A

at Spring Garden may be appropriately mentioned. gentleman from the far West, writing immediately after his death, said :—

"I attended his ministry at Spring Garden, Philadelphia, during the winter of 1866. I loved him then, but not as I have for the past five years. . . . I shall never forget one incident that occurred at that church-that was when a dear little son of his, of only eight years, presented himself as a candidate for probation. My heart melted then, as hundreds besides, when I saw the strong man bowed like a child, and heard him ask the Church if he should receive that lamb into the fold. I saw the loving father then as never before-also the spirit of Christ, when He said, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.'

"When I saw Brother Cookman years afterwards, I asked him if he remembered that incident, and if that little boy had remained faithful. 'Oh, yes,' he said; he is about twelve years old now, and is a sanctified boy.'

While on this subject it will not be amiss to insert an extract from a short speech which fell from his lips on one occasion at a Sunday School convention :

"The Rev. Alfred Cookman arose, and expressed his confidence in the conversion of children, declaring that he did not believe the way to heaven lay through the territory of sin,' but that children at an early age might be brought to a saving knowledge of redeeming love; citing as an illustration the case of a boy who was converted at the age of ten, who was a pupil in the Sabbath School, became a teacher, a librarian, an exhorter, afterwards a minister of the Gospel, who then stood before them, to speak his faith in the power of regenerating grace in the hearts of the young.

"Mr. Cookman of course referred to his own history; and those who are familiar with his love for children, and his rare power to interest them, cannot but feel grateful that he was so early called of God, since perhaps to this may be attributed that sympathy which he entertains for them; a sympathy which has encouraged many youthful hearts to beat with holy aspirations for the favour of that Saviour who said, Suffer little children to come unto me.'

CHAPTER XX.

GRACE CHURCH.-SKILL IN THE

PASTORATE.-NATIONAL

CAMP-MEETINGS AT HAMILTON, OAKINGTON, AND

DESPLAINES.

THE camp-meetings over, the devoted pastor was once more quietly seated in the bosom of his family, and again engaged in those regular pastorial duties which to him were more congenial than all besides. It was in vain that he was invited to step aside from his chosen work into an educational institution: whatever might be the advantage of a settled home and school facilities for his children, his mission, to himself at least, was clear. The immediate care of souls was to him unspeakably precious; to feed the flock of Christ, an employment beyond any other which the Church could offer him.

He was invited to Philadelphia to speak at the anniversary of the Young Men's Christian Association, held in the Academy of Music, November 30th. In the address which he delivered, one can but be struck with the great theme which seemed more and more to fill his mind, and which he deemed so important to Christian workers as hardly to be omitted without recognition upon all occasions-dependence upon the Holy Ghost.

"The people heard Seneca, excellent man as he was; they heard Seneca and the excellent truths he spoke, and deteriorated in

The world has been listening

their morals-they got worse and worse. to the teachings of Jesus-listening during all these centuries; and, as these gentlemen will bear me witness, the world has been getting better and better in consequence of these truths.

"Mr. President, I know of no satisfactory answer that can be supplied, except that our Christianity has the Holy Ghost in it. It has the Word; it has the truth which gives light; but it has the Holy Spirit of God that gives life. And what we want is life; for the world is dead, terribly dead, in trespasses and sins. In illustration of what I mean: I take it that there is not an individual in any of these galleries or under the sound of my voice, not one but is familiar with that fundamental truth, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength.' We all hold that now; but how many of this vast audience really do love God with all their heart and soul and mind and strength'? Perhaps, if appealed to personally or privately, many would say we have not the disposition; some would confess that they were lacking in the ability. Now, mark, they have the truth; they have it all their lives long; but yet they do not love God with all their hearts. What then? Let these come to God; let them ask for the ability; let them ask in the name of Christ and Him crucified; let them plead with a humble reliance upon God's strength, His strength; this is leading men in Christ Jesus. In answer to their prayer the Holy Ghost shall be given, and then they will not only know to love God, as they have during all these years, but they will love God with all their heart. It will not only be a fact in their minds, but it will be an experience in their hearts; it will be a power, a blessed saving power in their lives.

"This, şir, I feel is just what our associations and churches and communities are now so much needing. We need this Divine power, this supernatural power; it is necessary to accompany and apply the truth to the minds and hearts of those with whom we have to do.

"In trying to do good in the world, the Infinite One fills us, inspires us, emboldens us, ennobles us, saves us, blesses us, makes us strong in nature and in the power of His might. Oh! does not this quiet, thoughtful, attentive audience see the point I would make? Entirely consecrated to the service, and then filled with God! A co-worker with Omnipotence! I challenge the world to supply a more sublime ideal of character, of experience, of life!"

The Christmas festival was a delight to Mr. Cookman, and was always appropriately observed by suitable religious

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL.

253

and social exercises. His house, with its interchange of gifts and salutations, was a scene of cheerful gaiety. With his own children and the children of the Sunday School he mingled freely, reminding them by his innocent mirthfulness that the religion which Jesus was born to establish is fitted to make everybody happy. The enthusiastic and tasteful celebrations of the season on its annual returns while he was at Grace Church were among the pleasantest occurrences of his pastorate, and cannot soon be blotted from the memories of his young parishioners.

In March, 1870, Mr. Cookman was re-appointed for the third year to Grace Church.

His delicate tact and tender thoughtfulness as a pastor were happily illustrated quite early in the year in connection with the last illness of one of the devout ladies of his Church, Mrs. Bates, the wife of Chancellor Bates. Mr. Bates's note, accompanying the letters written by Mr. Cookman to Mrs. Bates, afford the best explanation of the case, and also offer a very just tribute to the worth of the faithful pastor.

The letter, of which the enclosed is a copy, was written by Mr. Cookman to Mrs. Bates during her last illness, at a period when a failure of voice precluded her from conversation with friends—hence the occasion for his giving her pastoral advice and sympathy by letter. It was most gratefully appreciated by her, and often read with expressions of great pleasure, and with much consolation and help under her feebleness. She held him in affectionate confidence and regard, and cordially received and rested upon his counsels; and this letter, together with a subsequent one written from New England, of which also a copy is enclosed with this, did much toward inspiring her with a more cheerful and resigned spirit under her declining strength. It is a beautiful outflow of pastoral affection, breathing the very spirit of Christ Himself, and containing sentiments worthy to be written in letters of gold. It is a memorial of both the departed far more precious than rubies."

"WILMINGTON, May 31, 1870.

"You must not think that we have forgotten you in your affliction. A hundred times you have been in our thoughts, and very frequently, if it had been deemed practicable or best, we would have offered you in person the sympathy of a pastor's heart. It has occurred to me that a message of love through this medium might not be unwelcome, and hence I take a moment to communicate that there are some hearts outside of your happy home that are concerned for your welfare, and that do not fail or forget to present you in your feebleness to that Father who does not willingly afflict any of His dear children. The dispensation that withdraws you from the active duties of domestic life is profoundly mysterious. We will not presumptuously venture an explanation of this providence. At the same time, you will be comforted by the remembrance that our Father, if inscrutable, is never wrong. Clouds frequently cover His ways, but there is light on the other side of the cloud-light to reveal the fact of mystery-light with which we may meet the obligations and trials of the passing hour. We must trust where we cannot trace,' and remember that while living the life of faith we are moving as safely as though we understood everything. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.'

"May I affectionately counsel that, with an implicit and steady reliance upon Jesus for the help of the Almighty Spirit, you accept all the will of God moment by moment—aye, take that will into your heart, and love it better than all beside; for the difference between the unsaved and the fully saved is, that while the former find the will of God without them, and are obliged to submit to what they cannot change, the latter find that same will within them, and very cheerfully submit to what they would not change.

66

Let this season of affliction be an epochal time in your earthly history-constituted such not only by a fuller, but by the fullest submission of yourself and family and all to the infinitely excellent will of your Father in heaven. You may safely trust that will, for it is never It is always the expression of Divine wisdom

arbitrary, never wrong. and love.

"As you sometimes indulge in prospective vision, say that all the rest of your life shall be, in the fullest and strictest sense, a consecrated life--a life hid with Christ in God—a life blessed in its experiences and in its results, concerning itself principally for the spiritual welfare of those around you, and linking itself with the glory and triumph of the eternal future. Take this opportunity that the providence of God gives