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FRIENDS’ REVIEW.

 

‘My dear, it may be the Almighty will please to
restore thee to us again.’ She replied, ‘I have
not desired it.’ She took a little drink, asked
to be laid down, and then to be turned on one
side, and she never spoke more, but died away,
like one going into a sweet sleep, without sigh
or groan.

“‘ Pavor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but
a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be
praised.”

‘“ These memorials of my dear wife, I thought,
claimed my care to preserve. As the dying
sayings of the righteous are ever sweet and
living to those who are following their footsteps,
so, in a particular manner, are these to me, who
have been so intimate a witness of her religious
and innocent life, her exemplary and circum-
spect walking, whereby she attained the happy
experience and full assurance that her Redeemer
lives; wherein she could look beyond mortality,
and triumphantly say, ‘Ob, Death, where is thy
sting; Oh, Grave, where is thy victory!’ Death
appeared to have no terror. Her innocent soul
seemed to think the time tedious, till it could
be released from this clog of flesh, to ascend
into the arms of its blessed Saviour, there to
laud and praise His holy name forever and ever.
May it excite in us, who are left behind for a
little space, a lively concern to be as well pre-
pared for that trying hour, the touchstone of pre-
ceding life, that so we may die the death of the
righteous, and our latter end be, like hers, sweet
and instructive to the beholders.

“¢ And, now, my dear children, at the writing
of this, after an absence of more than 23 years,
when the fervor of affection must have subsided,
and there can be nothing to bias me from an im-
partial judgment, I may say (in order to incite
you to conduct worthy of such a mother,) that
I have never yet seen her equal: so many ex-
cellent endowments and amiable qualities cen-
tered in one person. A sweetness of disposi-
tion, even and steady temper, courteous and en-
gaging demeanor, firm and unshaken friendship,
and, above all, strength and fortitude of mind
through every scene of life, were excellencies
that have hardly been possessed in a higher de-
gree; to which may be added, a quick and ready
apprehension and sound judgment, cheerful, but
modest, always making the best of things: so
that a complaint of any kind, or slighting ex-
pression concerning others seldom escaped her
lips. And the meek, diffident and sincere Chris-
tian (equally distant from ostentation or bigot-
ry) shone through, and gave a lustre to her
whole conduct.

“Such, my dear children, was your mother.
Such the woman who gave you birth, and whose
tender hand supported your infant days. The
only return you can make her is to live as she
did, imitate her virtues, that so your end, like
hers, may be peace.”

At her funeral, the gospel of Him who has

 

abolished death and illustrated life and immor-
tality, was preached by William Rickett, (from
England,) by Hannah Foster, and by those dig.
nified and eminent ministers of Christ, Daniel
Stanton and John Pemberton. sie

D. C., now left with six children, the young.
est less than one year, the eldest less than
twelve years of age, was plunged into a depth
of distress, of which, he justly remarks, “ none
can be sensible but those who have passed
through the like conflict.” But the stricken
husband was a Christian, and he knew whither
to resort for help. He poured out his soul in
prayer for unmurmuring resignation, blessing
the holy name ot Him who had taken to himself
so rich a boon, and reverently exclaiming,
“Thou art able to cause the sea which threat-
ens my overthrow to be my deliverer.” —_-

Feeble in health, depressed in spirits, the
world faded in his view; he looked and longed
to ‘flee away, and be at rest.” ‘“ While in this
state,” he writes, ‘‘it seemed to be said to me,
‘unless thou art resolved to destroy thyself,
shake off this gloom, and see after thy business.’ ””

Mary Matlack, daughter of Wm. Matlack,
and an inmate of D. Cooper’s family, died Fourth
month 17th, 1759 ; Sibyl Cooper, daughter of
Timothy Matlack (brother to said William), on
Ist of Fifth month; and Deborah, daughter of
Richard Matlack (another brother), the wife of
D. C.’s brother James, on the 12th of Sixth
month ; “all on a third day of the week, and all
in the course of eight weeks.” Timothy Mat-
lack of Revolutionary memory, who died at a
great age, and was known to many of our read-
ers, was brother to Sibyl Cooper. jog

‘«« My sister Hannah kept house for me about
two years, when my daughter Martha, (my eldest
child), then about 14 years of age, took the care
of my family,so that I had no occasion for other
housekeeper. And great cause of thankfulness
have I had on her account, to the Giver of every
good, who thus favored me with a child capable
of conducting my family, and taking care of five
younger children, at an age when she might be
supposed herself to be in the greatest need of
a mistress.” #

In the year 1760 the fatal prevalence of small-
pox caused much alarm in the neighborhood,
and on the 22d of Second month D. C.’s young-
est daughter, Ann, (subsequently wife of Rich-
ard Wood), showed symptoms of the complaint.
Considerable excitement existed on the subject
of inoculation, (vaccination not being introduced
by Dr. Jenner till 16 years later.) David Coop-
er’s mind was much exercised in this matter.
No Friends had, to his knowledge, resorted to
this means, which appeared, at the least, to in-
volve a certain risk; and by many was regarded
as tempting Providence. To him it rather ap-
peared “a merciful discovery of Providence,
whereby his creatures might pass through that
dreadful distemper with less danger and suffer-