Pride In The Minister's Black Veil

Everyone masks themselves with false pride while covering up who they really are. No one is truly and utterly honest with others or even themselves. Such is the case of Mr. Hopper, a pastor who Hawthorne portrays in The Minister’s Black Veil. The story follows his life as a minister who wears a black veil over his face everywhere he goes. Hawthorne uses metaphysical characterization of the black veil in Mr. Hopper’s life to prove that pride causes Christian leadership to be ineffective. Hawthorne shows that pride causes Christian leadership to become ineffective because it creates a false idea of control, it disfigures the proper image of man, it prevents genuine self-examination, it establishes a flaws perspective on the world, and the most

devastating truth about pride in Christian leadership is that it is contagious.
Pride is deadly to Christian leadership because it creates a false idea of control. Bill Hybels, a leader of many influential leadership books, makes a very important point about the importance of seeking God as a Christian leader by posing a question, “God is the inventor of things like courage, discipline, endurance and love. How can we possibly gain those traits apart from him?” (10). In Hawthorne depiction of Mr. Hopper’s preaching method it is clear that Mr. Hopper is attempting to lead on his own, “ Mr. Hopper had the reputation of a good preacher, but not an energetic one: he strove to win his people heavenward, by mild persuasive influences, rather than to drive them thither, by the thunders of the Word” (637). It is important to note the phrase, “…he strove to win his people heavenward”. This phrase emphasizes Mr. Hopper’s attempt to bring people to God using his own strength, causing the reader to question whether the purpose of Mr. Hopper’s preaching was to draw people to God or to fill up the seats in his congregation and add to his record of salvations. This is an ineffective method of preaching because Christian leaders are ineffective unless they are constantly relying on God to fuel them. Christian leaders who do not rely on God for fuel become drained, and when they become drained their vision often becomes distorted.
Vision is a vital quality of Christian leadership, this makes pride so deadly to Christian leadership because it distorts this vision. Bill Hybel states that “ …vision is the God-given ability to see possible solutions to the problems of everyday life” (42). In other words, a Christian leader is able to see potential for good in the bad. Problems happen when pride causes Christian leaders to have such unrealistic expectations of the world that they are not able to see beyond its depravity. This is seen in the following quote “[the veil] probably did not intercept his sight, farther than to give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things.” (637). Although this quote shows that Mr. Hopper could physically see through the veil, metaphorically it changed his perspective on the world. For example, as a result of the veil, Mr. Hopper could likely not see his congregation as a supportive body of believers , but Hawthorne writes, “ …perhaps the pale-faced congregation was almost as fearful a sight to the minister, as his black veil to them.” (637). Should an arrow of criticism happen to pierce the veil, it would begin to rip away at its façade. Since the black veil is so vulnerable to criticism of any kind, it shrinks away from even the possibility of criticism.
God created humans in His image, with the purpose to lead in humility like Jesus did. Pride is deadly to Christian leadership because it disfigures this proper image of man..The first time someone recognizes this disfiguration in Mr. Hopper’s life is in Goodman Gray’s question, “Are you sure this is our parson?” (636).This question can immediately be taken as an observation of physical change, however, a closer look reveals a more metaphorical purpose. In this quote, Goodman Gray is going beyond seeing a lack of physical recognition, but is actually talking about how the very being of Mr. Hopper changed. This is clarified in Goodman Gray’s next quote, “ I can’t really feel as if good Mr. Hopper’s face was behind that piece of crape…” (637). Goodman Gray at this point has come to a very important conclusion, although he likely does not realize it. Goodman Gray is having difficulty seeing Mr. Hopper because the beast is starting to fully consume Mr. Hopper.
Pride is deadly to Christian leadership, Hawthorne argues, because it prevents genuine self-examination. Hawthorne’s emphasis on self-examination in leadership is one which many other leadership books echo. According to John Baldoni, “The courage of self-examination can lead to heightened self-awareness that results in leadership actions that benefit not only the leader but the entire organization.” (1). Hawthorne’s interaction between the black veil and the mirror show how a lack of this self-examination leads to bondage, “In truth, his own antipathy to the veil was known to be so great, that he never willingly passed before a mirror…, lest, in its peaceful bosom, he should be affrighted himself.” (642). The mirror in this passage represents the importance of being courageous enough to self-reflect. Mr. Hopper was too afraid of what he would see in the mirror, so instead of being courageous he continued to be oppressed by his own pride. Although the veil is seemingly confident in its abilities to control Mr. Hopper, even it has vulnerabilities. If Mr. Hopper were too look at himself in the mirror and see the utter evil upon cloaked upon his face, he would surely be inclined to throw off this horrible beast. As long as the beast keeps Mr. Hopper from self-examination, it can continue to mold him in the image of the black veil.
Pride is deadly to Christian leadership because it is contagious.

Christian leaders have a tremendous ability to influence others, as Bill Hybel says, “You are a person of influence. Your attitudes, behaviors, choices, words and even facial expressions make a difference in people’s everyday lives…Whether for good or for ill, your influence matters greatly in the lives of those you know.” (11). Hawthrone uses the metaphorical black veil to demonstrate when pride corrupts Christian leaders it easily spreads other. In Hawthorne’s tale, the black veil is a hungry beast which feeds on the souls of the vulnerable. At the beginning of the story, the veil seems content to feast on the soul of Mr. Hopper. His “secret sin” was enough to satisfy the veil for a time. However, the veil eventually sucked a majority of the life out of Mr. Hopper, leaving merely a shell of who he once was. Although Mr. Hopper was still physically alive at this point, he was mostly emotionally, spiritually, and mentally dead. The veil still desires more, and when it sees the vulnerability in Mrs. Hopper it multiples itself and transfers over to her. This transfer of pride is seen in Mrs. Hopper’s quote, “...Beloved and respected as you are, there may be whispers, that you hide your face under the consciousness of secret sin. For the sake of your holy office, do away this scandal” (641). The most important phrase in this quote is, “…there may be whispers” (641). Although she bookends this comment with two endearing comments, this phrase reveals an overt concern with her own reputation. It is through this vulnerability that the black veil of pride seeps

in.
Pride corrupts Christian leadership. It attacks its core values and thus decreases its effectiveness. In the metaphorical characterization of the black veil in Mr. Hopper’s life, Hawthorne demonstrates the ways which pride attacks Christian leadership. First, pride is dangerous because it creates a false idea of control. It makes its victim believe that they can internally solve their problems rather than allowing them to connect to God who is the ultimate power source. Next, pride too is dangerous because it disfigures the proper image of man. It distorts the model that God created and molds the person instead into its own image. Pride is also dangerous because it prevents self-examination. Rather than allowing its victim to grow through recognizing their flaws, pride keeps its victim trapped in a prison of apathy. Pride also establishes a flawed perspective on the world. In doing so, it distorts the Christian leader’s vision which leads to a disconnection between leaders and followers. Finally, the most devastating fact about pride’s infection in Christian leadership is that it is contagious. Pride feeds on the influence of Christian leaders and continues to spread its negative effects. As seen in the life of Mr. Hopper, through its negative effects, pride keeps people from enjoying the fullness of life.
Hawthorne concludes Mr. Hopper’s life as such, “ …Mr. Hopper spent a long life irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicious; kind and loving, though unloved and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summoned to their aid in moral anguish” ( 643). Although Mr. Hopper was still able to influence people in his pride, his pride kept him from enjoying the fullest of life.