A Good Name.


THE wisest man who ever lived says, 

"A good name is rather to be chosen than 

great riches." 


Proverbs 22:1.


Most of the people of this world think that

 riches are of more account than anything else.

How many who read this would

prefer a good name to riches? How many,

if they had their choice between a good name

and a thousand dollars, would prefer the good

name? Well, perhaps no one, except He who

knows all things, could tell; but I am certain

that there are some, and they may be poor

youth, too, who would not sell their good

names for all the riches of the Czar of Russia.

The fact is, young reader, moral worth is not

a thing to be bought and sold for money. And

that youth who places a high estimate upon

his good name, bids fair to stand some day

on the sea of glass.

I have just seen an incident, which shows

the power that is in a good name. Perhaps

some of you have heard of the well-known

New-York anti-slavery man, the late Mr. Arthur

Tappan. From his boyhood, he prized

a good name. His mother said of him, "I

never knew him to tell a lie."

Mr. Tappan, on account of his sympathy

with the poor slave, for a time was very 

unpopular;

and his extensive dry-goods establishment

was robbed, the mayor of the city

refusing to send him relief. But Providence

took care of the man who remembered those

in bonds as bound with them, and made even

his enemies to be at peace with him. Said a

merchant in New York who had long known

him, but had not sympathized with him in his

anti-slavery enterprises: "If Arthur Tappan

will allow his NAME to be put up on my store,

and sit in an arm chair in my counting-room, I

WILL PAY HIM THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS A

YEAR!" This shows the power of a good name,

even among worldlings.

Now, those only will have their names in

the Lamb's book of life who prized their

good names here. Jesus promises to those

who overcome, that he will write upon them

the name of his God, the name of the city of

his God, and his own new name. See Rev

3:12. But no one will receive this high honor;

in Heaven who, because of his evil deeds

bore a bad name on earth.

Truly, there is much importance attached

to a good name. Let us be careful, dear

youth, that none of us belong to that class:

who have a name to live while they are dead,

May the name of the Lord be a strong tower

for both reader and writer, and we finally not

only have a name, but a place, among the

people of God.

 

G. W. AMADON.