On the Preacher's Appearance
Charles Spurgeon · John Ploughman's Talk; or, Plain Advice for Plain People
ANCE.
" You cannot judge a horse by his harness." — Page 37.
A GOOD horse cannot be a bad color,
and a really good preacher can wear
what he likes, and none will care much
3 (33)
34 JOHN PLOUGHMAN'S TALK.
about it ; but though you cannot know wine
by the barrel, a good appearance is a letter
of recommendation even to a ploughman.
Wise men neither fall into love nor take a
dislike at first sight, but still the first im-
pression is always a great thing even with
them ; and as to those weaker brethren who
are not wise, a good appearance is half the
battle. What is a good appearance ? Well,
it's not being pompous and starchy, and
making one's self high and mighty among
the people, for proud looks lose hearts, and
gentle words win them. It's not wearing
fine clothes either, for foppish dress usually
means a foul house within, and the door-
step without fresh whitened ; such dressing
tells the world that the outside is the best
part of the puppet. When a man is proud
as a peacock, all strut and show, he needs
converting himself before he sets up to
preach to others. The preacher who
measures himself by his looking glass
may please a few silly girls, but neither
God nor man will long put up with him.
The man who owes his greatness to his
tailor will find that needle and thread cannot
long hold a fool in a pulpit. A gentleman
ON THE PREACHER'S APPEARANCE. 35
should have more in his pocket than on his
back, and a minister should have more in
his inner man than on his outer man. I
would say, if I might, to young ministers,
do not preach in gloves, for cats in mit-
tens catch no mice ; don't curl and oil
your hair like dandies, for nobody cares
to hear a peacock's voice ; don't have your
own pretty self in your mind at all, or
nobody else will mind you. Away with
gold rings, and chains, and jewelry ; why
should the pulpit become a goldsmith's
shop ? For ever away with surplices and
gowns, and all those nursery doll dresses —
men should put away childish things. A
cross on the back is the sign of a devil in
the heart ; those who do as Rome does
should go to Rome and show their colors.
If priests suppose that they get the respect
of honest men by their fine ornamental
dresses, they are much mistaken, for it is
commonly said, " Fine feathers make fine
birds," and
"An ape is ne'er so like an ape
As when he wears a popish cape."
Among us Dissenters the preacher claims
36 JOHN PLOUGHMAN'S TALK.
no priestly power, and therefore should
never wear a peculiar dress ; let fools wear
fools' caps and fools' dresses, but men who
make no claim to be fools should not put
on fools' clothes. None but a very silly
sheep would wear wolf's clothing. It is a
singular taste which makes honest men
covet the rags of thieves. Besides, where's
the good of such finery ? Except a duck in
pattens, no creature looks more stupid than
a dissenting preacher in a gown which is
of no manner of use to him. I could laugh
till I held my sides when I see our doctors
in gowns and bands, puffed out with their
silks, and touched up with their little bibs,
for they put me so much in mind of our old
turkey-cock when his temper is up, and he
swells to his biggest. They must be weak
folks indeed who want a man to dress like
a woman before they can enjoy his sermon ;
and he who cannot preach without such
milliner's trumpery may be a man among
geese, but he is a goose among men. At
the same time, the preacher should en-
deavor, according to his means, to dress
himself respectably ; and, as to neatness, he
should be without spot, for kings should
ON THE PREACHER'S APPEARANCE. 37
not have dirty footmen to wait at their
table, and they who teach godliness should
practise cleanliness. I should like white
neckties better if they were always white,
but dirty brown is neither here nor there.
From a slovenly, smoking, snuff-taking,
beer-drinking parson may the church be de-
livered. Some that I meet with may, per-
haps, have very good manners, but they
did not happen to have them about them
at the time : like the Dutch captain with
his anchors, they had left them at home ;
this should never be the case, for, if there
be a well-behaved man in the parish, it
should be the minister. A worn coat is no
discredit, but the poorest may be neat, and
men should be scholars, rather than teach-
ers, till they are so. You cannot judge a
horse by his harness ; but a modest, gentle-
manly appearance, in which the dress is
just such as nobody could make a remark
upon, seems to me to be the right sort of
thing. This little bit of my mind is meant
to warn you young striplings who have just
started in the ministry ; and if any of you
get cross over it, I shall tell you that sore
horses cannot bear to be combed, and
38 JOHN PLOUGHMAN'S TALK.
again, " those whom the cap fits must wear
it." John Ploughman, you will say, had
better mend his own smock, and let the
parsons alone ; but I take leave to look
about me and speak my mind, for a cat may
look at a king, and a fool may give. wise
men good advice. If I speak too plainly,
please remember that an old dog cannot al-
ter his way of barking, and he who has long
been used to plough a straight furrow is
very apt to speak in the same straightfor-
ward manner.