Middletown transcript., 1916-12-02
MEMORIAL TO ALFRED G. COX

memorial III memory OIL Alfred ". COX,
was adopted, and ordered to be recorded
among the Records of the Church, and
a copy to be transmitted to the local
papers for publication; and Martin B.
Burris, Esq, was directed on behalf of
the Board, to read the memorial at the
funeral services Sabbath afternoon.
IN MEMoRIAM
Alfred Green Cox was born at the
old Cox mansion at Middletown, Della
ware, January 26th, A. D., 1882, and
died in the village of his birth, Novem-
Der 23d, A. D., 1916, in the eighty-ffth
year of his age.
In the first hour of Thursday morning
his brave rugged spirit took its flight
cit is all over" said his pastor, who,
in tender devotion, stood by, watching
the ebbing tide of life as it went out to
blend with the ocean of years.
And now, with sorrowing hearts, and
with a feeling of personal bereavement,
we as an official family of the Church,
have met here in the place where he so
often met with us, as we'll as with those
long gone before, that we, when we
shall have gone to our own home, may
leave this memorial of him, "that his
name may not perish from among the
people. "
His was an honored name and he
came of noble race of m IN and women;
and for the first time in hundred years
this community is without one of them
holding a leading part in its affairs.
The first corporate existence of the
Methodist Society" in Middletown was
less than ten years old when he was
born. Very early after attaining mans
estate, he became strongly identified
with the life of this Church; and of the
many strong men whose wise counsel
and godly lives have shaped her destiny,
we feel 1t but just to record that no one
of them has so manifestly marked her
history with his own personality as did
he. Consciously or unconsciOusly, he
contributed much that has gone into
the warp and woof of the life of US all.
Through his lead in the Sabbath School,
many, very many, of the young were
lead joyously to Christ, and whose lives
have since honored the Church and So
ciety. Through his work in his class.
room many have been counseled and
helped over the hard places and onto
frmer and surer footing. We have but
to turn to th&faded records of the
Church for evidence of the large place
he has held in her life. Many of the
memorial pages intersperSed through
out the records of the Official Board,
suggest the tender touch of his hand in
loving tribute to the memory of those
who have gone.
Having come out from a home whose
hospitable doors stood open wide to all,
he bore away through life its genial at
than when his friends foregathered with
him around his bountiful board: And to
the ministry his home was verify an
'Itinerant's LODGE" and of his means
and his toll he gave without stint. Yea,
who will declare that he did not give
more than we all Overtaken with fl
nancial reverses at a period in life that
would have been the undoing of most
men, he calmly held the head of his
craft to the eye of the gale, and bravely
sailed he on, though the clouds did some
times darkly gather. Through his dark
est days he kept his trials within the
inner sanctuary of his own soul, and
even to the closest friends his only ex-
preston was a reference to the beauti-
full lines of Newman
Lead, kindly lignt, amid the en-
circling gloom,
LEAD thou me on:
'The night is dark, and l am far
from home;
Lead thou me on:
''Keep thou my feet: I do not ask to
see
The distant scene One step enough
for me.
To the inspiration of all who beheld,
without murmer or complaint, patiently
he toiled bravely on through the years,
always rejoicing in the bIessedness.of
toll, ,~and praying for no other earthly
boon than that he be permitted to toll
to the end. He wanted to die in the
harness, he always said: And in the
harness he died; for he fell out of his
place in the church and from the busy
walks, almost in day "He has taught
a good fight He has finished his course
He kept the faith. Henceforth there is
laid up for him crown of righteousness,
which the. Lord the righteous judge
shall give him at that day; and not to
him only, but to all who love his ap-
pearing."
''Sleep soldier. thy warfare one
-"Sleep the sleep that knows not
breaking,
Morn of toll, nor night of waking;
''Sleep soldier, thy warfare one.
Delaware AS An ADple State