466

were most interesting illustrations of Christian
festivity, and thoroughly in unison with the
tone of his mind—unswerving in his own course,
but entirely catholic in relation to his fellow-
Christians. His great aim being the glory of
God, by the exaltation of the Redeenier’s name,
he found no obstruction, from any preconceived
path of his own, to unity with others whom he
recognised as pursuing the same great object,
whether in his own Society, or in other sections
of the Church of Christ.

As he lived—so he died. The gradual change
from active exertion to total inability was just
such as is described in the well-known lines,—

“ Sinks to the grave with unperceived decay,
While resignation gently slopes the way ;”

the same quiet unruffled cheerfulness, and simi-
lar, though deep-toned words of comfort or warn-
ing, uttered “ in season” to his family or friends.
The clearness of his memory was noticeable,
when, 1 such occasions, he would enforce what
was before his mind, by correct and sometimes
long quotations from the sacred volume.

On the last anniversary of the Bible Meeting
he was confined to his room, but was able to en-
joy the visits of some friends of the cause which
was so near to his heart. ‘“ I mentioned to him,”
(says one of these in a letter to one of his
daughters), ‘‘ the expression of an excellent man
who, some months before his departure, said in
answer to an inquiry,—‘ I am not afraid to die,
but I am afraid ¢o live’”—(lest he should lose
those hallowed impressions). On hearing this,
your father added, ‘ But I am not afraid to die
or to live!’

On one occasion in the earlier part of his
painful illness, speaking of the mercies of his
Heavenly Father, he added, “ It is such a com-
fort to feel that all is ordered by Him. I feel as
if I could live years even in this state if it be
His will.”

Several times he repeated 1 Thess. y. 16 to
24 ; evidently wishing to impress this Scripture
upon his family.

Looking out into the fields he remarked,
“How much they begin to look like harvest.
The Lord be praised! How good it is to re-
ceive every blessing as coming from His hand ;
I like to speak well of His name,—to be cheerful
when I can.” Often he spoke of the mercy of
God in Christ Jesus, saying it was all mercy;
he had nothing to trust to but that.

‘As with the joy of harvest,” was his spirit
gathered into the heavenly garner. Not long
had the harvest been reaped from those beauti-
ful fields surrounding his earthly home, ere
friends, neighbors, and villagers, assembled
mournfully under the bright autumn sun, and
many a tearful eye and sorrowing heart followed
the train which bore his long-known form to the
grave ;—“ even as a shock of corn cometh in, in
his season ;’’ many too, however various their

FRIENDS’ REVIEW.

 

 
    
  
    

shades of opinion on earth, unitir
hope of the Christian, that as “ Jes
rose again, even so them also wh
Jesus will God bring with | i

Monitor.

 

For Friends’ Review.
NOTICES OF DAVID COOPER. a
It is possible to indulge too much in the ten-
dency to “ backward loo ing,” and, y relling too
exclusively in the contemplation of the times
and the deeds of long departed worthies, to ig-
nore the important fact that our par is to
in the living present.” Yet ana cient prop
declared :—‘ The righteous shall’ be in ever-
lasting remembrance ;’—and it is doubtless
profitable sometimes to dig out from the debris
of past generations memorials of the qualifying
power of divine grace, and evidences that this
has been sufficient, from age to age, under trials
and temptations similar to those of our own day,
to make the steadfast disciple more than con-
queror, through the Captain of Salvation. _
In a former number of the Review some re-
markuble passages were given from the diary of
David Cooper. The readers of this valuable
periodical may be willing to know something of
his character, »and of his successive stages of
growth, to the full stature of a man in Christ
Jesus. Vay ROP UIR TR Gh
His great grandfather, William veer
progenitor, probably, of hundreds of the read-
ers of the Review) was born in 1632. He was

 

  
    
        
    
   

  

married at about the age of 28 years, and soon
after he and his wife, from religious conviction,

associated themselves with that earnest body of
Christians whose faith had just been intensified
by the martyrdom of Mary , and in whose
hosts of living witnesses to the divine power
were still included, George Fox, Isaac Pening-
ton, William Penn, Edward Burroughs, Robert
Barclay, and many others; comprising
and noble band, whose virtues we may profi
bly contemplate, and whose fuith we should \
well to follow. He was a resident of Coleshill,
Hertfordshire, England, where he became a min-
ister of the gospel; and on his removal in
1678 to New Jersey, his Monthly tia,
tified, “that the said William Cooper, and Mar-
garet his wife, having lived in these parts for
many years, ever since the first of their con-
vincement, have walked conscientiously and hon-
estly amongst us, agreeably to the profession and
testimony of truth.” te
After a brief tarriance at Burlingt
settled at “ Pine Point,” opposite 1
which was soon to be the scene

‘Where a conquest was gained withor
blood eM ke eae
And the savage bowed down to the sage.

William Cooper’s name is found appe nded tothe
testimonies i ; Geors ‘is ued by the

rane:

  
  

 
  
  
    

t George Keith, iss