The life and times of Henry Cooke, D.D., LL. D.

Front matter

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THE

LIFE AND TIMES

Preface

"The life of Dr. Cooke," says Lord Cairns, "was a large portion of the religious and public history of Ireland for the last half century."

Dr. Cooke's bojdiood was passed amid the exciting scenes of the Irish Rebellion, and in one of the most disturbed districts of the country. He was led, at an early age, to regard with feelings of horror those wild revolutionary sentiments which had deluged France in blood, and which were, before his own eyes, convulsing his native land. He was then taught to connect purity of religious principles, both in the individual and in the community, with respect for law and order, and with the development of true national greatness. Time confirmed his early convictions ; and he held them with unwaveringfidelity, and acted upon them with conscientious devotion, to the close of a long life.

When Dr. Cooke entered the ministry he found the Pres-** byterian Church infected, and almost paralyzed, by a deadly heresy. He found Irish Protestants generally indifferent to the claims of vital religion. He found the public mind deeply imbued with sceptical and infidel opinions. He found the vi

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education of the masses in a state of lamentable neglect. Seeing and deploring these evils, he resolved to become a Reformer.

He spent ten years in unceasing and laborious preparation. Then, during a period of fully thirty years, his life was a continued series of battles for truth. In every battle he was victorious. He freed the Church of his fathers from Arianism. He gave a new impulse to religious life and work among the Protestants of Ireland. He largely contributed to mould the government schemes of elementary and collegiate education, so as to adapt them to the wants of the people. And he founded and consolidated a constitutional party in Ulster, which preserved the peace of the country, and gave a death-blow to Repeal.

Dr. Cooke's Life, therefore, is not the history of an individual man merely, it is rather the history of a great work undertaken on behalf of pure religion, of sound education, and of constitutional government — a work prompted by ardent patriotism, prosecuted with consummate ability, and crowned with distinguished success.

Dr. Cooke held strong opinions, both religious and political ; and he propagated and defended them with all those extraordinary powers of wit, irony, and eloquence, with which he was so largely gifted. He bore down opposition with whatever intellectual weapons came to hand at the moment. I have not attempted either to cloak or modify his opinions and acts. His opinions I have given in his own words ; and in narrating the story of his conflicts, I have, as far as possible, quoted from contemporary documents. When that was impossible,

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vii either on account of the length of the debates, or the absence of trustworthy reports, I have described the scenes arid results from information derived from eye and ear witnesses. I was not myself in any way personally interested or concerned in the events recorded. If, therefore, I have revived old controversies, my plea is, they were necessary to a faithful portraiture of the man, and a full historical narrative.

Dr. Cooke's countrymen were not slow to acknowledge their obligations to him. The numerous and splendid testimonials presented to him during his life, and the almost unparalleled honours accorded to his memory, show how high a place he held in the esteem and affection of the nation.

His fame was not confined to Britain. His struggles for truth were watched by thousands in America; and when he triumphed over Arianism, his brethren in that country were among the first to convey to him a tribute of their admiration.

The materials for this biography have been mainly drawn from the voluminous papers and correspondence of Dr. Cooke, all of which were placed in my hands. En the filling in of details I have been aided by the communications of members of his family, and of some of his early friends and associates. I feel bound to record my special obligations to the late Earl of Roden, the Earl of Mount Cashell, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Napier, the President of Queen's College, Belfast, Professor Witherow, Counsellor Frazer, James Hamilton, Esq., J.P., Dr. Adair Crawford, and Wm. M'llwrath, Esq.

The task of writing a life of Dr. Cooke I have found to be one of no ordinary difficulty. Many of the actors in the great viii

PREFACE.

struggles in which he took a leading part still survive. The memory of others is affectionately cherished by friends and relatives. Under such circumstances it would, perhaps, be impossible faithfully to record his labours and triumphs, without giving offence or pain to some of his opponents. While entirely sympathising with Dr. Cooke in his views, T can truly say that it has been my constant aim and effort to narrate events with impartiality. If I have failed, it has been unwittingly; and if I should give offence, none will regret it more than myself.

College Park, Belfast, October, 1871.

Contents

CHAPTER L

1788—1808.

PAGE

Chapter II. 1808—1811. "

Licensed to preach the Gospel — Trial Pieces before the Presbytery— Ordained Minister of Duneane — Early Sermons — Attempts at Reform hindered — Resigns the Charge of Duneane— Communion Services in Connor — Installed Pastor of Donegore — Religious State of the Parish— Systematic Study of Theology and Philosophy — Sermon on National Infidelity — State of Religion in the Presbytery of Templepatrick— Sermons and Essays — Preparation for the Pulpit — Communion Address . . 2o

Chapter III. 1810—1818

Rise of Arianism in Ireland — The Belfast Society — Subscribers and Non- Subscribers — Arians excluded from Synod of Ulster, 1726— Theological Training in Glasgow College in the 18th Century — Political and Religious State of Ireland — Revival in the Synod of Ulster — Mr. Cooke's Views and Associates in 1810— Preparation for Work of Reform — Letter to Miss Mann and his Marriage — Sermon on behalf of the Belfast House of Industry — Eloquence, Wit, and Conversational Powers — Returns to Glasgow College — Letters to Mrs. Cooke— Reform in the Training of Theological Students — Enters Trinity College, Dublin — His Labours and Associates there — Missionary Work in the South of Ireland .37 t

X

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEE IV.

1818—1824.

PAGE

Eemoval to Killyleagh — State of the Parish — Archibald Hamilton Rowan — Captain Rowan — Commencement of the Arian Controversy — Mission, Defeat, and Flight of the Rev. J. Smithurst — Belfast Academical Institution— Its Political and Religious Tendencies — Arian Professor of Hebrew — Opposition of Mr. Cooke — Speech in Synod at Newry — Remarkable Dream— Discussion in Synod at Armagh on the Belfast Institution — The "Northern Whig" — Mr. Cooke's Labours in Ulster and the South — Visit to Scotland— Invited to Armagh — Letter of the late Mr. Kirk, M.P.— Arian Influence in Armagh, and its Effects . 55

Chapter V. 1824— 1825

Elected Moderator of the Synod of Ulster— Royal Commission on Education — Memoir on the State of Irish Schools — School-books at the Close of the 18th Century — Mr. Cooke's Evidence before the Commissioners — Assailed by Arians and Roman Catholics— Arian Protest to Spring Rice, M. P. — Indignation of the Heads of the Belfast Institution — Mr. Cooke's Defence — His Opinions on Catholic Emancipation — Charges against the Belfast Institution — Exposure of Arian Dogmas— Opposition to Mr. Cooke — Sympathy of Orthodox Protestants — Presentation of Plate by Congregation of Comber — Address from Parish of Killyleagh — Letter of Sir Robert Peel — Meeting of S) 7 nod at Coleraine— Mr. Cooke's Sermon — Debate on the Ordination of Mr. Nelson in Dromore — On Mr. Cooke's Evidence before the Royal Commission— His Speech and the Result— Resolutions regarding the Belfast Institution —Connection of the Synod with the Presbytery of Antrim — History of the Code of Discipline — Thanks of the Synod 72