MISS ANNIE E. DICKINSON.

209

no small place in the public estimation. This thoughtful, ardent young woman found in Mr. Cookman's spirit and instructions what her nature needed. She came out from the Society of Friends, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. She showed a genuine piety, an inquiring temper, and promise of marked usefulness. What her precise relations to the Christian Church may be at present, I do not know; but there is not a loyal heart in all America that has not beaten responsively to the truthful, brave, and eloquent words which she afterward uttered in the nation's darkest trials. Her scathing rebukes of treason and her searching exposures of wrong, her animated, cheerful eulogies of liberty, heroism, and the flag, have roused to hatred of violence and to love of right even where the arguments of men had failed. I refer to Miss Annie E. Dickinson. The tribute which she has kindly written to the memory of him who was for so brief a time her pastor abundantly attests the depth of her attachment for him, and proves that her heart must be in sympathy with the great truths which it was his single joy to advance.

To the Rev. John E. Cookman:

"It is not an easy task you mark me. *** Years have gone by since I sat down by your brother, looked into a face that warmed like the sun, and listened to a voice that called me away from all things poor and mean and earthly, as a strain of celestial music might call.

66

Long years full of strife and care and toil-yet face and voice seem and sound as clear as though they shone and spoke but yesterday.

“A love of humanity wide as humanity, a charity inexhaustible, an earnestness that stirred the most careless, a hungering and thirsting after righteousness-not for its rewards-a tireless effort in season and out of season, with tender, yet powerful touch to mould and fashion others into the likeness of the Master; a longing so boundless to be like his Master, as to wear through flesh and blood full early, and carry the sanctified soul to know Him 'face to face.'

"This was Alfred Cookman.

"Sad hearts out of count has he left behind; eyes will grow dim and voices choked for years to come, when they think of or speak his name.

For he was one of those rare souls so exalted as to breathe the atmosphere of heaven, yet so gently human as to draw love and tenderness from whoso approached him.

"So his life seems to me, and, so seeming, I would that my pen were gifted with some of his subtle power to show it forth to others.

"As it is, I speak from my heart."

Only one letter of Mr. Cookman of this particular period has come into my possession. It was written on his birthday to his wife at her parental home in Columbia, and breathes the child-like, playful spirit, the earnest, constant zeal which so uniformly and beautifully blended in his daily life. I can imagine the air of conscious dignity with which the presents of the little brothers were accepted, as though they had conferred upon their papa a real benefaction.

To his wife, Mrs. Annie E. Cookman :

“PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday afternoon, January 4, 1859.

Certainly you will expect me to act the correspondent on my birthday. Thirty-one years ago I struck Columbia in my descent to this sorrow-smitten planet. From that starting-point I have prosecuted an eventful and, in most respects, a delightful pilgrimage. To-day I erect my Ebenezer again, and gratefully acknowledge 'hitherto hath the Lord helped me.' Our meeting is progressing with considerable interest and success. Last night, despite the snow-storm, the body of the church was quite well filled. Brother E. J. Way preached an excellent sermon. Ten presented themselves for prayers, and four were happily converted. George is proceeding most prosperously in his Christian course; he says he is perfectly satisfied. Saidie tells us that last night he went to bed, joyously singing, 'I will believe, I now believe, that Jesus died for me.' Nothing, she estimates, could exceed his tenderness and kindness to her. He was always faithful and affectionate, but now, she states, there is an expression and exhibition of this feeling she has never seen before. It will inaugurate a new epoch in their domestic history. Saidie is resolved that George shall not go to heaven without her. Her mind, I think, is made up to walk with him in the narrow way. She talks about nothing else, and weeps almost constantly. Oh, that her night may soon end in joyous day! The children are both well. Just now they came into my study and placed on my table their porte-monnaies, saying, 'Pa, this is your birthday present from us.' Dear little fellows, they did it

THE SECRET OF HIS USEFULNESS.

211

of their own accord, and in perfect good faith. I put their present in my pocket, and thanked them very sincerely. They will not be separated. George asks a great many questions about his sister Annie; wants to know if she will live after the doctor cuts her with his lancet. When I speak of ma's return, their little eyes dance with delight."

I close the Green Street pastorate with a brief testimony from J. F. Bird, M.D., a member of the charge:

"He got behind the 'Cross' on the occasion of his first sermon, and there remained until his term, which continued for two years, was ended. The young people crowded to hear him, and very many became earnest members of the Church through his instrumentality, and are now doing good service in 'every good word and work.' Among them was his brother George. At one of the most interesting services ever held in this or any other church, this dearly beloved brother presented himself at the altar, and very soon was happily converted. In writing to an absent friend, giving an account of this conversion, he said, 'I shout with my pen and with my soul over the auspicious event.' He had labored for it and prayed for it incessantly by night and by day, and therefore could not but 'shout' when his desire was realized.

"Mr. Cookman always regarded this appointment as one of the happiest, as it was one of the most successful, of his ministerial career. He labored for the good of the people. He lost sight of self. This was the secret of his success. An intelligent member of the Church was asked by a member of the Conference what was 'the secret of Cookman's success.' The answer was, 'His evident desire to do the people good.'”

CHAPTER XIII.

THE UNION CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA.-SLAVERY AGITATION.— CHRISTIAN UNION.

Tis next turn of the itinerant wheel did not take Mr. Cookman Sir. He was appointed by Bishop Scott to the Union Church on Fourth Street, in March, 1859. The Union charge is the next oldest to St. George's in the city, and is surrounded by business houses, which have from year to year pressed out the resident population to remoter sections. It is still a strong station; but at the time Mr. Cookman was sent to it, before echer charges had been created, either wholly or partially from its membership, it was a powerful organization, including some of the most induential families of Methodism. Many of these fames came from a distance, preferring to continue in connection with a Church with which they had been so long in close fellowship to joining those which were nearer their residerces. The Union was consequently not so favorably located for a large congregation; but its proximity to the hotels and its free seats were advantageous conditions, and Mr. Cookman's popularity began immediately to produce an increased attendance upon the public services.

As indicative of the high estimate in which Mr. Cook ministry was held, T

Thomas L. Masc

Writing to the

"When Alf power would Conference

him, and t

lette

derstanding that at the exprrator of two years he would be sent to U -and so he was. Our parsonage was in Eghth Street, above Race, but t accommodate his Time chieren, we removed it to 224 North Fifth Street. and partially refurnished it. He was received at Union with open arms and open hearts. Our congregations were good, our finances much improves. He was particularly successful with the young."

Mr. Cookman had the happiness of having many choos friends in the congregation. There were those unser nom istry who had long held him in the highest persona His whole nature found scope for its gratificate genial hearth-stones his sanctified affection: er ove companionship, while in the Church his hand we ened by judicious counsels and tender sympa... Andrew Longacre, laid aside by feeb work of the ministry, was a member c ministered, by his calm and gentle f and usefulness. His brother Georg ual grace, with uncommon endowments was at his elbow. His own mother, as She who had so often fed him with the Wond

be fed by him. But now, as before and sible, more than she received To wisdom which, in his opinion,

faith which knew no abatement

quench, was to him no sight duous a position. The to house of Mr. J.BL

the pastor could repies to a quiet haver,

e

.ee

m

The

of Mr.

wheneptable

He will