The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-04-03

who had ground allotted TO him in the
Massachusetts colony, The family is
traced back to England, and especially
to the "fiery men of Kent county
Mr.. Cooks mother was from Massachu-
sets.
lie became a member of the Baptist
church when he was about torty-five
; years of age, and was for some years
one of its officers. lie was Baptist
| by conviction, that is, he accepted only
, immersion as scriptpral baptism. Re-
speeding open communion he was in
> accord with Robert Hall and Spurgeon.
He had great catholicity of spirit. He
reverenced all evangelical denomina-
tons and rejoiced in their success. He
read as much in the literature of other
denominations as in that of his own.
. He cared little for forms, ceremonies
and badges of sect but everything for
the essentially biblical and evangelical
spirit in public worship and Christian
doctrine. Sectarian impulses found no
favor in his heart or life.
Mr.. Cook was farmer and stock
grower. He had unusual business ca
pacity, and could gather paying har-
vests from the meadow, valley and
born and lived. First and last, he ex-
pended from his farmer earnings on
the education of his son not less than
fifteen thousand dolars-probably one
third of the net proceeds of his life
work.
Mr.. Cook was more than successful
business man. He was a scholar, de-
spite lack of opportunity to study
much at school. His youth was in close
grapple with the demands of daily toll.
lie learned the multiplication table
while following his loaded team in
winter. But reading was a passion,
not stimulated by partnership with
. highly educated men, nor by the neces-
sity of teaching others. He read for
the purpose of improving mind and
heart, and gratifying both. lie was
always physically industrious in a re-
markable degree, but coming in from
work, he often gave his evenings to
=, solid reading. No public or private
: tasks accounted for his zeal in acquiring
facts and ideas. The books he liked
best were those which have long been
ranked highest by all men Of learning
and piety. lie read through by course
"Jeremv Taylors Holy Living and Dy-
ing" "Paley's Evidences of Christiani-
-i,. ;" "Paley's Natural Theology"
D. "Butlsr's Analogy" and "Dwight's
System of Theology" He studied
q works of high and clear divinity with
peculiar relish. Finney's Il Ponds
lectures on Theology, and many of Ed
wards sermons and Bushnell's had a
large amount of his attention. Among
the last books with which he was occu-
pied were Prof. Shedd's sermons to the
; Spiritual Man, and Parks Discourses.
He was very fond of Surgeons SER
mons, Robertson's and Moody's.
, Among devotional writings, he never
, wearied of Bunyan, Jeremy Taylor,
, Doddridge and Thomas a Kempis. The
reading of The Imjtdtion Of christ
was to him an inspiration. The book
of Common Prayer was so dear to him
! that he asked to be buried with his IA
. vorite copy in his hands, and go he was
D buried. The copy was one which his
1880 in his illness. He examined three
or four religious journals every week.
His interest in national politics was
always strong and eager. Webster
; and Clay, Seward and Sumner were
= his tavorite statesmen, aud Horace
, Greeley his favorite editor.
Mr.. Cook was more than man OF
, business, cultured scholar and citizen
/ OF public spirit He was devoted
servant of Jesus Christ; and, like his
d, Master, lived to help the world. This
l was the handspring of his life, Motive,
ofChristian helptulness led him to train
, numbers of young men and women fol
i, spheres of usefulness while in his EN-.
ploy. One of these, a young man now
) in course of study for the ministry
! learning at five O'Clock Saturday after
i noon OF his benetactor's death, and that
the funeral would take place the mex
. day, Immediately drove through deer
/ SHOWS and biting winds till midnight
that he might sit with the mourners
and pay his tribute of respect to the
h memory of him whose counsel and aiC
( had helped him to true ideas of lite.
), What Mr.. Cook did for his only son
), though on more extended scale, wa,
> prompted by the same general motive
n Though mot wanting in parental fond
=, u ness, that was not the sole or chief in
spiration of his work tor his son. "Aly
\ father was always the sharpest critic
o cNcl haO says INC SOL. ne Pldnnel
4 with Christian enterprise to put him
!. and all others whom ne could reach
is into paths of widest usefulness
n Contirmatory incidents abound. Fol-
!, example: after his son had beer
n abroad once at the expense of his faith
r. er, and had spent some ten years il
of public life, and when the father wa
Is well advanced in life and in quite in
y firm health, it was proposed to his sol
X to make tour of the world. Prcsi
4, dent Warren of Boston Universit,
., suggested this in a strong letter of al
$ vice early in 1880. That letter, on,
Sunday afternoon, in the sons summe
house In the grove at his fathers place
was read by Mr.. Cook. lie threw dow
the communication on the table with
out moments hesitation saving
"That is good advice. Follow it," Tn
)t advice was followed, although tn
$ father, as'he afterwards told friend