them away; it would be unwise, unkind, unchristian; and to colonize as we have been doing is like emptying a river by taking out a bucketful now and then. Let us live for the present, faithfully discharging the duty of the passing hour, which is to educate and elevate a people whose unrequited labors, multiplied wrongs, tedious bondage, and deep degradation give them a special claim upon us. Give them the spelling-book, the Bible, equal rights before the law, and the elective franchise as their weapon of defense, and then leave all the rest to God. In such a case I would implicitly trust the providence of One who is Himself infinitely just and holy and good.

"We were very grateful to learn of the improvement in dear mother's health. She does not know how unspeakably precious she is in the appreciation of her children. As time leaves its mark upon face and form, our love seems to be gentler, tenderer, and more sacred. We feel to say, 'Handle her carefully, speak to her lovingly; pour all the sunshine possible over the remaining years of her earthly sojourn.' Oh, we enjoyed beyond expression her presence in Philadelphia. She never before seemed so beautiful in my eyes. I felt as if I wanted to see her every day. My visits were always too short for myself. God bless her with the best of His blessings and He does, for He gives her Himself, and next to this He gives her the enthusiastic love of her devoted children. We give her her vindication before she is taken from us, that she has always been true, tender, sympathizing, loving, faithful—yes, the best of mothers.

"I have written you a long letter, and yet I have not said nearly all that is in my heart. My soul still trusts and triumphs in God. Oh, for a gust of praise to spread abroad the preciousness and power of full salvation!"

The summer of 1866 found Mr. Cookman, as usual, turned "evangelist." Instead of spending the vacation month as a holiday, he went from camp-meeting to camp-meeting, a herald of salvation. "What is the use of giving you vacation?" said one of his official brethren; "you don't rest, you go to all the camp-meetings and preach more than if you were at home. I can not favor it unless you will rest." He replied, "I can not accept on such condition. I must preach. The Gospel is free.”

He was then in perfect health, and seemed never to need the recreations which are taken apart from the constant exercise of preaching and laboring for the salvation of the people. His movements and the exercises of his mind may best be seen in

his own letters. The prominence given to the subject of holiness will strike every one. It must also be apparent how rapidly he was growing in grace-how increasingly spiritual and heavenly his experience was becoming. He was literally losing himself in Christ, and in that doctrine the experience of which he regarded as wholly putting on the Lord Jesus.

To his wife:

"CAMP GROUND, Thursday, 1866.

"I am just outside of Heaven. Penn's Grove is, as usual, the very vestibule of Paradise. The meeting, always good, was never more glorious than this year. An unusual number of tents are on the ground, crowds of preachers, and very many of those who are so dear to the heart of Jesus, Brother Belden, Brother Inskip and wife, etc., etc. This morning we have been enjoying a meeting, and if Heaven supplies such pleasures I certainly will have no reason for complaint.

"My glad soul mounted higher,

In a chariot of fire,

And the moon it was under my feet.'

Oh, how glad I am that I came! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost meet, overshadow me, and make the hours memorable. I feel as if I could almost give a little fortune if you were here. Perhaps we made a mistake in not coming down last Saturday, but our motive was pure. It had rained, and every thing was very damp, but my Father covered me with His feathers, and under His wing did I sleep. Yesterday I was sick, but camp-meeting has cured me, and this morning I feel decidedly better. There are constant inquiries respecting yourself, and great regret expressed that you are not here. I do not expect to preach. There are so many ministerial brethren this year that I can be excused. The trumpet has sounded for morning preaching. I have lingered a moment to scribble these few lines. To-morrow I expect to leave for Baltimore. Oh, that you could breathe this hallowed atmosphere !-oh, that you could share these celestial influences! God will bless you in Columbia. I want this summer an unprecedented baptism of the Holy Ghost."

To his wife:

}

"PHILADELPHIA, SPRING GARDEN, Monday morning, 5 o'clock, 1866. S

"Yesterday I preached at St. George's morning and evening, and also administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Working both ways,

this made a full and laborious day. My sermons, however, released Dr. Bartine, and thus Ennall's Springs camp-meeting was saved from disappointment. At eight o'clock I listened to Rev. Mr. Matlack. His subject was 'the Times,' and he preached the most political sermon I ever heard. Some of his expressions were terrible, but on the whole I liked it because of its truth and bravery. The Penn's Grove camp wound up gloriously. The last afternoon and evening one hundred souls were converted. They say that altogether it was the best meeting held in that forest for twelve years. This morning at nine o'clock I expect to start for the Eastern Shore. Manship goes with me. Robert Thompson's carriage will probably meet us at Bridgeville. I had another letter from him on Saturday. I think he would really suffer if I failed to get to the camp. The P- family are as kind as they can be-God bless them! I have not heard from you since last Wednesday-that is, since I left. When I reach my destination this evening I shall expect to find letters. May our kind Heavenly Father take good care of the family of one who is anxious to do His will. My soul still trusts and triumphs in the Rock of my salvation."

"This week, after Penn's Grove, I went down to Ennall's Springs, in Dorchester County. Oh, how my good Heavenly Father used me there! Eternal praises to His glorious name. I should want pages to tell you all. One night the power and glory of God came down in the preachers' tent after we had all retired. For myself, I was filled with the Spirit.' Such a season of rejoicing and praise I never witnessed. It was an inner sanctuary filled with the 'Shekinah.' About one o'clock at night we went around the ground shouting the praises of our conquering King.

"On Wednesday of this week I went up to Halifax camp-meeting, above Harrisburg. It was the last night of the meeting, but oh, what a night! Old Methodists, who had been going to camp-meeting for nearly half a century, say they never saw any thing like it. Brother George Lybrand preached very forcibly at half-past seven o'clock, and invited penitents. The bench was filled. At eleven o'clock I preached to the Church on the subject of 'Holiness.' Oh, what an appetite the people exhibited! We knelt in consecration before God, then followed the Sacrament at the midnight hour. It brought us to Jesus; He saved us from our fears and doubts, and salvation flowed down in floods. The preachers and people were of one mind and heart touching the great subject of Christian purity. I could not tell you how many entered into the rest of perfect love. The

VICTORIES OF HOLINESS.

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preachers' tent, as at Ennall's Springs, was submerged with the incoming tide. Yesterday morning we gathered at the stand, listened to many witnesses of perfect love, expressed some parting counsels, received the blessing of that venerable man, Father Boehm, marched around the ground, and then, amid songs and shoutings, took the parting hand, rejoicing in the conviction that Christians never part for the last time.

"Have I not had a glorious summer? Hallelujah to the Lamb! My soul overflows with love, joy, and praise. I never felt so strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. And then the victories for holiness! Opposition is giving way, and in the centenary year of American Methodism the spotless banner of Christian purity floats triumphantly in the breeze. As Mr. Fletcher was wont to say, 'Oh, for a gust of praise to go around the world, and then to go up to God!'

“How I could enjoy Sing-Sing camp-meeting again! The scene and the showers of blessing last year constitute one of the sweetest memories of my life. I scarcely know how to deny myself the privilege of seeing those friends whom I love so much in Jesus, visiting the spot where last year I seemed to be almost visibly covered with the blood of Jesus, and enjoy the influence which I am sure will be abundantly poured out. I think, however, that during this week I must try to be at Shrewsbury. It seems to me that the great Head of the Church will perhaps use me among my dear Baltimore friends. I think I have their love and confidence, and, with the help of the Spirit, I can assist them to step into the Bethesda of perfect love. Will you not ask some of my precious friends at Sing-Sing to pray for me? I have no special claim upon them, except that I belong to the little band who profess and advocate holiness. I am theirs in the service and for the glory of the conquering Christ. Oh, let them pray that God will give me great success in spreading abroad the knowledge of full salvation. Only a week or two of my rest-time remains. It has been glorious rest at campmeetings-glory to Jesus!

"The family are all well. Your little pets, Will and Mary, are developing more and more the characteristics which have drawn you to them. Will is full of affection, and Mary is the most independent, saucy little miss of my acquaintance. Her name is very precious in our home. I should like our gentle mother to have her in her training for a time, and give her strong will a good profitable direction. God bless you, my dearest sister. His counsel is guiding you, His grace will satisfy your every need. A universe of love to dear mother. Oh, how much I would like to see her! Tell John to take very good care of himself—his life is very dear to us and to the Church. I hope he stands strong and

triumphant in that wonderful and blessed liberty wherewith I know he has been set free."

For The Christian Advocate of New York:

"A MINISTER'S VACATION.

"My happy holiday was spent amid rural scenes, at the sea-shore, and in the enjoyment of camp-meeting privileges. The sea-shore is, of course, for me a privileged place, a locality to which I regularly resort, with as much of tender interest and blessed recollection as others would go to the graveside of a dear parent. The beautiful country, with its diversified and magnificent scenery, never seemed more charming, and principally because I saw and found God every where. For is it not true that as the human face is more attractive when it becomes the window of a noble soul, so the face of nature seems the more glorious when through the green of the fields, and the deeper green of the forests, and the ten thousand hues of the variegated flowers, we behold the glory of that Divinity who is Himself the soul of the great universe.

"But it is of my camp-meeting experiences and observations that I wish principally to write. In the kind providence of God I was permitted to be present at four of these forest services, namely, Penn's Grove, New Jersey; Ennall's Springs, Dorchester County, Maryland; Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania; and Shrewsbury, where most of the Baltimore friends annually associate themselves in this feast of tabernacles.

"Two leading facts met my observation at all these meetings. First, the interest in the mind of the Church respecting the experience of personal holiness. Every where ministers and people were groaning for full redemption in the blood of the Lamb. I have seen hundreds at the same moment prostrated before God in the spirit of entire consecration, and concerned to appropriate Jesus as their full and perfect Saviour.

"A MEMORABLE SERVICE.

"Let me refer to a truly memorable service in connection with the Shrewsbury meeting. At half-past nine o'clock on Tuesday night the preachers, by arrangement, assembled in their own tent for an interchange of views respecting this great doctrine. There were about twenty-five brethren present. The expression of sentiment was frank and full. Questions were asked. Difficulties were stated. Experience was referred to. About half-past eleven, while some of us, greatly concerned and earnestly prayerful, were wondering