying the character of Mr. Higginson,
the simplest delineation of his virtues would appear,

6

to strangers, exaggerated encomium ; so numerous
were the moral qualities, which distinguished that ex
cellent young man. As a citizen, a christian, a son,
a brother, a father, a husband, he discharged with ex
emplary fidelity all the duties connected with those im
portant and interesting relations. As a citizen, he
was a sincere lover of his country, and ardently desi
rous of promoting its interests. These, he considered,
with the ablest men in America, could be secured on
ly by the prevalence of those principles, on which
the federal constitution was founded, and by which
the administration of Washington had been invaria
bly directed. In diffusing these principles he was
active and zealous, as far as was compatible with his
other duties, and with that private station, which he
preferred to the noisy scenes of publick life. On the
great contest between the two mighty belligerents of
Europe he looked with uncommon interest, as he
considered the safety and independence of his own
country involved in its issue. He had been partly
educated in France, and had frequently visited Eng
land, to which he gave a decided preference. His
pure mind shrunk with disgust from the moral de
formity of the French revolution, and from the atro
cities, that attended that melancholy event ; nor did

the military despotism, which rose on the ruins of
the monarchy, diminish his dislike, though it might
naturally increase his apprehensions. In England,
he was in the land of his forefathers ; in a land of lib
erty and laws, where the poor are protected in their
rights, and the rich restrained from oppression. He
reflected too, though he was far from approving the
conduct of many British administrations, that Great-
Britain, in fighting for her existence, was fighting for
the independence of America ; that her triumphs
would ultimately prove the security, and her defeat the
ruin of his own country. But though ardent in his
political sentiments, he had not the smallest portion of
acrimony in his disposition ; and would as readily have
relieved a Frenchman, or a political adversary in dis
tress, as any individual of his own party. Misfor
tune, indeed, of every species, never failed to excite
his sympathy, and was sure, if in his power, to expe
rience his relief. A man himself, he felt for all man
kind. Like Job, he was ' eyes to the blind, and feet to
the lame.' Like his Saviour, ' he went about doing
good.' Even in this metropolis, where charity seems to
have taken up her abode, his munificence was so un-

8

common and extensive, that, though conferred in the
most secret and least ostentatious manner, it fre
quently attracted attention, and became the theme
of panegyrick. Nor was it often injudiciously bestow
ed. He gave no encouragement to idleness or vice ;
he was not willing to assist those, who could assist
themselves ; but to advance modest merit, to educate
promising young men, to aid virtuous industry, to
supply the wants of indigence, and to soothe the in
firmities of age ; in promoting these laudable objects,
his charities were boundless, as his henevolence, and
circumscribed only by his means. Of what I have
here related I have partly heard, and partly can affirm
from my own personal knowledge ; so that I have
great reason to believe, that he spent a very conside
rable portion of his income in acts of charity.
Puring the winter of the embargo, that most ini
quitous and oppressive measure, which no American,
whatever may be his politicks, ought ever to men
tion but in terms of the severest reprobation, its pres
sure was peculiarly felt in this town. The poor were
reduced to great distress, and even substantial me-
chanicks, in many instances, were unable to support

9
their families. A few gentlemen, I believe not ex
ceeding four, among whom was Mr. Higginson,
formed themselves into a society, to prevent suffer
ings, which might otherwise break out into acts of
violence and disorder. By their activity and zeal,
more than seven thousand dollars were raised among
the charitable and humane, of which a considerable
portion was furnished by Mr. Higginson. Besides
food and cloathing, and occasional sums of money, he
contributed at one time no less than seven hundred
dollars. The good produced by this small society is
almost incredible. One thousand poor persons were
daily fed ; six hundred children were schooled ;
mechanicks, without employment, were furnished with
materials, and paid for their labour ; suicide was, in
one instance, prevented ; so that numbers passed a
comfortable winter, who might otherwise have been
driven to desperation ; and thus our town remained, as
usual, orderly and tranquil. The manner^ in which this
charity was bestowed, was not less delicate, than the
design was noble. Few ever discovered their bene
factors. After the distresses of an individual were
ascertained, an obscure but confidential person was
employed to carry the necessary relief, with strict
B

10
injunctions of secrecy, as to the quarter from which
it came. I have these particulars from a person of the
first respectability, who was himself actively employ
ed in these benevolent measures, and who resembles
his deceased friend in promoting the interests of
charity, and in ' going about doing good.'
As a christian, Mr. Higginson was religious with
out cant, and correct without austerity. Though a
friend to good men of all denominations, he gave a
decided preference to the worship of the Episcopal
Church. He was an ardent admirer of its liturgy ;
and always set an example, which, it is to be lamented,
that it is not more imitated, of following the minister
through the whole service with his prayerbook open
before him ; by which he enjoyed the advantages
of devotion himself, and thus was not a mere listener
to another's prayers. He took a lively interest in
the affairs of the church, and to him we are indebt
ed for our book of hymns, which were chiefly select
ed by his taste and judgment. No weather ever pre
vented him from attending divine service, and as he

11

was a sincere, so was he a constant communicant.
The remaining part of the day he spent with his own
family and connexions, and was never guilty of an
indecency, too common among many, of riding out
on Sunday, when neither health nor charity makes
it necessary. Nor was he less distinguished by the faithful dis
charge of all the relative duties. As his country has
lost in him a most excellent citizen, and the church
one of its brightest ornaments, so have his parents
been bereaved of a most dutiful son, his brothers and
sisters of a most valuable friend and companion, his
children of an indulgent and judicious father, and his
wife of a most affectionate husband. His understands
ing, which he had cultivated by reading, was sound
and active, and good-sense was conspicuous in all
his words and actions. In his manners there was an
unaffected plainness and simplicity, and when he
smiled, the goodness of his heart beamed in his coun
tenance. His disposition was unusually cheerful and
happy, prompting him in all situations to look on the
bright side of things ; and though he might sometimes
be too sanguine in his expectations, he bore every dis*

12

appointment with uncommon temper and good-hu
mour. What he deemed pleasing intelligence and for-
tunate events, he enjoyed exquisitely ; but such was
the buoyancy of his temperament, that he was never
depressed by the reverse. A disease, which baffled the
skill of the ablest physicians, both on this and the oth-r
er side of the Atlantick, he bore, for more than two
years, with the most heroick fortitude and resignation ;
and expressed no regret at the prospect of quitting
this life, but such as naturally arose from the thoughts
of leaving those, who were dear to him, and to whom
he was dear. Though, during the course of his dis
order, he must occasionally have suffered severely, yet
his equanimity never deserted him ; and it was a
great source of consolation to his friends, that, for
many months previous to his death, his intellectual
faculties were bright, and that he could amuse him
self with reading, and enjoyed social intercourse, as
far as the imperfection of his hearing wopld admit.
To such a man, death could present no terrors.
His whole IJfe had been a preparation for it. He has
taught us how to live, and, a lesson not less impor
tant, how to die. If we compare him with the best

13
men, bf whom we have heard or read, it would be
difficult to point out, in what christian accomplish
ment or moral excellence he was inferiour to the most
distinguished. He was pious, without superstition ....
sincere, without rudeness.... generous, without ostenta
tion. ...ardent, without imprudence... .good-natured,
without weakness.... with discrimination charitable.
AH his virtues were so happily tempered, as never to
degenerate into their kindred vices ; and their union
produced that moral sublime of character, so desirable
and yet so rare. Such was the admirable man, whose
loss we deplore, cut off in the meridian of life and
usefulness, and from whom we can no longer derive
any advantage, but from imitating his virtues.
Are you shocked, that one, so pre-eminently
good, should suffer so severely ? Recollect the
sufferings of your Saviour ; for what sorrow was
ever like unto' his sorrow ? Recollect the sufferings
of his disciples, who were stoned, sawn asunder,
thrown to wild beasts to be devoured. Recollect
the sufferings of those glorious martyrs and confes
sors, who sealed, with their blood, the truth of Chris
tianity, and established, by their death, the Reforma
tion.

14
Now the sufferings of the virtuous, my breth
ren, are perfectly cosonant to natural religion, as the
heathen philosophers themselves have expressly de
clared. Plato and Epictetus affirm, that a perfect
pattern of righteousness must necessarily be placed
in a suffering condition ; and Seneca observes, that
a good man, struggling with affliction, is a sight,
which the gods themselves delight to behold.
The doctrine of reason and revelation, in this re
spect, exactly accords. ' Whom the Lord loveth,'
says St. Paul, ' he chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son, whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening,
God dealeth with you as with sons ; for what son is he,
whom his father chasteneth not ? But if ye be with
out chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are
ye bastards, and not sons. We have had fathers of
our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them rever
ence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to
the Father of spirits and live ? For they, verily, for a
few days chastened us, after their own pleasure ;
but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness.' ' And there should be no greater comfort,'
says our liturgy, ' to christian persons, than to he

15

made like unto Christ, by suffering patiently adversi
ties, troubles, and sicknesses*. For he himself went
not up to joy, but first he suffered pain. He entered
not into his glory, before he was crucified. So, truly,
our way to eternal joy, is to suffer here with Christ ;
and our door to enter into eternal life, is gladly to die
with Christ, that we may rise again from death, and
dwell with him in everlasting life.'
Whilst we bask in the sunshine of prosperity and
health, it requires but an inferiour order of virtue to
conduct ourselves well. But in adversity, in sick
ness, in sorrow, in anguish, then is the time for the
sincere christian to display those heroick virtues
of patience, fortitude, and resignation, and to set
an example honourable to religion, and useful to
the world.
If indeed there were no state after this ; if death
were an everlasting sleep, and the soul perished with
the body, then might you reasonably doubt the wis
dom of providence, and murmur at its dispensations.
But when you consider, that the longest period, allotted
to man in this world, is but a moment, if compared to

16
eternity ; when you reflect, that this world passeth
away, and that its afflictions are but temporary ; when
you remember, that death is but the gate to everlast
ing life, and that endless felicity is the glorious re
ward promised to the righteous in a future state,
surely the momentary sufferings of good men ought
not reasonably to shake your faith, or shock your feel
ings, since they afford so salutary an example. The
pious christian, who pre-eminently excels in all the
virtues of religion and morality, is the embassadour of
heaven, commissioned to give us a living proof to
what a height of perfection even frail mortality can
arrive, when sublimed by well-grounded faith and
enlivening hope.
To the afflicted widow of the deceased the loss is
indeed irreparable ; and she may well exclaim, in the
pathetick language of Job, ' Have pity upon me, have
pity upon me, O ye my friends ; for the hand of God
hath touched me.' Such sympathy she will not fail
to experience, more particularly from her numerous
and respectable connexions ; and she will not there
fore sorrow as those, who have no hope. She will
remember, that the arduous and important task of

17
bringing up a yOung and numerous family has now
devolved on her, and that her regret for the dead must
not interfere with her duties towards the living. She
will call to her aid that piety, in which she has been
instructed ; and the precepts and example of that ex
cellent woman, now a saint in heaven, who was the
guide and monitor of her earlier years. With such a
pattern of christian resignation before her, she will
be enabled to surmount the difficulties of her situa
tion, and perform the part, assigned her by divine
providence, with dignity and fortitude.

With the other relations and friends of the de
ceased we sincerely sympathize on the loss of one,
who possessed every virtue, civil, social, moral, and
religious. We might wish, that characters of such
pre-eminent worth were exempt from the common
laws of mortality, and permitted to live forever. But
it is ordained unto all men once to die. It is the ir
revocable decree of that Being, whose goodness we
have no reason to doubt, whose power we cannot re
sist, and to whose dispensations we are bound to
submit. But is this death to be perpetual ? No, my
c

18
friends. Jesus Christ has brought life and immortalr
ity to light through the gospel. When the - trumpet
shall sound, on the great day of final retribution, we
shall break the slumbers of the tomb, and stand be
fore his judgment seat, The terrors of that day will
be greater than I can describe, or you can conceive ;
when the wicked shall depart into punishment, and
the righteous into life eternal.
Surely then, my brethren, it behoves us, from ev
ery motive, that ought to influence the heart of man,
to walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith we are
called.... to work out our salvation, while it is yet day,
before the night cometh, when no man can work.
Every man shall give an account of himself to God,
afid shall be judged according to the deeds done in the
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be
good or evil.
You have a striking example of religious and
moral excellence in the character of the deceased,
who was your fellow citizen. Imitate then his nu
merous virtues, his unaffected piety, his active benev-

19
olence, his cheerful disposition, his patience and re
signation, his unblemished morals, his useful life,
and exemplary death. And may we all, &c.

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