Etfe 
 
 of 
 Cookman 
 
 iScb. 
 
 "fle ivas not Pauline, but he tuas Johanine. He 
 was the brother of John. He leaned upon his Mas- 
 ter's breast, from 'whom he drew his inspiration." 
 "Bishop R. S. Foster, at the funeral of Alfred 
 Cookman. 
 
 CINCINNATI: JENNINGS & PYE 
 NEW YORK EATON & MAINS
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1900, 
 BY J. W. HAMILTON
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 \I7E have been induced to prepare 
 this brief life of our esteemed 
 friend and brother, Alfred Cookman, to 
 meet a long-felt need; viz., a compre- 
 hensive account of this holy man, 
 adapted to the great mass of the Church 
 whom he loved, and who love and re- 
 vere his memory. The late Dr. H. B. 
 Ridgaway, some years ago, wrote a most 
 exhaustive life of this good man, which 
 was, in all respects, worthy of the 
 scholarly author. It was a book of 
 nearly 500 pages, published by the Har- 
 pers, and sold at $2 per copy. It seemed 
 to have failed in two particulars : It was 
 too ^expensive for people of moderate 
 means, and too bulky and exhaustive 
 3-
 
 Preface, 
 
 for busy people, who have little leisure 
 for reading. 
 
 The present volume seeks to avoid 
 these extremes. We have sought to 
 present in a condensed form all that is 
 essential to a proper understanding and 
 appreciation of the character of this 
 saintly man. 
 
 We are indebted to the Messrs. Har- 
 pers for permission to use a few selec- 
 tions from the aforesaid Life, as the 
 work has for some time been out of 
 print. 
 
 People of small- means, equally with 
 those of abundance, will find this Life 
 of Alfred Cookman, small as it is, an 
 inspiration to holy living, and a bless- 
 ing which will cheer and help them in 
 the struggles and conflicts of life. 
 
 In view* of Mr. Cookman's deep, life- 
 long interest in the colored race, we 
 have arranged that the entire profits 
 4
 
 Preface. 
 
 . from the sale of this work shall be de- 
 voted to the benefit of the Freedmen's 
 Aid and Southern Education Society 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 
 Our fervent prayer is that the spirit 
 of Alfred Cookman may possess all the 
 workers in this field, as well as the peo- 
 ple for whom they labor. This will 
 fully compensate the writer for any labor 
 he has ' performed, and will fully meet 
 the wishes of Mrs. Cookman and her 
 children. 
 
 5
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 '"THE vision of John Fletcher's face 
 * often sent conviction to the sin- 
 ner's heart. Edward Perronet, who 
 wrote the immortal hymn, 
 
 "All hail the power of Jesus' name, 
 Let angels prostrate fall," 
 
 had a brother, William, who testified 
 that the first sight of Fletcher's face so 
 impressed him that he never got over 
 it till he gave his heart to God. 
 
 Dr. Daniel Devinne, once a missionary 
 in the then remote wilds of Louisiana, 
 wrote Dr. Abel Stevens, the historian of 
 Methodism, that on his circuit he found 
 a settler who had been reproved by 
 Fletcher of Madeley for profanity. He 
 was struck dumb by the look of the 
 vicar, and though afterwards he went 
 to sea and forgot the words of rebuke 
 7
 
 Introduction. 
 
 and was recklessly wicked, that look 
 never escaped his mind. It followed 
 him everywhere, into whatever part of 
 the world he went, and annoyed him in 
 all his sins. On penetrating into Loui- 
 siana, and hearing the Methodist itiner- 
 ant fifty years later the remembered 
 "look" overpowered him. No longer 
 resisting the impression which had fol- 
 lowed him the world over, he yielded, 
 obtained pardon, lived a holy life, and 
 soon after died in great peace. 
 
 The Church of God has always had 
 such "solar-light" believers. Isaiah 
 speaks of them when he says, "All that see 
 them shall acknowledge them, that they 
 are the seed which the L,ord hath blessed." 
 
 Such a face had Alfred Cookman. 
 Who that ever saw it can forget it? 
 The vision of it has sent conviction to 
 many a sinner's heart. " The beauty of 
 holiness" was there. 
 
 As he moved among us, and preached 
 to us the Word of I/ife, thousands were 
 moved to seek and find the " full salva- 
 8
 
 Introduction. 
 
 tion," to the possible attainment of 
 which he bore such glorious witness. 
 
 There are some expressions of Scrip- 
 ture which must seem like poetic exag- 
 gerations to an unspiritual mind; such 
 as, " The peace of God which passeth all 
 understanding;" "Joy unspeakable and 
 full of glory;" "A weight of glory;" 
 but when these expressions are inter, 
 preted in the light of such an experi* 
 ence as that of Alfred Cookman, they 
 seem exactly fitted to describe it. 
 
 Words less intense would not suit 
 the case at all. When his countenance 
 was in repose, you would think of the 
 ''peace that passeth all understanding;" 
 when preaching the Word, and brea^ 
 ing the bread of life to the people, you 
 would think of the "joy unutterable;" 
 and when, in answer to his prayer, the 
 Holy Ghost fell upon the congregation, 
 you would think of and feel "the 
 weight of glory." 
 
 The holiness which Alfred Cookman 
 professed and possessed is what the 
 
 9
 
 Introduction, 
 
 Church needs to-day beyond all words 
 to tell. 
 
 Many well-meaning people who pro- 
 fess this blessing are " troublers of 
 Israel," by their egotism, by their cen- 
 sorious spirit, by their habit of finding 
 fault with those who do not accept 
 their teachings. There was nothing of 
 this about Alfred Cookman. He was 
 brilliant and effective in controversy, 
 but always kind. 
 
 It is said of Fletcher's controversial 
 writings : " They were severe only in the 
 keenness of their arguments." " They 
 can be read by devout men even as aids 
 to devotion." It was so with the ser- 
 mons and writings of Alfred Cookman. 
 No severe criticism ever fell from his 
 lips. He drank in the very spirit of a 
 little verse Bishop Capers once wrote 
 in a lady's album 
 
 "Let me be tender when I touch 
 
 The meanest name to Jesus dear, 
 Lest my rude hand inflict a wound 
 Where Jesus' mercy drops a tear."
 
 Introduction. 
 
 He never believed in the denunciatory 
 method of getting people to see the 
 truth. 
 
 He believed in the possibility of a 
 victorious life in this world, and that 
 is the most glorious dream " that ever 
 floated before a human soul. He sought 
 with all his might to lead the Church 
 he loved into this blessed experience. 
 He was cheering on the Sacramental 
 Host when the messenger came to sum- 
 mon him home to heaven. When, as 
 we thought, we needed him most, he 
 disappeared from our sight for a little 
 while. 
 
 Dr. William McDonald has written 
 the story of his life, and in doing this 
 he has done the Church a great service. 
 This little book should be universally 
 read. Pastors who desire to kindle in 
 their congregations a flame of revival, 
 should circulate this book freely among 
 the people. It teaches the " conquering 
 theology " that never grows old that 
 never can be supplanted ; the theology
 
 Introduction. 
 
 which is interwoven with the promisevS 
 and prayers and prophecies of the Holy 
 Scriptures so thoroughly that nothing 
 but the utter destruction of almost 
 every page of the book itself will get it 
 out of the Church and out of the world. 
 It is the theology of Paul, and Wesley, 
 and Asbury. " By this sign conquer." 
 Preach it, live it, and we shall see what 
 John Fletcher spoke of as that " glori- 
 ous wonder," A PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 
 
 ON EARTH. 
 
 CHARLES C. McCABE. 
 
 12
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. PAGE 
 
 PARENTAGE AND CHILDHOOD, .... 15 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 SHADOWS AND HOME DESOLATION, - - - 28 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 THE MOTHER OF ALFRED COOKMAN, - 37 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 THE MANLY YOUTH AND FAMILY COUNSELOR, 49 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE GREAT SALVATION EXPERIENCED, - - 60 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 NATURAL GRACES AND HOLY LIFE, 73 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ARDENT LOVE FOR AMERICAN BONDMEN, - 89 
 13
 
 Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL PAGE 
 
 ALFRED COOKMAN, A MODEL FAMILY MAN, 103 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A LOVING LEADER OF THE NATIONAL HOLI- 
 NESS MOVEMENT, - - - - 119 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE NATIONAL HOLINESS MOVEMENT. CON- 
 TINUED, i - - 140 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 THE SUCCESSFUL PASTOR AND PERSUASIVE 
 
 PREACHER, - - 160 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 PASTOR AND PREACHER. CONTINUED, - - 183 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 FINAL TRIUMPH: SWEEPING THROUGH THE 
 
 GATES, 208 
 
 14
 
 LIFE SKETCHES 
 
 OF 
 
 REV. ALFRED COOKMAN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 PARENTAGE AND CHILDHOOD. 
 
 men have been called from the 
 Church Militant who have left a 
 more widely-extended and hallowed in- 
 fluence than Alfred Cookman. His 
 dying words have been an inspiration 
 to the Universal Church in all lands, 
 and this influence must continue to be 
 felt as the years go by. 
 
 "He belonged to seraphic royalty," 
 
 said Bishop Foster, in an address de- 
 
 livered at his funeral. "I have known," 
 
 he continued, "the Church for thirty 
 
 15
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookmao. 
 
 years ; I have known the men of the 
 Church during that time through all her 
 ministry; and the most sacred man I 
 have known" (looking down into the 
 casket before him) "is he who is en- 
 shrined in that casket." The following 
 pages contain a brief memoir of this 
 saintly man. 
 
 Alfred Cookman was born in Colum- 
 bia, Pennsylvania, a, town on the Sus- 
 quehanna River, January 4, 1828. His 
 father, Rev. George G. Cookman, was 
 an Englishman by birth, born in Hull, 
 England, in 1800. His father was a 
 local preacher among the Wesleyan 
 Methodists, and, being a man of wealth, 
 his son enjoyed the advantages of a care- 
 ful academical education, as well as a 
 thorough religious training. He early 
 developed a rare ability for public speak- 
 ing, especially at Sunday-school anni- 
 versaries and similar meetings. 
 
 When but twenty-one years of age, 
 George G. Cookman made a business 
 trip to America in the interests of his 
 16
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 father, and while here conceived a strong 
 liking for the people and country. On 
 his return to England, he devoted him- 
 self to business, in company with his 
 father, and for some four years he could 
 be said to be "diligent in business, fer- 
 vent in spirit, serving the Lord." He 
 finally was fully persuaded that it was 
 his duty to preach the gospel, and, act- 
 ing upon that decision, made some ^suc- 
 cessful attempts. His father finally con- 
 sented to release him, and, his mother 
 concurring, he started again for America, 
 in 1825. He was cordially received by 
 the* brethren in Philadelphia, and at the 
 ensuing Annual Conference, he was re- 
 ceived on probation, and stationed at 
 Kensington. He was soon recognized 
 as a man of extraordinary pulpit power. 
 In 1827 he made a brief visit to Eng- 
 land, and while there was married to 
 Miss Mary Barton, of Doncaster, York- 
 shire, April 2d. With his new helpmate, 
 in all respects suited to aid him in his 
 great work, he returned, without delay, 
 2 17
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 to his field of labor in America. George 
 G. Cookman spent the remainder of his 
 life in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary- 
 land, and the District of Columbia. Few 
 ministers, if any, have ever labored in 
 this country with more ceaseless en- 
 ergy, unswerving devotion to God, and 
 marked success in every field in which 
 he was called to labor. 
 
 iS^> man in American Methodism 
 John Summerfield, perhaps, excepted 
 in the brief period in which he was per- 
 mitted to labor, ever produced a more 
 profound impression. He enjoyed a 
 national reputation as the most brilliant 
 and effective preacher in America. His 
 unrivaled eloquence attracted all classes, 
 from the highest officials of the nation 
 to the humblest m society. When he 
 spoke, in the pulpit or from the plat- 
 form, it seemed that every nerve and 
 muscle of his frame was full of excite- 
 ment, and clearly indicated that his lips 
 had been touched with a live coal from 
 off God's altar, and his one aim seemed 
 is
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 to be, not to produce an effect, but to 
 win men to God. 
 
 In 1839 he was elected chaplain to 
 the American Congress. Here, perhaps, 
 his influence as a preacher was most 
 widely felt. Great men bowed under 
 his eloquent appeals, as forests are 
 swayed by the tempest. He had the 
 reputation of being a man of deep re- 
 ligious devotion and of employing all 
 of his great powers in winning men, 
 not to himself, but to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. This seemed to be his sole aim. 
 
 When he had completed his chaplaincy 
 in Congress, in 1841, he arranged to 
 visit England, mainly to see again his 
 aged father, his mother having already 
 passed to her reward. He sailed from 
 New York, March nth, on the ill-fated 
 steamship President. Neither the ship 
 nor any of her company were ever after 
 heard of. She may have foundered in 
 a violent storm at sea, no one of the 
 company escaping to tell the story of 
 their end. 
 
 19
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Thus ended suddenly, and to the great 
 grief of his young family and numerous 
 friends and admirers, the life of the father 
 of Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Alfred bore the name of his honored 
 uncle, but recently deceased, who, it 
 seems, was a man of more than ordinary 
 intellectual ability and moral excellence. 
 
 The grandfather, on learning of his 
 son's first-born, writes from Hull: "We 
 were delighted to find the name Alfred 
 should not become extinct in our family. 
 May he exhibit a large share of his 
 uncle's intellectual and moral character, 
 and may his mental powers in due time 
 become as vigorous as his person is 
 likely. to be robust! May you receive 
 him as a gift of God, and while you 
 gratefully acknowledge his supporting 
 and sustaining hand, may you and the 
 child be entirely consecrated to him !" 
 This prayer was answered, at least so 
 far as Alfred was concerned ; for he was 
 a man, like Stephen, "full of faith and 
 the Holy Ghost." The mother felt for 
 
 20
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 a time that the gift of a son, however 
 precious, was likely to abridge her fan- 
 cied opportunities for such religious 
 work as both she and her husband had 
 hoped to do. But she subsequently 
 learned, to her great joy, that to rear 
 a Moses, who should lead God's people 
 into 
 
 " The land of rest from inbred sin, 
 The land of perfect holiness," 
 
 was a work as divinely appointed and 
 as highly honored as the preaching of 
 the gospel by any other method. 
 
 When about four years of age, his 
 father traveled the Talbot Circuit, on 
 the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This 
 was in the days of American slavery. 
 It was on this circuit that Alfred had 
 his first view of American slavery, but 
 in its mildest forms. It was here he 
 became most interested in slave children. 
 He is said, at this early age, to have 
 held religious services among them, and 
 even went so far as to imitate the ordi- 
 21
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 nance of baptism. He would call for a 
 bowl of water, cause them to kneel 
 down, and then proceed to say: "Bob 
 Trot, I baptize you in the name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost. God bless you and make you 
 a good boy !" This was not done in 
 boyish sport, as one might suppose, but 
 with great apparent seriousness, as often 
 occurs with children who have been re- 
 ligiously trained or have witnessed fre- 
 quently such ceremonies. His mother 
 was ever watching for every religious 
 manifestation which looked toward the 
 ministry ; for her desire was quenchless 
 that he might yet be a successful min- 
 ister of the gospel. She hailed every 
 such indication as evidence that God 
 was preparing him for his future 
 work. 
 
 During these years Alfred, according 
 to his mother's statement, was correct 
 in his deportment, truthful, and very 
 conscientious. His father is said to have 
 impressed upon his youthful mind the 
 22
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 maxim, "Play when you play, and work 
 when you work." 
 
 From his fifth to his seventh year, 
 while his father was pastor of St. 
 George's Church, in Philadelphia, Alfred 
 and his brother George were placed 
 under the care of Miss Ann Thomas, 
 /a member of the Society of Friends, 
 and under her careful instruction im- 
 proved rapidly in the elementary 
 branches of education. None regretted 
 more deeply their departure from the 
 school than their Quaker teacher. In 
 writing to their mother, she says : "I 
 can give my testimony respecting thy 
 dear boys, that I have enjoyed great 
 consolation in their company. While 
 endeavoring to inform their little minds 
 and give them a knowledge of literature, 
 they have been attentive and obedient, 
 very innocent, and strict to truth, and 
 in almost everything what my heart 
 could wish. Tell them to remember 
 Miss Ann, who dearly loves them, and 
 wishes them everlasting happiness." 
 23
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 When seven years of age, his father 
 was stationed in the city of Baltimore, 
 Maryland, and under his marvelously 
 effective ministry Alfred became deeply 
 awakened. He persuaded his parents to 
 allow him to attend a watch-night serv- 
 ice, held in the old Exeter Street Church. 
 His father preached on the occasion. 
 His subject was "The Second Coming 
 of Christ." In his own language, Alfred 
 says: "Thinking that the end of the 
 world was just at hand, I realized, for 
 the first time, my unpreparedness for 
 the trying scenes of the judgment, and 
 trembled in prospect. I date my awak- 
 ening from this time." His father was 
 soon removed from Baltimore to Car- 
 lisle, Pennsylvania, to meet a pressing 
 demand of the Church. 
 
 The Baltimore and Philadelphia Con- 
 ferences had recently purchased of the 
 Presbyterians Dickinson College, and 
 there seeme'd no other man so well 
 adapted to be stationed in that town as 
 Mr. Cookman. They needed a man of 
 24
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 marked pulpit power, as well as deep 
 devotion. The Faculty of the college 
 consisted of John P. Durbin, Robert 
 Emory, H. W. Allen, John McClintock, 
 and A. A. Roszel. These men, fresh in 
 their young manhood, and with George 
 G. Cookman as their spiritual leader, 
 were a company scarcely equaled in the 
 land. Alfred was now only ten years 
 of age, but old enough to be profoundly 
 impressed with his peculiar surround- 
 ings. Here he entered the grammar 
 school with his brother George, and from 
 what we can learn he was, in his own 
 judgment, pressed in his studies almost 
 beyond measure, or at least much be- 
 yond what he thought needful, and in 
 this respect was much like other boys 
 of his age. 
 
 It was at Carlisle, in the month of 
 February, 1838, that Alfred Cookman 
 was converted. A protracted meeting 
 was being held, and he says : "I con- 
 cluded 'now i's the accepted time; now 
 is the day of salvation.' One night, 
 25
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cockman. 
 
 when a social meeting' was held in the 
 house of a friend, I struggled with my 
 feelings, and, although it was a fearful 
 cross, I urged my way to a bench which 
 was specially appropriated for penitents. 
 My heart was convulsed with peniten- 
 tial sorrow; tears streaming down my 
 cheeks, I said, 'Jesus, Jesus, I give my- 
 self away ; 't is all that I can do.' For 
 some hours I sought, without, however, 
 realizing the desire of my heart. The 
 next evening I renewed the effort. The 
 evening after that the service was held 
 in the church ; the altar was crowded 
 with seekers, principally students from 
 Dickinson College. There seemed to be 
 no place for me, an angonizing child. 
 I remember I found my way into one 
 corner of the church. Kneeling all 
 alone. I said, 'Precious Savior, thou art 
 saving others : O wilt thou not save 
 me?' As I wept, a kind hand was laid 
 upon my head. I opened my eyes, and 
 found that it was Mr. James Hamilton, 
 a prominent elder in the Presbyterian 
 26
 
 Parentage and Childhood. 
 
 Church in Carlisle. He had come to 
 help me. I remember how sweetly he 
 unfolded the nature of faith and the plan 
 of salvation. I said, 'I will believe, I 
 do believe, I now believe that Jesus is 
 my Savior ; that he saves me, saves ; yes, 
 me, even now.' Immediately, 
 
 " The opening heavens did around me shine 
 With beams of sacred bliss ; 
 
 And Jesus showed his mercy mine, 
 And whispered, ' I am His.' " 
 
 "I love to think of it now," he says, 
 in after years. "It fills my soul un- 
 utterably full of gratitude and joy. 
 'Happy day, O happy day, when Jesus 
 washed my sins away !' " 
 
 His conversion seems to have been 
 clear. The Spirit attested the work, and 
 Alfred Cookman went on his way re- 
 joicing. 
 
 ' 27
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 SHADOWS AND HOME DESOLATION. 
 
 AT the close of Mr. George G. Cook- 
 ** man's two years at Carlisle, he was 
 removed to the National Capital. Other 
 cities sought his services, but Wash- 
 ington was successful in securing them. 
 Wesley Chapel was the center of Meth- 
 odist influence in the city. Many, 
 including members of Congress, and 
 visitors to the city from all denomina- 
 tions, were attracted by the unexampled 
 eloquence of Mr. Cookman. In 1838-39, 
 Mr. Cookman was elected chaplain of 
 the Senate, by a decided vote, over Rev. 
 Henry Slicer, D. D. There does not 
 seem to have been any special objection 
 to Dr. Slicer, for he was subsequently 
 elected to the same office ; but Mr. Cook- 
 man captivated all classes, Whigs and 
 Democrats, though he himself seems 
 28
 
 Shadows and Home Desolation. 
 
 personally to have had no part in the 
 matter. He seemed equally at home 
 with the men of world-wide fame the 
 Websters, and Calhouns, and Clays, and 
 Bentons, etc., as well as with the school- 
 men of Carlisle. Strong men were 
 awakened to a sense of their danger 
 under his powerful ministry, among 
 them Franklin Pierce, representative 
 from New Hampshire. There is little 
 doubt that Mr. Pierce intended to unite 
 with the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 and abandon politics for the ministry ; 
 but family influences turned him aside 
 from his purpose. He united with the 
 Episcopal Church, and died a member 
 of that communion. 
 
 Alfred Cookman's removal to Wash- 
 ington does not seem to have been help- 
 ful to his piety. A change of scenery 
 and associations had a tendency to turn 
 his thoughts for a time from God, but 
 not from his religious faith. Writing 
 of this period, he says, "I fell in with 
 new associates, who felt no interest in 
 29
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 the subject of religion, and declined a 
 little in my warmth and zeal, and par- 
 took a little too much of their spirit." 
 But this was of short duration. The 
 camp-meeting season was at hand, and 
 he expressed a desire to attend. On 
 leaving for the camp-meeting, his mother 
 said to him, "My son, I want you to 
 seek at the meeting an entire restora- 
 tion of your former happy experience, 
 and regain every step you have lost by 
 want of watchfulness." He says : "Her 
 counsel followed me to the forest. I 
 sought God again. I remember the 
 night. The struggle was long and pain- 
 ful ; it continued almost to the break- 
 ing of day. Glory to God ! However, 
 He who said, 'Return unto me, back- 
 sliding Israel, and I will heal thy back- 
 sliding and love thee freely,' heard and 
 answered, and restored unto me the joy 
 of his salvation. O, how beautiful the 
 following morning appeared ! The sky 
 seemed bluer than before, the air sweeter, 
 the trees greener, the landscape lovelier ; 
 30
 
 Shadows and Home Desolation* 
 
 all nature seemed to appear in a new 
 dress. I felt like saying, 'Come, all ye 
 who fear God, and I will tell you what 
 he has done for my soul !' My precious 
 father had gone off the ground to spend 
 the night. I knew the way he would 
 most probably return. I hastened in 
 that direction, saw him coming, sprang 
 into his arms, fell on his neck, and told 
 him how happy I was. Since then I 
 have had a place in the Church of Jesus 
 Christ. In the midst of great unfaith- 
 fulness and unworthiness, God has borne 
 with and preserved me, and now I feel 
 to say, 
 
 'Here I '11 raise mine Ebenezer, 
 Hither by Thy help I 'm come.' 
 
 'I attribute my conversion, under God, 
 to the instruction, example, and influ- 
 ence of pious parents." 
 
 From that time to the end of life, 
 camp-meetings were hallowed places to 
 Alfred Cookman. While in Washing- 
 ton he received many commendations
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 for successful efforts in public speaking, 
 in which he seems to have indulged. It 
 could scarcely be otherwise with such 
 a mind as his, and in the, very at- 
 mosphere of national eloquence. Two 
 years passed rapidly, and his father, 
 still chaplain of the Senate, was removed 
 to Alexandria, Virginia, then a part of 
 the District of Columbia, but since re- 
 ceded to the State of Virginia. 
 
 Had Alfred seen only the milder forms 
 of slavery, witnessed on the Eastern 
 Shore of Maryland, his impressions of it 
 would have been less abhorrent. But 
 when he arrived at Alexandria he found 
 that near his home was a slave-pen, 
 where 1 human beings were sold almost 
 daily, and doomed to a life of unpaid 
 service in the rice-swamps and cotton- 
 fields of the South. Men, women, and 
 children he saw b'ehind iron grates, and 
 manacled, for no crime save that they 
 were born with black skins. Here he 
 witnessed scenes which ought to have 
 broken any human heart, and did quite 
 32
 
 Shadows and Home Desolation. 
 
 break the heart of young Cookman. It 
 induced in him, from that time, a deep 
 and lifelong abhorrence of that system 
 of slavery which John Wesley pro- 
 nounced "the vilest that ever saw the 
 sun," and he never failed to give his 
 voice and influence against it. 
 
 One year later, 1841, his father's chap- 
 laincy closed, and he arranged to visit 
 England, and thought at first to take 
 Alfred with him, but subsequently 
 changed his purpose, Alfred saying, "I 
 will stay with my mother, and help 
 her take care of the children." His 
 father's fame was commensurate with the 
 American Republic, but that brilliant orb 
 was soon to set at noonday. Among his 
 last words to his children, as they sat 
 by the fireside, were these/'Now, boys, 
 if your father sinks in the ocean, his 
 soul will go direct to God, and you will 
 meet him in heaven." He preached his 
 last sermon in the Vestry Street Meth- 
 odist Church, New York City, Monday, 
 March Qth, where he was to be stationed 
 3 33
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 on his return. He had intended to take 
 a Cunard steamer from Boston, but was 
 induced to change his mind, and em- 
 barked on board the steamship President, 
 March nth, and, as we have before said, 
 neither steamer nor passengers were ever 
 after heard from. No voice from the 
 sea ever came to tell the story of their 
 end. There were many conjectures, but 
 no facts upon which to base them. Both 
 sides of the Atlantic felt deeply the ter- 
 rible shock. The sorrow which fell upon 
 the Cookman home can be better imag- 
 ined than described. Day after day, and 
 week after week, the suspense was heart- 
 rending. Mrs. Cookman could not give 
 up hope, but as time passed on and no 
 tidings from the sea came, it was hope 
 against hope. Alfred was the eldest of 
 a family of six, and they looked to him 
 for consolation. The mother was in the 
 agonies of despair. It seemed at times 
 as though her mind could not stand the 
 fearful pressure. Hopes so bright, pros- 
 34
 
 Shadows and Home Desolation. 
 
 pects of usefulness and domestic bliss 
 so inspiring to her enthusiastic heart, 
 to be blighted" in a day, and a darkness 
 that could be more than felt succeed 
 so suddenly, seemed utterly unbearable. 
 The deepest gloom seemed to rest upon 
 her for at least two years. She could 
 not endure to hear her husband's name 
 pronounced in her presence without the 
 deepest sorrow, so that it was carefully 
 avoided. Alfred was but thirteen years 
 of age, but his composure in the presence 
 of his afflicted, heartbroken mother was 
 remarkable for one of his years. He used 
 to say in after years, "How I did dread 
 to return home from the post-office to 
 meet my dear mother without a letter, 
 and see her disappointment!" 
 
 Alfred Cookman appears at this time 
 a most remarkable youth. This great 
 sorrow seems to have developed the 
 latent force and godly wisdom of this 
 boy of thirteen years. He fully realized 
 his position, and he faithfully tried, as 
 35
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 his mother avers, to "fill up the chasm 
 made by a wise though inscrutable 
 Providence. Eternity alone will unfold 
 all he was to the family as son and as 
 brother in the years of his minority." 
 36
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 THE MOTHER OF ALFRED COOKMAN. 
 
 '"THIS seems a proper place to give 
 some account of the life and char- 
 acter of Mrs. Cookman. We have al- 
 ready spoken of her marriage to Mr. 
 Cookman, April 2, 1827, and her coming 
 to America, as she supposed, into a 
 "wilderness," to spend her life in self- 
 sacrifice and toil for the perishing. 
 Instead of great sacrifice, she found her- 
 self associated with the best society of 
 the land, and her husband enjoying the 
 greatest and most widely-extended 
 honor which a grateful nation could be- 
 stow on a messenger of God. All at 
 once her highest 'hopes are blasted, and 
 deep sorrow fills her soul. A large, 
 young, and helpless family is left to her 
 care, and her husband sleeping in the 
 37
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ocean's deepest bed. How changed her 
 life ! But God's ways are not ours 
 
 " Sorrow touched by Him grows bright 
 
 With more than raptured ray, 
 As darkness shows us worlds of light 
 We never saw by day." 
 
 This great sorrow proved to be a great 
 blessing. On the last anniversary of her 
 marriage-day, she writes : "This is one 
 of my very sacred anniversary seasons, 
 which I cherish with deep and devout 
 gratitude to the Author and Giver of 
 all my temporal as well as spiritual gifts. 
 The second day of April, 1827, made me 
 one of the happiest, brightest individ- 
 uals in the world. I say it without limi- 
 tation, that to become the wife and 
 sharer of such a man's life, with its 
 toils, cares, trials, and triumphs, was 
 bliss enough for me, honor enough to 
 be his dearly-beloved and cherished 
 companion, with his great,' true, gener- 
 ous heart beating and pulsating towards 
 me always and everywhere. 
 38
 
 The Mother of Alfred Cookmaru 
 
 "Mary Barton, when she became Mary 
 Cookman, reached the acme of her high- 
 est soaring of a true and happy life. 
 Satisfaction and joy met us in every 
 path in which we were called to walk, 
 and our deep devotion knew no blight, 
 until the last fearful gaze was exchanged, 
 until the last fearful word was spoken, 
 and he who had been all the world to 
 me vanished from my sight. Little 
 thought I of the sequel that was to 
 come, the bitterness and grief, such as 
 rarely falls to the lot of humanity, and 
 yet so touched with mercy, which can 
 never be appreciated by human thought 
 and expressed by human language, un- 
 til we reach the heights of the glory- 
 land. I have known unspeakable joy, 
 I have known the depths of sorrow, and 
 yet the heights and depths of the love of 
 Christ are more to me than the love of 
 ten husbands." 
 
 It was in the midst of this great sor- 
 row that she found the great blessing 
 of entire sanctification, which lifted her 
 39
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 out of her sorrow. While she could see 
 no justice, no mercy, no love in this 
 dispensation of Providence, God led her 
 to see that a Father's hand and a 
 Father's loving heart were seeking her 
 greatest good. He had taken her idol 
 George, but he had given her himself, 
 who is the "Chief among ten thousand, 
 and the One altogether lovely." 
 
 She came, with her children, by the 
 aid of friends, to reside in Baltimore, 
 near the Eutaw Street Methodist 
 Church. It was in this church, on the 
 holy Sabbath, as she knelt at the Lord's 
 table, with a heart looking to God for 
 comfort, as the Rev. Nelson Mead gave 
 her the cup, saying, "The blood of our 
 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, shed for 
 thee" she felt in a moment that the 
 blood of Jesus Christ did cleanse her 
 from all sin. A great, unspeakable joy 
 came into her heart, and 'her will was 
 lost in the Divine will. Never for a 
 moment thereafter "did she question 
 God's justice, wisdom, and love." Christ 
 40
 
 The Mother of Alfred Cookman. 
 
 became all in all to her. Henceforth, 
 on all fitting occasions, she continued 
 to the end of life to give a clear, em- 
 phatic testimony to the enjoyment of 
 the blessing of entire sanctification. She 
 never 'questioned her experience or the 
 power of God to .save to the uttermost. 
 When Alfred, in his early ministry, 
 would suggest doubts and difficulties on 
 the subject, She would reply, "My son 
 can never gainsay his mother's expe- 
 rience/' and prtfSsing her hand to her 
 heart she would say, "Ah, Alfred, I 
 know, I know." He knew the great 
 sorrow out of which this experience had 
 lifted her. No wonder she could say, 
 "This love of Christ is more to me than 
 the love of ten husbands." The deep 
 sorrow through which she passed pre- 
 pared her for the beautiful ministry of 
 consolation and love to which she was 
 soon called. She proved an angel of 
 mercy in the homes of sorrow which 
 she visited. 
 
 Mrs. Cookman spent her last years
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 with her youngest son, Rev. John E. 
 Cookman, and her only daughter. "It 
 gives an ideal completeness to her life," 
 writes her son, "that God should per- 
 mit her in these latter years to fulfill the 
 hopes that were the dream of her girl- 
 hood." 
 
 Mrs. Cookman attributed her success 
 in trailing her children to three things : 
 "First, to the experience of'entire sancti- 
 fication ; second, to the strict observance 
 of the Sabbath; third, *to the watchful 
 care over her boys after nightfall." 
 Looking up into his mother's face a 
 few hours before his death, Alfred said : 
 "Precious mother, next to the Lord 
 Jesus, I owe everything to you. Your 
 influence, your example, your counsel, 
 your prayers, have made me what I am, 
 as a man, a Christian, and a Christian 
 minister." Such a testimony from a dy- 
 ing son to a loving mother is golden, and 
 is worthy to hang about the neck of 
 maternal memory forever. 
 
 About a year before her death, after 
 42
 
 The Mother of Alfred Cookman. 
 
 a. severe sickness, she received a. deeper 
 baptism of the Holy Spirit, and she 
 gave herself and her children to God in 
 a renewed consecration. She placed her 
 trembling hands vipon their heads and 
 implored for them the grace which had 
 been given her. From that time she 
 lived as one who had nothing to do 
 on earth but work for God, and wait 
 for his coming. It was a year of clear 
 testimony to the blood that cleanseth 
 from all sin. To all persons, in all 
 places, and at all times, she testified to 
 the power of Christ to save to the utter- 
 most. She would often say, "Claim all 
 your privileges, claim all your privileges 
 in Christ." Her language was : "Life 
 or death, is all the same to me. I 
 am ready to go when Jesus wants 
 me." 
 
 Of her end, a loving hand has penned 
 the following: "She had spent a happy 
 hour late in the afternoon in the Church, 
 looking at preparations for an evening 
 entertainment. She allowed herself to 
 43
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 be drawn to the piano, and played some 
 of the airs she had learned in girlhood. 
 She then spent her hour before tea, as 
 usual, in meditation and reading. She 
 left her marker in her Bible at Revela- 
 tion, twenty-second chapter, the very end 
 of the sacred book. Her Bible and her 
 life ended together. Called to the tea- 
 table, she had broken bread with those 
 nearest to her, when her hands were 
 lifted, and she would have fallen, but 
 for loving arms which caught her and 
 laid her gently down. She immediately 
 went into a state of unconsciousness, a 
 sweet sleep ; no weariness, no distress, 
 no pain. She lingered until Saturday 
 morning, December 3, 1881, and at early 
 dawn she went away. Without failure 
 of faculties, in the midst of daily duties, 
 without pain of prolonged suffering, 
 without pangs of parting, in her own 
 chamber, amid tender and sacred affec- 
 tion, her eyes closed on earth and opened 
 in heaven." Thus lived and died the 
 mother of Alfred Cookman. Her char- 
 44
 
 The Mother of Alfred Cbofcman. 
 
 acter has been summed up in the follow- 
 ing beautiful characteristics: 
 
 "She was a woman of marked intel- 
 lectual ability. Her letters were marvels 
 of strength and beauty. Through all her 
 life she was accustomed to have a favor- 
 ite book by her side, and in her very last 
 years she was fully abreast of the thought 
 of the times, and with eagerness and zest 
 read the most recent and able works of 
 the best authors. She had a remarkably 
 cheerful spirit. After the one great be- 
 reavement, no other grief had the power 
 to depress. She had great capacity for 
 enjoyment. All the good that came she 
 took with unaffected thankfulness, and 
 like good old Tzaak Walton, as he angled 
 by the streams of her native land, she 
 could say, 'In every misery I miss, I 
 see a new mercy.' She laughed merrily 
 at what was mirthful, and her presence 
 never cast a damper on any honest joy. 
 Her magnetic power in attracting the 
 young was unusual, and surrounded by 
 happy groups of young people, she 
 45
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 would seem, by her enthusiasm and 
 pleasure, to be the youngest of them all. 
 What was more striking was her perfect 
 naturalness, especially in her Christian 
 life. She was the embodiment of sim- 
 plicity and godly sincerity. Her manners 
 were charming and above affectation, 
 yet she had a dignity which was quick, 
 tender, and true. Hers was, indeed, a 
 heart at leisure from itself to soothe and 
 sympathize. While her tears were ready 
 to flow at the recital of a story of misery 
 and woe, her hand was no less quickly 
 reached out in healing. She loved not 
 in word only, but in deed and in truth. 
 Her will was heroic, fearless, and mighty, 
 and had it been unsanctified, would have 
 been a power for evil ; but washed in the 
 blood of the Lamb, it became the strong 
 and principled champion of righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 "Over the natural virtues that strength- 
 ened her character, and the graces that 
 ornamented it, was shed the pure and 
 steady light of her religious faith. This, 
 46
 
 The Mother of Alfred Cookman. 
 
 while adding freshness and beauty, so 
 unified all, that it made her character one 
 of wondrous symmetry." (Christian Ad- 
 vocate.) 
 
 Is it any wonder that, with such a 
 mother, Alfred Cookman should have 
 been the man he was ? 
 
 Rev. John E. Cookman, youngest son 
 of this good woman, a son greatly be- 
 loved, and with whom she spent her later 
 years, died March 29, 1891. He was an 
 eloquent and successful preacher. Rev. 
 E. H. Stokes, in a little poem, describes 
 him thus : 
 
 "Spirit meek, heart un defiled, 
 Life as gentle as a child." 
 
 Some years before his death he, for some 
 cause, left the Methodist, and united with 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church. But 
 it d /?s not seem to have affected, un- 
 favorably, his spirituality. Some ex- 
 tracts from a letter, written to a sister-in- 
 law a few days before his death, will give 
 the reader some idea of the state of his 
 47
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 mind. He says : "Why I have been shut 
 away for almost a year from earnest 
 Christian service, in saving men, and 
 shut up to pain and distress, with daily 
 and hourly entering into the valley of the 
 shadow of death, I know not. He know- 
 eth, and I am content to rest in his love. 
 There have not only been physical up- 
 holdings, but marvelous manifestations 
 of Divine grace and goodness as hav*e 
 made my poor heart a constant chime of 
 golden bells to His praise and glory. 
 Sometimes great baptisms of power, 
 sweetness, and love have swept through 
 my soul, and I have been unutterably 
 filled with glory and with God. The 
 sweet fragrance has lingered like a grace 
 of the skies for days afterwards. Some- 
 times a strange, gentle, then quiet peace 
 that passeth understanding, has passed 
 over me. O such ineffable peace ! O 
 how I long with a heart-hunger once 
 more to stand in the Church of Christ, 
 and proclaim my dear Lord as an all- 
 sufficient Savior!" 
 
 48
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MANLY YOUTH AND FAMILY 
 COUNSELOR. 
 
 ALFRED was accustomed to lean upon 
 *" his father in everything and for 
 everything. But now, mother, brothers, 
 and sister all turn to him; and he, a boy 
 of thirteen, takes the burden, leaning 
 only on God. His mother says that this 
 great affliction "brought out, in all their 
 force and power, what had been until 
 now the germs of Alfred's character. He 
 realized his position as the oldest of six 
 children, and faithfully tried to fill up 
 the chasm made by a wise though in- 
 scrutable Providence. Eternity alone 
 will unfold all he was to his family as a 
 son and a brother in the years of his 
 minority." 
 
 Mr. George Cookman, his grandfather, 
 writes to him from Hull about this time, 
 4 49
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 saying to him, in the most tender man- 
 ner: "I look to you, my dear Alfred, as 
 an important coadjutor with your dear 
 mother in forming the habits and char- 
 acter of your family ; and it gives me in- 
 expressible pleasure to learn, from your 
 dear mother's letter, that there is every 
 reason to hope that my expectations in 
 this respect will be fully realized. Rest 
 assured that you will be looked up to 
 by the younger members of the family, 
 and in setting them a good example, in 
 cheerfully obliging your dear mother, in 
 promptly and affectionately obeying her 
 command, and in sympathizing with her 
 under the pressure of family trials and 
 bereavements, you will greatly lighten 
 her burdens, alleviate her sufferings, and 
 minister, in no inconsiderable degree, to 
 her peace, comfort, and happiness." 
 
 He urges upon him, also, that he "pay 
 unremitting attention to his education ;" 
 citing his father's example at his age, 
 saying: "It was by adopting this course 
 also that your dear Uncle Alfred became 
 50
 
 The Manly Youth and Family Counselor. 
 
 so distinguished, both at home among 
 his friends, as well as when he was a stu- 
 dent at the university. I trust their 
 mantle will fall on you, my dear boy, and 
 that you will emulate their talents and 
 virtues." 
 
 In answer to this letter, Alfred thanks 
 his grandfather for his kind advice, say- 
 ing: "Rest assured that I shall always 
 comply with the wishes of dear mother, 
 and in every way in my power aim to 
 make her happy." 
 
 While residing in Baltimore for the 
 next few years, he was favored with the 
 instructions of Messrs. Robert H. Patti- 
 son, Perley R. Lovejoy, and John H. 
 Dashiell. These men he had known as 
 students at Carlisle. He took prizes in 
 Mr. Burleigh's school for elocution, for 
 an essay on Simplicity, and for exercises 
 in Latin. He delivered an oration on the 
 Fourth of July which was very credit- 
 able for one of his years. He paid some 
 attention to Greek. 
 
 While his mother was employed in 
 51
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Christian work, which often took her 
 from home in the evening, Alfred would 
 remain at home with the children, as- 
 sisting them in their lessons, and con- 
 ducting with them family devotions in 
 his mother's absence. 
 
 At the early age of seventeen he seems 
 to have evinced more or less familiarity 
 with matters relating to Church and 
 State, always placing himself squarely on 
 the side of right, whether it related to 
 the subject of slavery or temperance. It 
 has been justly said that a "heart more 
 responsive to the weal of the Nation and 
 the Church never throbbed than in the 
 bosom of Alfred Cookman." 
 
 In 1845, Mr. Cookman seemed to have 
 commenced his life-work, but more as 
 an evangelist than a preacher. In the 
 Charles Street Church there was a body 
 of young men, Alfred being the youngest 
 of the number, who were moved with 
 sympathy for a class of sailors who were 
 confined to the waters of Chesapeake 
 Bay, no one seeming to care for their 
 52
 
 The Manly Youth and Family Counselor. 
 
 souls. These young men rented a small 
 sail-loft, and opened it for religious serv- 
 ice. Here they labored for the salvation 
 of these seamen with success. Rev. S. 
 Kramer gives an account of Alfred's first 
 sermon. It was at the time he was aid- 
 ing in these Bethel services. He says : 
 "I felt a deep interest in Alfred, believing 
 him called of God to the work. As a 
 local preacher, I had appointments regu- 
 larly, one of which was at Washington 
 Factory, five miles out of the city. One 
 Sabbath morning I asked Alfred to ac- 
 company me, and he consented. . I said 
 nothing to him about taking any part 
 in the services until we were on the road ; 
 then 4n my carriage I entered into con- 
 versation with him on the subject of his 
 call to the ministry. He admitted hav- 
 ing a strong impression that way; but 
 said his way was not open. He would let 
 the Lord make his duty plain. I said 
 somewhat abruptly, 'Alfred, you must 
 preach for me to-day.' 'O no/ he re- 
 plied, 'I have no license even to exhort, 
 53
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 and it would not do.' I said : 'You must 
 make a beginning, and I will take the 
 responsibility. I feel that it will be right 
 for you to do so.' When we arrived at 
 the place of preaching, I took him and 
 Brother Griffin, who accompanied us, 
 into the pulpit, and made Alfred open the 
 services. After singing and prayer, I 
 handed him the Bible, telling him to se- 
 lect a text and go on, and I would pray 
 for him, and Brother Griffin would fol- 
 low. He was at length persuaded to 
 stand up and announce a text, and 
 preached his first sermon then and there, 
 in his schoolboy jacket. It was a pleas- 
 ant spring morning, and while I can not 
 recall the exact words of the text, I re- 
 member distinctly the sermon was on the 
 Christian warfare. God owned the word, 
 and we were greatly blessed. When we 
 returned to the city, and I drove to his 
 home, his dear mother came out and met 
 us, and when I told her what he had 
 done, she said it was the fulfillment of 
 her prayers .and heart's desire." 
 54
 
 The Manly Youth and Family Counselor. 
 
 Soon after this a young man belong- 
 ing to the "Bethel Fraternity," after a 
 protracted illness, passed away. His 
 death was a signal triumph. The friends 
 of the good man desired Alfred to pre- 
 pare a funeral discourse, which he did, 
 and delivered it in the lecture-room of 
 the Charles Street Church. This, his 
 biographer, Dr. Ridgaway, says was his 
 first sermon ; but according to the state- 
 ment of Rev. Mr. Kramer, it was not his 
 first. There is no doubt that this second 
 sermon was more carefully prepared, and 
 delivered with a feeling and a style more 
 impressive than his first, offhand sermon 
 before named. He seems to have been 
 at that time modest in his manner and 
 ardent in his feelings, as was always 
 characteristic of him. 
 
 November i, 1845, Alfred Cookman 
 received a license as an exhorter in the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church. This was 
 done by the Charles Street Station, Bal- 
 timore. July 7, 1846, he received license 
 by the same Church to preach. His li- 
 55
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 cense bears the signature of Rev. John 
 A. Collins, presiding elder. Mr. Col- 
 lins affirmed that Alfred was more pro- 
 ficient in his examination than any other 
 young man who had ever come before 
 him for license. 
 
 He is said to have been at this time 
 quite proficient in Latin, Greek, German, 
 and French ; but "humility and timidity 
 were his peculiar characteristics, which 
 kept him from anything like display or 
 assumption." 
 
 Alfred decided to enter upon his life- 
 work as an itinerant Methodist preacher. 
 The family decided to remove to Phila- 
 delphia, and make that their future home. 
 It was the Conference that George G. 
 Cookman first joined ; it was in a free 
 State, and everything combined to make 
 it a most desirable residence for the fam- 
 ily. Alfred had desired to unite with the 
 Philadelphia Conference. He had al- 
 ready been invited by Rev. James Mc- 
 Farland, presiding elder of the Confer- 
 ence, to supply the place of Rev. D. D. 
 56
 
 The Manly Youth and Family Counselor. 
 
 Lore, who had been appointed mission- 
 ary to Buenos Ayres. He accepted the 
 invitation, and after the family was com- 
 fortably settled, he started for his ap- 
 pointment. It was no small sacrifice for 
 Alfred Cookman to leave his mother and 
 the other members of his family. But, 
 believing that God called, he mounted 
 his faithful "Gerry," and was on his way 
 to Attleboro Circuit, under charge of 
 Rev. James Hand, presiding elder. Of 
 his departure he says : "Quitting one of 
 the happiest homes t enter the itinerant 
 work, my excellent mother remarked 
 upon the threshold of my departure, 'My 
 son, if you would be supremely happy or 
 supremely useful in your work, you must 
 be an entirely sanctified servant of Je- 
 sus.' My mother's passing but pointed 
 remark followed me like a good angel, 
 as I moved to and fro in my first sphere 
 in itinerant life." 
 
 On this first circuit, though deprived 
 of many of the comforts he had enjoyed, 
 he shrank from no duty, submitted joy- 
 57
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 fully to all the hardships of that hilly 
 country. He became very sick. "De- 
 bility and pain," he says, "seemed to 
 have seized my entire system, and I was 
 sick, very sick ;" but, through the mercy 
 of God, he soon recovered and was at 
 his work again. 
 
 The Philadelphia Conference held its 
 session in 1847, m Wilmington, Dela- 
 ware. Bishop Hamline presided. Al- 
 fred Cookman made application for 
 admission to the Conference. The 
 Conference was sc full that the bishop 
 recommended that they receive none on 
 trial, and the Conference so voted. This 
 was a great disappointment to Alfred; 
 but he accepted it as the order of Provi- 
 dence, and consented to serve another 
 year under the presiding elder. He was 
 employed by Rev. Daniel Lambdin, on 
 the Delaware City Circuit. Robert Mc- 
 Narmee was preacher-in-charge. This 
 circuit proved to be much more agree- 
 able to the young itinerant than Attle- 
 boro Circuit. The people were more 
 58
 
 The Manly Youth and Family Counselor. 
 
 intelligent, and their homes more invit- 
 ing. He had no permanent home ; but 
 staid around among the people as it 
 was agreeable. He was received most 
 cordially and listened to as a messenger 
 from God. 
 
 In the spring of 1848, Alfred applied 
 again for admission to the Conference, 
 and was received as a probationer, and 
 appointed to Gennantown Circuit, in- 
 cluding Chestnut Hill. We have now 
 followed Alfred Cookman from his child- 
 hood until his union with the Philadel- 
 phia Conference, at the age of twenty 
 years. We must' now proceed to con- 
 sider him, not so much in detail, as to 
 present the marked characteristics of his 
 life, which will include much of detail. 
 59
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE GREAT SALVATION EXPERIENCED. 
 
 "\ I 7 E have spoken of Alfred's conver- 
 sion at Carlisle at the age of ten 
 years, under the ministry of his father, 
 and of his full reclamation at a camp- 
 meeting near Washington, D. C. We 
 are now to consider that added work, 
 known as entire sanctification, which, 
 in all his subsequent life, was the sun 
 of his soul, the continual theme of his 
 ministry, and the splendor of his remark- 
 able career. Alfred Cookman was not a 
 genius, and will never go down to pos- 
 terity as such ; he was not a profoundly 
 intellectual character; he will never be 
 known as possessed of a towering intel- 
 lect. He was not a great theologian, 
 nor a master of science or philosophy, 
 though he possessed a beautiful mind, a 
 clear and strong intellect. He did not 
 60
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced. 
 
 possess the power of eloquence, like a 
 Summerfield, a Maffitt, or even his own 
 honored father. Yet he was not defect- 
 ive in these excellences ; but he will live 
 in the Church, and the fragrance of his 
 life will go down to the latest generation 
 as a saintly character, whose life was a 
 constant testimony that "the blood of 
 Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." 
 
 While on his first circuit Attleboro 
 he says, "I frequently felt to yield myself 
 to God, and pray for the grace of entire 
 sanctification." But it seemed so high 
 as not to be reached by him, and, if ob- 
 tained, it could not be retained. "My be- 
 setments and trials are such," he says, 
 "I could not successfully maintain so 
 lofty a position." A new church had 
 been erected at Newtown, one of his 
 principal appointments on his first cir- 
 cuit, and the services of that saintly man, 
 Bishop Hamline, were secured to dedi- 
 cate it. After the dedication, the bishop 
 and his devoted wife remained for some 
 days, the bishop preaching frequently, 
 61
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 and always with an unction which moved 
 the heart of Alfred. The good bishop 
 and his wife took occasion to converse 
 with him on his^ religious experience, 
 and urged him to seek the higher Chris- 
 tian life, and at once. In speaking of the 
 bishop, he says : "His gentle and yet 
 dignified bearing, devotional spirit, 
 beautiful Christian example, unctuous 
 manner, divinely-illuminated face, apos- 
 tolic labors, and fatherly counsels made 
 a profound impression on my mind and 
 heart. I heard him as one sent from 
 God. His influence, so hallowed and 
 blessed, has not only remained with me 
 ever since, but even seems to increase 
 as I pass along in my sublunary pil- 
 grimage." 
 
 At the close of an afternoon sermon, 
 in which the bishop urged the people to 
 seize the present opportunity to do what 
 they, as believers, had often desired, re- 
 solved, and promised to do; viz., "yield 
 themselves to God, as those who were 
 alive from the dead," and from that hour 
 62
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced. 
 
 trust constantly in Jesus as a Savior 
 as their Savior from all sin Alfred was 
 among the number who said, "I will, by 
 the help of the Almighty Spirit, I will," 
 and kneeling, he says, "I brought an en- 
 tire consecration to the altar Christ." 
 He perceived clearly the difference be- 
 tween the consecration now required, 
 and that made at conversion. Then he 
 brought powers, as he says, "dead in 
 trespasses and sins ;" now he brings 
 "powers that are permeated with the new 
 life of regeneration, so that the sacrifice 
 became a living sacrifice." Then he 
 seemed to mass his offering, and give 
 himself away, not fully understanding 
 what was embraced in such surrender, 
 simply saying: 
 
 "Here, Lord, I give myself away; 
 'T is all that I can do." 
 
 Now, with clear light, "it was more in- 
 telligent, specific, and careful, embrac- 
 ing hands, feet, senses, attributes of heart 
 and mind, time, reputation, kindred, 
 63
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 worldly sustenance everything." Then 
 he was "anxious for pardon ;" now "for 
 purity and the conscious presence of the 
 Sanctifier in his heart." With this con- 
 secration, carefully made, he says ; "1 
 covenanted with my own heart, and with 
 my Heavenly Father, that this entire, 
 but unworthy, offering should remain 
 upon the altar, and that henceforth I 
 would please God, by believing that the 
 altar Christ sanctified the gift." The 
 effect which followed was a "broad, deep, 
 full, satisfying, sacred peace," proceed- 
 ing not only from the testimony of a 
 good conscience before God, but from 
 the presence of the Spirit in the heart." 
 But with t^his evidence he could not say 
 that he was fully sanctified, only that he 
 was set apart unto God. The following 
 day, in company with Bishop and Mrs. 
 Hamline, he ventured to tell them what 
 he had done ; and in the act of confess- 
 ing, he realized a degree of light and 
 strength. Prayer was proposed, and 
 while they were kneeling, he says, "God, 
 64
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced. 
 
 for Christ's sake, gave me the Holy 
 Spirit as I had never received him before, 
 so that I was constrained to confess : 
 
 "Tis done! Thou dost this moment save, 
 
 With full salvation bless ; 
 Redemption through Thy blood I have, 
 And spotless love and peace.' 
 
 The great work of sanctification, for 
 which I had so often hoped and prayed, 
 was wrought in me even me. I could 
 not doubt it. The evidence in my case 
 was as direct and indubitable as the wit- 
 ness of my sonship, received at the time 
 of my adoption into the family of heaven. 
 O, it was glorious, Divinely glorious!" 
 This experience inaugurated a new 
 epoch in the life of Alfred Cookman. 
 "Rest in Jesus, an abiding assurance of 
 purity through the blood of the Lamb, 
 conscious union and communion with 
 God, increased power, not 'only to do, 
 but to suffer the will of God, delight in 
 the Master's service, fear of grieving the 
 Holy Spirit, love for and a desire to be, 
 .5 65
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 with the entirely sanctified, joy in relig- 
 ious conversation, comfort and freedom 
 in prayer, illumination in the perusal of 
 the sacred Word, increased unction in 
 the performance of public duties, these 
 were among the blessed fruits of this 
 new life." 
 
 Sad as it may seem, this delightful 
 state of mind continued for only eight 
 short weeks, when the fullness of the 
 Comforter was withdrawn. And this is 
 the sad experience of multitudes of those 
 who profess this grace. With some it is 
 one thing, with others another. The 
 Spirit of God, by whom we are sanctified, 
 is a jealous Spirit, easily grieved and 
 driven from the heart. The saintly John 
 Fletcher lost this experience four or five 
 times, before he became established in 
 the grace of complete redemption. With 
 Alfred Cookman, it was on this wise. 
 During the session of his first Confer- 
 ence, he found himself associated with 
 a company of joking, story-telling min- 
 isters, of whom there are vastly too 
 66
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced* 
 
 many-for the honor of the Master whom 
 they professed to serve. Being young in 
 experience, and forgetting how easily 
 the Spirit is grieved, he allowed himself 
 to be drawn into the tide, and found him- 
 self indulging in trifling conversation. 
 As he returned from Conference to his 
 new field of labor, he became conscious 
 of a loss of spiritual power. Instead of 
 coming with humble confession at once 
 to the blood of cleansing for immediate 
 forgiveness and restoration, he lost his 
 way, and for several year lived without 
 the blessing, which had filled him with so 
 much delight. 
 
 It is not uncommon that good men, 
 losing this experience, fall into great 
 errors with respect to the doctrine of en- 
 tire sanctification. This was the case 
 with Alfred Cookman. To satisfy his 
 conscience, he tells us that he accepted 
 the dogma that sanctification, as a work 
 of the Holy Spirit, could not involve an 
 experience distinct from regeneration. 
 We do not speak unadvisedly when v 
 67
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 aver that two-thirds of those who claim 
 to hold and advocate this, as most be- 
 lieve, unscriptural dogma, once professed 
 to enjoy the sanctifying grace of God 
 as a work subsequent to regeneration. 
 They first lost the enjoyment of heart- 
 purity, and without its true light to guide 
 them they have wandered about for a 
 time in the dark, scarcely knowing what 
 to believe, and have finally accepted this 
 dogma, as some would say, a little better 
 than nothing a dogma which Mr. Wes- 
 ley persistently resisted during his entire 
 ministry and have by it sought to sat- 
 isfy their hungry souls. But some, like 
 Alfred Cookman, have returned. 
 
 Of 'these years, Alfred Cookman says: 
 "O, how many precious years I wasted 
 in quibbling and debating respecting the- 
 ological differences ! not seeing that I 
 was antagonizing a doctrine that must 
 be 'spiritually discerned,' and the. tend- 
 ency of which is manifestly to bring peo- 
 ple nearer to God." 
 
 It was during these sad years of Al- 
 68
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced. 
 
 fred's life that he, like many who lose 
 their religious enjoyment, contracted the 
 habit of smoking, which very generally 
 saps the foundation of piety, and keeps 
 thousands, as it did him, from the foun- 
 tain of cleansing. It was to him a very 
 great temptation. Though he manufac- 
 tured excuses for the indulgence, he felt 
 that the practice was costing him too 
 much in the matter of his religious en- 
 joyment. After all his reasonings and 
 quibblings, he found a lack of spiritual 
 life. His experience, he says, "was not 
 steady, round, full, or abiding." 
 
 The friends of holiness insisted on 
 three steps, which to him seemed reason- 
 able : i. Entire sanctification ; 2. Ac- 
 ceptance of Jesus, moment by moment, 
 as a perfect Savior; 3. A meek but defi- 
 nite confession of the grace received. 
 Then, his Newtown experience, which 
 had not fully passed from his memory, 
 supplied an overwhelming confirmation 
 of what seemed so reasonable, and at 
 the same time furnished a powerful stim- 
 69
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ulus to the performance of the duty. He 
 finally resolved to cast aside all precon- 
 ceived theories, doubtful indulgences, 
 culpable unbelief, and return to the 
 "Mighty to save." He again rededicated 
 himself to God, surrendered the doubtful 
 indulgence tobacco and accepted 
 Christ as the Savior from all sin, and 
 again claimed the witness of the Spirit to 
 his entire sanctification. On doing this, 
 all the bliss of his former experience re- 
 turned, and he was enabled to walk in 
 the King's "highway of holiness," con- 
 scious that "the blood of Jesus Christ 
 cleansed him from all unrighteousness." 
 T.en years later, he says : "I have been 
 walking in the light as God is in the 
 light. I have fellowship with the saints, 
 and humbly testify that the blood of 
 Jesus cleanseth me from all sin." 
 
 Walking one day with a friend, they 
 passed two distinguished ministers, one 
 of whom was smoking. Alfred re- 
 marked : "I can understand how that 
 brother enjoys that cigar. I used to en- 
 70
 
 The Great Salvation Experienced. 
 
 joy it as he does. I was very fond of it, 
 especially after my day's work was done. 
 It was so quieting to my nervous system 
 to rest in my easy chair, with my cigar 
 for my companion. And I gave it up for 
 Jesus' sake. I remember I told Jesus 
 how soothing to me this delicate nar- 
 cotic was, and that it had occurred to me 
 that it was a doubtful indulgence. And 
 yet I did not know but I needed it. 
 Jesus told me in that hour that he would 
 supply all my need; that he would soothe 
 me, and quiet me, and rest me after my 
 labor, and I gave up the indulgence 
 from thiat hour. And since that time, 
 never can I tell what Jesus has been to 
 me, as I have sat in my arm-chair to rest 
 when wearied and alone with him. He 
 has been my rest." 
 
 From the hour that Alfred Cookman 
 redeclicated himself to God, and received 
 again the witness of heart-purity, to the 
 time that he ended his glorious career, 
 he never wavered in his faith, never fal- 
 tered in his testimony to the power of
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Jesus' Blood to cleanse him from all sin. 
 But for his experience and advocacy of 
 the doctrine of entire sanctification, Al- 
 fred Cookman would never have been 
 known and revered the world around as 
 the "most sacred" of men. His elo- 
 quence would have been forgotten, his 
 pleasing manner and winning address 
 would have ceased to be remembered. 
 But his holy life, his gentle, earnest, un- 
 affected character is an inspiration to the 
 Church in its struggles for freedom from 
 sin, an3 must ever be till "Jesus comes 
 to be glorified in his saints, and to be 
 admired of all them that believe." 
 72
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 NATURAL GRACES AND HOLY LIFE. 
 
 ALFRED COOKMAN was well born. 
 ** He inherited a natural dignity not 
 common to most men. There was a 
 beauty in his form, an elegance and an 
 ease in his manner, a natural dignity in 
 his deportment which were not artificial, 
 not put on, but purely natural," and which 
 made him a marked personage. There 
 is no doubt that his "fine physical fiber 
 had much to do with the delicacy of his 
 feelings.-" He was the farthest removed 
 from any form of affectation, and "there 
 was nothing human which was foreign 
 to him." He was in height five feet nine 
 inches, and well proportioned. He had 
 a full, round chest, a head of medium 
 size. His hair was rich, glossy black, 
 his eyes gray, large and full, not pierc- 
 ing, but lustrous. His nose was straight, 
 73
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 his mouth wide, lips moderately full, his 
 chin round and smoothly-shaven. The 
 whole face impressed the intelligent ob- 
 server that he was in the presence of a 
 man of marked trustworthiness. His 
 fresh, ruddy, clear complexion, his firm, 
 sinewy step, his erect carriage, all com- 
 bined to make him a marked man. 
 
 To clothe this fine personality with 
 the beauty of holiness was to raise him 
 to a dignity, not angelic, but graciously 
 sacred. Bishop Foster pronounced him 
 "the most sacred man I have ever 
 known." 
 
 It is one thing to experience the grace 
 of entire sanctification, and quite another 
 thing to exemplify the beauty of holiness 
 in the life. 
 
 It is doubtful if any man bf modern 
 times has manifested this rich experience 
 in so extraordinary a manner as Rev. 
 John Fletcher, of Madelay, England. 
 One not in sympathy with his teachings, 
 and who had felt the keen edge of his 
 Damascus blade, the Rev. Henry Venn, 
 74
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life* 
 
 writing to Dr. Stillingfleet, says : "I was 
 for six weeks in the home with the ex- 
 traordinary and very excellent Mr. 
 Fletcher. O that I might be like him ! 
 I do assure you that I strictly observed 
 him for six weeks, and never heard him 
 speak anything but what was becoming 
 as a pastor of Christ's Church ; not a 
 single unbecoming word of himself, nor 
 of his antagonists, nor of his friends. All 
 his conversation tended to excite to 
 greater love and thankulness for the ben- 
 efits of redemption, while his whole de- 
 portment breathed humility and love. 
 We had many conversations. I told him 
 most freely that I was shocked at many 
 things in his 'Checks/ and pointed them 
 out to him. We widely differ about the 
 efficacy of Christ's death, the nature of 
 justification, and the perfection of the 
 saints ; but I believe we could live years 
 together in great love." 
 
 Mr. Fletcher won greater victories by 
 his life than by his logic, though the 
 latter has done much to establish be- 
 75
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 lievers in the faith of free and full 
 redemption. 
 
 Alfred Cookman did more by his life 
 than by his pen or voice. No one could 
 be in his presence for any considerable 
 time but would be forced to say, as 
 Henry Venn said of Mr. Fletcher, "O 
 that I might be like him !" 
 
 His holiness was not simply external, 
 not manufactured for the occasion. 
 There was no attempt to appear sancti- 
 monious in any way above others. It 
 was all of grace, and really spontaneous. 
 He seemed the most natural of men. 
 His very countenance was an index to 
 his heart. He seemed to impress all 
 who came in contact with him. "I never 
 come into his presence," said one of his 
 official members, "without going away 
 a better man. He seems to captivate 
 everybody with whom he comes in con- 
 tact." Rev. R. P. Smith says : "He lived 
 Christ, and reflected the beauty of the 
 Man Christ Jesus as much as I can con- 
 ceive of any human being doing." "I 
 76
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life. 
 
 do not think that I was ever in his com- 
 pany, even for five minutes, without feel- 
 ing painfully my own deficiencies and 
 being deeply stirred to follow him as he 
 so manifestly followed Christ. I always 
 left him to seek more of the grace and 
 power of God in my soul. Yet he was 
 gentle as a child, and seemed, in his 
 simplicity and genuine love, to make 
 each one feel that he was the object of 
 his special affection." He claimed to 
 possess the abiding Comforter con- 
 stantly, and no one with whom he associ- 
 ated ever questioned that he possessed 
 all that he professed. 
 
 Writing to Rev. M. C. Briggs, D. D., 
 he said : "I am wonderfully enjoying my 
 home in the heart of the Lord Jesus. 
 My life, as I humbly trust, is hid with 
 Christ in God. This locates me at the 
 secret source of every blessed thing." 
 
 Writing to a friend in Wilmington, 
 Delaware, about the same time, he says : 
 "In the life of faith I have been con- 
 stantly associated with the Lord Jesus, 
 77
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 and he has been ever ruling all for my 
 spiritual advantage. When I left my 
 Wilmington friends, whom I loved so 
 tenderly, he gave me to realize that I 
 might not quit for a moment his blessed 
 side. When I was without a home, he 
 sweetly reminded me of my permanent 
 mansion that he is arranging for my en- 
 joyment. When I had the trial of meet- 
 ing and preaching to a strange people, 
 he kindly whispered, 'Lo, I am with you 
 ahvay,' and then vindicated his encour- 
 aging truth. When I sat down in our 
 present comfortable abode, I said, 'AH 
 this is of God.' I love the Infinite Giver 
 more for his unmerited and multiplied 
 gifts. And thus my unsettlement, and 
 then my settlement again, have both 
 been pressed into the service and re- 
 dounded to the advantage of my higher 
 spiritual nature." 
 
 "It was Martin Luther who said : 'God 
 
 dwells in Salem rather than in Babylon.' 
 
 Bless his holy name ! He makes my 
 
 heart 'Salem,' and then he himself abides 
 
 78
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life, 
 
 in the midst of his sacred quiet and satis- 
 fying place. His precious voice, still 
 small and sweet, could not be heard amid 
 the confusion of Babylon ; but O ! in this 
 Salem of peace we listen, and hear him 
 only speak !" 
 
 These utterances tell of his conscious 
 and perpetual abiding in "the secret 
 place of the Most High." 
 
 Rev. Mr. Ballard says of him: "The 
 atmosphere of the atonement was the 
 residence of his spirit. He was my con- 
 ception of a hero modest, unassuming, 
 unpretentious. He was yet firm as a 
 rock where his convictions were at stake. 
 In his ^position regarding the doctrine 
 of personal holiness this was eminently 
 true. It cost him small sacrifices, to 
 which he never alluded ; it risked a pop- 
 ularity, which was eminent ; but none of 
 these things moved him ; calmly and un- 
 pretentiously he avowed his convictions, 
 and pressed the doctrine everywhere, 
 never underestimating his brethren who 
 differed from him, and never withdraw- 
 79
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ing the warmth of his attachment on this 
 account. Such a man is a hero, and such 
 a hero was Alfred Cookman." 
 
 Bishop Simpson spoke of him, at his 
 funeral, as having been twice his pas- 
 tor, once in Pittsburg, and then in Phila- 
 delphia: "Years ago he was the pastor 
 of my family in Pittsburg, and my chil- 
 dren became attached to him as their 
 friend. 'And since we have been in the 
 city of Philadelphia he was again our 
 pastor, and I saw him go in and out. 
 He stood by the dying bed of one I 
 loved, and his words and counsels were 
 those of a Christian minister. I say that 
 during all the time I knew him, I never 
 heard one word or saw the manifesta- 
 tion of any spirit inconsistent with the 
 highest forms of the Christian life. In 
 the pulpit, and out of it, at the fireside, 
 or wherever he was, a faithful, pious 
 leader of the people and follower of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, himself deeply de- 
 voted, he was very anxious to see the 
 higher type of religion prevailing in the 
 89
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life. 
 
 Church, and very often his theme was 
 Christian holiness. I think, as he stands 
 before the Throne, he does not regret 
 that so often his theme was, 'Be ye holy, 
 for I am holy.' I rejoice to say, he 
 taught only the doctrine which a happy 
 experience and godly life justify." 
 
 These words seemed carefully chosen, 
 and were uttered with the deepest feel- 
 ing. And as we listened to them, they 
 appeared to us wise and truthful. The 
 vast crowd to which they were addressed 
 gave evidence, by their deep emotion 
 and tearful countenances, that they re- 
 garded them as* eminently fitted to de- 
 scribe the character of their friend and 
 br.other. 
 
 Rev. Thomas M. Eddy, D. D., said: 
 "He was the saintliest man I have ever 
 known." 
 
 One of his loving parishioners said of 
 him : "The basis of his character, so 
 beautifully developed and maintained, 
 was an unwavering faith in God, and a 
 sincere love and genuine sympathy for 
 6 Si
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 his fellow-men. His character and life 
 afforded a beautiful example of that en- 
 tire self-consecration which was his spe- 
 cial ministry to preach." 
 
 Rev. Andrew Longacre, his lifelong 
 friend, says : "To many of us he was what 
 Tennyson calls his friend : 
 
 'The sweetest soul 
 That ever looked through human eyes.' 
 
 I need not remind you that his experi- 
 ence" (of holiness) "had in it nothing of 
 self-exaltation. He never failed to dis-x 
 claim all goodness in or from himself; 
 but he rejoiced always, and with an ex- 
 ultant faith, in the power of the blood 
 of Jesus to cleanse him from all sin. 
 
 "His own faith and experience never 
 seemed to separate him from others who 
 did not think or feel as he did. No one 
 felt at a distance from him by reason of 
 his holiness. It was a holiness that at- 
 tracted, not that repelled. Men might, 
 if they pleased, oppose his arguments 
 with doubts and objections; they might 
 82
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life. 
 
 turn away from his burning appeals; 
 but no one could question the living 
 purity of the man, the practical embodi- 
 ment of holiness in his life." 
 
 Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage, D. D., 
 says : "Rev. Alfred Cookman's life comes 
 back to me like the sound of a church- 
 bell embowered in trees on a June day. 
 It was nothing so much I heard him say, 
 or anything I ever saw him do, that so 
 impressed me as himself. He was the 
 grace of God impersonated, and the/more 
 I saw him the more I loved him. To be 
 with him was to be blessed." 
 
 Rev. E. Wentworth, D. D., says : "His 
 devotion was a living flame ; his example 
 a -shining light ; his influence a genial 
 glow ; his eloquence genuine ; his zeal 
 the offspring of his deepest convictions 
 unsparing." 
 
 Rev. James M. L,ightbourn says: "Al- 
 fred Cookman was the best model of a 
 Methodist preacher I ever saw." 
 
 We could fill pages with such testi- 
 monials to the unexampled holiness in 
 83
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 the life of Alfred Cookman. The great 
 Church, of which he was a most dis- 
 tinguished member in all her branches, 
 has conceded this, and the Church Uni- 
 versal has freely admitted that he was as 
 holy as it falls to the lot of mortals to 
 be in this world of sin and woe. But it 
 must not be understood that, as holy as 
 Alfred Cookman was, he was in any 
 sense an ascetic. To him holiness was 
 not of the cloister type. It did not con- 
 sist in the wearing of iron girdles, or 
 walking with gravel in one's shoes, or 
 climbing up Pilate's staircase on one's 
 naked knees. He was the farthest re- 
 moved from external acts which gave 
 the least coloring to the idea that he ex- 
 pected salvation in any other way than 
 by faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ. 
 Alfred Cookman enjoyed life. He 
 took a deep interest in everything about 
 him. He could join in a hearty laugh 
 with his friends, and be religiously merry 
 with little children. Repulsive, sour 
 godliness found no place in his experi- 
 84
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life. 
 
 ence. If he saw an honest soul drifting 
 into extravagance and towards fanati- 
 cism, or one of a moody spirit excluding 
 himself from society, he was always 
 ready to win him back to real life and 
 its enjoyments. We insert here a letter 
 to a young lady, who had shown marked 
 signs of drifting in such a direction. In 
 the kindest words he says : 
 
 "Walking myself, as I humbly trust, 
 in the light of full salvation, I am greatly 
 delighted to know that you are a youth- 
 ful pilgrim in the King's pathway of 
 holiness. I believe it is your first aim 
 to do your duty and enjoy your privilege. 
 Living thus, you will walk in the light ; 
 aye, your path will shine more and more 
 unto the perfect day. I gathered from 
 some things your father said, that in 
 your zeal you are taxing too seriously 
 your powers, both of mind and body. 
 Now, I know that you are gentle and 
 teachable, willing to accept and be influ- 
 enced by the advice of one who was a 
 former pastor, and who feels very ten- 
 derly towards every member of your dear 
 family. I have lived longer than you, 
 and have special opportunities for larger 
 85
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 observation, and hence you will believe 
 me when I say it is not zvell to dwell ex- 
 clusively on any one subject, or to keep our 
 thoughts and energies turned in but one 
 direction. The mind is so constituted by 
 our Heavenly Father that it is healthiest 
 when it passes from one object to an- 
 other. While, therefore,, to get good and 
 to do good must be matters of primary 
 importance, still, for the sake of your 
 mind, and body,, and piety, and useful- 
 ness, there must be a frequent change, an 
 occasional let-up. You must think of other 
 objects. You must read the papers and 
 books of biography and history. You 
 must mingle with your friends, and enjoy 
 innocently social intercourse. You must 
 take a good deal of exercise, and enjoy 
 the beauties of nature and art that you 
 may come in contact with. You must 
 not allow the enemy to get astride of 
 your conscience, ana ride you to death. 
 Remember that our Heavenly Father 
 means that his children shall be not only 
 the best, but the happiest children in all 
 the world. Get innocent joy from all 
 earthly sources, and you will be better 
 prepared to obtain riches and more satis- 
 factory joy from himself. Think of these 
 things. I do not want you to break 
 down in health, for then your good 
 86
 
 Natural Graces and Holy Life, 
 
 would be evil spoken of. Holiness will 
 have in that case to bear the burden or 
 reproach. God bless you ; you are his 
 dear child. Accept and act upon these 
 practical suggestions. - 
 
 "From your Christian brother, 
 
 COOKMAN." 
 
 What could be more tender, wise, and 
 practical than these suggestions to a pro- 
 foundly sincere soul, whom Satan had 
 deluded with the idea that she must ex- 
 clude herself from the world, in order to 
 convince the world of the beauty of holi- 
 ness. There are no unkind thrusts, no 
 condemnation of her course, no hard 
 names, but a gentle and tender persua- 
 sion to hold fast her profession; only 
 changing some aspects of her life for 
 Christ's sake and the cause of holiness. 
 If ministers were to adopt this method 
 with those whom they judge to be drift- 
 ing from the right way, and do it in the 
 spirit of Alfred Cookman, what untold 
 troubles might be avoided ! 
 
 It was not Alfred Cookman in the pul- 
 pit, on the platform, at the camp-meet- 
 87
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ings ; it was Alfred Cookman himself ; it 
 was the hallowed savor of his life, the 
 very atmosphere of holiness in which he 
 moved, that impressed those about him, 
 and made him the living example of all 
 he did and said. 
 
 88
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ARDENT LOVE FOR AMERICAN 
 BONDMEN. 
 
 TT is a noticeable fact that children sel- 
 * clom, if ever, have prejudices against 
 persons of the colored race. In their 
 childish sports they seem to know no 
 difference. 
 
 Alfred Cookman, when less than five 
 years of age, at the time his father trav- 
 eled a circuit on the Eastern Shore of 
 Maryland, became greatly attached to 
 slave children, as we have seen in these 
 pages. He seems to have possessed a 
 special affection for them. At a little 
 later period, when his father was sta- 
 tioned in Alexandria, Virginia, he came 
 in contact with a more repulsive form of 
 this unchristian institution. Here he 
 came face to face with slave-pens and 
 auction-blocks and broken-hearted bond- 
 89
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 men. He saw parents and children be- 
 hind prison bars, waiting in deepest 
 anguish for the hour when they were to 
 be separated, never more to meet on 
 earth. These heart-rending scenes made 
 a deep and lasting impression upon 
 young Cookman, and induced in him 
 a hatred for the system of American slav- 
 ery which time could never efface. His 
 subsequent residence in Baltimore, after 
 his father's death, did not modify his 
 deep hatred of the system. 
 
 When the time came for him to decide 
 what Conference he would join, he chose 
 the Philadelphia in preference to the 
 Baltimore, because the former was in a 
 free State. But he found, subsequently, 
 that the Philadelphia was a border Con- 
 ference, and many of its members were 
 more or less in sympathy with their 
 brethren across the border. 
 
 When, in 1844, the great struggle by 
 
 which the Methodist Church was rent 
 
 asunder took place, Mr. Cookman was 
 
 but sixteen years of age, and residing in 
 
 90
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 Baltimore. It was not to be expected 
 that he would enter into the merits of 
 the conflict. But even at that early age 
 he was a keen observer 'of what was 
 transpiring in Church and State. 
 
 While Mr. Cookman was pastor of the 
 Union Church, Philadelphia, the "irre- 
 pressible conflict," as it was called, be- 
 tween slavery and freedom, "was fast 
 approaching a crisis." A storm was 
 gathering, and it was about to burst on 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church. A 
 hostility the most bitter existed. Love 
 had given place to hate. The North was 
 arrayed against the South, and the South 
 against the North, and no one was able 
 to suggest a cure for our troubles. 
 
 Many of the leading members of the 
 Church claimed that there should be a 
 rule passed by the General Conference, 
 requiring slaveholding members to 
 emancipate their slaves, and they be- 
 lieved that by such an action the State 
 could be finally reached. There was 
 great diversity of opinion on the subject,
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 especiaily in the border Conferences, of 
 which Philadelphia was one. 
 
 Alfred Cookman was one of the men 
 who believed that such a rule should be 
 adopted and enforced. Measures were 
 inaugurated to secure such a change by 
 a proper constitutional process. Mr. 
 Cookman believed it to be right, and was 
 ready to give it his most hearty support. 
 In his own Conference, of some three 
 hundred members, all but five or six were 
 against him. Perhaps no single act in 
 Cookman's life gave evidence of greater 
 moral heroism than this. He was young 
 and popular, and was really the idol of 
 the Conference. In the matter of stand- 
 ing and reputation in the Conference, he 
 had everything to lose, and nothing to 
 gain. But principle was more to him 
 than popularity. Many of his ardent 
 friends and admirers were in the South, 
 where he had been educated, and these 
 friends were, many of them, slavehold- 
 ers. To vote for this measure was vir- 
 tually to declare these persons sinners, 
 91
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 and yet he believed that many of them 
 were lovers of Jesus, and that he should 
 meet them in heaven. But Alfred Cook- 
 man believed that stern duty required 
 him to support the measure. And with- 
 out questioning the piety or virtue of the 
 people who were involved in slavehold- 
 ing, he must do his duty. The favored 
 opportunity had come for action, and he 
 must stand firm to his principles, or 
 prove a traitor to his most profound con- 
 victions of duty. If any one has ever im- 
 agined that Alfred Cookman was weak, 
 yielding too much to the prejudices of 
 others in matters where he should have 
 stood firm, let them mark his action on 
 this occasion. Dr. Ridgaway, referring 
 to this action, says : "Cutting away from 
 all social and personal entanglements, 
 the man stood forth in an act of moral 
 heroism seldom surpassed in the history 
 of Methodism. When the resolutions 
 initiating the change were pending be- 
 fore the Conference, he got down upon 
 his knees in the pew, and, bathed in tears, 
 93
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 poured out his soul to God for light and 
 strength, and arose and voted Aye.'' 
 That was courage worthy of the name. 
 He might, as some have done in like 
 circumstances, retired from the Confer- 
 ence, and thus avoided the responsibility 
 and saved his reputation. But Alfred 
 Cookman was not of that make-up. The 
 sole question with him was, What is 
 duty? That question settled, nothing 
 could stand between him and its per- 
 formance. This is the stuff of which 
 martyrs are made. An honest slave- 
 holder would have said the act was 
 worthy of the noble Vnan he was. 
 
 The General Conference met in Buf- 
 falo, May i, 1860. Mr. Cookman was 
 anxious to be present. With several 
 members of his own Conference, he at- 
 tended. They were full of interest to 
 see how the battle went. Writing to his 
 wife from the seat of the Conference, he 
 said: "Great excitement obtains among 
 all concerned in General Conference pro- 
 ceedings. The anti-slavery column 
 94
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 stands strong and united. May God rule 
 and overrule !" "To-day the slavery bat- 
 tle commenced. The excitement is in- 
 tense. Comb led off, followed by Moody 
 and Norvel Wilson. The Baltimoreans 
 are here in large numbers. They are in- 
 tensely excited. The General Rule will 
 not be changed ; but there will be a seces- 
 sion on the border. I judge we are in 
 perilous times ; but the Lord reigneth. 
 If I were not conscientious before God, 
 the pressure of friends might move me 
 from my position ; but while I would not 
 grieve them, I must and will cling to 
 truth and right." 
 
 The conflict in the General Confer- 
 ence, and his deep interest in it, did not 
 ruffle his spirit. He says : "My spiritual 
 enjoyment in Buffalo has been unusual. 
 Love fills my heart; love for God and 
 for all around. O, I feel during every 
 succeeding hour that I am at peace with 
 Heaven, and prepared, if it should be the 
 Master's will, to quit these stormy 
 scenes, and rest with angels and the 
 95
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 glorified !" This was the spirit in which 
 Mr. Cookman engaged in the moral con- 
 flicts of his times. 
 
 In 1862, when the war-cloud was thick 
 and threatening, Mr. Cookman was on 
 a visit to his native town, Lancaster, Pa. 
 While there he addressed the citizens of 
 the town in a patriotic speech of thrilling 
 interest. Among other things, he said : 
 "In the language of old John Adams, 
 'Sink or swim, live or die, survive or 
 perish, I give my heart and my hand' to 
 these Union measures. It is my living 
 sentiment, and, with the blessing of God, 
 it will be my dying sentiment, 'Liberty 
 and the Union now, liberty and Union 
 forever.' ' : 
 
 The entire address was replete with 
 the noblest patriotic sentiments. He 
 urged that the war should be prosecuted 
 unfil every rebel voice was hushed, and 
 the "Stars and Stripes" waved over a 
 united country. 
 
 The New York Conference, of -which 
 he was a member, met in New York 
 96
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 City, and excitement was at a high pitch. 
 Two events had transpired which had 
 contributed to that excitement. A mem- 
 ber of the Conference, Rev. Pelatiah 
 Ward, had enlisted in the service, and 
 had been killed. The President of the 
 United States, Abraham Lincoln, had 
 issued the "Proclamation of Emancipa- 
 tion," the justice of which was questioned 
 by some, and the policy of the act was 
 questioned by others. Mr. Cookman 
 prepared the war report, the reading of 
 which produced a profound sensation in 
 the body. It was a time of great excite- 
 ment. The report had the true patriotic 
 ring. It contained ten resolutions, cov- 
 ering the entire field. The fourth was a 
 strong arraignment of certain parties in 
 and out of the Church. It says : 
 
 "That the conduct of those who, in- 
 fluenced by political affinities or South- 
 ern sympathies, and under a pretext of 
 discriminating between the Administra- 
 tion and the Government, throw them- 
 selves in the path of almost every warlike 
 7 97
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 measure, is in our view covert treason, 
 which has the malignity without the 
 manliness of those who arrayed them- 
 selves in open hostilities to our liberties, 
 and is deserving of our sternest denun- 
 ciation and our most determined oppo- 
 sition." The fifth resolution says : "That 
 slavery is an evil, incompatible in its 
 spirit and practice with the principles of 
 Christianity, with republican institutions, 
 with the peace and prosperity of our 
 country, and with the traditions, doc- 
 trines, and Discipline of our Church ; 
 and that our long and anxious inquiry, 
 'What shall be done for its extirpation?' 
 has been signally answered by Divine 
 Providence, which has given to Abraham 
 Lincoln, President of the United States, 
 the power and the disposition to issue a 
 Proclamation guaranteeing the boon of 
 freedom to millions of Southern bond- 
 men." 
 
 No one doubted as to where Alfred 
 Cookman's heart palpitated at this time. 
 98
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 The report was adopted, with but slight 
 opposition. 
 
 It was during Mr. Cookman's pastor- 
 ate at Trinity Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, New York, that he had his army 
 experience. He was ready to do as well 
 as talk. Under the direction of the 
 Christian Commission he went to the 
 front, and for the usual period of such 
 service he wrought valiantly in the Army 
 of the Potomac. He shunned no danger, 
 avoided no responsibility. His chief ob- 
 ject seemed to be to win men to God. 
 Many souls were genuinely converted. 
 Reference is made to his work in the 
 army in another part of this volume, to 
 which we refer the reader. His letters 
 from the army, addressed to his wife and 
 others, breathe the same spirit of holy 
 ardor and quenchless love of souls. 
 
 At the close of the war, Mr. Cookman 
 
 would settle the "National Problem of 
 
 Reconstruction," by giving the Freed- 
 
 men the "spelling-book, the Bible, equal 
 
 99
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 rights before the law, and the elective 
 franchise as their weapons of defense, 
 and then leave all the rest to God." 
 Nothing could have been more in har- 
 mony with justice and right. The slave 
 was free. That was all. He had noth- 
 ing, and needed everything. Many of 
 the advocates of freedom were in doubt 
 as to the best thing to do. Alfred Cook- 
 man did not share in these doubts. He 
 believed that the act of emancipation was 
 an act inspired by God, and it was now 
 for us to do our duty, and all would be 
 right. An extract or two from a letter, 
 written to his sister Mary, will set forth 
 his views on this subject fully, and with 
 these we will conclude this chapter : 
 
 Mr. Cookman says : "Last night I 
 made a speech in the largest colored 
 church in Philadelphia; two bishops, 
 a book agent, a missionary, an editor, 
 etc. (all black), on the platform. Justice 
 to the Freedman and justice to the 
 traitor, was my political creed an- 
 nounced ; duty to their brethren in the 
 100
 
 Ardent Love for American Bondmen. 
 
 South, the exhortation urged. We had a 
 glorious time. I thought of our honored 
 father; how he would have reveled and 
 kindled and flamed on such an occasion, 
 or under such circumstances. 
 
 "This suggests your inquiry respect- 
 ing colonization. My impression is that 
 colonization belongs to some future 
 Providential development. God is using 
 the African race just now to teach us 
 lessons of justice, and can not dispense 
 with the lesson-book. When we are dis- 
 posed to do justly in every particular, 
 then I rather expect Providence will 
 open some gold-mines or oil-wells, or 
 something else, on the African coast, or 
 in some other locality, where black peo- 
 ple can best live, and so we shall work 
 out the problem of colonization. At the 
 present time they are not only important 
 for testing our integrity, but also for cul- 
 tivating our soil. I think that coloniza- 
 tion must be left to Providence and the 
 colored people themselves. We can not 
 force them away. It would be unwise, 
 101
 
 Life Sketches of Rev* Alfred Cookman. 
 
 unkind, and unchristian. Let us live 
 for the present, faithfully discharging the 
 duties of the present hour, which is to 
 educate and elevate the people whose un- 
 requited labors, multiplied wrongs, tedi- 
 ous bondage, and ,deep degradation give 
 them a special claim upon us. Give them 
 the spelling-book, the Bible, equal rights 
 before the law, the elective franchise as 
 their weapons of defense, and then leave 
 all the rest to God. In such a case I 
 would implicitly trust Providence; One 
 who is himself infinitely just, holy, and 
 good." 
 
 We -doubt if this yexed question, 
 "What shall be done with the black 
 man?" has ever been more clearly an- 
 swered in harmony with what are the 
 dictates of Christianity than by Alfred 
 Cookman. 
 
 Cookman Institute, Jacksonville, Flor- 
 ida, established for the education of 
 Freedmen, was named in honor of Alfred 
 Cookman, the lifelong friend and de- 
 fender of the colored race. 
 
 102
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ALFRED COOKMAN, A MODEL FAMILY 
 
 MAN. 
 
 J\A R. COOKMAN was no mystic, 
 seeking to attenuate and exhaust 
 the body in order to develop the inner 
 spiritual life. He was no ascetic, devot- 
 ing himself to solitary contemplation; 
 no hermit or recluse, in cave or monas- 
 tery, shut out from all earthly attractions, 
 practicing extreme mortification, that he 
 might enjoy greater union with God, 
 and build himself up in holiness. 
 
 There have been persons of extraor- 
 dinary piety, who have denied themselves 
 the pleasures of the married life, believ- 
 ing it detrimental to the highest form of 
 communion with God. The Rev. John 
 Fletcher for many years was deterred 
 from taking this step, influenced by such 
 considerations. He finally saw his error, 
 103
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 and concluded that if Enoch, at the head 
 of a family, was fit for translation, it was 
 not a subject to be lightly esteemed, and 
 he subsequently married. 
 
 Alfred Cookman, a man of extraor- 
 dinary devotion to God, seems never 
 to have been influenced by such unscrip- 
 tural vagaries. He entered upon this 
 God-ordained relation, not without a 
 profound sense of its most sacred char- 
 acter, and of the obligations it involved. 
 He possessed all the natural instincts of 
 human nature, controlled by super- 
 abounding grace, making him, in all 
 respects, a model family man. His holi- 
 ness shone as brightly in the family as 
 in the pulpit. 
 
 Alfred Cookman was united in mar- 
 riage, March 6, 1851, to Miss Annie E. 
 Bruner, daughter of Mr. Abraham 
 Bruner, of Columbia, Pennsylvania. He 
 had spent some months previous to his 
 marriage, on -a voyage to England, to 
 visit his aged grandfather. He seems 
 to have been delighted with his visit, 
 104,
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 as his correspondence to his friends 
 abundantly shows. 
 
 In a letter addressed to Miss Bruner, 
 previous to their marriage, he says : "In 
 the matter of marriage, above all others, 
 I have been desirous that God should 
 rule and overrule ; indeed, I have incor- 
 porated this in my private addresses to 
 the Throne of Grace. In looking back 
 upon the past, I think I am prepared to 
 say, 'He hath done all things well/ and 
 in all my associations with you can most 
 distinctly perceive the hand of an over- 
 ruling Providence. I desire to be un- 
 feignedly grateful to my Heavenly 
 Father for this and all other manifesta- 
 tions of his tender care and watchful 
 love, and in the strength of grace would 
 solemnly pro r him 4o be more de- 
 voted to his .1 cause in all future 
 time." 
 
 Ther^ ^ t be no doubt that the union 
 
 between these two young hearts was as 
 
 tender, loving, and unchanging as ever 
 
 fell to the lot of souls to enjoy. The 
 
 105
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 wife was a helpmeet to her husband. 
 For twenty-one years they walked to- 
 gether in love, and then the parting 
 came. On the completion of the first 
 ten years of their married life, Alfred 
 makes this record : "On the 6th of March, 
 1851, I linked my fortunes with those 
 of my dearly-beloved wife, and now, 
 on the tenth anniversary of our blessed 
 union, I would record my gratitude to 
 Almighty God, whose kind providence 
 gave and hath preserved to me one so 
 well deserving the name of 'helpmeet.' 
 Our life, made up of fidelity and love, 
 has been like a deepening and widen- 
 ing stream, upon which we have floated 
 together in delightful harmony. Our 
 home, with its five little buds of beauty 
 and promise, h#s been an Eden-spot, 
 where our Infinite Father, who dwelt 
 \vith the first pair in Paradise, has 
 vouchsafed us his constant presence. O, 
 how much of pure love and true, joy 
 have been compressed within these ten 
 years of my life! Accept, my precious 
 106
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 Annie, this humble but sincere testi- 
 mony to your thoughtful care, constant 
 kindness, unsullied goodness, untiring 
 fidelity, and uninterrupted, yea, increas- 
 ing devotion. 
 
 "We have lived and loved together 
 thus long, and now, on this anniversary, 
 let us, in token of our gratitude to God 
 and our affection for one another, build 
 a pillar of witness. It shall be com- 
 posed of these ten stones, one for each 
 year of our married life : Love, truth, 
 purity, kindness, fidelity, sincerity, con- 
 stancy, thankfulness, holiness, Christ the 
 Corner-stone. This is the altar upon 
 which we will renew our vows, to love, 
 comfort, honor, and keep one another 
 so long as we both shall live." 
 
 Mr. Cookman's letters to his wife 
 breathe the spirit of purest affection, and 
 his references to his children are of gen- 
 uine fatherly tenderness. Writing to his 
 wife, from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 
 he says : "In this world of insincere 
 profession and mere external manifesta- 
 107
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 tion, it is delightful to know there is 
 one warm, true heart in which you may 
 confidently repose. The genuineness of 
 your love I have never questioned for 
 an instant, and, next to the Pearl of 
 Great Price, I prize it as the most pre- 
 cious of my heart's jewels. Be sure it 
 is not foolishly expended. I am glad 
 that our dear boys continue so well. 
 They are two beautiful, blessed children, 
 for whom we ought to be profoundly 
 thankful to the Giver of every good and 
 perfect gift." Writing again from the 
 same place, he says : "Here I am at my 
 study table again, attending to corre- 
 spondence and other matters. O that 
 you were at my side ! O that I could 
 look around and see the faces of my 
 beautiful boys. All is desolation," 
 he says, "in your absence." He seems 
 never to be so happy as when wife and 
 children were all about him, and he en- 
 tering into the innocent enjoyments of 
 his family life. 
 
 From Pittsburg, writing to his absent 
 108
 
 Alfred Coofcman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 4 
 
 wife, he says : "I wonder how you all 
 are this evening. I think of you almost 
 constantly, and am happiest when I can 
 bask in the refreshing radiance of your 
 sunny faces." 
 
 These are expressions of domestic 
 affection of rare excellence. They show 
 that he was a most tender and devoted 
 husband and father. 
 
 Writing to his mother, he says, "The 
 children exhibit every* day some new 
 charm, some fresh attraction," showing 
 that he was deeply interested in all 
 the special and attractive developments 
 of his children. There was nothing re- 
 pulsive in his manner, but a sweet, 
 tender, gentle spirit, which won the un- 
 dying love of wife and little ones. The 
 children were unrestrained in their inno- 
 cent joy in his presence, in all of which 
 he was ready to join them, making 
 himself one with them. In a letter to his 
 wife from Johnstown, where he was at- 
 tending the first session of the Pitt?burg 
 Conference, to which he had just been 
 109
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 
 
 transferred, he says : "I have thought 
 a good deal about you since my depart- 
 ure. My wife and sons are the dearest 
 idols of my affection, and I am never 
 so happy as when I have you by my 
 side." 
 
 \Ye hear him again, in a similar 
 strain, writing from Pittsburg, saying: 
 "I thank you for your letter, breathing 
 so much of true devotion. I assure you 
 that it comes to me in desolation like 
 an angel of light. I need not say that 
 your enthusiastic affection finds the very 
 warmest reciprocation in my heart. To 
 say that you are the dearest object of 
 my heart and life is to tell the truth 
 but feebly. How I thank God that I 
 was ever permitted to gaze upon your 
 sunny face and claim you as my own ! 
 God bless you, precious Annie, and 
 spare your valuable life many, many 
 years. Have I not proven a faithful cor- 
 respondent? Well, I deserve little 
 credit, and it is really no ordinary happi- 
 ness for me to sit down and commune 
 1 10
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 through this unsatisfactory medium with 
 her who is all the world to me espe- 
 cially when I know my letters are adding 
 to your pleasure. Kiss my boys for 
 poor Pa. Tell them that I intend to 
 bring up their carriage out of the cellar, 
 and have it all ready for their occupancy 
 and use." 
 
 Again, he writes to his wife, who is 
 seeking rest and health, at Columbia, 
 her native place : "I am managing to 
 exist in your absence. It is not living, 
 and yet I bear it because I think that 
 you are happier in the East than you 
 could be, perhaps, in Pittsburg. You 
 know that your comfort is my rule and 
 constant object." 
 
 He writes, January 16, 1858: "God 
 has given me my first daughter. O how 
 multiplied are Heaven's mercies !" 
 
 Writing to his wife, from Philadelphia, 
 who is at her home in Columbia, he 
 says : "The children are both well. Just 
 now they came into my study and placed 
 on my table their portemonnaies, saying, 
 in
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 'Pa, this is your birthday present from 
 us.' Dear fellows, they did it of their 
 own accord, and in perfect good faith. 
 I put their present in my pocket, and 
 thanked them very sincerely. George 
 asks a great many questions about his 
 sister Annie. When I speak of Ma's 
 return, their little eyes dance with de- 
 light." 
 
 On his removal to New York, his 
 family went to their old family home 
 until their new home was in readiness. 
 Alfred, writing to his wife, says, "I do 
 not know how I can endure absence 
 from my loved ones so long; but I live 
 a day at a time, and try to keep the 
 future out of my thoughts." "Last 
 night," he says, "I walked the streets 
 of New York with Jesus. Do not be 
 surprised. This was a precious real- 
 ization, and my heart burned within me 
 as I communed with my kind and 
 sympathizing Redeemer. It was one of 
 the evenings of my life." Though he 
 
 112
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 is surrounded by many friends, and a 
 vast population, in the great city, "Nev- 
 ertheless, I suffer," he says, "a sense of 
 isolation. My precious family are ab- 
 sent, and none can serve as a substi- 
 tute. Were it not for the presence of 
 my blessed Savior, which has been a de- 
 lightful and continued realization, I 
 could scarcely have borne the depriva- 
 tion, I have been suffering. My 
 Heavenly Father has been specially 
 gracious to me, within the past week or 
 two, accompanying me in my walks, vis- 
 iting me in my night seasons, strength- 
 ening and blessing me in the society of 
 friends, and keeping my mind in perfect 
 peace." 
 
 Mr. Cookman's letters to his children 
 breathe a spirit of fatherly tenderness 
 and familiarity which is seldom found 
 among men. There is nothing stern 
 or commanding, nothing to repel, but 
 everything to inspire love and deepest 
 sympathy. The following was written 
 8 113
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 from New York to his three children, 
 who were in Columbia, Pennsylvania : 
 
 "It is Saturday night, when Pa, you 
 know, usually studies his sermons. 
 Bruner is asleep, Will is asleep, little 
 Beck Evans is asleep, Ma is getting 
 ready for bed, and I am writing a letter 
 to my dear George and precious Frank, 
 and sweet little Sister Puss. Well, how 
 have you been getting along this week? 
 I hope you have been very good, mak- 
 ing as little noise as possible; obeying 
 all that Aunt B. or Grandma has said ; 
 remembering your prayers every night 
 and morning ; asking your blessing, and 
 behaving well at the table, and acting 
 like little New York gentlemen. On 
 Tuesday I watched you waving your 
 hats, and handkerchiefs, and flags, until 
 I could see you no longer. Then I sat 
 down until I reached Lancaster. When 
 I got home, little Prince danced for joy, 
 he was so glad to see me. Then I started 
 for Nyack, where I found Ma and Brune 
 114
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 
 and Will and little Baby Sister. They 
 were as much delighted as Prince. 
 They asked me a hundred questions 
 about George and Frank and Sister. I 
 told Ma that you were magnificent boys ; 
 that Frank did not cry; that sister was 
 growing to be a large, lovely girl. We 
 talk of you every day, and want the 
 weeks to go by right fast until we shall 
 all sit down together in Columbia. We 
 send 'kisses. George must kiss Frank 
 and Sister for me; Frank must kiss 
 George and Sis for Ma; Sis must kiss 
 George and Frank for Brune. Do not 
 forget. Good-night!" This is an ex- 
 ample of his loving letters to his absent 
 children. Could good children fail to 
 love with deepest affection such a father? 
 And it must be remarked that when 
 with them at home there was the same 
 loving intercourse. The children were 
 never happier than when the father was 
 with them, and the father never more 
 delighted than when they pressed around 
 "5
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 him in the home circle. He closes an- 
 other letter, from New York: "Now, I 
 must give you a good-night kiss one 
 for George, one for Frank, and one for 
 dear little Sister Puss. Ma says, 'I must 
 send ever so many for her, and Bruner 
 for him, and Willie for him.' " 
 
 Mr. Cookman's letters, written to his 
 wife, while engaged in the Christian 
 Commission, during the war, breathe the 
 same loving spirit and tender care for 
 wife and children, and a firm trust in 
 God that all would work for good to 
 the bondman and the nation. 
 
 These utterances of Alfred Cookman 
 must convince all that he was an affec- 
 tionate husband, and tender, loving 
 father, and that these strong domestic 
 ties were dominated by supreme love 
 to God. 
 
 THE PRESENT STATE OF THE FAMILY. 
 
 Seven children survived the father, 
 four sons and three daughters. Two of 
 116
 
 Alfred Cookman, a Model Family Man. 
 i 
 
 the number have since joined the father 
 in the better land. Helen, a lovely 
 daughter of eleven years, was the first 
 to depart. The second was Alfred, a 
 babe 1 of only fourteen months at his 
 father's death. A graduate of the Wes- 
 leyan University and of the Medical 
 College of Philadelphia, he had grown 
 to manhood, and had commenced the 
 practice of medicine in Philadelphia, 
 with every prospect of success. He was 
 a Christian young man, his mother's 
 hope, and died within a few weeks of 
 his contemplated wedding. 
 
 There are (year 1900) five children 
 still living, three sons and two daughters. 
 The eldest, George Grimston, is engaged 
 in the practice of law in Philadelphia; 
 two are in the Methodist ministry 
 Frank Simpson, a member of the New- 
 ark Conference, and William Wilber- 
 force, a member of the Philadelphia 
 Conference. Mrs. Cookman resides with 
 her daughter Annie (Mrs. Schureman 
 117
 
 Lile Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Halsted), at 5530 Morris Street, German- 
 town, Pa. ; Mary (Mrs. Sigourney Fay 
 Clark), resides in Elizabeth, New Jer- 
 sey. Miss Mary Cookman, sister of 
 Alfred Cookman, is the only survivor 
 of the family of Rev. George G. and 
 Mary Cookman. 
 
 U8
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 \ 
 
 A LOVING LEADER OF THE NATIONAL 
 HOLINESS MOVEMENT. 
 
 *T* HE year 1867 will always be memo- 
 A rable in the history of that movement 
 known as the holiness revival in Amer- 
 ica, under the auspices of the "National 
 Association for the Promotion of Holi- 
 ness." As a nation, we had just emerged 
 from the most gigantic rebellion the 
 world had ever witnessed, and the 
 Churches, both North and South, had 
 been greatly demoralized and sadly 
 weakened spiritually. Many a good 
 conscience had been wrecked by seiz- 
 ing upon favorable opportunities to 
 amass wealth by unjustifiable methods. 
 A few were found who still wept between 
 the porch and the altar. 
 
 Camp-meetings, which had been a 
 great power in early Methodism, had 
 119
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 so far fallen into disrepute that the 
 Church papers were earnestly discuss- 
 ing the propriety of wholly abandoning 
 them. 
 
 The General Conference of 1864 made 
 an earnest but mournful appeal to the 
 Church, as a "haughty and rebellious 
 people," to properly deplore our sins, 
 "and let God, our Heavenly Father, be- 
 hold us in tears and contrition before 
 his throne, pleading day and night, 
 through the Redeemer, for the outpour- 
 ing of the Holy Ghost upon the Church, 
 the nation, and the world." "This," 
 they say, "is our only hope." There was 
 not only a manifest declension in spir- 
 ituality, but, as is common at such times, 
 there was a growing opposition to the 
 subject of entire sanctification. This 
 was manifest in the pulpit, the pew, and 
 at our camp-meetings, until the ques- 
 tion of holding camp-meetings, where 
 the subject of holiness should have the 
 right of way, began to be agitated, by 
 ministers and laymen. It was finally 
 
 120
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement, 
 
 determined by a few brethren to call a 
 meeting of such ministers and laymen 
 as were favorable to holding a camp- 
 meeting, the special object of which 
 should be the promotion of the work 
 of entire sanctification. Alfred Cookman 
 was among the foremost men in this 
 movement. But for his connection with 
 this work, as one of its prime movers 
 and supporters, it is doubtful if his name 
 would have been as widely known. It 
 was this which contributed largely to 
 give him a national reputation, and ex- 
 tend his influence world-wide. He 
 signed the call for the meeting to be 
 held in Philadelphia, at 1018 Arch 
 Street, June I5th, to arrange for the 
 first National Camp-meeting. He pre- 
 pared the call for the first meeting, 
 which was accepted by the brethren, and 
 ordered to be printed. 
 
 The meeting in Philadelphia brought 
 together a company of strong, noble 
 men. The president was no less a per- 
 son than the venerable Dr. George C. M. 
 
 I2T
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Roberts, of Baltimore, whose prayer at 
 the opening lifted all hearts to God. In 
 a few chosen words he stated the ob- 
 ject of the meeting, and expressed his 
 great joy that he had lived to see that 
 day, and for the bright prospects be- 
 fore them. The venerable Anthony 
 Atwood presented the following resolu- 
 tion : 
 
 Resolved, That we hold a camp-meeting 
 for the special promotion of Christian purity. 
 
 This elicited no discussion, as all were 
 agreed. The place selected for holding 
 the meeting was Vineland, New Jersey ; 
 the time, July 17, 1867. The "Call" for 
 the meeting, prepared and read by Alfred 
 Cookman, was as follows : 
 
 "A general camp-meeting of the 
 friends of holiness, to be held at Vine- 
 land, Cumberland County, N. J., will 
 commence Wednesday, July i/th, and 
 close on Friday, 26th instant. 
 
 "We affectionately invite all, irrespect- 
 ive of denominational ties, interested in
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 the subject of the higher Christian life, 
 to come together and spend a week in 
 God's great temple of nature. While 
 we shall not cease to labor for the con- 
 viction and conversion of sinners, the 
 special object of this meeting will be to 
 offer continued and united prayer for the 
 revival of the work of holiness in the 
 Churches ; to secure increased wisdom, 
 that we may be able to give a reason of 
 the hope that is within us with meekness 
 and fear; to strengthen the hands of 
 those who feel themselves comparatively 
 isolated in their profession of holiness ; 
 to help any who would enter into this 
 rest of faith and love ; to realize together 
 a Pentecostal baptism of the Holy Ghost, 
 and all with a view to increased useful- 
 ness in the Churches of which we are 
 members. 
 
 "Come, brothers and sisters of the va- 
 rious denominations, and let us in this 
 forest meeting furnish an illustration of 
 evangelical union, and make common 
 supplication for the descent of the Spirit 
 upon ourselves, the Church, the Nation, 
 and the world." 
 
 The call for such a meeting could not 
 have, been more specific and compre- 
 hensive, and in all respects more cath- 
 123
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 olic and Christlike. It was such a call 
 as could but find a ready response in 
 every Christian heart. 
 
 Mr. Cookman felt deeply the impor- 
 tance of such a movement, for, writing 
 to a friend, he said : "You have doubt- 
 less been advised of our Vineland camp- 
 meeting enterprise. It is rather a bold 
 movement for the friends of holiness ; 
 but I believe it is in the order of God, 
 and . will be accompanied and followed 
 by blessed results. Associated with the 
 originators of this enterprise, I can 
 bear a most emphatic testimony to the 
 purity of their motives, and the thought- 
 ful care and earnest supplication to God 
 that characterized their deliberations. 
 Indeed, the day we spent in Philadelphia, 
 making arrangements, was erne of the 
 best days of my life." 
 
 The meeting commenced July I7th. 
 The morning was clear and bright. 
 Multitudes from the different denomi- 
 nations found their way to the camp, to 
 hear the gospel of holiness. Alfred 
 124
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 Cookman and his family were early In 
 their places. Rev. John S. Inskip was 
 the chosen leader. The services were 
 opened with singing, 
 
 "There is a fountain filled with blood." 
 
 This has been the "battle-hymn" of 
 the holiness movement for the last 
 thirty-two years. Mr. Inskip led in 
 prayer, and the heavens seemed respon- 
 sive to his petition. Revs. Andrew 
 Longacre and B. M. Adams assisted fur- 
 ther in the opening services. Several 
 addresses were delivered, and then an- 
 other season of prayer, in which Messrs. 
 Adams, Coleman, and Alfred Cookman 
 joined. Few present will forget Mr. 
 Cookman's prayer. He seemed inspired. 
 The opening sermon was preached by 
 Rev. J. W. Horne, and the closing ser- 
 mon by Rev. B. W. Gorham. 
 
 Mr. Cookman's sermon on the occa- 
 sion was from i Thess. iv, 3 : "This is 
 the will of God, even your sanctifica- 
 tion." A special unction attended its 
 125
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 delivery. It was clear and forceful, and 
 made a deep and strong impression. He 
 was careful to set forth the definite ex- 
 perience, in the interests of which the 
 meeting was held. The results of the 
 meeting far exceeded the most sanguine 
 expectations of its ardent friends. Many 
 were sanctified wholly, and large num- 
 bers were converted. Among the latter 
 was a wayward son of Bishop Simpson. 
 The bishop and his family, including his 
 son Charles, were in attendance during 
 the meeting. The bishop had been 
 absent from the ground during the Sab- 
 bath, officiating at the opening of a 
 Methodist Church. As he returned to 
 the camp-meeting, Monday morning, he 
 was informed that he was needed at the 
 Kensington tent. As he entered the tent, 
 he saw his son, of many prayers, upon 
 his knees earnestly seeking pardon. He 
 made his way through a company of 
 sympathizing friends, knelt beside his 
 broken-hearted boy, and with tearful 
 eyes and uplifted hands prayed as only 
 126
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement 
 
 a Christian father can pray for a peni- 
 tent son. The whole company were 
 melted and moved with deepest sym- 
 pathy. Charles was converted. A few 
 months later that son lay sick unto 
 death. A little time before he departed, 
 turning to his weeping mother, he said, 
 "Mother, I shall thank God to all eter- 
 nity for the Vineland camp-meeting." 
 It was to this death-scene the bishop 
 referred at Alfred Cookman's funeral, 
 when he said, "He stood by the dying 
 bed of one I loved, and his words and 
 counsels were those of a Christian min- 
 ister." 
 
 Of Alfred Cookman's relation to the 
 National Camp-meeting Association, 
 Dr. H. B. Ridgaway says, "Whatever 
 may be said of the merits of the issue 
 involved in the National Camp-meeting 
 Association, it is certain that Mr. Cook- 
 man was fully committed to its support, 
 and was in strict accord with its pur- 
 pose." So strongly did he press the 
 necessity of this work, that brethren, 
 127
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 more or less conservative, knowing his 
 constitutional cautiousness, were them- 
 selves greatly inspired to action by his 
 great boldness. 
 
 At a meeting of those who signed the 
 call for the Vineland meeting, for the 
 purpose of considering, among other 
 things, the question of holding another 
 meeting in 1868, Mr. Cookman earnestly 
 supported the measure. And through 
 his special efforts Manheim, instead of 
 Round Lake, was selected as the place 
 of meeting, because of his interest in the 
 locality. In that memorable meeting 
 the "National Camp-meeting Associa- 
 tion for the Promotion of Holiness" was 
 formed. The brethren knelt, Brother 
 Cookman prayed. Those who were 
 present speak of that wonderful prayer. 
 He prayed as if a great battle was near, 
 and that victory could only be secured 
 through the leadership of the "Captain 
 of our Salvation," the Lord of Hosts. 
 The Association was formed, and all the 
 business of the meeting transacted 
 128
 
 Lender of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 while the brethren were yet upon their 
 knees. 
 
 MANHEIM. 
 
 ihe National Camp-meeting at Man- 
 heim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
 commenced July 14, 1868. Many thought 
 it not the most favorable locality for 
 such a meeting, but through the urgent 
 efforts of Alfred Cookman, who claimed 
 to be familiar with the country, the 
 brethren consented. It is true, the 
 weather was oppressively hot, the water 
 was very scarce and miserably poor, and 
 the dust was almost blinding, but the 
 people seemed to care for none of these 
 things. At least twelve thousand thirsty 
 souls drank in the Word of Life, which 
 fell from lips touched with the fires of 
 Pentecost. Not less than six hundred 
 tents sheltered people from nearly every 
 State in the Union ; not less than 
 three hundred ministers, including that 
 prince among men, Bishop Simpson. 
 The Sabbath was a great day. The love- 
 9 I2 9
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman 
 
 feast was a season never to be forgotten. 
 It was in that memorable love-feast that 
 Alfred Cookman gave that never-to-be- 
 forgotten testimony: "Alfred Cookman, 
 washed in the blood of the Latmb." It 
 was given without any ostentatious dis- 
 play, and all who knew him felt that it 
 was true to fact. Bishop Simpson 
 preached in the forenoon, from Romans 
 viii, 14: "For as many as are led by 
 the Spirit of God, they are the sons of 
 God." Many hearts were greatly moved 
 under that wonderful sermon. 
 
 Rev. J. S. Inskip preached in the after- 
 noon in his usual effective manner. 
 
 Alfred Cookman was the preacher for 
 the evening. He was in his prime, and 
 the people were expectant. A great vic- 
 tory was anticipated. He had prepared 
 a sermon for the occasion on a certain 
 text. But, strange to say, text and ser- 
 mon had effectually vanished, while 
 many thousands were anxiously waiting. 
 Nothing moved or disconcerted, he com- 
 menced calmly to talk to the people, 
 130'
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 trusting God to give him the message. 
 He proceeded to relate his personal ex- 
 perience, and as he did so, the Spirit 
 of God came upon -the assembly with 
 unusual power. From the beginning 
 he had the rapt attention of the people. 
 He became uncommonly impressive and 
 earnest. The living mass before him 
 seemed to be in his hands as clay in 
 the hands of the potter, to be melted 
 ,and molded as God would have them. 
 He dwelt upon the work of the Holy 
 Spirit, and the work of entire sanctifi- 
 cation, describing the manner in which 
 he had been led into the experience. 
 Every heart seemed nigh to breaking 
 for the longing it had for "the more 
 excellent way." The people were pro- 
 foundly moved. Cries and groans were 
 heard on every hand. "Nothing short 
 of a Pentecost," says one who was 
 present, "seemed suited to the occasion." 
 If ever mortal was inspired, Alfred Cook- 
 man seemed to be. At the close of his 
 address, he prayed, and who that heard
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 that prayer can ever forget it! One 
 who was present describes it thus : "For 
 awhile he pleaded upon his knees. Then 
 he arose, and, standing upon his feet, 
 grew more and more vehement. His 
 hands were lifted. His voice in mighty 
 tones swelled out upon the night air. 
 Cries and groans of oppressed souls 
 commingling. Standing thus, with 
 hands upraised, his face toward the hill 
 from whence cometh help, his faith 
 grasped the promises, and he was con- 
 queror, and hallelujahs, like the sound 
 of many waters, rolled through the forest 
 temple." (Days of Power.) 
 
 How many souls were fully saved that 
 night will not be known till the books 
 are opened. 
 
 Mr. Cookman threw his. soul into all 
 the services of the meeting, and was 
 pressing the people into the enjoyment 
 of holiness. The Methodist says : "None 
 who were privileged to be present will 
 ever forget the Sunday evening when 
 Rev. Alfred Cookman led the congre-
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 gation to God, and pressed upon them, 
 with his masterly and persuasive elo- 
 quence, the question of true spiritual 
 power as connected with personal holi- 
 ness, and in the most fervent prayer led 
 the congregation to the cross. Men fell 
 under the mighty power of God in all 
 parts of the ground. This was only 
 equaled by the wonderful Pentecostal 
 season on Monday night." 
 
 The Monday night meeting at Man- 
 heim was an event in itself, unlike any- 
 thing that ever occurred at a national 
 meeting. Rev. John Thompson had 
 preached. Rev. J. S. Inskip had ex- 
 horted in an unusual manner. Rev. 
 George W. Woodruff knelt to pray, 
 when suddenly, as a flash of lightning 
 from a clear sky, there fell upon the peo- 
 ple a power, and with it came sponta- 
 neous bursts of joy and groans and cries 
 for mercy. For one hour the scene beg- 
 gared all description. The people were 
 crying for mercy and pardon on the one 
 hand, and for purity on the other. 
 133
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Scores were converted, and greater num- 
 bers were sanctified wholly. Men were 
 there from other lands, and returned to 
 tell of the Monday night at Manheim 
 as the most remarkable display of God's 
 power that they had ever witnessed. Its 
 sound went out into all -the earth. We 
 were there and know whereof we speak ; 
 but we can give but a meager account 
 of the scene. Rev. John Thompson, a 
 little before he died, said, referring to 
 Manheim : "I shall never forget, either 
 in time or in eternity, especially I shall 
 always remember that wonderful, Mon- 
 day night at Manheim. That was really 
 the night of my life." 
 
 ROUND LAKE. 
 
 We next find Alfred Cookman at 
 Round Lake, New York, July 6, 1869, 
 with zeal unabated, intent on pressing 
 the subject of holiness with which his 
 soul seemed inflamed. This was a meet- 
 ing far exceeding in numbers the Man- 
 heim meeting. The location was in its
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement, 
 
 favor; it had been widely advertised, if, 
 indeed, it needed advertising. From 
 Manheim a sound had gone out into 
 nearly all the earth, and people came as 
 on the day of Pentecost, not perhaps 
 from "every nation under heaven," but 
 representatives were there from different 
 nationalities, to see for themselves what 
 the wonderful movement meant. Mr. 
 Cookman preached on the occasion with 
 an unction we will not attempt to de- 
 scribe, from Ephesians v, 18, "Be filled 
 with the Spirit." Every heart seemed to 
 be intensely longing for this Divine full- 
 ness ; and many, under that sermon, 
 formed the resolution never to rest until 
 they were in possession of that God- 
 promised gift ; and many received it then 
 and there, by faith in Him who had 
 promised. 
 
 It was at the Sunday morning love- 
 feast at Round Lake that he gave his 
 Manheim testimony, "Alfred Cookman, 
 washed in the blood of the Lamb." He 
 moved among the people as a saint of
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 God. All his testimonies, and exhorta- 
 tions, and personal conversations, re- 
 vealed the fact that he was "dwelling in 
 the secret chamber of the Most High," 
 and, like Enoch, was walking with God. 
 Of that camp-meeting a minister from 
 the city of Philadelphia said : "I expect 
 to thank God for it through everlasting 
 ages. The effect was Pentecostal." But 
 he says, "Never have I seen such uni- 
 form decorum." Bishop Simpson, who 
 was present, speaks of "being highly 
 pleased with its management." Alfred 
 Cookman had charge of the Ministers' 
 Meeting on the Sabbath, and in this was 
 greatly blessed. God gave him wonder- 
 ful access to the 'hearts of his ministerial 
 brethren. His fraternal spirit, entire 
 freedom from an authoritative bearing, 
 and his loving words, won all hearts. As 
 he would say, "Come, brothers, take my 
 hand, and let us kneel together," it was 
 done so sweetly and with such a sincere, 
 humble spirit, that none could resist. 
 136
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement. 
 
 Up to 1870 there had been but one 
 National camp-meeting held each year; 
 but so urgent was the demand from all 
 parts of the land, that it was resolved 
 to hold three meetings in 1870: at Ham- 
 ilton, Massachusetts ; Milton Grove' 
 Oakington, Maryland ; and Des Plaines, 
 Illinois. 
 
 HAMILTON. 
 
 The Hamilton Camp-meeting opened 
 June 2 1 st. The association was largely 
 represented. It was too early in the" 
 season for the latitude of New Eng- 
 land, and the weather was exceedingly 
 unpropitious. But the meeting was at- 
 tended by a large number of ministers 
 from all parts of New England and else- 
 where. The large attendance of min- 
 isters seemed a special feature of the 
 meeting. Mr. Cookman was there in 
 the very fullness of the Spirit. It was his 
 first visit to New England ; but his fame 
 as a holy man and able preacher had
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 gone before him. He was present in all 
 the services, and no man exerted a 
 greater influence than Alfred Cookman. 
 On Sunday evening, instead of preach- 
 ing a sermon, as at Manheim, he gave 
 an account of his personal experience. 
 This produced a profound impression 
 upon the ministry and membership of 
 the Church. It was a rainy evening, and 
 the crowd was not present. On the fol- 
 lowing Tuesday morning he delivered a 
 memorable sermon from i Thess. v, 23, 
 "The very God of peace sanctify you 
 wholly." It was a clear, forceful setting 
 forth of the great doctrine of perfect love, 
 and the obligations to seek it now. The 
 effect of the sermon was witnessed in 
 the hundreds who thronged the altar and 
 filled all the available space around as 
 seekers of heart purity, and great num- 
 bers found that for which they sought. 
 Mr. Cookman's prayers during the 
 meeting were attended with a power that 
 moved the entire encampment. Writing 
 138
 
 Leader of the Holiness Movement, 
 
 to his wife from Hamilton of the Sab- 
 bath, he says : "It was a wonderful Sab- 
 bath, certainly the best of any we have 
 spent in the woods as a National Com- 
 mittee, and the friends expect a sermon 
 from me to-morrow. This meeting, in 
 interest and power, is a great success. 
 The brethren feel in its impressions and 
 holy influence it is equal, or ahead of 
 Round Lake." 
 
 139
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE NATIONAL HOLINESS MOVEMENT. 
 
 CONTINUED. 
 i 
 
 OAKINGTON. 
 
 UR next meeting was held at Oak- 
 ington, Maryland. Here Alfred 
 Cookman was at home. He had lived 
 and labored in the Churches in this vicin- 
 ity, and knew the people. But he en- 
 -tered into the work with his accustomed 
 earnestness. The atmosphere was torrid, 
 the shade poor, the water bad, making 
 it a most unfavorable location for a 
 camp-meeting. But no one would have 
 judged by the spirit of the people that 
 they felt these inconveniences. On the 
 second day Mr. Cookman had charge 
 of the eight o'clock morning meeting. 
 He called the attention of the people to 
 three questions : "Does our desire need 
 to be intensified? Does not our conse- 
 140
 
 The National Holiness Movement, 
 
 cration need to be more perfect ? Do we 
 not look more to ourselves than to the 
 blessed Christ?" These points were dis- 
 cussed in a most impressive manner. 
 Silent prayer, for which the National As- 
 sociation in those days was noted, fol- 
 lowed. Then Brother Cookman led in 
 vocal prayer. Many souls were led into 
 the freedom of perfect love. After an im- 
 pressive sermon by Dr. William Butler, 
 Mr. Cookman followed with a pointed 
 exhortation and prayer-meeting, which 
 resulted in the salvation of many. 
 
 At the Sabbath love-feast he said : "As 
 at Manheim two years ago, so here at 
 Oakington, Alfred Cookman, washed in 
 the blood of the Lamb." 
 
 On Sabbath evening he led the public 
 service in an earnest exhortation, lead- 
 ing the people most successfully into 
 fuller and richer fellowship with God. 
 No such day for excessive heat had ever 
 been experienced at any National camp- 
 meeting, and yet few days ever witnessed 
 greater displays of God's power in the 
 141
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cooknian. 
 
 conversion and purification of souls. At 
 six o'clock Monday evening Alfred 
 Cookman had charge of the Ministers' 
 Meeting in the tabernacle. At the open- 
 ing of the service he intimated his sense 
 of unworthiness to lead his ministerial 
 brethren. Rev. John Thompson said : 
 "Suppose we say that we want you to 
 lead us s whither would you lead us?" 
 "I would lead you," he responded, "di- 
 rectly to the cross." At this reply the 
 brethren, coming from all parts of the 
 tent, gathered around the leader, and 
 that great company of ministers knelt 
 together in a solemn, earnest prayer of 
 consecration. Their hearts were melted 
 while Ood revealed to them his special 
 presence. Many testified to having then 
 and there received the assurance of full 
 salvation. On Wednesday afternoon, 
 the ninth day of the meeting, Mr. Cook- 
 man preached from Romans xiii, 14, 
 "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 His theme was, "Sanctified character the 
 highest investiture of the soul." The 
 142
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 Divine unction was upon him, and the 
 congregation attentively listened, were 
 deeply impressed, and generally yielded 
 to the truth, and crowded to the altar 
 until there seemed no more space for 
 them. The glory of God rested upon 
 the camp. It was estimated that not less 
 than seven hundred ministers were pres- 
 ent at Oakington, and of the people there 
 was no numbering them. Our space 
 does not allow us to describe the many 
 soul-stirring scenes which occurred 
 there. 
 
 DBS PLAINES. 
 
 The next meeting for the season was 
 held at Des Plaines, Illinois, commenc- 
 ing August 9, 1870. The National As- 
 sociation was well represented. Many 
 representative men of the West were 
 present. Dr. Reid, of the Northwestern 
 Christian Advocate; Drs. Bannister, Ray- 
 mond, and Kidder, of Evanston ; Profes- 
 sor Jaques, of Bloomington, Illinois ; 
 Rev. Hooper Crews all of whom 
 143
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 preached on the occasion. There were, 
 also, Dr. (now Bishop) Fowler, Dr. 
 W. C. Willing, and others, from all parts 
 of the Northwest. These leading men in 
 Western Methodism strictly observed 
 the movement, and gave their unquali- 
 fied approval of all they heard and saw. 
 Aside from Rev. J. S. Inskip, Alfred 
 Cookman attracted most attention. He 
 had charge of the Preachers' Meeting, 
 on the second day of the services. Dr. 
 J. M. Reid and others led in prayer, and 
 Brother Cookman addressed the breth- 
 ren in his usually impressive manner, 
 and many were helped in making a com- 
 plete surrender to Christ. On Friday he 
 preached a memorable sermon from 
 Ephesians v, 23, "The very God of peace 
 sanctify you wholly." He dwelt upon 
 that entire consecration which precedes 
 entire sanctification, showing in what re- 
 spects it differed from that so-called con- 
 secration made at conversion. The peo- 
 ple were profoundly impressed. We sat 
 upon the stand, and carefully noted the 
 144
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 impression made upon the congregation. 
 Dr. Fowler was near us on the stand. 
 No sooner was the sermon concluded, 
 and an invitation given to come to the 
 altar, than he, for the first time, made a 
 rush, not going down the steps, but 
 plunged down over the front of the plat- 
 form, raised some three feet above the 
 ground, and threw himself on his knees 
 in the straw. The place was at once 
 crowded with seeking souls. It seemed 
 as if the whole crowd were anxious to 
 find a kneeling spot in the inclosure. 
 It would be utterly impossible for us to 
 describe the scene. There was no great 
 outcry, nothing unduly extravagant in 
 physical demonstration, but a deep, all- 
 pervading sense of the presence of God. 
 The following day Brother Cookman 
 led the early morning meeting in the 
 tabernacle. The Sabbath was a great 
 day. The sun shone brightly. From 
 five o'clock in the morning till ten at 
 night the battle raged. Mr. Inskip 
 preached in the forenoon; Dr. Reid 
 10 145
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 preached in the afternoon ; and Alfred 
 Cookman related his personal experience 
 in the evening. While he, in an earnest, 
 humble spirit told how God led him into 
 the fullness of love-, a solemn stillness 
 reigned in the vast audience, the Holy 
 Spirit made deep and lasting impressions 
 upon the souls of the people. When an 
 invitation was given for seekers to come 
 to the altar, hundreds of believers and 
 unbelievers rushed forward, filling all 
 the space around the stand. A skeptic 
 arose and said, "I want the true religion, 
 the religion of Jesus." It was estimated 
 that not less than one hundred were con- 
 verted on that Sabbath. Twenty-five 
 children and seven adults were converted 
 in the children's meeting. No such tri- 
 umphs of grace had ever been witnessed 
 in the Northwest. 
 
 ' Tuesday was a marked day at Des 
 Plaines. In the forenoon a meeting was 
 held in which the people were urged to 
 seek the Lord as a present Savior from 
 sin. The altar was cleared, and an in- 
 146
 
 The National Holiness Movement, 
 
 vitation extended to all classes to come. 
 There was a great rush. After the altar 
 had been filled, twenty-five rows of seats 
 were filled with seekers. It was a most 
 wonderful scene. For a time silent 
 prayer was offered. Then Brother 
 Cookman broke forth in one of his most 
 wonderful prayers. The power of God 
 was not only on him, but on the people. 
 For a time he remained upon his knees ; 
 then, in his deep earnestness, he rose to 
 his feet, and, as at Manheim, he seemed 
 to take hold of God through his prom- 
 ises. We never witnessed such a scene. 
 Great numbers in that company found 
 the blessing of pardon and purity, and 
 went forth clothed and in their right 
 mind. Dr. Raymond said : "I know if 
 there is anything true and good and 
 right for man in this life, it is here in this 
 meeting; and if I did not want it more 
 than anything else, I should not respect 
 myself. If there is anything like heaven 
 on earth, it is under this canvas." 
 
 No language can adequately describe 
 i47
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 the last night at Des Plaines, when more 
 than five hundred souls were prostrate 
 before God, pleading for personal salva- 
 tion. There were at least one thousand 
 who professed to have experienced the 
 blessing of perfect love, and not less than 
 two hundred converted. 
 
 Dr. Reid, editor of the Northwestern, 
 voiced the general sentiment of the peo- 
 ple when he said : "The committee re- 
 pressed with sedulous care all fanaticism, 
 all wild shriekings and contortions. Si- 
 lence was a wonderful power with them, 
 the subdued song or the unuttered 
 prayer, the vast assembly waiting on 
 God, just waiting. O, we shall never 
 forget it ! Not a word said, but every 
 heart open heavenward, and God pour- 
 ing his blessing in. The meeting was 
 a blessing, and the committee won all 
 hearts. The mercy-tide is higher on 
 these lake shores for their coming, and 
 with the Churches we will bless God 
 for ever and ever. Amen." 
 
 Of the statement that the Association 
 148
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 did not seek the conversion of sinners, 
 Dr. Reid says : "Notwithstanding that 
 holiness was the prominent object of all 
 discourses and prayers, efforts for the 
 conversion of sinners were not neglected. 
 We think that not less than one hundred 
 adults and more than that number of 
 children professed to receive a witness 
 of sins forgiven and adoption into God's 
 family. Unless this National camp- 
 meeting differs from others, there has 
 been some mistake in the reports on this 
 subject. The results, in bringing souls 
 to Christ, estimating no other good that 
 was done, mark the meeting as a signal 
 success. It has evidently marked an era 
 in the religious experience of Northwest- 
 ern Methodism, and thus far there is in 
 it great promise for good and little prom- 
 ise of evil." 
 
 A minister, writing to the Home Jour- 
 nal, says : "The whole Northwest is 
 ablaze with salvation. Holiness is the 
 theme in every direction. The ministers 
 have gone home covered with sanctify- 
 149
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ing power, and whole Churches are at 
 the altar seeking holiness. Praise God 
 for Des Plaines camp-meeting!" 
 
 Alfred Cookman left his stamp of holi- 
 ness upon the Northwest. They were 
 anxious that he should come among 
 them. Writing to his wife from Des 
 Plaines, he says: "In the evening, as 
 usual, Brother Alfred had to head the 
 column. God helped me as much, per- 
 haps, as ever in my life, and I trust great 
 good was done: The whole ground 
 seemed to be a great altar, sinners and 
 unbelievers down before God. We think 
 it the best Sabbath of any of our National 
 camp-meetings. Glory to the Lamb!" 
 Of Monday night he says : "God is pres- 
 ent to-night in great power. The West 
 answers to the East, and shouts holiness 
 unto the Lord. The people are very 
 kind. Some of them think they must 
 have me in the Northwest," etc. We 
 must turn from these scenes. 
 
 In 1871, in consequence of a laborious 
 evangelist trip to the Pacific Coast, in- 
 150
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 eluding Salt Lake City, it was thought 
 best to hold but two National camp- 
 meetings ; one at Round Lake, and one 
 at Urbana, Ohio. We may say here that 
 Brother Cookman expressed to the 
 writer, on the Sabbath before his death, 
 that it was one of the deepest regrets of 
 his life that he could not accompany the 
 brethren on their tour to the Pacific 
 Coast. "I would have regarded it," he 
 said, "as the event of a lifetime." 
 
 The camp-meeting at Round Lake 
 commenced July 4th. This was our sec- 
 ond meeting at Round Lake. Alfred 
 Cookman was there in the fullness of the 
 Spirit. His sermon on the occasion was 
 from 'the text, "I press toward the mark," 
 etc. As we look back upon the scene, 
 he seems to have been impressed that 
 he was doing his last work. Every fac- 
 ulty of his being seemed laid under con- 
 tribution to press the people into the full- 
 ness of God's great salvation. The peo- 
 ple were greatly moved and signally 
 blessed.
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 A writer, speaking of the Sabbath 
 service, says : "Rev. Alfred Cookman 
 preached in the afternoon to one of the 
 largest and most attentive audiences that 
 a camp-meeting ever saw." 
 
 A correspondent of the Troy Daily 
 Times says : "At two P. M., Rev. A. 
 Cookman, of the Newark Conference, 
 preached from Philippians iii, 14, 'I 
 press toward the mark of the prize of my 
 high calling.' The speaker claimed that 
 Paul was a man of one idea, but that 
 idea was complete in itself. If he made 
 tents, that was but a part of his religion. 
 His preaching was tributary to his idea 
 of holy living. He defined the mark of 
 the prize as the Bible standard of Chris- 
 tian excellence, and spoke of the evil of 
 a wrong standard. He spoke beautifully 
 of the prize itself in the final glorifica- 
 tion of soul and body in the likeness of 
 Christ. It is hard to do justice to a dis- 
 course which, with the happy manner of 
 its delivery, made a deep impression." 
 
 Mr. Cookman's testimony at the love- 
 152
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 feast is described by one present as fol- 
 lows : "When you were singing of the 
 cross a few minutes since, I thought that 
 I had drawn a circle around the cross, 
 and Jesus had lifted me up from the foot 
 of the cross, and given me a home in his 
 heart. I am dwelling in the supreme 
 center of bliss." 
 
 Although very greatly exhausted by 
 the labors of the meeting, at its close, 
 with his sister Mary and a few friends, 
 he made a visit to Saratoga Springs. 
 He seemed extremely happy, running 
 over with joy. On his return to Round 
 Lake, he took his family to Ocean Grove, 
 hoping that a brief stay at the seaside 
 would soon restore him to health. His 
 health had been perfect, and he knew 
 not what it was to rest. The second 
 National camp-meeting had begun at 
 Urbana, Ohio, and Alfred scented the 
 battle from afar, and his holy soul was 
 stirred for the conflict. His wife, know- 
 ing his weakness, ple'aded witl} him not 
 to go. With tears in her eyes, she said, 
 J53
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 "O Alfred, you will next go to Urbana?" 
 "My dear," he replied, "it is God's will." 
 Knowing his weakness at Round Lake, 
 none of the brethren expected him at 
 Urbana; but we were delighted to see 
 him. 
 
 During the Urbana meeting Alfred 
 preached twice, and with a pathos and 
 effectiveness which was never excelled, 
 even by him. "Thousands of deathless 
 spirits," says Rev. L. R. Dunn, "will 
 never have the impression produced by 
 those sermons effaced." He preached 
 on Friday from "Be ye holy." The peo- 
 ple gave profound attention to his words. 
 The second sermon, from "Be filled with 
 the Spirit," was delivered the following 
 Tuesday morning to a congregation of 
 not less than three thousand. Every eye 
 seemed fastened upon the preacher. It 
 was his last National camp-meeting ser- 
 mon, and had he known it was his last, 
 he could not have preached more effect- 
 ively. HIS spirit was profoundly moved, 
 and he poured out his soul almost unto
 
 The National Holiness Movement, 
 
 death -for the salvation of the people. 
 The noon hour came, and the bell an- 
 nounced the dinner ready ; but not a per- 
 son left his place. All seemed as if 
 chained to their seats until the preacher 
 had concluded his discourse, and the 
 people dismissed in an orderly manner. 
 It was really the great effort of his life 
 great in the searching truths uttered, 
 great in the spiritual power with which 
 the truth was delivered, great in the 
 overwhelming effect produced upon the 
 audience during its delivery, and great 
 in the deep, lasting impression made 
 upon that vast company. A correspond- 
 ent to a Cincinnati paper gives a de- 
 scription of the sermon, in which he 
 says : "His clear, ringing voice pene- 
 trated to the remotest bounds of the 
 great square, and under the influence of 
 his eloquence men stood motionless as 
 statues. The hour of twelve came, and 
 the gongs and dinner-bells around the 
 inclosure began an interruptive clangor. 
 But no person in that congregation could
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 have been tempted away by an epicurean 
 feast. In that moment there was food 
 for the moral and religious nature being 
 dispensed with all the liberality of elo- 
 quence, and the wants of physical na- 
 ture were unheeded in their appeals. An 
 imperfect report would utterly mar the 
 beauty of the speaker's utterances, and 
 a perfect report would fail to convey any 
 idea of the glowing eloquence of his 
 style, and the telling effect of his pa- 
 thetic appeals to men and women to 'be 
 filled with the Holy Spirit.' Your types 
 could print the mere words ; but no pen- 
 power that I know of can clothe them 
 with the garb of oratory in which they 
 trooped forth from the speaker's lips, to 
 take by storm the stubborn citadel of 
 men's hearts and minds." 
 
 Writing to his wife from Urbana, he 
 says : "Our meeting progresses with con- 
 stantly-increasing interest. Every serv- 
 ice is a signal victory. This afternoon I 
 preached to a large and attentive con- 
 156
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 gregation from the text, 'Be ye holy.' 
 God graciously strengthened and helped 
 me, and my friends say I never had a 
 better time. Since the sermon I am a 
 little prostrated, and my legs stiffen up ; 
 but I am getting on most gloriously. 
 Sincerely, I have not been as well for five 
 weeks. To-morrow will be the Sabbath. 
 I conduct the love-feast in the morning." 
 . . . "My own soul is being enriched. 
 I want to bring home a double portion 
 of the Spirit, and so be furnished for a 
 blessed and successful campaign this 
 autumn. . . . And now I must close 
 my note. The forces are gathering for 
 a mighty battle. O for salvation in 
 floods ! I will not get back home before 
 Saturday night. And now, good-bye. 
 The Lord bless and watch over you. 
 Kisses for children, love for my friends, 
 and believe me, your devoted husband." 
 It has been truly said, the people "little 
 thought that he was talking not only 
 from his heart, but was talking away his 
 i57
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 heart. The last and best of Alfred Cook- 
 man was condensing itself into sentences 
 to live and grow in men's minds forever." 
 
 At the close of the camp-meeting, Al- 
 fred Cookman returned to Ocean Grove, 
 not to rest, for it seemed he could not 
 rest. The "zeal of God's house was eat- 
 ing him up." He seemed to be con- 
 sumed with desire to proclaim the won- 
 derful love of the Holy Spirit. He spent 
 the Sabbath at Ocean Grove, and 
 preached from his favorite text, "Be 
 filled with the Spirit." After the Sab- 
 bath, instead of resting, he is away to 
 Martha's Vineyard, and there he 
 preaches on "Be filled with the Spirit." 
 Like Bishop Asbury, he seems to have 
 felt that he was "divinely commissioned 
 to preach sanctification in every ser- 
 mon." 
 
 On his return from Martha's Vine- 
 yard he spent two weeks at Ocean Grove, 
 and then with his family returned to his 
 home to resume his pastoral work. 
 
 October i8th, Alfred Cookman at- 
 158
 
 The National Holiness Movement. 
 
 tended the annual meeting of the Asso- 
 ciation, which met in New York, less 
 than one month before his decease. He 
 was in feeble health ; but his soul was 
 burning with desire to spread holiness. 
 He urged that at least five National 
 camp-meetings should be held the com- 
 ing year, pledging himself to be at four 
 of them. His zeal knew no abatement. 
 But here his labors with the National 
 Association ended. One month later he 
 had reached the eternal camp-meeting 
 grounds on the banks of the mystic Jor- 
 dan, from which he could observe the 
 battle between sin and holiness as it was 
 being successfully waged by his asso- 
 ciates, many of whom have since joined 
 him in holy triumph.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE SUCCESSFUL PASTOR AND PER- 
 SUASIVE PREACHER. 
 
 AS a faithful pastor and effective 
 ** preacher, Alfred Cookman was emi- 
 nently successful. The pulpit seemed to 
 be his x throne, and the pastorate his di- 
 vinely-appointed vineyard. He knew 
 how to preach the gospel, which was 
 adapted to save sinners and build up be- 
 lievers in the faith of Christ. He was 
 always able to "feed the flock of Christ." 
 He never failed to hold his congrega- 
 tions and add largely to their number. 
 The people came to his ministry like 
 hungry sheep to a good shepherd to be 
 fed, and when they asked "a fish, he did 
 not give them a serpent," and send them 
 empty away. Though not a profound 
 scholar himself, the most cultured heard 
 him with profit, and went from his min- 
 160
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 istry rejoicing, as from a feast of fat 
 things. 
 
 As a pastor, the people became 
 strongly attached to him, and at times 
 well-nigh idolized him. In seasons of 
 bereavement among his people, his 
 words were always full of sympathy, and 
 he was always able to administer genu- 
 ine Christian consolation. The very 
 tones of his voice in the prayers he of- 
 fered on such occasions, drew him closer 
 and closer to the hearts of his people. 
 
 Mr. Cookman joined the Philadelphia 
 Conference in 1848. He had served the 
 Church at Attleboro, and also on Dela- 
 ware City Circuit, as a "supply," the two 
 previous years. But on joining the Con- 
 ference he was appointed to the German- 
 town Circuit, a suburb of Philadelphia. 
 
 In 1849 ne was appointed to Kensing- 
 ton and Port Richmond, as a junior 
 preacher under Rev. David Dailey. 
 This, it will be remembered, was the first 
 appointment which his honored father 
 received on joining the Philadelphia 
 ii 161
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Conference. The very church in which 
 his father so eloquently proclaimed the 
 gospel of Jesus now resounded with the 
 voice of his equally devoted son. 
 
 So greatly were his services appreci- 
 ated that he was returned a second year, 
 with the privilege of being allowed to 
 make a visit to England. His venerable 
 grandfather had urged his coming, and 
 Alfred was anxious to comply with his 
 grandfather's wishes. It is not surpris- 
 ing, however, that his good mother 
 should have hesitated to risk her dearest 
 earthly treasure to that treacherous 
 ocean which had a few years before en- 
 gulfed husband and father. She finally 
 consented, and Alfred sailed from New 
 York in the latter part of July, in the 1 
 steamer Europia. It is enough to say 
 that this visit was eminently satisfactory 
 to Alfred and his English relatives, and 
 was ever remembered by him as a bright 
 spot in his history. "Stepney Lodge," 
 Hull, the residence of his grandfather, 
 was a place of great delight to our young 
 162
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 friend. The days he spent in London 
 were crowded with sight-seeing. He 
 visited the Wesleyan Conference, and 
 was honored with a seat on the platform ; 
 visited the British Museum, saw the 
 royal family, etc. Having completed his 
 visit, he bade adieu to his many relatives 
 and friends, turned his face homeward, 
 and in due time was in labors abundant 
 on his charge. 
 
 Alfred Cookman was a Conference 
 preacher for twenty-two years. During 
 that time he was pastor of twelve 
 Churches in five different Annual Con- 
 ferences. The following is a list of his 
 appointments after he became a member 
 of the Conference : 1848, Germantown 
 and Chestnut Hill; 1849-50, Kensington 
 and Port Chester; 1851-2, West Chester 
 Station ; 1852-3, Locust Street, Harris- 
 burg; 1854-5, Christ Church, Pittsburg; 
 1857-8, Green Street, Philadelphia; 
 1859-60, Union Church, Philadelphia; 
 1861-2, Central Church, New York; 
 1863-4, Trinity, West 34th Street, New 
 163 *
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 York; 1865-8, Spring Garden Street, 
 Philadelphia; 1868-70, Grace Church, 
 Wilmington, Delaware; 1871, Central 
 Church, Newark, N. J. 
 
 It will be observed that Alfred was 
 stationed five times in Philadelphia, 
 twice in New York City, once in Harris- 
 burg, once in Pittsburg, once in Wil- 
 mington, Del., and finally in Central 
 Church, Newark, N. J. These Churches 
 included at the time some of the best 
 Churches in Methodism. 
 
 Mr. Cookman's labors on the German- 
 town Circuit were marked, it is said, by 
 "fidelity to duty, and all his exercises 
 were indications of the future successes 
 which were destined to crown his min- 
 istry." 
 
 A lady, writing of the pleasant "mem- 
 ories" of Alfred Cookman, as she knew 
 him on the Delaware City Circuit, which 
 he traveled the year before he became a 
 , member of the Conference, says : "To 
 all classes of this population young 
 Cookman came as a messenger of life. 
 164
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 His young heart burned with love of 
 souls. He went from his closet to the 
 pulpit, and thus panoplied with power, it 
 is no marvel that the multitudes which 
 from Sabbath to Sabbath hung upon the 
 earnest pleadings of his eloquent lips 
 for their salvation, regarded him as a 
 royal ambassador from the Court of the 
 Most High." (Mrs. L. A. Battershall.) 
 The same writer declares that, notwith- 
 standing " his rich endowment by nature 
 with a genial spirit and an ease of grace 
 and manner fitting him to shine as the 
 center of the social circle, yet she never 
 knew him betrayed into levity unbe- 
 coming a minister of the gospel of 
 Christ." 
 
 In the spring of 1851, on his return 
 from England, he was married, and at 
 the next Conference, a few weeks later, 
 was appointed to the charge of West 
 Chester Station, about thirty miles from 
 Philadelphia. It was an old Quaker 
 town, with a Methodist Church limited 
 in numbers and wealth, but greatly en- 
 165
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 couraged with the prospect of having the 
 eloquent and popular Cookman and his 
 youthful bride. Everything was done 
 to make them comfortable and happy. 
 His fame had preceded him, and from his 
 first Sabbath the people were attracted to 
 his public ministrations. His church 
 was crowded, not only by Methodists 
 and those who were in sympathy with 
 them, but even the elite of the community 
 were attracted to his church, and were 
 delighted and profited. The Quakers 
 were greatly charmed by the spirit which 
 pervaded his sermons "and the godly 
 simplicity of his manners." He was the 
 leading spiritual teacher in the commu- 
 nity. As the days and weeks passed, his 
 influence grew more and more, until his 
 ascendency over the hearts and minds 
 of the people exceeded in a short time 
 that of any former minister in many 
 years. 
 
 Mr. Cookman's success in this charge 
 may be inferred from these facts : He 
 found the church embarrassed with a 
 1 66
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher, 
 
 debt of three thousand dollars, of ten 
 years' standing, and much in need of re- 
 pairs. The membership was small, only 
 one hundred and fifty-two, and they with 
 little means. He reported at the close 
 of his first year one hundred and seventy 
 members and seventy-five probationers. 
 At the close of the second year he re- 
 ported two hundred and twenty-five 
 members and twenty-six probationers. In 
 the meantime he had paid off the entire 
 debt, and put the church in excellent 
 condition. "The church," it is said, "was 
 always full when Brother Cookman 
 preached." "He was popular in other 
 Churches as in his own. Everybody 
 loved him, and spoke of him as the 
 lovely, eloquent Cookman." This same 
 writer says : "It is fair to state that 
 Brother Cookman gave an impulse to 
 Methodism in West Chester such as it 
 had never had, and we still enjoy the 
 benefits thereof. It is difficult to decide 
 which was the stronger attraction for 
 the people, his unassuming piety and 
 167
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 sweet, loving spirit, or his thrilling elo- 
 quence that so enchained the multi- 
 tudes." 
 
 In 1853, Mr. Cookman was ^stationed 
 in Harrisburg, the capital of the State. 
 He at once made himself felt in his new 
 field. Locust Street received him with 
 enthusiastic delight, and very soon his 
 eloquent pulpit efforts attracted general 
 attention. When the Legislature as- 
 sembled, his church being conveniently 
 located, the members and visitors of that 
 body were attracted to it. He was 
 elected chaplain of the House of Dele- 
 gates, was selected to offer prayer at the 
 inauguration of the governor, and 
 seemed to hold a position far in advance 
 of what might have been expected of a 
 youth of twenty-five years. 
 
 Mr. Cookman remained in Harrisburg 
 two years. Under his ministry the so- 
 ciety prospered. The Church had gained 
 in membership in the two years ninety 
 members and seventy probationers, while 
 its financial and social standing had in- 
 168
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 creased proportionately. Alfred Cook- 
 man's preaching at this time is repre- 
 sented as "replete with sublime thoughts 
 and beautiful illustrations." It is said 
 that "one secret of Mr. Cookman's popu- 
 larity and success as a preacher was that 
 his sermons were all good, and that what- 
 ever emergency called him forth, he had 
 a peculiar faculty of happily adapting his 
 discourse to the occasion." "We like his 
 sermons," said one, "on account of their 
 freshness, originality, and the thorough- 
 'ness and the earnestness with which 
 they are delivered. For a young man 
 he is a speaker of superior ability." 
 
 It was about this time that Alfred 
 Cookman entered the field as a lecturer, 
 and received many commendations from 
 the public press. "The Bible" was his 
 favorite subject, especially in his earlier 
 ministry. He delivered a lecture at Har- 
 risburg on this subject, his theme being, 
 "The Bible is the basis, the bond, the 
 bulwark, and the boast of our free insti- 
 tutions." He was invited to deliver the 
 169
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 annual sermon before "The Society of 
 Evangelical Inquiry of Dickinson Col- 
 lege." The sermon was not only well 
 received ; but it is said to have estab- 
 lished the preacher's high reputation 
 among the students." 
 
 About this time Mr. Cookman deliv- 
 ered a lecture in Philadelphia before the 
 Young Men's Christian Association, on 
 "Concentrated Energy as a Prerequisite 
 to Success and Distinction in any Pur- 
 suit in Life." He is reported as possess- 
 ing a "style clear and perspicuous, and' 
 at the same time brilliant and ornate. 
 His voice, which is perfectly under his 
 control, is remarkably distinct, musical, 
 and sonorous, and his manner of delivery 
 is highly oratorical and effective. Mr. 
 Cookman, although quite a young man, 
 has already won for himself an enviable 
 reputation." On his leaving Harrisburg, 
 one of the papers said : "He was popular 
 with all classes and all denominations,, 
 and his departure is universally re- 
 gretted." 
 
 170
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 In 1855, Cookman was transferred to 
 the Pittsburg Conference, and stationed 
 at Christ Church, Pittsburg, Pa. A new 
 Methodist church,of Gothic architecture, 
 had been erected at Pittsburg; it was at 
 that time the costliest edifice in Amer- 
 ican Methodism, and Alfred Cookman, 
 a youth of twenty-seven years, was se- 
 lected as its pastor. It was a heavy re- 
 sponsibility to assume, and he was not 
 unmindful of what it involved. But it 
 was soon evident to all that no more ap- 
 propriate choice could have been made. 
 Though young in years, he was not 
 wanting in experience. He proved him- 
 self to be a man of courage as well as 
 caution. 
 
 As a preacher, it was true that his 
 power to attract and hold the people in 
 a great city was to be tested. But his 
 ability was at once recognized, and his 
 church, though having the disadvantage 
 of being a "pewed" church, was speed- 
 ily filled. He was in all respects a suc- 
 cess, even in the forming period of this 
 171
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 important Church. Though a transfer, 
 and that to the leading Church in the 
 Conference, Mr. Cookman was received 
 cordially by the preachers of the Con- 
 ference from the first. They gave him 
 their love and confidence. 
 
 Mr. Cookman's success at Christ 
 Church may be inferred from the fact 
 that at the close of the first year he re- 
 ported to the Conference an increase 
 from ninety to one hundred and thirty- 
 two members, and twenty-six proba- 
 tioners. He had collected for missions 
 $738, and $300 for the Bible cause, ex- 
 ceeding by far all former contributions. 
 
 At the ensuing Conference Mr. Cook- 
 man was selected to make a missionary 
 address, in connection with Dr. J. P. 
 Durbin. It is said that these two men 
 "electrified the audience." One, in de- 
 scribing the meeting, says they "were 
 two of the most powerful speakers to 
 which it has ever been my privilege to 
 listen." The same writer says : "Cook- 
 man is a gifted son of eloquence, and 
 172
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 nature has given him a most exuberant 
 fancy. His speeches abound in the most 
 gorgeous imagery, and in this respect he 
 is said to resemble his distinguished 
 father." "Mr. Cookman's speech might 
 be said to abound in lightning flashes of 
 genius, which Dr. Durbin followed in 
 one continued thunder-roll of ponderous 
 thought." 
 
 The same writer, speaking of Mr. 
 Cookman's Sabbath sermon in the Pres- 
 byterian Church, says : "We would as 
 soon think of daguerreotyping the storm, 
 or with a feeble voice of imitating the 
 roar of thunder, as to undertake to con- 
 vey to our readers the impression made 
 by Cookman's sermon. Certain we are 
 that of all who heard it, no one will for- 
 get it." 
 
 There is no doubt that Mr. Cook- 
 man's youthful appearance contributed 
 to the enthusiasm with which his efforts 
 were received ; but back of all this there 
 must have been real worth. He seemed 
 to do everything for the Lord Jesus, 
 173
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 and to do it with all his strength. He 
 seems to have kept his all upon God's 
 altar, ready for sacrifice or service. At 
 the close of > his first sermon in Christ 
 Church, from the text, Galatians vi, 14, 
 "God forbid that I should glory, save 
 in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," 
 a brother, a member of the Church, was 
 asked, on coming out, what he thought 
 .of the sermon. "Ah," said he, "there 
 is no German silver about that it has 
 the true ring of the genuine metal." 
 "His whole work in Pittsburg," says one, 
 "was admirable in every way. . . . 
 He was in every sense a Methodist, but 
 he was not a narrow denominationalist ; 
 and, above all, he had nothing in his 
 heart to keep him from rejoicing in the 
 success of another's work." "The more 
 I knew him," says one, "the more I 
 loved him. He walked with God." 
 
 On Mr. Cookman's leaving Pittsburg, 
 a daily city paper speaks of his work 
 thus : "Rev. Alfred Cookman has been 
 with us two years, yet in that short time
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 he has indelibly impressed us with his 
 sincerity as a Christian, his worth as a 
 gentleman, and his ability as a pulpit 
 orator. To his value as a Christian, 
 his life and zeal in the cause he assumes 
 testifies. Of his worth as a gentleman, 
 the many and warm attachments formed 
 during his short residence with us are 
 the assurances. Of his ability as an 
 orator, the large and discriminating 
 audiences which have attended him are 
 the very best evidences." He left the 
 city with his family at midnight. But 
 even at this unseasonable hour the 
 friends were so much attached to him, 
 and the feeling so intense at parting 
 with him, that they formed a procession, 
 and accompanied him and his family 
 to the station, where they bade them an 
 affectionate adieu as they took the 
 train for Philadelphia. 
 
 In 1857, Cookman was transferred 
 back to the Philadelphia Conference, at 
 the request of the Conference, and sta- 
 tioned at Green Street, Philadelphia.
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Green Street Church was new, the seats 
 were free, and, located in the midst of 
 a dense population, it was well adapted 
 to a preacher of the popular talent that 
 Mr. Cookman had the reputation of pos- 
 sessing, and really did possess. Dr. 
 H. B. Ridgaway, speaking of Mr. Cook- 
 man's two years' pastorate at Green 
 Street Church, says, "It is doubtful if 
 Philadelphia Methodism has known in 
 its whole history a pastoral term of two 
 years more signally fraught with proofs 
 of Divine favor and the stable results 
 of evangelical ministrations than those 
 of our friend at Green Street." He 
 further declares that the "scenes under 
 his preaching the perpetual blaze of 
 revival, the marked cases of conversion 
 and sanctification were more like the 
 occurrences of primitive Methodism, and 
 showed conclusively that the ancient 
 glory had not departed from the sons of 
 the fathers." 
 
 Let it be remembered that at the close 
 pf his second year he reported no less 
 176
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 than seven hundred members, and one 
 hundred and fourteen probationers two 
 hundred and thirty-five net gain. It is 
 true that this increase took place in 1857 
 and 1858, during the great awakening. 
 But Alfred Cookman was the man to 
 take advantage of this spirit of almost 
 universal awakening, and press sinners 
 to Christ. It will be remembered that 
 it was while at Green Street he re- 
 ceived a most satisfactory renewal of 
 the blessing of entire sanctification, 
 which for years he had failed to enjoy. 
 He says, ten years later, "Eternal praises 
 to my long-suffering Lord, ten years 
 have elapsed since, as pastor of Green 
 Street Church, in the city of Philadel- 
 phia, I again carefully and fully dedi- 
 cated my all to God ; the consecration 
 included, of course, the doubtful indul- 
 gence" (tobacco.) Dr. Ridgaway says : 
 ''The tobacco test was for himself alone ; 
 the use of tobacco was in his way. He 
 did not pretend to raise it as a test 
 for any one else." We can not believe 
 12 177
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 that Alfred Cookman would care to have 
 the matter put in this form. It is true 
 that he did not denounce those who in- 
 dulged in the use of tobacco as sinners 
 above all men because they did such 
 things. But he did not believe that an 
 enlightened Christian could practice 
 smoking or chewing tobacco and enjoy 
 the blessing of entire sanctification. 
 From what we know of Mr. Cookman's 
 teachings on this subject, we are sure 
 we state his exact views. Let no one 
 say that "if so holy a man as Alfred 
 Cookman did not object to the use of 
 tobacco, then I may use it." He did 
 object to the use of tobacco, and his 
 whole spiritual nature revolted at the 
 idea of a man claiming to be pure in 
 heart, and still held by the power of this 
 habit. 
 
 A new light had fallen upon him, and 
 a new power possessed him, and from 
 this time until he "swept through the 
 gates, washed in the blood of the Lanib," 
 "heart purity" was his theme. His ablest 
 178
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 sermons were from this time on this 
 subject. "His whole being was per- 
 meated with its unction ; at home or 
 abroad, in the pulpit or the social cir- 
 cle, in the study or by the seashore, at 
 the altar of prayer or by the sick-bed, 
 the instinct of his soul, the atmosphere 
 of his life was holiness unto the Lord." 
 
 It was during his ministry at Green 
 Street that his brother George, often 
 referred to in these pages, was converted, 
 and became an honored, worthy member 
 of the Church. He was a man of deep 
 piety and an earnest worker. His 
 career was short, but he lived and died 
 well. Nothing in Alfred's ministry gave 
 him greater joy than the salvation of 
 his most dearly-loved brother George. 
 An intelligent member of the Green 
 Street Church was asked by a member 
 of the Conference what was the secret 
 of Cookman's success. His answer was, 
 "His evident desire to do the people 
 good." 
 
 .The next appointment of Alfred 
 179
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Cookman was the Union Church, on 
 Fourth Street, Philadelphia. This was 
 in 1859. It was the oldest Methodist 
 Church in the city, except St. George. 
 It was located in the business portion 
 of the city. But notwithstanding all 
 these disadvantages, it was even then 
 regarded as a strong Church. There 
 were many influential families connected 
 with the Church; but they came from 
 a distance, preferring to remain with 
 the old rather than connect themselves 
 with new organizations. The popularity 
 of Mr. Cookman was soon felt in the 
 increase of the congregations. It is 
 said by one of the leading members of 
 the Church, "Mr. Cookman was re- 
 ceived at Union with open arms and 
 open hearts." This was the Church- 
 home of his honored mother, who now 
 received the Word of God with glad- 
 ness from lips she had taught to lisp 
 the name of Jesus. Here, too, was his 
 bosom friend, Rev. Andrew Longacre, 
 now laid aside by feeble health. Here, 
 180
 
 Successful Pastor and Persuasive Preacher. 
 
 also, was Mrs. John Keen, in whose 
 home a meeting for "holiness;" which 
 had been established by her mother, was 
 the rallying point for the lovers of holi- 
 ness. It seemed almost an Eden to 
 Alfred, who had so recently regained his 
 lost blessing, and gloried in its posses- 
 sion. Some idea of his power as a 
 preacher at this time may be gathered 
 from a report of a sermon preached at 
 Penn's Grove Camp-meeting, New Jer- 
 sey, by his friend, Andrew Longacre. 
 His text was, "Thy will be done." Mr. 
 Longacre says: "The collection pre- 
 ceded the sermon, and it left the congre- 
 gation a good deal unsettled. But at 
 the first sound of his voice all was 
 hushed into attention, and the whole 
 vast throng was bathed in tears. Peo- 
 ple wept aloud, and preachers crowded 
 the stand and the passers-by on the 
 edge of the circle. Near me was seated 
 a traveling preacher of the Hicksite 
 Friends. He had been restless at first, 
 but gradually seemed subdued by the 
 181
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 power of the preacher, until at the con- 
 clusion he stood up aind cried with a 
 loud voice, as if yielding to the constrain- 
 ing influence of the Spirit, 'We have 
 heard the gospel preached in demonstra- 
 tion of the Spirit and power.' We went 
 to the tables right after the service, but 
 for many minutes those at the table 
 could not eat. We sat looking at each 
 other, and weeping tears that could not 
 be controlled." 
 
 In this spirit Alfred Cookman 
 preached and labored to win men to 
 God, not counting any sacrifice too 
 great that he might finish his course 
 with peace, and the ministry committed 
 to him. 
 
 182
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 PASTOR AND PREACHER. CONTINUED. 
 
 ALFRED COOKMAN'S term of 
 ^ service closed at the Union Church 
 in the spring of 1861. The unprece- 
 dented wave of revival influence which 
 made his ministry at Green Street such 
 a remarkable success had passed, and 
 no such results could have been rea- 
 sonably expected at the Union. But his 
 ministry was not wanting in fruitage. 
 Many were added to the Church, but 
 it was more gradual. The additions 
 were in small numbers. 
 
 But the time had come for his re- 
 moval, and the calls for his services 
 were numerous. Among them came an 
 urgent petition from New York City, 
 and in response to this call he was 
 transferred to the New York Confer- 
 ence, and stationed at Central Church, 
 183
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 on Seventh Street, New York City. 
 This Church seemed to have a special 
 claim upon him. It was the same so- 
 ciety which had, in 1841, secured the 
 services of his honored father when he 
 should return from England. It is not 
 surprising that they should now seek 
 the services of his noble son, who was 
 standing in the front ranks of the suc- 
 cessful ministers of the Church. Mr. 
 Cookman's first year at Central Church 
 was the year of the outbreak of the 
 Rebellion, and was, in all respects, a 
 most trying time. The war spirit seemed 
 to dominate all other interests. The 
 whole land seemed a military camp. The 
 Sabbath was mainly neglected, and amid 
 such scenes it is no wonder that churches 
 were deserted, congregations limited, 
 and the revival spirit repressed. But 
 this state of things did not long con- 
 tinue. After the first blaze of Northern 
 patriotism had spent its force, the people, 
 finding that war liad become a matter 
 of fact, a real, stern reality, and that 
 184
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 it was not all victory, but at times 
 signal defeat, began to return to the 
 churches. It was felt that an appeal to 
 God for help was a necessity. Then 
 the churches were again filled. 
 
 In the midst of these conflicts, Al- 
 fred Cookman stood his ground. His 
 sermons were full of patriotism, but 
 Christ was made the one central thought. 
 His heart was in fullest sympathy with 
 the North in its struggles against the 
 slave power, and in his sermons and 
 speeches he sought to keep alive in the 
 hearts of the people faith, first in God, 
 and then faith in the American Re- 
 public. 
 
 Mr. Cookmari's voice was soon heard 
 in the Fulton Street noonday prayer- 
 meeting. No one was more welcomed 
 than he. 
 
 It was natural that Alfred Cookman 
 should early become interested irt the 
 Sing Sing camp-ground. He writes to 
 his wife, who, with the children, was 
 at her father's home in Columbia, Pa., 
 185
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 while he had been at Sing Sing: "We 
 had a glorious work. O, I can never 
 forget it! The camp has been only 
 outside of heaven itself. Meetings pow- 
 erful and blessed." Speaking of his 
 sermon at the camp-meeting, he says : 
 "In the evening your poor, unworthy 
 husband preached on 'Redeeming the 
 time.' O, how much oppressed in view 
 of my fearful responsibility ! But, glory 
 to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
 Divine strength was made perfect in my 
 weakness, and I think that never have 
 I preached so much in the demonstra- 
 tion of the Spirit. Sinners were smitten 
 on the right hand and on the left. The 
 altar and tents were occupied with peni- 
 tents and praying Christians ; many souls 
 were converted. One gentleman of forty 
 years of age was converted while I 
 preached. Not unto me, not unto me ; 
 but unto my blessed Savior shall be all 
 praise and glory, now and for evermore." 
 Alfred Cookman found in New York 
 what his soul yearned for a meeting 
 186
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 for the special promotion of holiness, 
 conducted by Dr. and Mrs. Palmer. 
 Here great and good men and women, 
 of all denominations, met to enjoy the 
 fellowship of saints. Alfred Cookman 
 received from week to week in this 
 meeting, great spiritual profit. The tes- 
 timonies were especially helpful. His 
 presence also contributed, not a little, 
 to the interest of these meetings. 
 
 Mr. Cookman's pastorate at the Cen- 
 tral Church closed in the spring of 
 1863. But not without deep regret on 
 the part of the people. He was be- 
 loved by all as a man of God. 
 
 His next pastorate was in the same 
 city, Trinity Church, on West Thirty- 
 fourth Street. The Church to which he 
 was appointed knew him to be pro- 
 nounced on two questions the war, and 
 the subject of holiness. 
 
 The war was still raging, and every 
 effort was being made to relieve the 
 sufferings of our soldiers who were at 
 the front and in the hospitals. 
 187
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 The Christian Commission had been 
 organized, with the object of carrying 
 comfort to the bodies and minds of our 
 suffering soldiers. Christian ministers 
 by hundreds volunteered their services 
 for a given time, and worthy laymen 
 joined them in these acts of mercy. The 
 good accomplished by these worthy, un- 
 selfish men of God will not be fully 
 known until the books are finally opened. 
 Mr. Lincoln, in addressing a company of 
 these ministers, in our presence, said, 
 "Gentlemen, you are the only men who 
 have called on me that did not want 
 something." Mr. Cookman offered his 
 services to the Christian Commission. 
 They were accepted. He left home 
 about the 2Oth 'of February, 1864, and 
 returned to his charge the 24th of March, 
 having spent his time in Washington 
 and Brandy Station, etc. He was much 
 of the time with the New York Heavy 
 Artillery, and at the headquarters of the 
 Reserve Artillery. His correspondence 
 to his wife and family shows how deeply 
 1 88
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 he was interested in the work. An ex- 
 tract from a letter to his wife will indi- 
 cate the work which most interested 
 him. He says : "I have been writing 
 this morning a letter to a wife who re- 
 sides at Garrison Station, on the line 
 of the Hudson River Railroad. Last 
 night her husband was powerfully con- 
 verted. The case is thrillingly interest- 
 ing. Two weeks since he tore himself 
 from a dear, pious, and faithful wife 
 and three beloved children. His com- 
 panion remonstrated with tears in her 
 eyes. Still he enlisted. After great 
 hardships, he reached this camp on 
 Wednesday morning. In the evening he 
 came to the tent. The preached word 
 affected his heart, and he rose for 
 prayers. All day yesterday he was a 
 subject of powerful awakening. Last 
 evening, during our experience meet- 
 ing, he rose up (a noble-looking man) 
 and, with tears running down his cheeks, 
 said : *O, fellow-soldiers, how much I 
 want to be saved ! All day I have been 
 189
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 wrestling with conviction. Now I 
 yield, I yield ; I can hold out no more. 
 I am resolved to seek and serve God. 
 O, won't you please pray for me?' I 
 dropped on my knees, and poured out 
 my soul in importunate pleading. All 
 the soldiers were wonderfully interested 
 and engaged. Prayer finished, the sol- 
 dier rose again, and said : 'Fellow-sol- 
 diers, I must tell you I believe God has 
 heard and answered my prayer. The love 
 of Jesus is shed abroad in my heart. 
 I am happy in God. I came to be a 
 soldier of the Nation now I am, in 
 addition, a soldier of Jesus. When we 
 were coming here, very many of our 
 company were sorry that they had en- 
 listed ; but if you will enlist in the serv- 
 ice of Jesus, you wilf never be sorry.' 
 Thereupon, another soldier sprang to 
 his feet, and said : 'I will enlist to-night. 
 Two of my children are in heaven. I 
 want to meet them there, and I intend 
 to march with that dear man. Here, 
 fellow-soldiers, I enlist to-night.' I can 
 190
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 give you no idea of the meeting. It 
 was wonderful, glorious, surpassing any- 
 thing I ever witnessed. My own soul 
 is richly baptized. I lay down on my 
 bed with a heart melting in gratitude 
 before God." 
 
 Mr. Cookman was at home in this 
 sort of work, and this is a sample of the 
 work he did among the soldiers. "I 
 am sustained," he says, "by the convic- 
 tion that I am in the line of duty, and 
 God strengthens and blesses me." To 
 his sister Mary, he writes : "God keeps 
 my soul in peace. When I walk these 
 hills alone, I feel I am not alone. My 
 Heavenly Father vouchsafes me his 
 presence, and I am allowed precious 
 communion with himself. Our meet- 
 ings are largely attended^ and decidedly 
 interesting. Every night there are some 
 new cases of awakening and conver- 
 sion. On Tuesday evening, beside the 
 number who rose for prayers, four 
 noble soldiers stood up and asked 
 prayers of all present. Two of them 
 191
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 professed to find Jesus before the close 
 of the meeting. O, how much I wish 
 you could enjoy one of these experi- 
 ence meeting's!" In this manner the 
 work went on. 
 
 It was at Trinity that Mr. and Mrs. 
 Cookman suffered their first bereave- 
 ment, in the death of their little daugh- 
 ter Rebecca, but three and a half years 
 old. She was absent from home when 
 she died, staying with her grandfather 
 at Columbia. "We were exceedingly 
 shocked at the announcement of her 
 death," writes Mr. Cookman to his 
 friend, Mrs. Skidmore; "for, although 
 we had heard of her sickness, we had 
 no idea that she was seriously or dan- 
 gerously ill. The little representative of 
 Central Church is the first taken from our 
 domestic circle. O, how real and blessed 
 the eternal home seems this evening! 
 My dear wife is overwhelmed with sor- 
 row. Nevertheless, she submits un- 
 complainingly to this providence of our 
 faithful God." 
 
 192
 
 Pastor and Preacher* 
 
 Writing to his sister Mary, he says, 
 "We have just been placing in the cold 
 grave another beautiful gem, to develop 
 and reappear in the promised resurrec- 
 tion." "I have many times sought," 
 he says, "to comfort bereaved parents. 
 God, by his providence, has been better 
 preparing me for this part of my min- 
 isterial duty." 
 
 Mr. Cookman's pastorate at Trinity 
 closed in 1864, and he accepted a press- 
 ing invitation to return to Philadelphia, 
 where his services were sought for a new 
 church which had been erected on 
 Spring Garden Street. We need not 
 refer to the correspondence which led 
 to his return to the city he so much 
 loved, and in which were so many of 
 his dearest friends. Mr. Cookman was 
 pastor of Spring Garden Street for three 
 years, and his ministry in that new and 
 attractive church was as great a suc- 
 cess as in any pastorate of his ministry. 
 He was never more popular with his 
 people, and never exerted a more salu- 
 , J 3 193
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 tary influence in the community. He 
 was in the prime of his manhood and 
 the height of his usefulness. His con- 
 gregation welcomed him with open arms. 
 His church was admirably located, and 
 ably manned by intelligent and energetic 
 laymen, and success seemed assured 
 from the beginning. Mr. Cookman was 
 well and personally known in the city 
 by all. His name was already a tower 
 of strength. He at once established a 
 meeting in his church for the promo- 
 tion of holiness. This meeting was 
 subsequently removed, by his consent, 
 to the Methodist Book-room on Arch 
 Street, where it has remained to this 
 day. Mr. Cookman continued to con- 
 duct the meeting while he remained in 
 Philadelphia. His first year in Spring 
 Garden Street was full of excessive toil 
 and unprecedented usefulness. Fears 
 were entertained that his abundant la- 
 bors were too great a draft on his vital 
 energies, but he seemed in perfect health. 
 On his return, in 1866, from the Confer- 
 194
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 ence, he seemed full of evangelistic zeal. 
 He is away to help his brother John, 
 at Poughkeepsie, in a revival, his brother 
 suffering from an attack of diphtheria. 
 His vacation is spent at the 'camp-meet- 
 ings, urging the people to the enjoyment 
 of full salvation. "What is the use of 
 giving you a vacation?" said one of his 
 official brethren ; "you do n't rest ; you 
 go to all the camp-meetings, and preach 
 more than if you were at home. I can 
 not favor it unless you will rest." His 
 reply was : "I can not accept a vacation 
 on such conditions. I must preach. 
 The gospel is free." Mr. Cookman's 
 health seemed unimpaired, and with him 
 preaching was a pleasure, and laboring 
 for the salvation of souls was rest. He 
 had learned the meaning of that line, 
 
 "Labor is rest." 
 
 Wherever he went, light was diffused, 
 power fell 6n the people, and there was 
 great rejoicing. He says, on returning 
 to his charge, "It was the most delight-
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ful holiday of my life." He was at 
 Shrewsbury camp-meeting for three 
 days, and pronounces them "three of 
 the greatest and most glorious days of 
 my life." He preached at the last- 
 named camp a sermon on entire sancti- 
 fication. "The illumination and unc- 
 tion," he says, "vouchsafed were, I 
 think, unprecedented in my history. O, 
 what power I had in appealing to the 
 preachers ! Hundreds of people bowed 
 in consecration !" 
 
 In 1867, Mr. Cookman's last year in 
 Spring Garden Street, the National 
 Camp-meeting movement was inaugu- 
 rated, an account of which, with Mr. 
 Cookman's relation to it, are given in 
 other chapters. 
 
 There were three events occurring 
 during this year which deeply affected 
 Mr. Cookman : First, the death of 
 Bishop Simpson's son Charles ; second, 
 the death of his eldest brother George; 
 and finally, the death of his eldest son, 
 Bruner. His brother George was con- 
 196
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 verted under the ministry of Alfred in 
 Philadelphia. His death occurred Octo- 
 ber i, 1867. Few hearts were ever more 
 closely United than were these brothers. 
 From the time of his conversion, George 
 Cookman became one of the most 
 earnest, devoted Christian men in Phil- 
 adelphia. As a member, first of Green 
 Street, and then of Arch Street, of 
 which he was one of the founders, he 
 was a leader in every good work. He 
 was Sunday - school superintendent, 
 trustee, steward, class-leader, exhorter, 
 and leader of Church music. He was 
 president of the Young Men's Christian 
 Association, as successor of George H. 
 Stuart ; a manager of the American Sun- 
 day-school Union, manager of the Phil- 
 adelphia Tract Society, etc. George 
 Cookman was a well-rounded man, as 
 well as a Christian of whom none were 
 ashamed. In a letter to his bosom friend, 
 Rev. Andrew Longacre, Alfred says : 
 "I mourn the loss of one of the sweetest 
 and best of brothers. The earthward 
 197
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 side of this dispensation is desolate be- 
 yond expression. I find my soul, how- 
 ever, singing, 
 
 'Jesus, brother of my soul, 
 Let me to thy bosom fly.' 
 
 There I hide my crippled wing, and 
 realize the comfort that the Divinity 
 supplies. Pray for me." 
 
 The last testimony of this good man, 
 given in an experience-meeting, on the 
 Wednesday evening before he died, was 
 that he was physically feeble, and could 
 not say much, but his experience might 
 be expressed in that beautiful stanza: 
 
 " 'T is Jesus, the First and the Last, 
 
 Whose Spirit shall guide me straight 
 
 home; 
 1 11 praise him for all that is past, 
 
 And trust him for all that 's to come." 
 
 George died well. Death found him 
 at his post, faithfully discharging his 
 duties. 
 
 And now, March 2, 1868, his first- 
 born, Alfred Bruner Cookman, is re- 
 moved by death. He had been a light 
 198
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 in the home for nearly sixteen years. 
 He was a good Christian boy, had been 
 converted, and was doing all a boy 
 could do to maintain a Christian life. 
 He gives this account of his conversion, 
 January 8, 1865 : "To-day I have expe- 
 rienced religion. In the afternoon I 
 went up to the altar, but did not find 
 Christ. In the evening I found him. 
 Glory to God!" He was a child of 
 feeble constitution, but his associates all 
 said of him, "Alfred Brtmer Cookman 
 is a good boy good at school, good on 
 the street, good at play, good in his 
 words, good in his temper, good in his 
 actions." "And so he was," said his 
 father. 
 
 "None knew him but to love him, 
 None named him but to praise." 
 
 It was a sad blow to the home. 
 Mother and father felt the bereavement 
 as only good parents do when the first- 
 born is taken. "Our glorified boy!" 
 says Mr. Cookman. "We praise God 
 199
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 for the temporary loan. It made earth 
 more beautiful. It makes heaven more 
 attractive." The three years of pastoral 
 labor in the Spring Garden charge 
 closed in 1868. Between the conflict- 
 ing claims of St. John's Church, Brook- 
 lyn, and Grace Church, Wilmington, 
 Delaware, Mr. Cookman was severely 
 pressed. Both churches were new, and 
 offered equal attractions. Grace Church 
 had the advantage of being in his own 
 Conference. The bishops finally decided 
 the matter in favor of Grace Church. 
 His three years' pastorate in Wilming- 
 ton was marked with his usual success. 
 Immediately his ministry became at- 
 tractive to all classes, and his Church 
 was speedilyfilled. Among his first efforts 
 was the establishment of a meeting for 
 the promotion of holiness. There were 
 some who were of opinion that he might 
 be urging the subject unduly, and that it 
 would interfere with his popularity. To 
 this he answered : "O, the Lord Jesus
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 has my reputation in his keeping. I have 
 committed it all to him, and he will 
 take care of it." There were many in his 
 Church who at first were not prepared 
 to accept his views on the subject of 
 holiness, but who, finally, received them 
 experimentally, and became his warmest 
 friends. The people loved him with an 
 intense love for the good they had re- 
 ceived under his ministry. Writing to 
 his wife, who had not yet arrived, of his 
 first Sabbath, he says : "It was a glorious 
 day ; congregation magnificent ; sacra- 
 ment the most blessed service of that 
 kind I have enjoyed for years. Friends 
 seemed in highest spirit, and my soul 
 praises God." Very soon after entering 
 upon his labors, his spirit became dif- 
 fused through his congregation, and a 
 revival commenced, which continued 
 through the entire term of his pastorate. 
 This blessed work of God included the 
 justification of sinners, and the entire 
 sanctification of believers. "I believe," 
 201
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 says one of his members, "that eternity 
 alone will reveal the good he accom- 
 plished at Grace." 
 
 In the spring of 1869, Mr. Cookman 
 was invited to take part in the Fiftieth 
 Anniversary of the Missionary Society 
 of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 held in the city of Washington, D. C., 
 on the loth and nth of January. Able 
 representatives of the Church were 
 present, and made long and labored ad- 
 dresses on the occasion. Alfred Cook- 
 man was the last speaker. The hour 
 was late, the people were weary, and 
 the prospect was not hopeful for any 
 man. Mr. Cookman, in his opening 
 remarks, said : "And now, sir, looking 
 around upon the* field, I do not seem to 
 see a standing stalk of truth. These 
 brethren, with their bright blades- or 
 their keen sickles, have been getting the 
 harvest they have even carried it to 
 the mill. They have ground it out in 
 their close, clear, vigorous thinking. 
 They have manufactured it into nour- 
 202
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 ishing and delightful food. It has been 
 dealt out among the people, and in the 
 morning and in the evening you have 
 been enjoying it, and are now satisfied. 
 It seems to me that it only remains for 
 me to return thanks and go home. O, 
 sir, if I may change the figure, I have 
 thought during the evening, while occu- 
 pying my seat, that we have been en- 
 gaged during the day in the inspection 
 of our great missionary ship, its keel, 
 its timbers, its planking, its deck, its 
 machinery a most magnificent piece of 
 machinery its pilotage, and its Leader. 
 Our flags are flying, our officers are in 
 their places, and all that we are needing, 
 as it would seem, is the missionary 
 spirit, which might be entitled the motive 
 power." He then dwelt on the mis- 
 sionary spirit. A correspondent of the 
 Christian Advocate wrote, "The address 
 was pervaded by the blessed spirit of 
 the Master, and at times, in rapt de- 
 light, the audience wept and rejoiced ; 
 and when the speaker closed his remarks, 
 203
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 allpresent must have felt that they had 
 bqen with him at the feet of Jesus, re- 
 ceiving inspiration and comfort for 
 future effort." 
 
 At the General Conference of 1868, 
 the Philadelphia Conference was divided, 
 and the Wilmington Conference was 
 formed, and now Alfred Cookman 
 found himself in another than the Phil- 
 adelphia Conference. But he continued 
 in the work at Grace Church until his 
 term expired. His labors during this 
 period were prodigious. His services at 
 the three great National Camp-meet- 
 ings Hamilton, Oakington, and Des 
 Plaines ; his management of the Penin- 
 sula Methodist Convention, Ennall's 
 Spring Camp, etc., must have pressed 
 him beyond measure. His closing ad- 
 dress at the Methodist Convention, 
 "though impromptu," says Rev. G. H. 
 Lightbourne, "was one of the most 
 beautiful and thrilling to which I ever 
 listened." The pastor of the West 
 Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, gives 
 204
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 this testimony of Mr. Cookman's work: 
 "Perhaps no man ever exerted a wider 
 or better influence in that community 
 in the same time than did Alfred Cook- 
 man, and no man was more highly es- 
 teemed or more tenderly loved." 
 
 The Wilmington Commercial said, "It 
 is with deep regret that his brethren of 
 the Wilmington Conference part with 
 him, and many of the laity will follow 
 him with tearful eyes and prayerful 
 wishes that they may meet again on 
 this side the grave, and if not, that they 
 may meet him in heaven." 
 
 One of the most touching scenes oc- 
 curred at a meeting of the Society of 
 Friends, at which Mr. Cookman was 
 present for the last time. He was 
 accustomed to attend these Wednesday- 
 afternoon meetings. The minister read 
 for his lesson, Acts xx, 17: "And they 
 all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, 
 and kissed him, sorrowing most of all 
 for the words which he had spoken that 
 they should see his face no more." Mr. 
 205
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Cookman was himself overcome by his 
 emotions, and, with the whole audience, 
 continued to weep for some time. So 
 uncontrollable were their emotions that 
 it was impossible for a time to proceed 
 with the services. It seemed quite 
 prophetic, as he never again visited 
 that meeting. 
 
 In 1871, Alfred Cookman made his 
 last move. It is true he had calls from 
 Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Washing- 
 ton, and Newark ; but Providence, no 
 .doubt, directed his appointment to Cen- 
 tral Church, Newark, N. J., that he 
 might receive his final translation in the 
 midst of his friends. His appointment 
 seems to have been in direct answer to 
 prayer. Before he left Grace Church, 
 and while he was not able to see clearly 
 the path of duty, there was a little prayer- 
 meeting of his special friends. They met 
 to pray for Divine guidance. He was 
 ready for any place, ready to suffer or to 
 die for Jesus. It is said that the next 
 morning, with one voice, they said, 
 "Newark," and to Newark he went 
 206
 
 Pastor and Preacher. 
 
 He was received by the members of 
 his new field with the greatest cordiality, 
 and everything was done to make him 
 and his family comfortable and happy. 
 Those who knew him best could see with 
 great clearness that Alfred Cookman was 
 increasingly intent on possessing more of 
 the mind that was in Christ, and to be 
 perfect as he is perfect, and to be envel- 
 oped constantly in an atmosphere of 
 heavenly-mindedness. Such was Alfred 
 Cookman as he entered upon his final 
 pastorate. He seemed to be well char- 
 acterized by the term saintliness. He 
 may not have been impressed with this 
 change ; but those with whom he came 
 in contact saw clearly the spirit of glory 
 and of God was resting upon him. He 
 entered joyfully into every interest of 
 his Church, and the people responded 
 heartily to his earnest appeals to seek 
 the promised power from on high. In 
 the midst of these signs of great useful- 
 ness the end came. 
 
 207
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 FINAL TRIUMPH: SWEEPING THROUGH 
 THE GATES. 
 
 'T'HE remark has often been made: 
 "What a misfortune to the Christian 
 Church that Alfred Cookman should 
 have been called away so early in life, in 
 the forty-second year of his age! He 
 had many years of active life before him, 
 and the Church so much needed his 
 services." We do not sympathize with 
 this complaint. The Church has gained 
 by his dying vastly more than she could 
 have gained by his living. His dying 
 song of victory will live long after all his 
 labors have been forgotten. 
 
 Some men die old at thirty. Others 
 are children at fourscore. The real fact is, 
 
 "We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not 
 
 breaths ; 
 
 In feelings, not in figures on a,dial. 
 We should count time by heart-throbs. He 
 
 most lives 
 
 Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the 
 best; 
 
 208
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 He whose heart beats quickest lives longest 
 Lives in one hour more than in years do 
 some." 
 
 "The dead have all the glory of the 
 world." 
 
 "If the sun were never to rise again," 
 says old Jeremy Collier, "it would look 
 grander to tumble from the heavens at 
 midday, with all its light and heat, 
 rather than gain a few hours, only to 
 languish and decline." 
 
 "The last act of such a life is much like 
 the last number of a sum, ten times 
 greater than all the rest." 
 
 Rev. Thomas Walsh, of whom Mr. 
 Wesley said, "Such a master of Bible 
 knowledge I never saw before, and never 
 expect to see again," and under whose 
 ministry he claims that "more souls were 
 converted than under the labors of any 
 man of his time," died at the age of 
 twenty-eight. But his influence still 
 lives. Rev. John Summerfield, the most 
 eloquent and effective preacher that ever 
 stood in an American pulpit, and whose 
 14 209
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 memory is as fragrant as "the rose of 
 Sharon or the lily of the valley," and 
 can never be dissipated, died at the age 
 of twenty-seven. Rev. David Brainard, 
 whose self-sacrificing labor is an inspi- 
 ration to every missionary of the cross, 
 and of whom Bishop Hamline once said, 
 "I would rather be David Brainard, 
 wrapped in my bearskin and spitting 
 blood upon the snow, than to be Ga- 
 briel," died at the age of twenty-nine 
 years. The influence of such a man must 
 continue to be felt until "the kingdoms 
 of this world shall become the kingdom 
 of our Lord and his Christ." Bishop 
 Janes, in addressing some missionaries, 
 said, in substance : "Go to your field of 
 labor, and devote all your energies to 
 save the heathen, and take the very first 
 good opportunity to die and go to 
 heaven." It is often true, 
 
 ' ' The good die first, 
 And they whose hearts are dry as summer 
 
 dust 
 Burn to the socket.' '
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 It is true, Alfred Cookman died com- 
 paratively young ; but he lives in the love 
 and admiration of God's people, and will 
 while holiness is accepted as the "central 
 idea of Christianity." 
 
 Mr. Cookman had reached the last 
 milestone of his mortal life, and was now 
 about to "languish into the life immor- 
 tal." Such an end could not be said to 
 be "languishing," except in the sense 
 of the indescribable physical agonies 
 which he suffered. As he approached 
 the "Golden Shore," he had, like Ste- 
 phen, visions of an open heaven. After 
 a severe attack of physical agony had 
 subsided, he had, or fancied he had, a 
 remarkable vision. He was just inside 
 the city of God. While there, he was 
 first received by his Grandfather Cook- 
 man, who said : "When you were in Eng- 
 land, I took great pleasure in showing 
 you the different places of interest. Now 
 I welcome you to heaven, washed in the 
 blood of the Lamb." Then his father, 
 whose features were as distinct as when 
 
 211
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 he saw him in his boyhood, said : "Wel- 
 come, my son, washed in the blood of 
 the Lamb !" Then his brother George 
 clasped him as he arrived, and said, 
 "Welcome, my brother, washed in the 
 blood of the Lamb." Finally, his son 
 Bruner received him with the same salu- 
 tation, "Welcome, father, washed in the 
 blood of the Lamb." 
 
 The saints of God have sometimes had 
 such visions. They have come nearer 
 than to say, 
 
 "The holy ones, behold they come! 
 I hear the noise of wings." 
 
 They have said : "Do n't you sec them ? 
 Do n't you hear the music ?" They sing : 
 
 " Bright spirits are from glory come ; 
 They 're round my bed ; they 're in my room ; 
 They wait to waft my spirit home, 
 All is well." 
 
 Once reporting this dream, if one is 
 pleased to call it a dream, to his wife, he 
 said, "What an abundant entrance!" 
 Notwithstanding these wonderful visions 
 of heavenly life, and his manifest fitness 
 212
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 for the place, he was often heard to re- 
 peat the words : 
 
 " I 'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; 
 But Jesus Christ is my all in all." 
 
 Like Wesley, he could say: 
 
 " I the chief of sinners am, 
 But Jesus died for me." 
 
 When the faithful soul comes face to 
 face with the realities of the last struggle, 
 he sees nothing left to him but Jesus. 
 His past faithfulness, his personal holi- 
 ness, no matter how deep and complete ; 
 his -abundant labors and marvelous fruit- 
 age in souls all these count for nothing 
 in the presence of the Throne. He finds 
 that "there is no way into the holiest of 
 all but by the blood of Jesus." 
 
 Alfred Cookman, as he drew near the 
 close of life, seemed more and more anx- 
 ious that every movement lived, every 
 word spoken, every meeting held, and 
 every sermon preached, should bear the 
 stamp of the Holy Spirit. They dis- 
 tilled fragrance that was everywhere felt. 
 213
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 His spiritual-mindedness during the last 
 few weeks of his life exceeded by far any 
 former period in his life. 
 
 "Sometimes," he said, "I think my 
 work nearly done, and when I take my 
 bed it may be the last sickness." 
 
 As late as the i8th of October, less 
 than one month before his death, he at- 
 tended the annual meeting of the Na- 
 tional Association in New York. His 
 soul seemed in a state of spiritual ec- 
 stasy. His heart was all on fire. As we 
 walked along the street with him, he 
 said : "Let me take your arm. My limbs 
 trouble me, and I am weak." Though 
 he seemed very feeble, we had no 
 thought that death was so near. He 
 made his last visit to his brother John, 
 then stationed at West Twenty-fourth 
 Street. He attended a love-feast two 
 days before his final illness in Halsey 
 Street Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 Newark, and gave a clear, ringing testi- 
 mony, relating his experience, especially 
 on the subject of holiness, saying to two 
 214
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 brothers who accompanied him home : 
 "I know it is not popular to hold up the 
 doctrine of holiness ; but I thought I 
 would do my whole duty then. I feel 
 this may be my last opportunity." There 
 is little doubt that he expected his end 
 might be near. 
 
 Four days after he attended the annual 
 meeting of the Association, he performed 
 his last public service in his church, 
 Sunday, October 22d. He was now 
 about to do what he had many times, 
 when in health, said he would like to do. 
 "I would like to die, if it were God's 
 will, with my armor on, and preach by 
 my death as well as by my life." He 
 would like to die as Rev. Dudley Tyng 
 died, saying, "It was glorious to die as 
 he did, for his dying testimony is yet 
 echoing round the world." God gave 
 him his desire, and his dying testimony, 
 like Mr. Tyng's, Is echoing round the 
 world, and will continue to be heard 
 while the annals of dying saints are read. 
 The trembling believer will take courage 
 215
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 by it as he approaches the "swellings of 
 Jordan." 
 
 Mr. Cookman's text in the morning 
 was from Mark iv, 25, "From him that 
 hath not shall be taken away even that 
 which he hath." It was a solemn, 
 searching sermon. As evening ap- 
 proached he complained of not feeling 
 well. ''Mrs. Cookman was very anxious 
 to secure some one to fill the pulpit for 
 the evening service;" but he was not 
 willing. "I think I have a message from 
 God for this people. I shall preach from 
 'The faded leaf.' " He arose, holding in 
 his hand a faded leaf, saying, "This is my 
 text, 'We all do fade as a leaf."' He 
 seemed unlike himself, and several per- 
 sons remarked to his wife that "He 
 looked like one transfigured." One lady 
 remarked to her husband that she "did 
 not think that Fletcher could have 
 looked more seraphic." As he passed 
 from the pulpit, he handed the faded leaf 
 to a friend, saying as he did so, "That 
 leaf and the preacher are much alike 
 216
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 fading." *As he concluded his sermon 
 his feet gave way, and it was with some 
 effort that he limped from the pulpit to 
 his home. As he reached the parsonage 
 and met his anxious wife, he seemed al- 
 most distracted with pain. He was as- 
 sisted to his chamber, saying to his wife, 
 "I have preached my own experience 
 to-night 'Fading as a leaf.' " A phy- 
 sician was summoned, who pronounced 
 the disease "myalgia, or acute inflam- 
 matory rheumatism." The pain was 
 confined to the ankles and the soles of 
 the feet ; but so intense was it that he re- 
 marked -to us that it would have been a 
 relief to place his feet in the fire. No 
 language can describe the agony he suf- 
 fered. Rev. L. R. Dunn says: "In at- 
 tempting to describe his sufferings to 
 me, he used the following language : 'If 
 the bones of my feet were all teeth, and 
 each one had what we call the jumping 
 toothache, it would give you some idea 
 of what I suffer.' " He himself said that 
 "while his whole physical nature was 
 217
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 quivering with agony, his higher spirit- 
 ual nature triumphed in God." He said 
 to us : "In the midst of my most severe 
 agonies, my soul has been so filled with 
 God that for a time I quite forget the 
 pain." 
 
 Mr. Cookman seemed hopeful of his 
 recovery in the presence of his friends; 
 but beneath all this hopeful exterior 
 there seemed to be a conviction that his 
 work was done. There was always an 
 "if." After about a week of suffering, as 
 above described, there came a lull, and 
 he became hopeful and cheerful, and 
 spent the time in reading, or being read 
 to, and in writing brief letters to his 
 friends. The ( comfort he found in read- 
 ing the Word of God was very great. 
 
 The 2Qth of October, one week from 
 the time he was prostrated, the members 
 of his Church, who were very anxious, 
 held a prayer-meeting to pray for his 
 recovery. He dictated a note to the 
 meeting: "This is a Sabbath of great 
 physical suffering, and yet it is proving, 
 218
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 doubtless in answer to your prayers, the 
 most precious of all my life. I am Christ's 
 suffering little child; amid the very 
 sharp, keen, excruciating pain, I feel that 
 Jesus presses me even more closely to 
 his great heart of love, and lets me realize 
 the power of his Divine sympathy and 
 tenderness. God bless you all the kind- 
 est, dearest people that any pastor ever 
 served." 
 
 Among the letters written in these in- 
 tervals of suffering, he addressed some to 
 his most intimate friends. We select 
 portions from one written to Mrs. Abra- 
 ham Bruner, his mother-in-law. Still 
 confined to his bed, and has been for 
 three weeks, he says : "For some months 
 past I have been far from well ; but at 
 the close of my sermon on the evening 
 of October 22d, I felt my feet giving 
 way. I limped home, went to bed, and 
 for nine days was almost distracted with 
 what my physicians called myalgia, an 
 acute form of inflammatory rheumatism. 
 The pain was confined to my ankles and 
 219
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 soles. of my feet. It was just as if the 
 back part of my feet were filled with 
 teeth, and all at the^same time affected 
 with violent jumping toothache. This, 
 of course, made my feet so sore that I 
 could scarcely bear to have them 
 touched. It so involved my whole nerv- 
 ous system that towards the last it was 
 almost like convulsions. Only once have 
 I sat up, and then returned to bed with 
 a raging fever. Fever, bloody expecto- 
 ration, sore throat, torpid liver, disor- 
 dered kidneys, absence of appetite, 
 hemorrhoids, and great weakness are my 
 symptoms at present. My physician, 
 a skillful and experienced practitioner, 
 is very faithful in coming to see me twice 
 a day. Then my precious wife (God 
 bless her!) has been unremitting in her 
 attentions. Day and night, like a loving 
 angel, she has hovered over my pillow, 
 studying my wants, anticipating my 
 wishes. O, I can never repay her for 
 her self-sacrificing and unwavering love ! 
 I fancy she looks thin through her con- 
 
 220
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 slant nursing; but she would not per- 
 mit any one to take her place, and I am 
 sure I do not want any one else. 
 
 "Above all, my dear mother, I have 
 had the precious Jesus with me every 
 hour of my sickness. When my pains 
 were most severe, he would let down 
 upon my soul such a weight of glory 
 that I was obliged to break forth in 
 strains of praise and joy. O, precious 
 mother, how invaluable is full salvation 
 in suffering and in the prospect of eter- 
 nity ! To feel that the soul is washed in 
 the blood of the Lamb, and to realize the 
 perfect love that casts out all fear that 
 hath torment! O, this is more than all 
 the world beside !" 
 
 This epistle gives a graphic idea of the 
 deep agonies he endured, and the rich 
 and abundant blessing from God by 
 which he was sustained. At times Mr. 
 Cookman would break out and sing, "O, 
 how I love Jesus !" or "Rock of Ages," 
 etc. 
 
 We were invited to supply his pulpit
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Sabbath, November I2th. We called 
 upon him with another brother on Sat- 
 urday evening, and found him apparently 
 improved, and quite hopeful. And while 
 we prayed there seemed an unusual 
 manifestation of the Divine presence. 
 He was greatly comforted, and so were 
 we. At the close of the Sabbath morn- 
 ing service we retired to the parsonage, 
 and spent the afternoon with him. We 
 need not say that it was a season never 
 to be -forgotten. We found "the cham- 
 ber where the good man met his fate 
 quite on the verge of heaven." "Dark- 
 ness" often "shows us worlds of light 
 we never saw by day." So Alfred Cook- 
 man's extreme physical sufferings had 
 seemed to open to his sanctified vision 
 the glories of that world where there is 
 "no more pain," and where "they die no 
 more." His soul had been enraptured 
 with the sight, that strong as were his 
 attachments to earth, with wife and little 
 ones whom he dearly loved clinging to 
 
 222
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates, 
 
 him, he could say : "If Jesus should enter 
 my room and ask, 'Will you have life or 
 death?' I should say, 'Blessed Jesus, I 
 have no choice. Do as it pleaseth Thee.' 
 O, I am so sweetly washed in the blood 
 of the Lamb!" 
 
 "I have tried," he said, "to lift up the 
 banner of holiness, and now the sweet 
 will of God is mine." To us he said : "I 
 have tried to preach holiness. I have 
 honestly declared it, and O, what a com- 
 fort it is to me now!" Again he said: 
 "I have no regrets now. I have stood up 
 for the right, though sometimes nearly 
 alone." At another time he said to us, 
 "I have been true to holiness, and now 
 Jesus saves me fully." "I am washed 
 and made clean." 
 
 These expressions tell, as nothing else 
 could, how deeply he was impressed with 
 the importance of the subject of personal 
 holiness being washed in the blood of 
 Jesus. His soul seemed all aflame to de- 
 clare the boundless love of Jesus. He 
 223
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 said : "If I should recover, I shall preach 
 holiness as I never preached it before. 
 I have such an experience!" 
 
 One of the brethren came in to see 
 him, and remarked : "Why, my pastor, 
 you are all fixedup collar and wrapper 
 on." He replied : "Ah, your pastor has 
 not much strength ; the outward is fail- 
 ing: but all is right within." 
 
 We called upon him early Monday 
 morning, and at once observed a marked 
 change. He had failed much during 
 the night, and it seemed evident that he 
 was approaching the end, and so we re- 
 marked to Mrs. Cookman. I went di- 
 rectly to New York, to attend the Meth- 
 odist Preachers' Meeting, where I met 
 his brother John, and said to him : "If 
 you desire to see Alfred alive, you had 
 better go to Newark as soon as possible." 
 He and his mother went immediately. 
 To his wife Alfred said, "My dear, if the 
 Lord should take me away from you, 
 could you say, 'The will of the Lord be 
 224
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 done?'" She replied: "I feel that you 
 belong to the Lord. I have always felt 
 so; but I do not believe he is going to 
 take you away from me." He answered, 
 "God's will is always right and best, 
 dear." "But," she continued, "how can 
 I live without you ?" He replied : "Jesus 
 can be everything to you. He has feeen 
 with us in the past, and he will never 
 leave nor forsake you. You know the 
 Bible is full of promises for the widow 
 and fatherless. Live a moment at a time, 
 'looking unto Jesus,' and then, if per- 
 mitted, I will be with you often, and will 
 be your guardian angel, and be the first 
 to meet you at the heavenly gate." 
 
 While Mr. Cookman's mother was 
 with him on Monday, his hand became 
 paralyzed, and as he looked at it he said, 
 "That hand ems paralysed, but it belongs 
 to Jesus." The very presence of God 
 seemed to be there, so much so that his 
 mother said : "Alfred, I feel it a privi- 
 lege to be in this room ; there is such a 
 15 225
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Divine influence. It seems like the gate 
 of heaven." He replied, "Yes, there are 
 heavenly visitants here." 
 
 To rlis brother John he said : "I am 
 not afraid to die. Death is the gate to 
 endless glory. I am washed in the blood 
 of the Lamb." To his sister-in-law, Re- 
 becca Bruner, who had just arrived, he 
 said, "This is the sickest day of my life ; 
 but all is well." "If you forget every- 
 thing else, remember my testimony, 
 'Washed in the blood of the Lamb.' 
 Jesus is drawing me closer and closer to 
 his great heart of infinite love." To his 
 wife, he said : "I am Christ's little infant. 
 Just as you hold your little babe to your 
 bosom, so I am nestled close to the heart 
 of Jesus." 
 
 Just before he lost consciousness, he 
 said: "How sweet and -quiet everything 
 seems! I feel like resting now. / am 
 sweeping through the gates, washed in the 
 blood of the Lamb!" 
 
 Thus, surrounded by his sorrowing 
 226
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 family and the trustees of his Church, he 
 closed his eyes on earth, and about four 
 hours later opened them to "behold the 
 King in his beauty," November 13, 1871, 
 in the forty-third year of his age. 
 
 Dr. Edward Payson said, just before 
 his departure: "If my happiness contin- 
 ues to increase, I can not support it much 
 longer." Writing to his sister, he says: 
 "The Celestial City is in full view. Its 
 glories beam upon me; its breezes fan 
 me; its odors are wafted to me; its sounds 
 strike upon my ears, and its spirit is 
 breathed into my heart." Again this 
 holy man said: "O, what a blessed thing 
 it is to lose one's will! Since I have 
 lost my will I have found happiness. 
 There can be no such thing as disap- 
 pointment to me, for I have no desire but 
 that God's will may be accomplished." 
 Here is also an experience which closely 
 resembles Alfred Cookman's, when Pay- 
 son says that 'God, as a "Sun," has 
 come so near and become so glorious 
 227
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookmaru 
 
 "that the light is too dazzling for flesh 
 and blood to sustain," he is but- repeat- 
 ing Cookman's experience. 
 
 The news of Air. Cookman's death 
 spread rapidly, as on the wings of the 
 wind, and wherever the news came there 
 were sad hearts. The people were as- 
 tonished, as few had known of his ill- 
 ness, and all who had were confident of 
 his restoration. His name had become 
 almost a household word, and the love 
 for him was so universal that it seemed 
 as if one of each household had been 
 taken. 
 
 The funeral services took place in the 
 Central Church, Thursday, the i6th, at 
 three P. M., and on the following day, 
 at the Union Church, Philadelphia. The 
 Central was packed, until the people 
 were obliged to turn away, not being 
 able to gain admission. At least one 
 hundred ministers were present. The 
 church was deeply draped in mourning. 
 The following persons took part in the 
 services : Rev. S. Van Benschoten read 
 228
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 Psalm xc. Rev. Dr. T. DeWitt Tal- 
 mage read I Corinthians xv. The ven- 
 erable Rev. Dr. J. S. Porter offered an 
 appropriate prayer. The anthem, "Cast 
 thy burden on the Lord," was sung with 
 subdued and melting tenderness. 
 
 Bishop Simpson and the writer fol- 
 lowed in addresses. Bishop Simpson's 
 address has been referred to in these 
 pages several times, and our prescribed 
 limits do not permit its full insertion 
 here. His opening words were: "How 
 solefhn is this moment of sorrow ! With 
 slow and measured steps we have en- 
 tered the church, as though unwilling to 
 disturb what might seem to be the slum- 
 ber of a dear one. " We have come to 
 drop a tear ; we have come to take a last 
 look; we have come to gather around 
 the form of a loved brother minister, 
 and no\v a saint with the Lord Jesus. 
 The assembling of such an audience is 
 but a faint indication of the esteem and 
 affection which a departed brother had 
 gained for himself in the Church of Jesus 
 229
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Christ. Standing as \\e do at this time 
 on the very verge of the grave, and look- 
 ing, on the one hand, to the fleeting 
 years we have to stay, and, on the other, 
 to the eternity that stretches out to our 
 view, how short life seems; how unim- 
 portant the transitory interests of life, 
 and how grand and sublime the realities 
 of life just beyond !" He further said : 
 "I have no words of eulogy to-day over 
 our departed brother; but I do know 
 that in the record of his life, the mind 
 which was in our Lord Jesus Christ was 
 made manifest, and he had qualities 
 worthy of our examination and imita- 
 tion." The address was replete with 
 touching references to his personal re- 
 lations- to the dear departed one, and 
 delivered with subdued, melting pathos, 
 as if the bishop were laboring to sup- 
 press his own deep emotions, while many 
 in that vast throng could not control 
 their deep grief. 
 
 We spoke of Alfred Cookman's rela- 
 tion to the cause of holiness and to the 
 230
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 National Camp-meeting Association, the 
 high esteem in which he was held by the 
 brethren, and the sorrow they felt at 
 their loss; that no one could take his 
 place and do his work. It was in this 
 address that we gave, for the first time, 
 Alfred Cookman's dying acclaim, "I am 
 sweeping through the gates, washed in 
 the blood of the Lamb." Dr. (now 
 Bishop) R. S. Foster, sitting in the front 
 pew, could restrain his emotions no 
 longer, and burst into a flood of tears, 
 with which the people were in full ac- 
 cord. At the conclusion of the services 
 at Central Church, the remains were re- 
 moved to Philadelphia, accompanied by 
 a large number of friends, and on the 
 following day were taken to the Union 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, where, in 
 the presence of a great crowd of sym- 
 pathizing friends, additional services 
 were conducted. 
 
 The hymn, "Servant of God, well 
 done," was read by Rev. J. Dickerson, 
 the congregation singing. 
 231
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Pattison offered prayer. 
 
 A Scriptural lesson was read by Rev. 
 Dr. Suddards, of the Episcopal Church. 
 
 He followed with a brief address, pay- 
 ing a high tribute to the excellence of 
 both father (George G. Cookman) and 
 son. 
 
 Rev. Andrew Longacre then delivered 
 a very touching address upon the life 
 and character of his lifelong friend. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Alday, the pastor of the 
 Church, spoke of the last sickness of 
 Mr. Cookman. 
 
 Then followed a most touching address 
 by Dr. (now Bishop) Foster, of the Drew 
 Theological Seminary, which we give in 
 full. Bishop Foster said : 
 
 "If a stranger had heard these words 
 of eulogy in regard to our departed 
 brother, Rev. Alfred Cookman, he would 
 have come to the conclusion that he of 
 whom they were spoken was either a 
 most remarkable person, or that affec- 
 tion had warped the judgment so that 
 an overestimate of his qualities had been 
 232
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 uttered. But the words were just, as 
 setting forth the character of our de- 
 parted brother. 
 
 "It is rarely I feel embarrassed as I 
 do in this presence ; not the presence of 
 this assembly, that does not embarrass 
 me ; but (pointing to the remains before 
 him) because of this presence. 
 
 "Alfred Cookman belonged to a roy- 
 alty. There are many royalties of earth ; 
 there is the royalty of genius; but I 
 should not class our brother with these ; 
 he was not a genius. There is the roy- 
 alty of intellect; of scientific research ; 
 of the power to unfold great doctrines 
 and grasp great principles. Though a 
 man of a beautiful mind, a clear and 
 strong intellect, the range and sweep of 
 his observation was not his most won- 
 derful gift. There is a royalty of elo- 
 quence: our brother was not wanting in 
 this ; he seemed to belong to a race 
 whose lips were strangely touched. 
 
 "But he belonged to a royalty rarer 
 by far than any of these, the seraphic 
 233
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Coofcinan. 
 
 royalty of earth. He was not Pauline; 
 but he was Johanine. He was the 
 brother of John, who leaned upon the 
 Master's breast, from whom he drew his 
 inspiration. He belonged to the race of 
 Fletcher and of Payson, the best and 
 rarest royalty God has ever permitted to 
 grace the earth. 
 
 "When the brother prayed that the 
 mantle of Alfred Cookman might fall on 
 us, I said, 'Amen, Lord Jesus.' Not his 
 mantle of eloquence or pulpit power, so 
 much as his great, magnanimous, holy, 
 and sacred character. 
 
 "As my little boy brought the message 
 of the death of Alfred Cookman to my 
 lecture-room, he knew how it would 
 strike me ; he knew he had ministered at 
 the altar where his sainted mother and 
 sister used to worship ; so he said in a 
 whisper, 'Father, Brother Cookman is 
 dead.' O how it shocked me! I 
 thought at once that the most sacred 
 man I knew had 'gone away from us; 
 and this is my testimony to-day. I have 
 234
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 known the Church for thirty years ; I 
 have known the men of the Church dur- 
 ing that time through all the episcopacy 
 and ministry ; and the most sacred man 
 I have known is he who is enshrined in 
 that casket." 
 
 As the remains were viewed at the 
 close of the services, tears fell plenti- 
 fully as the people took their farewell 
 look at their friend and brother, ques- 
 tioning whether they should ever again 
 see so sacred a person. 
 
 Five of the class who Joined the Phila- 
 'delphia Conference with him in 1848 
 Messrs. Gillinger, Turner, Major, Dick- 
 erson, and Adam Wallace carried his 
 body from the church to the hearse. The 
 remains were then taken to Laurel Hill 
 Cemetery, where the funeral service was 
 read by Rev. W. L. Gray, and the hymn, 
 "Rock of Ages," was sung, and the body 
 was laid in its last resting-place, Novem- 
 ber 17, 1871, at the age of forty-three 
 years, ten months, and nine days. 
 
 Memorial services were held in many 
 235
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 ot the Churches in Philadelphia ; in 
 Grace Church, Wilmington ; Trinity 
 Church, New York ; and Central Church, 
 Newark. The trustees of the Central 
 Church placed at the right of their pul- 
 pit a Gothic marble tablet, with the in- 
 scription : 
 
 IN MEMORY OF REV. ALFRED COOKMAN, 
 
 BORN JANUARY 4. 1828, 
 
 DIED NOVEMBER 13, 1871. 
 
 " He walked with God. and was not, 
 
 for God took him." 
 | 
 
 Alfred Cookman rests from his labors, 
 and his works follow him. He has 
 already beheld the Lamb, through whose 
 blood he was washed and made whiter 
 than snow. His feet have pressed the 
 golden pavements, no more to feel pain. 
 He has tasted the fruit of the tree of life, 
 which skirts the banks of the mystic river, 
 whose leaves have healed all his diseases. 
 He has looked upon the faces of the re- 
 deemed of all ages. He does not forget, 
 nor regret, that holiness was his theme 
 236
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 here, for it is in that world their daily 
 song forever. He does not regret that 
 the "blood of the Lamb" was his con- 
 stant song, for by it he triumphantly 
 swept through the gates, washed and 
 made clean. 
 
 "O happy, happy soul! 
 
 In ecstasies of praise, 
 Long as eternal ages roll 
 
 Thou seest thy Savior's face. 
 Redeemed from earth and pain, 
 
 Ah ! when shall we ascend, 
 And all in Jesus' presence reign 
 
 With our translated friend?" 
 
 A beautiful tribute to the Rev. Alfred 
 Cookman, by a now sainted soul, Mrs. 
 Mary D. James : 
 
 Our Zion mourns to-day, and tears fall fast 
 From stricken hearts. A prince in Israel 
 Beloved hath fallen! Hath fallen? Nay: 
 
 called 
 Up higher, to fill a nobler sphere. 
 
 " The Lord 
 
 Had need of him." Shall we repine? 
 Why wonder that he called him home at noon? 
 For had not then his full day's work been 
 
 done? 
 
 237
 
 Life Sketches of Rev. Alfred Cookman. 
 
 From early mom he toiled, and gathered 
 
 sheaves, 
 More sheaves had garnered when he left the 
 
 field 
 
 Than many a laborer gathers in a day: 
 So earnest in his work of winning souls! 
 His love was such a burning flame, 
 That Jesus wanted him to shine above; 
 And, longing for companionship more close 
 With one so dear, took him the earlier 
 
 home. 
 
 So precious to the Sou of God, he seemed, 
 As the loved John, to lean upon his breast; 
 For did we not behold the rays divine, 
 Outbeaming, oft reflected in his face ? 
 And said to one another, " How he bears 
 The image of the Heavenlj- !" 
 
 His words 
 
 Such glowing words ! from hallowed lips, 
 Touched with the altar-fire, made " our hearts 
 
 burn 
 
 Within us." But the human we forgot; 
 For he had hidden himself behind his Lord! 
 "We saw no man, save Jesus only," there. 
 'T was love 't was holy love his eloquence 
 That charmed; a melting stream outflowing 
 
 from 
 
 A melted heart, as water from a living spring 
 Flows ever sweet and pure. 
 238
 
 Sweeping Through the Gates. 
 
 His source of power 
 The "indwelling Holy Ghost," that moved, and 
 
 thrilled, 
 And won. 
 
 His theme, the " cleansing Blood," 
 The " open Fountain " for polluted souls. 
 And how they came and washed, and were 
 
 made clean ! 
 
 His spirit, how serenely beautiful ! 
 So gentle, kind, and meek ; " clothed with 
 
 humility." 
 How like the Blessed One of whom he 
 
 learned ! 
 
 His life as a grand river, broad and deep ; 
 Its silvery waters flowing swiftly on 
 In ministry of love, bearing rich freightage 
 On its tide to bless the world. 
 Glorious in triumph was his exit from 
 Our shores, and his " abundant entrance " 
 To the port of bliss, as echoed back 
 His notes of victory: 
 
 " I 'm sweeping through 
 The gates, washed in the blood 
 Of the Lamb ! " 
 
 Most precious theme ! in life, 
 In death the Blood, the cleansing Blood ! 
 Amid our tears, we join his victor song, 
 And, one in spirit still, we 're singing 
 i( Glory to the Lamb ! " 
 239
 
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