Middletown transcript., 1916-12-02
MEMORIAL ADDRESS
Delivered by the Rev. E. W. Cas-
we'll at the Funeral Services
OF THE LATE ALFRED C. cox

Ealth1uInoSS was WFlLC0U dll over IIO
life of Alfred G. Cox. Work while
the day lasts" was evidently his motto.
Notwithstanding his great age, he never
allowed himself to be laid on the shelf.
/ remember that, when l was pastor,
sixteen years ago, the church records,
containing the names of about four
hundred members, needed entire re-
vision. 1t was an arduous and difficult
work. Those who had died and moved
away must be carefully eliminated. He
nobly volunteered to take the work off
the pastors shoulders and do all the
work himself. His beautiful penman-
ship made it the clesnest looking church
record ever saw. This is but sample
of a very busy man accepting every
church duty that was presented to him.
The church was dear as the apple of
his eye and craven on his heart When
Bishop Parker of India, was laid aside
by age and illness, he one day prayed
for a few more years of toll. That
night. he had a vision of the eternal
world. The Divine voice said to him,
Il will extend your life few more
years, but they will be years of pain,
decrepitude and suffering, but if you
are willing to come to the heavenly life
now, you shall teach and preach to the
millions who are here from India and
China, just beginning to know the
truth as it is in Jesus" Bishop Parker
awoke exclaiming. '1'll go home now
that | may continue my missionary
work in the life eternal" So our
brother Cox has gone to join his wife in
the missionary work that will never
end, for there will be work in all worlds
for all who love God, according to the
great plan of the infinite Father. Lord
Nelson SAID England expects every
man to do his duty" 60 Brother Cox
remained at the work of his life faith
fully to the end.
Rev. Theodore L. Cuyler of Brooklyn,
for thirty years pastor of the Lafayette
Avenue Presbyterian ChuI ch, where the
writer has often had the privilege of
attending, as he bid farewell to his con-
gregatiOn when retiring, on account of
age, stepped down from his pulpit and
stood for an instant. Then, tenderly as
a mother kisses her dead infant, he
stopped and kissed the pulpit, his eyes
filled with tears and his strong face was
full of emotion. Was it not so with
our departed busy friend? l. can see
him in my mind, closing his desk for
the last time, shutting the door of his
office, walking slowly to his home,
where he rested for a few days and
then fell asleep in Jesus. q.
l remember Mr.. Cox as an apprecia-
tive listener to the sermons of his
pastor. At the close of each service,
he was present with warm congratula-
tions, with flushed face and eyes swim
ming in tears, he would say, THAT ser
mon was bless sing to my SOUL"
He had strong perceptive mind,
quick to behold the truth. His prayer
meeting talks and Sunday School ad-
dresses evinced careful study and large
breadth of vision. He was a. great
lover of music; the popular hymns of
the church were feast to his SOUL One
which was dearest to him in his last
days he had committed to memory and
could be heard whispering to himself,
20 love that will not let me go,
rest my weary soul in thee,
give thee back the life owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be. !"
What he sang so joyously he has now
really experienced; his life is richer,
fuller, flowing back to the bosom of
Divine love whence it came. What he
is singing to-day we do not know.
Probably some Hallelujah chorus on his
first Sunday in glory. If he could give
his testimony to us to-day, l think he
woull say, "Behold l am he that liveth
and was dead and am alive with Christ
forever more
Adam Clarke, the commentator of
Methodism, dying at the age of eighty
years, gave his testimony as follows:
81 have been young and now l am old.
l am neither abandoned of God nor for
saken Of men.
l have passed through the springtime of
life,
have endured the heat of its summers.
I have culled the fruits of its autumns.
At no distant day, shall see the dawn
Of an eternal springtime.
1t comes to meet me.
run to embrace it.
All hail, eternal springtime! Halle
lujah ="
Blessed hope, sorrows cannot drown
it; prosecutions cannot destroy it Age
only brightens it, and dying proves it
forever absolutely true.
We have all been deeply impressed
with the calmness of Brother Cox when
for several weeks he was looking death
in the face. He said to me only last
Monday, II expect TO go at moments
notice. am all ready and waiting for
the Masters call. Ny york is done. "
replied, Chow beautiful it is for you
to have such perfect trust in the infinite
Saviour in this most trying moment OF
your life" Some three weeks before
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