Merrick.] 



was crammed fall of information. This was chiefly in regard to the deri- 

 vation and affinity of words ; though the beauties and the meaning of the 

 work studied had their place." The other distinction was "his habit of 

 inviting the students to his house to tea." By this means, adopted in ad- 

 vance of his times, but now happily imitated, he became familiarly known 

 to those committed to his charge, and gave them the advantage of social 

 intercourse. 



Apropos of this latter custom, it is related of him that, shortly after 

 reaching Hartford, a friend visiting at their house witnessed the following 

 characteristic scene. The door-bell rang about tea-time, and some half- 

 dozen college students arrived. Doctor Goodwin and his wife welcomed 

 them without any sign of surprise. After some delay a hospitable nieal 

 appeared and was discussed, followed by a pleasant evening ; both host 

 and hostess exerting themselves to entertain their uninvited visitors. 

 After their departure each looked at the other, but neither was able to 

 explain the visit. The next day the mystery was solved by a call from a 

 delegation of students, who found they had been hoaxed by some of their 

 fellows, and who desired to apologize for the intrusion. Needless to say, 

 the young men were ever after strong friends of the president and his wife. 

 The next invitation given to a set of students, however, was not accepted, 

 they fearing the repetition of the joke upon themselves. 



In personal appearance, Dr. Goodwin was tall and dignified, with finely- 

 cut features and piercing eyes. The musical tones of his voice linger in 

 one's memory. In late years, when time had crowned him with silver 

 locks, and the deliberate step of age characterized his movements, his 

 figure was one to command, as it received, the highest reverence. But 

 he never lost a certain vivacity, which awakened at the meeting with his 

 friends. 



It has been said that Christian faith was the dominating keynote of his 

 nature. None who knew him could fail to recognize the truth of this 

 statement. He was a man of strong piety, in the noblest meaning of that 

 word. Always grave and matured beyond his years, his religious life 

 awakened during the later years of his college days, and steadily ex- 

 panded during all the remaining years of his life, coloring and subduing 

 all of his faculties, consecrating all his attainments to the service of his 

 divine Master. His light shone more brightly as the darkness of waning 

 years gathered around his earthly path. And his memory must remain, 

 like a beacon, to those who knew him, an evidence of the profound truth 

 and power of Christianity. 



An examination of the list of his writings, to which allusion has been 

 made, will show the versatility of his attainments, as well as the active 

 interest he always took in those questions of the day, which, in his view, 

 would affect injuriously the cause of Christian truth. This list covers 

 only those speeches which were reprinted separately. To appreciate his 

 activity in this respect, one must look through the journals of the Eccle- 

 siastical Conventions of which he was a member, the pages of which are 



