her new residence: these for some time taxed her enfeebled powers to the utmost; and consequently, for the first seven months of 1845, the pages of her diary are an absolute blank.

There were many things which contributed to make her new home pleasant. She was in the same village and surrounded by the same friends as before; two of her children resided there, and she was within a short distance from another; so that when pretty well, she could visit them without much inconvenience: they also could often visit her; and great was their pleasure in doing any thing for her which was not within the compass of her own means. The slight distance of her house from the road was an advantage; as the noise of carriages was somewhat the less; at the same time she was not shut out from the sight of passing objects; and could often exchange with her children, as they went by, a nod of recognition or a few words of salutation or inquiry. She loved flowers; and she had a garden, large enough for her, in which she could walk when her health permitted, and enjoy them. And lastly, she was no farther than before from the house of God. This was a great thing to her; for she could say, with a degree of feeling which is not common, "My soul longeth, yea even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. A day in thy courts is better than a thousand; I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Though withdrawn from business, Mrs. Cooke was still ready for every call of duty, "to her power, yea, and beyond her power." In September, 1845, an old servant

of the family, who lived about three miles off, was taken violently ill with an inflammatory disease. Mrs. Cooke was deeply concerned, and drove herself to his house, that she might speak and pray with him. But he pleaded his extreme illness as a reason for not seeing her, and she returned home, in great distress of mind, lest he should be about to pass into eternity unprepared.

After hearing of his death, she wrote thus:

"Poor man, he has been heaping up treasure, and, I fear has taken no thought about his soul. I have often talked to him, when he was well, but never could produce any effect upon his feelings. On Wednesday he was called away to receive the final sentence. I heard that he got on his knees several times and prayed; I wish it may have been like the publican. I have felt his death very much, having known him so long; forty-six years he worked in our family; and now I fear lest he should not have died in the Lord. I could not enjoy anything to-day." (Sunday, September 21st.)

A few weeks after, one of her daughters-in-law, Mrs. Robert Cooke, was placed in temporary danger by a mistake in the medicine administered to her. Mrs. Cooke was sent for; and on that occasion the sufferer opened her mind on the subject of religion in such a way as to mingle joy with her relative's anxieties. She was thus called to the employment which, next to communion with God, was most pleasant to her, that of addressing to a willing ear encouragements to trust in God and be devoted to his service.

Mrs. Cooke could now look on her son and his wife as being, both of them, disciples of Jesus Christ; and with regard to them, her highest wishes were fulfilled.

She

knew they were not "already perfect;" but the Holy Spirit had "begun a good work" in them, and she trusted the promise that he would "perform " or finish it: there was the life of religion in their souls, and she felt assured that, in due time, there would be growth,-growth in knowledge, in faith, in experience, and in courage. She expected to see them soon taking their places among the acknowledged disciples of the Redeemer, cheerfully submitting to his ordinances, and aiding his cause with all the influence of their characters and position. There was one obstacle to the full accomplishment of her desires, namely, that their minds were not made up on the subject of baptism. During the period of their indecision, Dr. Halley's Congregational Lectures on the Sacraments, came into their hands, and the perusal of that work increased their reluctance to commit themselves to the practice of the church to which their mother belonged, and whose worship they also were in the habit of attending. The state of their minds was made known to Mrs. Cooke; and having read the book of Dr. Halley, she wrote the following letter to her son, which admirably shows the catholicity of her feelings, and her superiority to sectarian prejudices.

MY DEAR ROBERT,

Often is my soul gladdened by the hope that you are now the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ; and from my heart did I unite with Mr. Venimore and Mr. Browne in their addresses to you in the chair at the Stalham Bible Meeting; and glad shall I be to see you advancing in your profession of religion; I mean by following the Lord in all his appointed ways, especially

in the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. I would not urge you to a duty because it is in accordance with my views: but I would say follow the dictates of your conscience; take the word of God, and search prayerfully and attentively to know his will on the subject. And if you are at all influenced by Dr. Halley's Lectures on Baptism, I would say, with the kindest and most Christian regard, when you have seen some answers or remarks by the Baptists on the subject, and also given Pengilly on Baptism a very attentive reading, if you then remain a Pædobaptist, make free and state to Mr. Venimore that you see it your duty to attend to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, in compliance with his command," do this in remembrance of me," but that you cannot see baptism in the light he does; that you think sprinkling a sufficient compliance with Christ's command, and that (if you approve of the advice I am now about to give) you think of going to Mr. Browne, of North Walsham, to be baptized by him and join his church, and then become a communicant with the Independents and other friends who partake of the Lord's Supper in the schoolroom at Ingham. Or if you think believers' baptism by immersion, but not in public, the most scriptural, I would then advise you to request Mr. V. to do as he did in Mrs. Postle's case; and then if you wish to join the Church at Ingham you can, I judge, be proposed for church fellowship, relate your experience, and be, I doubt not, accepted, and your dear wife the same, whichever are her views on the subject. I would say, "and now why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized," by some way or other, most agreeable to the views you both take of the subject. You know I am what is called a Particular

Baptist, but I hope I can say,

"The good I love of every name,

And pray for all mankind.”

I am sure it will cause great joy to my soul to live to see you and dear Mrs. Cooke going on from step to step in the ways of God, and I think that joining yourselves with God's people is a great means of promoting it. And though I think joining the church at Ingham would be most gratifying to Mr. V— and useful to the cause under his care, yet it would, I doubt not, give him as well as myself great pleasure to see you acting up to your convictions, and going onward in the paths of holiness and happiness.

I have been led to address this letter to you, my dear Robert, from the idea that Dr. Halley's views are in some measure yours, and whilst his book has not shaken me in my views of baptism, I think it has increased my desire that all who see sprinkling or pouring to be right (provided they do not make it regeneration) should act up to their principles, and whatever they do, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men. I desire that you, dear Robert, and your dear wife, may act thus, and that speedily, or after proper investigation of the subject. I remain, with kind love to yourself and dear Mrs. C Yours affectionately,

SOPHIA COoke.

From a subsequent page it will be seen that this wise and Christian letter was not without effect. After some further delay, Mrs. Cooke had the satisfaction to find her children's views in accordance with her own, and to witness their immersion as open followers of Christ.