to all concerned, he declined a re-appointment for the third year, and accepted a pressing invitation to return to Philadelphia. He and the Trinity people parted on the most agreeable terms, and among them to this day no name is more revered for the fragrant memories which cluster about it than his.

CHAPTER XVI.

RETURN TO PHILADELPHIA.-PASTORATE OF THE SPRING GARDEN STREET CHURCH.-AMONG THE CHILDREN.

THE immediate cause of the transfer of Mr. Cookman again (1865) to the Philadelphia Conference so soon after leaving it for New York, was that his services were earnestly sought for the new church which had been erected in Philadelphia on Spring Garden Street. Several of his former parishioners at Green Street were active men in erecting the new church, and they felt that no one was so well qualified to build up the new charge, to give it consistency and stability, as their former beloved pastor.

As explanatory of his views and feelings upon this and like occasions, I give the correspondence between the committee of the Spring Garden Street Church and himself in relation to the matter.

Messrs. A. W. Rand, George Milliken, Thomas P. Campbell, John W. Clark, and Charles B. Barrett, Committee, to the Rev. Alfred Cookman :

"SPRING GARden Street CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA, Į September 13, 1864.

"Inasmuch as the time is rapidly approaching when it must be determined who shall be our next pastor, we all naturally feel very solicitous that he who shall be sent to us shall be one who will not only be acceptable to the people, but who will, by the blessing of God, be the means of advancing and building up the spiritual and temporal interests of our Church.

"We believe that you possess all the qualifications to make you thus eminently useful among us; and at a meeting of the Board of Trustees, held last evening, we were appointed a committee to confer with you and solicit your advice.

"Are you aware of any obstacles which would be likely to prevent our consummating an arrangement with you? Have you any personal objections to serving us in the capacity of pastor?

"We take leave to add that we believe there is but one wish and opinion in the Church and congregation upon this subject, and shall await your answer with very great interest."

The Rev. Alfred Cookman to Messrs. Charles B. Barrett, A. W. Rand, and others:

"NEW YORK, September 30, 1864.

"I am in receipt of your official communication. It came perhaps a fortnight since, and should have been answered sooner, but indeed I felt as if I wanted a little time for careful thought and special prayer respecting a step of this kind. The changes of a Methodist itinerant are so frequent and necessary that we are apt to think he need not have much difficulty in deciding such matters—but in my own case (and I suppose this is a general experience) I am so painfully anxious to keep in my providential path that I often hesitate, wanting to be fully persuaded in my own mind. You ask for a full expression of my views and feelings respecting the pastorate of your Church for the next Conference year.

"I reply frankly and sincerely, there is no unwillingness in my own mind to return to Philadelphia, and serve you in the relation referred to. Many, perhaps most of your members, are dear friends, with whom I have been pleasantly situated in past years. They know that I am only a simple, plain, and, I hope, faithful minister of Jesus Christ; and if they could be satisfied with me, a very ordinary servant of the Church, I certainly ought to be more than satisfied with them-so true and liberal, sympathizing and affectionate. These are my feelings.

"Now for my circumstances. Next spring I shall have been at Trinity, my present charge, two years. A number of the friends have expressed the desire and expectation that I remain with them the third year. My presiding elder has conversed with me on the subject, saying that while he will not throw a difficulty in my way if I conclude to return to Philadelphia, still he very much hopes that I will remain in the New York Conference. Thinking that the old two-years' law might be the rule in the matter of appointments next spring, the friends at Poughkeepsie have approached me on the subject of their next pastorate. Seventh Street, New York, and Hanson Place, Brooklyn, have also spoken to me for next year. I refer to these matters not, of course, to show that my humble labors are in demand, but to explain my perplexity in deciding what is my providential path, and

WELCOME AT THE PHILADELPHIA CONFERENCE.

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also to illustrate what kind feelings I must break through in leaving this part of the work.

"Now what shall I do? I wish to do right. Your city is a desirable place of residence for me. Your Conference is my cradle Conference. Your Church will be one of the most pleasant appointments in the connection—a thousand times better than I deserve. These are interesting, and yet to me minor matters. I think my greatest concern is respecting my usefulness. Can I accomplish most for Christ and the Church in the Philadelphia or New York Conference? I place myself in your hands and with the authorities of the Church. Bishop Simpson is among you, and, while he is concerned for the success of your enterprise, I believe he is interested for me. He has always allowed me to regard him with the love and approach him with the confidence of a son; and I shall respect and be satisfied with his decision.

"When any definite conclusion is reached let me know, for it will be but just to advise my Trinity friends, who will thus have time to make their arrangements for the next Conference year.

"I have written very freely and frankly. And now, thanking you for this most emphatic and practical expression of your kindness and confidence, allow me to subscribe myself as ever your brother in the blessed Jesus."

The authorities having determined upon Mr. Cookman's transfer to Philadelphia, he hastened to the session of his old Conference at Harrisburg. Thence he wrote to his wife:

"HARRISBURG, March, 1865.

"I would have written yesterday, but duties multiplied, engrossing all my time; among the rest the responsibility and trial of preaching last night. Oh! it was a heavy burden, but I took it up in the name of my Master, and was helped. I feel very humble and quiet and grateful this morning. We have commenced an eight o'clock prayer-meeting this morning; the season was very blessed. You will be interested in every step of my progress, and so I will go back. On Tuesday night I left Philadelphia with quite a number of ministerial brethren. Comfortably ensconced in a berth of the sleeping-car, I dozed until Harrisburg was announced; proceeding to our friend C.'s, I met a most affectionate reception. The brethren at Conference were very cordial; business was rapidly dispatched, and a place assigned me on one or two committees, and at the close of the morning session my appointment for evening was announced. During the day I met friends in every direction; they were as cordial as though I had been their pastor last year. God has given us a strong hold upon the hearts of this people.

"The duty of preaching last night involved a terrible trial. I would rather have taken severe lashings; but I dared not refuse-it seemed to me that it might be in the order of God; and what is my will in comparison with the Divine will. My Heavenly Father knows how simple and pure was my motive. I had a good time-the brethren say great good was accomplished; but this morning I feel like a whipped child, indisposed to look any body in the face. My soul, however, is full of tender love for Jesus; I cling to Him with increasing affection and devotion. 'Happy, if Thou, my Lord, approve.' Pray for me: I want that this Conference time may be a Pentecostal season for us all."

Mr. Cookman's welcome was, if possible, even heartier than on the occasion of his return from Pittsburgh. It is doubtful if any friends are like the heart's first friends. His early associates were now more deeply attached to him than ever before. His re-entrance into their ranks was hailed with delight; and he, as was natural, felt again the tranquilizing sense of home, which gave him a new spring for his chosen work. The reception which the people would give him could not be questioned in view of his popularity when stationed in the city, and the enthusiastic greetings which always met him on his occasional visits. His brother George wrote in the winter of 1863 to his mother after one of these brief sojourns:

"We enjoyed Alfred's visit hugely. He is a prime fellow, and his trip over here was productive of great good. I never saw such a sight as the Monday evening he preached at Green Street-altar crowded, and some thirty or forty in the congregation rose for prayers. We are going to have him back to Philadelphia some of these days."

The Spring Garden charge presented the most favorable conditions for Mr. Cookman's resumption of the Christian ministry as a pastor in the great city of the Keystone State. The new, capacious, and elegant church, with every modern facility for effective Church work, was admirably located to accommodate the growing population in the north-west section of the city. It was thoroughly manned by official boards full of energy, zeal,