Mr. Sherman always cherished the strongest interest in promoting the cause of pure religion and sound morals. He gave to it the benefit of his extended influence, his persuasive powers, his liberal contributions. The cause of evangelical missions received his ardent and constant support. He plead with great frequency and eloquence in behalf of home missions, being persuaded that the welfare of our country and the permanency of its government, depend more on Christianizing the people than on the devices of statesmen. He was among the earliest and most powerful advocates of the temperance cause. He was deeply interested in the welfare of the colored people of this land, and their relations to the well-being of this country and of Africa. He believed the Colonization Society to be the best medium of blessing the African race in this country and their own. He was grieved that it received so feeble a support from the Christian community. He had of late deeply interested himself in the cause. He had called the attention of clergymen to it, as he had opportunity. He was exceedingly anxious to attend the recent meeting of Consociation in Southport, for the purpose of laying the subject before the ministers and delegates. He had prepared himself to start; but found himself so ill that he was obliged to desist. From that time he sunk rapidly, and before the lapse of a fortnight, was released from all further earthly toils and responsibilities.
As an upholder of good public objects, a counsellor and adviser in private and public affairs, Mr. Sherman was much resorted to from this parish, town and vicinity, and indeed from a still greater distance, and from wider spheres. In this respect his loss will be, to human view, irreparable. But in his own church and society, it will be most directly and intensely felt. They were dear to him as the apple of his eye, for he preferred Jerusalem above his chief joy. He was ardently devoted to its peace, welfare, and enlargement. While he gave it a large pecuniary support; yet this was not the most important of the services he rendered to it. He was an invaluable counsellor. By the amenity of his temper, the suavity of his manners, and his persuasive eloquence, he gave a strong support to all important measures, and did much to preserve peace and unity. He delighted to attend and sustain all our social meetings. And when the aid of the brethren was needed, he was a powerful helper. In expounding the Scriptures and giving the word of exhortation, he was mighty. And how shall the void be filled? Of late he often expressed his grief to me, that his feebleness disabled him from attending our evening meetings. May his mantle fall upon his surviving brethren! If beyond the sanctuary of domestic grief, one place more than another feels an aching void, it is the sanctuary of God! If any beyond his own desolated fireside have cause of weeping and lamentation, I more! He was peculiarly fond of the society of ministers, and far and wide enjoyed their confidence and esteem. His influence and opinions were highly valued by them. To his own pastors he was ever a stay and helper, doing his utmost to promote their usefulness and salutary influence, as my brethren who have preceded me will bear me witness. And in these things, with which a stranger intermeddleth not, they alone can fully appreciate my meaning.
For the bereaved and estimable lady, who is now suddenly left solitary after having been so long cheered by his presence, and the helper of his joy, this occasion has the deepest, tenderest interest. It is our hope and prayer, that in this sorrowful crisis she will be supported by that gospel which she has so long received, and which was the sufficient stay of her departed husband in the still more trying hour of death; and that she will be enabled so to improve this melancholy dispensation, that it shall work out for her a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; and that when her summons also shall come, she may go to her rest as a shock of corn ready in its season. Great, peculiar mercies are mixed in this cup of affliction. Indeed, all that in the character of her bereaved husband which renders his loss peculiarly great, is of God's peculiar mercy.
Let me exhort this church and society, together with his public associates, professional brethren, and personal friends, particularly, and all this great assembly generally, to lay this dispensation to heart. It is a great, a solemn, a mournful event. How are the mighty fallen! The fathers, where are they? One of our strong pillars is shattered and torn from underneath the temple. He must be scarcely a man who is not softened and humbled by it. As human helps fail, let us go to the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength. Although men die, he ever liveth; and because he lives, his church shall live also, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Let us then be moved to especial and extraordinary prayer, that God would supply what he has taken from us. "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." It is exhibited as a sign of a degenerate and sinking race, to be unaffected by the deaths of God's servants. The prophet sounds the alarm, because the righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart. Let then those that survive, ponder these things, and be subdued and chastened. Let them consider, that to them are now passed the burdens and responsibilities hitherto borne by God's servants, whom he has taken to their eternal rest. Let them manfully, and in dependence upon God, meet the crisis, and discharge the high trust he has confided to them. Let them put their two talents to use, and he shall give them other two. Let them come up to the help of the Lord, the help of the Lord against the mighty. And the set time to favor Zion will come, because his servants take pleasure in the stones and favor the dust thereof.
Let me speak a word to those who are without that faith, and rejecters of that Savior, which were the support and solace of our venerated and deceased brother, in his dying hour. With all his vast endowments and resources, his possession of all worldly good to which human ambition aspires, he counted all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He deemed man in his best estate to be altogether vanity. If he then dared trust no other foundation but Christ crucified, received by faith, and honored by a holy life, HOW SHALL YE ESCAPE, IF YE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION!
FOOTNOTE:
[A] Hon. Roger Sherman.