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the corporation withdrew. And, after some time, the overseers sent for the corporation, and told them, that they expected the corporation would present their choice of a president to them at their next meeting, which would be the 26th instant.'

'At an overseers' meeting, at the council chamber, Boston, 26th May, 1737,

'Two votes of the corporation, respecting the choice of the Rev. William Cooper to the office of president of Harvard College, were read at the board.

'Whereupon immediately there was read a letter from Mr. Cooper to the overseers, in which he said, that "having been informed by a message from the reverend corporation of the college of his election to be president of that society, and that the said election was this day to be presented to the board of overseers, and being unwilling that the honourable and reverend board should have any needless trouble given them, or the settlement of the college be at all delayed on his account, he took this first opportunity wholly to excuse himself from that honour and trust." dent Holyoke was soon after elected.

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'I am a witness,' says Colman, in his sermon at Cooper's funeral, 'to his early, serious and steady inclinations to serve God and his generation, by his holy will, in the work of the ministry; and that in his childhood he was in this a Timothy, that he knew the holy Scripture and studied his Bible, that he might be made wise to salvation.' 'On the day that he heard the first sermon that was preached in this house, being then but seven years old, he set himself to read like me as soon as he came home; and I ought to thank God if I have served any way to the forming him for his since eminent pulpit-services, and in particular his method of preaching Christ and Scripture: So a torch may be light at a farthing candle.'' His profiting at school and college was remarkable, like his diligent study.' 'He came out at once, to a very great degree, a perfect preacher, when he first appeared in the pulpit at Cambridge, as Mr. President Leverett at the time observed to me.' 'With what light and power (by the help of God) he has since continued to preach the doctrines of grace, with the laws and motives of the gospel, is known to you all.'' His sermons were well studied, smelt of the lamp, and told us how well his head and heart had been labouring for us from week to week; and how intent his mind and desire was, so to speak to us in the name of God, and from his oracles, as might best inform our minds, strike our affections, and enter into our consciences. But when he led us in prayers and supplication, praises and thanksgivings to God, in one administration and another, more especially of the sacraments of the New Testament, baptism and the Lord's supper; then his eminence appeared, in such a flow, propriety and fulness, as could not but often surprize the intelligent worshipper, and bear away the spiritual and truly devout, as on angels' wings, toward heaven, He came near to the throne,

and filled his mouth with arguments.' 'In the pulpit and out of it, he was, like Phinehas, zealous for his God, a faithful reprover of sin, and earnest to make atonement for it.' 'He neither sought glory of men, nor feared the faces of a multitude, nor did the contempt of families terrify him: He was endowed and formed to lead, advise and execute; and indeed was not easily turned. He thought, judged and fixed, and then it was hard to move him. God pleased greatly to own his ministry, publick and private, for saving good to souls, and gave him many seals of it, more especially (as he judged) of late years, in whom he had much joy, and they a vast honour and reverence for him.' 'He is gone from us in the prime of life and usefulness, while his strength was firm, promising many more years of service.' 'I can truly say, (as I said in tears over the dear remains on the day of its interment,) that, had I the like confidence of my own actual readiness to be offered, I had much rather, for your sake and the churches' through the land, have chosen to die in his stead, might he have lived to my years, and served on to the glory of God.'

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In the letter quoted page 13, Dr. Chauncy characterized Mr. Cooper as a good preacher, eminently gifted in prayer, and a man of good understanding, though not endowed with a great deal of learning, or an uncommon strength in any of his powers.'

Mr. Cooper published, in 1721, a very spirited and judicious pamphlet in the controversy respecting inoculation for the small pox.

The following is the most complete list I have been able to make of his other publications:

A sermon on the incomprehensibleness of God. 17—

shewing how and why young people should cleanse their way.

1716.

addressed to young people on a day of prayer, March 5, 1723. 'God's concern for a godly seed.'

on the death of John Corey. 1726.

Blessedness of the tried saint. 1727.

A sermon on early piety. 1728.

on the reality, extremity and absolute certainty of hell tor1732.

ments.

on the death of Lieut. Gov. Tailer. 1732.

on the death of Moses Abbot. 1734.

at the ordination of Robert Breck at Springfield. 1736.

on winter. Concio Hyemalis. 1737.

on the death of the Rev. Peter Thacher. 1739.

The doctrine of predestination into life explained and vindicated, in four sermons. 1740. Reprinted in London, 1765, and in Boston, 1804.

exceed ten pounds annually; the other to be applied to the further supply of the communion table with plate.'

In 1720 was instituted a monthly lecture to be held the afternoon of every Friday before the administration of the Lord's supper,' and supplied by the pastors of the First Church, and of the Church in Brattle Square. March 4, Dr. Colman preached the first sermon at this lecture, from Exodus xxiv. 9, 10, 11. It has been maintained to the present time.

February 10, 1723. The Church voted 'the keeping of a day of prayer for the effusion of the spirit of grace upon the children of the flock, and the first Tuesday in March was fixed on for the time.' The sermons of both pastors on that occasion were printed.

'December 26, 1736. The Church were informed of the desires of Joseph Rix, Samuel Sprague, John Pierce, to be dismissed from their relation to us, in order to their embodying with brethren from other churches, for the worship of God in New Boston, and their prayer was granted, and the next day the pastors gave them letters of dismission.' This is the only instance, which I find recorded by either of my predecessors, of such a vote being passed by the Church.

A weekly Tuesday evening lecture was set up October 21, 1740. In his sermon on that occasion, from Isaiah lx. 8, Dr. Colman is lavish in his praise of Whitefield. No notice is taken of this lecture in the records, except that Dr. Colman incidentally mentions, that Cooper was present at it the Tuesday before his death. It was kept up as late as January 30, 1750, as there is a published sermon of Foxcroft, which was preached there at that time. It has not been maintained within the memory of any of the Society, with whom I have conversed.

September 10, 1739. A committee appointed,' the preceding year, 'to consider of a change of version of the Psalms, made their report in the negative, that at present they could not advise to any new version.' • Soon after, the committee met, and applied to our good brethren, Mr. Macom and Mr. Johnson, and prevailed with 'em to sit together, and lead us in the ordinance of singing.'

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For several years the 'prudentials' of the Society were managed by the undertakers. July 4, 1715, was the first publick meeting of the whole congregation,' the object of which was to take measures towards obtaining a colleague pastor. In 1721, in the time of distress by the small pox, and upon the removal of many out of the town,' there was a deficiency in the voluntary weekly collections, which were made for the support of the ministry. A committee was accordingly appointed to treat with the proprietors of the house, about applying part of the money in their hands.’ This the proprietors reluctantly consented to do, conceiving it better, as they said, 'that the aforesaid money be kept in bank for the defraying of all contingent charges, that will necessarily and frequently arise on the house; and that, upon every occasion, we may not be put to the trouble of

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Hampshire ministers as Presbyterian ministers. They were inquired of," it is said of the Springfield church, whether they had, by any vote, obliged themselves to refer their concerns only to the ministers and churches of that Association. And they declared, No; that, though such a vote had once been projected in the Association, and offered to the churches, and some of the churches had been brought into it, yet, that this church of Springfield, and some others in the county, had refused it.' The authors of the Letter say: 'Though now, possibly, your heat of spirit, and contempt of us, may forbid any self-reflections, yet will it always be a comfort to you to think, that you have obtained the victory, and got your will in this case, and have been the instrument of rending the religious state of this county, that before always flourished in an undisturbed and happy union, our religious affairs being, with peace and love, and general consent, managed within ourselves? Will you always be glad, that you have broken up that order, that has hitherto been maintained among the ministers of the county, for the preservation of the purity of doctrine among us, and have laid us under an incapacity for defending ourselves any more from encroaching errour, by opening a door, that candidates for the ministry amongst us may go where they will for their judges and approvers?'

During the joint ministry of Colman and W. Cooper, baptism was administered to 1721 persons. The greater part of these were infants, who were generally baptized a few days, and often a few hours after their birth, but very rarely in private. During the first years, several adults were baptized, among whom I observe the name of one of the undertakers of the church, and another person, named Peregrine White, who was eightyfour years old. The habit of the colleagues was to alternate by months in the administration of this ordinance, till March, 1738, when Dr. Colman records, Henceforward I take the forenoon exercise, and leave the baptisms (as at times of late I have done) to Mr. Cooper.' Baptism was sometimes administered by a neighbouring minister.-Within the same period, 668 persons were received to full communion, viz. 222 men, and 446 women. The period of most rapid increase, was in the year 1728, after the earthquake,' as is particularly recorded. In January of that year 27 joined the Church, in February 16, and in March 17. The excitement was extensive. Hutchinson says, Hist. II. 327, 'There was a very general apprehension of danger, of destruction, and death; and many, who had very little sense of religion before, appeared to be very serious and devout penitents; but, too generally, as the fears of another earthquake went off, the religious impressions went with them, and they, who had been the subjects of both, returned to their former course of life."

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March 8, 1718, it was voted, to appropriate to the poor one half of the sums contributed monthly by communicants, provided this half did not

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which he said, 'God forbid that I should cease to pray for you, that another Cooper (I mean one like the deceased) be set over you in the Lord; a man of learning, parts, and powers, such as this place so much' wants and calls for.' Mr. Cooper preached once a fortnight, from the time of his invitation till he was ordained. April 1st, 1746, he gave, in a sermon, a confession of his faith, to the general satisfaction of the audience.' The ordaining council consisted of the churches of Boston, Charlestown, and Cambridge. Mr. Webb prayed, Dr. Colman preached from Isaiah vi. 8, Dr. Sewall gave the Charge, and Mr. Prince the Right Hand of Fellowship. A discretion, which has since been understood to belong to the council, was on this occasion exercised by the congregation, who voted, at the request of the reverend pastor, Dr. Colman, that, in case he find himself disabled by the infirmities of age, or bodily weakness, to preside in the proposed ordination, pray, and give the charge, with the imposition of the hands of the presbytery, then that he be desired to request the Rev. Dr. Sewall, in the name of the Church, to preside and lead in that part of the solemnity.' Mr. Prince, however, spoke in his part of the service, of being directed by the reverend pastors and other messengers of the several churches, in council here convened.'

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(24.) p. 17. As early as 1754, Dr. Cooper published the Crisis, a spirited and well written pamphlet, against the project of an excise, which was favoured by many of his friends, the Whigs, and, after being adopted by the representatives, met, for a time, an unexpected obstacle in the governour. Before and during the revolutionary struggle, Dr. Cooper contributed largely to the Boston Gazette and the Independent Ledger. He was in constant correspondence with our ambassadors, and other persons of note, in France, and on terms of confidential intimacy with the French officers in this country. In calling him, in the paragraph to which this note refers, 'the leading divine of his country and time,' it was not intended to claim for him a place above such men as Dr. Chauncy and Dr. Mayhew. But the peculiar character of the former, and the prejudices, which existed against the latter on the score of doctrine, prevented them from taking that place among the clergy, which was conceded to Dr. Cooper.

(25.) p. 17. DR. COOPER was born March 28, 1725; baptized April 4th, following; and graduated in 1743, the year of his father's death. He lived at different times in a house on the south side of Cambridge Street, at the entrance of Bowdoin Square, now occupied by Dr. Spooner; in a house at the N. W. corner of Dassett's Alley, into which Dr. Colman had moved from State Street in 1715, and which, in 1769, was bought of Stephen Deblois by the Society for a parsonage, for £566.13.4; in the house in Brattle Square, opposite to the church, now occupied by Mrs.

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