Cookman, George 6., one of the most distin- guished orators of the American pulpit, was bora a 1800, at Hull, England. His &ther, a man of vub and position, was a Wesleyan local preacher, and ^^ his children a thorough religious training and s ast- fhl academical education. In early yonth Cookimx gave promise of his powers in oratory by speecb^ a Sunday-school anniversaries, etc., which excited ex- traordinary interest. When about twenty-one y«r old he visited America on business for his £ither, ai while at Schenectady, N. Y., he began his labon u i local preacher. In 1821 he returned to Hull, and »- tered into business with his father, exercising W ti«- ents meanwhile zealously in the Wesleyan local oil- istiy. He continued in his father's firm during fer years, but with a restless spirit ; and finally, de<^iE^* to enter the ministry in America, he took passage k' Philadelphia in 1825. After laboring a few months b thst city as a local preacher, he was received bto tbr Philadelphia Conference in 1826. He continued in tbe itinerant ranks, without intermission, the remainder of his life, laboring with indomitable energy, and m- stantly increasing ability and success, in various {an.- of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and the Dis- trict of Columbia.
Mr. Cookman was slight, but sinewy in penoo, uKi capable of great endurance. His arms were k>i^: which gave a striking peculiarity to his ge5tnre8. Id the act of public speaking, every nerve and mosck ^ his lithe f^me seemed instinct with the exdtement cf his subject. In 1838-89 he was chaplain to the kme- ican Congress, and the Hall of RepreeentstiTei at Washington never echoed more eloquent tones tbs during; his chaplaincy to Congress. Several of bi- distinguished hearers, both in Congress and the exe^ utive department of the government, were aw8keoe<^ to a personal interest in religion by his powerful ap- peals. Imagination was Mr. Cookman^s dommai^t mental faculty. It can hardly be doubted that, W he devoted himself to the production of some work u: this rare and difficult department of literature, ^ might have become a worUiy disciple of the glarioB! old dreamer of Bedford JaiL On the lltli of tfsrd! 1841, he emlmrked in the ill-&ted steamer Piwidesi
COOPER, EZEKTEL
499
COOS
V a vhH to England, and was never heard of more, 'ew of his sermons and speeches have been published. L tmiil volume of Speeches (N. Y. 1841, 18mo) con- unA those referred to above and some others. It is ) be hoped that a suitable memoir of this distinguished lan will yet be given to the world. — National Maga- Nw, Aug. 1855; Methodist Quart. Reviete, July, 1852 ; imgne, Afmals, vii, 711.
Cooper, Bzekiel, an early and celebrated Meth- dist preacher, bom in Caroline County, Md., Feb. 22, 768. He Joined the Conference in 1785 ; labored from toston to Baltunore as a travelling preacher for many ears, and was editor and general agent of the Book '^ncem from 1799 to 1804. His abilities for this of- ce were soon shown to be of the highest order. He live to the *'Book Concern" an impulse and organ- sation which has rendered it the largest publishing stabliahment in the New World. After managing A interests with admirable success for six years, dur- ig which its capital stock had risen from almost noth- ig to forty-five thousand dollars, he resumed his itin- rant labors, and continued them in Brooklyn, New fork city, Wilmington, Del., Baltimore, etc., for eight ears, when he located. He remained in the latter re- ition during eight years, when he re-entered the trav- ning ministry, but was soon afterwards placed on the opemumerary list in the Philadelpliia Conference, le continued, however, for many years to perform ex- ensive service, visiting the churches, and part of the ime superintending a district. During the Litter 'ears of his life he resided in Philadelphia, where he tied in 1847. He was distinguished for pulpit elo- [uence, logical ability, and especially for his multifa- ioos knowledge, which obtained for him among his irethren the title of ** the Walking Encyclopiedia." le published a ** Funeral Sermon"' on Rev. John Dick- iBs, and **the Substance of a Funeral Discourse on lev. Francis Asbury," etc., Philad. 1819. The latter ras a 82mo volume of 230 pages (Stevens, Hist, of )ieth. Epis. Churchy vol. iii ; Sprague, Annals^ vii, 108 ; [finutes of CotrferenceSy iv, 104).
Cooper, Samuel, D.D., a Congregational min- ster, was bom in Boston, March 28, 1725. He gradu- tted at Harvard in 1748, and was chosen collegiate nstor with Dr. Colman in the Brattle-street Church, [)ec. 81, 1744. He was ordained pastor May 21, 1746, md died Dec. 23, 1783. He was made D.D. by the University of Edinburgh in 1767. Dr. Cooper pub- ished a few occasional sermons, and wrote contribu- ions for the Boston Gazette and Independent Ledger. 9e was elected president of Harvard in 1774, but did lot accept — Sprague, Annals, i, 440.
Cooper, Samuel C, a Methodist Episcopal min- ister, was bom in Baltimore 1799, converted in Ohio 1818, acted efficiently as exborter and local preacher for some years, and entered the itinerancy in 1827. Be died at Greencastle, Ind., July, 1856. He filled die positions of pastor, presiding elder, and agent for the Asbury University with excellent success. He was twice delegate to the General Conference, and his Kttendance at the Conference of 1856 was his last ser- vice to the Church.— if»««/e* of Conferences, vi, 184.