Tanv Duke University Libraries The farewell me Conf Pam 12mo #475 8o He g-iveth His beloved sleep." THE FAREWELL MESSAGE TO HIS OLERO^ST: THE ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE FUNERAL, BT THE RT. REY. STEPHEN ELLIOTT, D. D., BISHOP OF GEORGIA ; AND OBITXJ^IiY T^fOTICE© OF THE RT. REV. MCHOLAS UAMAER COBRS, D. D., LATE BISHOP OF ALABAMA. "the eighteocs shall be in everlasting remembrance." MONTGOMERY : BARRETT, WIMBISH & CO., STEAM PRINTERS. 1861. George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS .Ca \\ .a.a A. \jL\j\jxJ iii-n. .^ x^^x. OP THE Holy Ghost ANi) OF Faith/' OBITUARY It 18 with a most unfeigned sorrow that we formally announce the death of the Rt. Rev. Nk-holas IIamxer Cobbs, D. D., Bishop of Alabama. He expired at his residence In this city, at 20 minutes past 12 M., Friday, January 11th, 1S61. He died as he would wish to die, in the bosom of his family, surrounded by his weeping children— by his Clergy, scarcely less dear than his children— by devoted friends, by the poor who were the pensioners of his bounty, and by his mourning servants. After a long and paitiful illness, which he had borne with Christian fortitude, sustained by the consolations of that Eeligion of which he was so bright an exemplar, he sank gently to his rest without a mur- mur or a sigh, as if it had been a breathing sleep. Long, long, will his be- reaved family, long will this community, in which he lived and which his vir- tues adorned, long will the Diocese, whose honored Father and Head he was, and the Church at large, mourn their great, their irreparable loss. A great and a good man has fallen ! Bishop CoBBS was born in Bedford County, Virginia, February 5, 1T95. He was ordained Deacon by the Rt. Eev. Bishop Moore, in Trinity Church, Staun- ton, Virginia, May 2:3d, 1S24 ; and though reared in the Church.on the same day he was confirmed and admitted for the first time to the Holy C'>mmanion. After the lapse of a year, he was advanced to the Priesthood by the same Bish- op, in Monumental Church, Richmond, Virginia. Immediately upon his ordi- nation he entered upon his ministerial duties in Eussel Parish, in his native county. He found it withbut churches and without communicants. He left there, after fifteen years of labor, two substantial brick churches and a hundred communicants. In the year 1S2S, four years after his ordination, he was elected clerical Dep- uty from the Diocese of Virginia to the General Convention of the church ; a post he continued to fill by successive re-elections so long as he remained in the Diocese. The journals of that dioeese abound with the evidences of his high reputation there, as a Christian, Divine, and Scholar. mmm In 1884, at the instance of the Convention of Virginia, lie accepted the Chap- laincy of the University of Virginia, and filled the position with great credit and repute. In 1839, he was called to the charge of St. Paul's Clitirch, Petersburg, Va., under circumstances somewhat peculiar. The same zeal and devotiofl accom- panied him into his new field of labor, and were attended with like results. Diflficulties were harmonized— the Church was built up in numbers and in faith. At one time a class of ninety-three persons were confirmed in his Parish; His Church became too small to hold the worshippers, and a new Parish was or- ganized, and a Church was built by his congregation, and still, at the end of his four years there, he had doubled the number of communicants in his own Parish. In 1843, he accepted the Eectorship of St. Paul's Church, Cincinnati, having, in the meanwhile, (1842,) been created, under circamstances highly honorable to himself, a Doctor of Divinity, by Geneva, now Hobart College, New York. The Church, however, had need of his services iu a more honorable and ex- tensive sphere, and in May, 1844, at Greensboro', he was elected to the Episco- pate, of Alabama. Consecrated to that holy office in October of the same year, in Philadelphia, immediately upon the adjournment of tlie General Convention, he came to liis Diocese, and with untiring energy and zeal entered upon his arduous [labors. How he labored, and how God blessed his labors, the history of the Diocese will show. The number of Clergy more than quintupled; the parish- es the number of communicants, the alms, increased in a like or greater ratio ; a prosperous Diocese, where all orders have worked together with wonderful harmony ; Mftiere the voice of party and of strife was never heard ; where Christ and his iChurch ha-ve been the only theme of Bishop and of Clergy ; where there has beenibut one iheart and one mind, and a steadfast continuance in the Apos- tles' doctrine ;and fellowshii)— such a Diocese is at once his monument and his praise. It is not yet itime to write his life: to other pens must be reserved to speak his eulogy, but even now/ in the first burst of sorrow, we could not forbear to speak from a full heart, of the great loss suffered alike by the Church and the State, in the death of the .•distinguished Bishop, and to offer the tribute of our sympathy to the sorrowing and bereaved family and Church. C. MONTGOMEKY, AlA., JftU. .13, 1861. 23MS ^Wft#H'^iW.U»MJa THE F^RE^VELI^ >JESS^1lOE. Montgomery, Jan. 12tii, 1861. To the Clergy of tlie Prot. Ep. Church in. the Diocese of Alahaina : Dear Brethren: — Some days before our revered and beloved Bisbcp 'fell asleep," lest he might die and leave them unspoken, he requested me to keep in mind, and in the event of his death, to comnmnicate to you the following words : "First of all, give to each and every one of them, individually, my love and my blessing; and tell tbera, that as during my whole episco- pate it has been my earnest purpose and con- stant endeavor to be, and to sbow myself to be, the personal friend and helper of every Clergy- man in my Diocese, so now I have them all still in my heart. As to my Religious belief; tell them, that by God's grace, I shall die in the Faith, in which I have lived, and which I have endeavored to preach. I have been called "a Puseyite," a "High Churchman," and the like. Tell them I dislike party names, and loathe party lines in the Church of Christ ; but next to Christ, who is the Head, I love the Church, which is His Body, with my whole heart. I have attached, and do still attach, great importance to Her offices and sa- craments; and I believe in '-'Baptismal Regene- ration," and "Apostolic Succession," as firmly as I do any of the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel ; but I am not conscious, that I have ever preached any thing but "Jesus Christ and Him Crucified;" and now, in this solemn hour, reviewing my ministry, I cannot recall a single sentiment, either in my sermons or my pastoral addresses, which I desire erased or changed. As to my hope of justification with God; tell them, that "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.'' I have been call- ed "a good man," "a kind man," from my youth up. I do not say whether justly or otherwise. I have tried to show kindness and sympathy to all, especially to the poor, to the afflicted, and to the bereaved; and I am certain, that I do not now bear malice, or cherish unkind feel- ings, towards anybody on the face of the whole earth. But if I have done any kind deeds, or any good works, I am sure I make no merit of them, but cast them all behind my back, and nauseate them, and spit upon them "as filthy rags," and counting myself "an unprofitable servant," I look only " unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," and say, " In my hand no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling." As to my present state of mind ; tell them, I heartily thank God for this sickness. I know not yet what is to be the issue. I have no will nor wish in the matter. " Nor life nor death I crave," but simply to do, to bear, to suffer, and to glorify the will of God. This is my sentiment now, and it is the sentiment with which I hope to die. And with my farewell blessing upon them, upon their families, upon their Parishes, and upon my whole Diocese, tell them, that their dying Bishop exhorts them to strive to be men OF God: — men of peace, men of brotherly- kindness, men of charity ; self-denying men, men of purity, men of prayer; men striving to "per- fect holiness in the fear of God," and laboring and preaching with an eye single to His glory and the salvation of souls." These, dear Brethren, are the sentiments, and, ae nearly as I can remem- ber, the very words, \Thich our lamented Father in God affectionately and solemnly charged me to communicate to you. I am sure we shall all treas' ure them up as a most precious legacy. Your Brother in Chrii^t, JOHN M. MITCHELL. 0, Almighty God, Who hast knit together Thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of Thy Son, Christ our Lord ; Grant us Grace so to follow Thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys, which Thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love Thee ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. AN ADDRESS AT THE FUNERAL OF THE RT. REV. NICHOIAS HAMxNER COBBS, D. D., LATE BISIIOr OF ALABAMA, « Delivered in St. John's Cliurrit, Montg^omery, Ala., Sunday, January 1 3tli, 1861, RT. KEY. STEPHEN ELLIOTT, D. D BISHOP OF GEORGIA. " I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that tliey may rest from their labors ; and their works do follow them." PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE CLERGT OF THE DIOCESE OF ALA., AND OF THE VESTRY OF ST. JOHN'* CHURCH, MONTGOMERY. CORRESPONDENCE Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 14, 1S61. Rt. Eev. and Dear Sir : — At a meeting of tha Clergy, in attendance at th^ funeral of the late Bishop of this Diocese, the undersigned were appointed a Committee, to request, fo^ publication, a copy of the Address, in which so ably, so eloquently, so feelingly, and truthfully, you delineated and set forth the dis- tinguishing traits of his life and character. "We do not hesitate to assure you, that your compliance with our request will be regarded as an obligation con- ferred upon the Diocese ; and so we remain. Truly and Faithfully, Your Brethren in Christ, GEO. F. CUSHMAN, J. H. TICKNOR, F. B. LEE. Et. Eev. Bishop Elliott, D. D. Montgomery, Ala., Jan, 14, 1S61. Eev. and Dear Brethren : — The address delivered by me yesterday, at the funer- al of your beloved Bishop, Is at the service of the Clergy of the Diocese of Al- abama, who have requested a copy for publication. It was prepared, as you know, in very great haste ; but if you, who knew your Bishop best, were satisfied with its sketch of your Bishop's character, it would noti^ecome me to deny your desire. It was a melancholy gratification to me to be permitted to express my admiration for his natural virtues and christian graces. All his brethren of the Episcopate loved him dearly, and will mourn his too early removal from the Church on Earth. I feel sure that I can offer to his clergy and to his family, their individual sympathy with them in this un- timely bereavement. I am. Rev. and Dear Brethren, Very sincerely and affectionately yours, In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, To the Rev. STEPHEN ELLIOTT. Gbo. F. Ccshman, D. D., J. H. TiCKNOR, }■ Com. of Clergymen^of the Diocese of Ala. F. ^. Ler. BB THE ADDRESS. The year has opened upon us, Fellow Church- men, and Fellow Christians, with a great public sorrow. This smitten congregation, this vast as- semblage of sympathizing friends, this crowd of bereaved Clergymen, this Church, clad in the deep habiliments of mourning, all attest, that the grief which lies heavy upon us is of no private charac- ter. It is not a single family, or a single circle, which mourns to-daj^ but it is every family, and ever}^ circle of a large and wide-spread commu- nion. It is not one congregation only, that bows its head in the dust, and sits silent under the chas- tening hand of God, but it is every congregation of this extended Diocese. And be^'ond its limits are thousands of the good and the devout, who share with us our grief for the death of this holy servant of God, and whose prayers are this day ascending to Heaven on the wings of the Holy Dove in behalf of his widow, of his children, of his people, of his Clergy, of the Church of the Living God. And through this wide land are hearts weeping for him to-day, as for a Father; are voices uttering blessings upon his name for all the good he has done to them. And many, who never looked upon his face, ar^ placing upon his grave the tribute of love, for the gentle goodness, whose fragrance reaches even unto them, of reverence for the Holiness, which made him precious among the Saints of God. We, who stand here weeping over his dead body, are but the representatives of multitudes, wlio are shedding their tears in the privacy of their own households. We, who utter in this place our broken words of love and sorrow, are only the leaders of hosts, who are lifting up to God the voice of supplication for strength and comfort under this sore afiliction. For there is yet, thanks be to God ! virtue enough left among men to enable them to recognize the embodiment of goodness, and grace enough to lead them to pay homage to the reflection of their Savior's image. And well does his memory deserve all this love, and. all this gushing tribute of affection. From his youth, up to the moment when the silver cord was loosed, was he himself a creature of unself- ishness, lavishing upon all around him the boun- ties of his goodness, and the warmth of his aftec- tion. ^ever has he sousrht his own thing's, but always the things of others. Wherever in his ministry the Spirit of God has called him, that sphere has been warmed by the kindliness of his nature, and the earnestness of his piety. Wheth- er toiling as a Missionary among the vallies of his his own beloved Virginia, or laboring as a Pastor in the exacting congregations of towns and cities, or standing beside the fountains of Science, and sweetening their waters with the truths of Chris- tianity, or building up the Church in this almost virgin Diocese, he has left everywhere the like impress of himself. He has ever walked in an atmosphere of love, and those, among whom he has wandered, rise up, even to this day, and call him blessed. Heartfelt gratitude has followed him all his days. Aftection has sweetened his whole pathway of life. Devotion has filled Hea- ven with prayers in his behalf, and now that he has sunk to his rest, there is showered upon his grave all this pent up tribute of sincere devotion. He verified in his life, and in his death, that stri- king beatitude : "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth." How comforting it is to stand beside the dead, and see that Christ's promises have been fulfilled in life and in death ! And in no one has this been more strikingly exhibited, than in our beloved Brother. He was enabled by Faith, first, to over- come the world, and then, by a like Faith, to over- 14 come Death and the Grave. Few men have been more in the world, than the holy Bishop whose life we are illustrating, while few men have been less of the world. A Soldier of the Cross from early manhood, a warrior for Christ all his life through, a warrior, too, who never shrank from any post, or any duty, a Missionary, a Priest, a Chaplain, a Bishop, he yet was kept unspotted from the world. It had no charms for him, or, if it had, he trampled them under foot with an un- sparing severity. He moved among men always as the Minister of God, as the Ambassador for Christ. E'o one could ever mistake his character, or his purpose. "While he was gentle unto all men, he was never pliant; wdiile he was wary in the pursuit of the great purposes of Christ's Kingdom upon the Earth, nothing turned him him aside from their consummation. Baffled to- day, he resumed his efforts to-morrow. Disap- pointed in his spiritual aims, he renewed his heart through prayer, and worked afresh. Ilis whole soul was thrown into the advancementof Christ's Church, because he believed that Church to be the ground and pillar of the Truth. He was never ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but preached it ever as the Wisdom of God, and tlie Power of God unto Salvation. Worldliness he rebuked; ungodliness he denounced, and main- 15 tained a strict discipline over the Church of Christ. And God rewarded his faithfulness in life, by His Presence in death, and bore him in peace through the valley of the shadow of death, to that " rest which remaineth to the people of God." Bishop Cobbs "was remarkable in every feature of his ministerial life : remarkable, because pecu- liar. As a Pastor, he was unrivalled. Canning into every house the gentle, loving spirit of which we have spoken, he w^ound himself about the hearts of young and old, so that their affection for him became an indissoluble tie. It was not, in his case, as too often it is, a mere transient admiration of a Clergyman's powers, or a Clergyman's man- ners, but it assumed the unchangeable form of a relationship. It continued through life. It died not out with his removal to another sphere, but he remained the beloved Pastor until death de- stroyed the bond. Xo subsequent tie could ever obliterate that first spiritual love. AVherever he went, or whatever he became, his children in the Lord followed his wanderings with the eye of un- changing affection, and never swerved from their allegiance. And this was the result of his earnest self-devotedness to the interests of his people, combined with that indescribable pow^^^i^^ 19 Diocese. And well might they have reposed this perfect trust in him, for he spared no pains in the oversight of his Episcopate. He was ever on the wing, travelling through heat and cold, through storm and sunshine, in the highways and byeways, exposed to every inconvenience, to which one may be subjected in these days of improvement; seek- ing out the children of the Church wherever they might be found scattered in tlie waste places of the land. His journeys were unceasing, his la- bors enormous, and no fear of personal discomfort ever kept him from his duties. And when he in- dulged himself with a little rest in the home of his affections, his active mind was busy in the de- vice of glorious things for the Church of God. He worked out, in these moments of repose, an ideal for the future, which was to concentrate around the Bishop, in the heart of this Metropolis, all the efficient agencies of Church work: schools for the lambs of the flock ; seminaries for students of every kind ; nurseries for instruction in all the routine of benevolence; and, rising from their midst, a Cathedral Church, from which should daily ascend the prayers and praises of God's peo- ple, and from which should radiate to the extrem- ities of the Diocese the holy influences of Christi- anity. This ideal has Death scattered for the pre- sent, as it does so many other ideals, but seed 20 sown by the righteous and watered by their pray- ers, never perishes. The time will come, when he will be remembered as the wise and holy man of God, who looked far into the future, and saw in vision, the glorious things of the Church of his Redeemer. And God has richly blessed the work and labor of his hands. Receiving this Diocese from the hands of its energetic Missionary Bishop, some sixteen years ago, he has moulded it into its pre- sent strength and compactness. It has increased more than live fold under his untiring labors, car- ried on through numberless disadvantages. In the early part of his Episcopate, he was subjected to great toil in reaching his places of appointment, for, even to-day, it is a most laborious Diocese to to traverse. But, through it all, he persevered, establishing this point, confirming that ; planting new Churches in the wilderness, and reconstruc- ting the ohl ; upholding the weak ; comforting the perplexed ; cheering the despondent ; a true leader of the hosts of God, whose trumpet never gave an uncertain sound. No one, who has not passed through the experience of a Missionary Bishop, can understand or appreciate the severity and variety of his labors. Set apart to build up the Church of Christ in an unkindly soil, it would be an arduous task, even though he were helped i»MA.ui..ii>Mjj.ii>A4'^v^Mu.autj.Mj-iiiw.m^.Bim^H^\^m^ja 21 with all the appliances of human ageocy. But, wlien he is sent alone, without the aid of proper assistants, without money at his command to as- sist the feeble Parishes and animate the strong ; encountering here lukewarmness, and there in- difference, and everywhere ungodliness, it de- mands a heart of steel, and a spirit warmed by the perpetual sunshine of God's countenance, to ac- complish the work of the Lord. That our beloved Brother was enabled so gloriously to fulfil his mission, he owed to the grace of God, workino- in and through his rare personal qualities. These lie laid, in all humilitj', at the foot of the Cross, and received, in return, the strength which cometh from Jesus Christ, the Crucified Savior, the Risen Advocate and Intercessor. In the higher councils of the Church, our Bro- ther held an enviable position. His character gave him great power among his Brethren of the Episcopate, and in theHouseof Bishops his opin- ion always carried great weight. lie did not min- gle much in its debates, but when he chose to speak, no man was more attentively listened to, or more generallj- approved. It was a matter of regret, that he did not express his views more freely, but his great humility displayed itself in this, that he esteemed others better than himself. "He was willing," he said, "to be instructed bj^ OQ those who were older in the Episcopate," and thus held his tongue, even from good' words. But, when he w^ould permit himself to give utterance to his opinions, he w^as sure to make his mark ; for wisdom sat upon his lips, and integrity sway- ed every movement of his heart. Good sense, deep wisdom, and unchanging kindness of utter- ance were the characteristics of his speeches ; and never did he rise, without casting light upon the suhject which he treated, and what w^as better, never did he close, without casting over the assem- bly the spell of his loving heart. We shall mourn the absence of his spirit from our councils, for, we shall never see again precisely his counterpart. And, if missed from the General Council of the Church, how much more deeply shall we feel his absence in that narrower, but more intimate council, in which he has communed with his Brethren in behalf of the interests ot Literature and Science in our Southern Dioceses ! It was there we felt his value, for he cast his whole heart and soul into the elevation of the standard of learning in the Church and in the Country. He was totally dissatisfied with the superficial educa- tion of the United States, and his earnest wish w^as, to bring back the olden times of English Learning, when scholarship and piety were indis- soluble companions. Often have we talked over 23 this hope, in intercourse which lean never foro;et, and how his eve would kindle, and his form di- late, as he opened his views for the future of our University, and lifted up a standard of scholar- ship such as few men even conceive of in this present day. It was upon occasions like these that I first discovered the latent enthusiasm of his character; how he kept down, under the re- straints of duty and of grace, a spirit which could flame forth, when time and opportunity permitted, into an ardor that was electric, and that filled his hearers with amazement and admiration. And this enthusiasm he was prepared to cast into the work of the University, and promote, with his wise counsels, its early estahlishment. It was getting very near his heart: but now, all that is left us is the memory of his sagacity, and the duty of enshrining him, as one of its earliest friends and wisest architects. Such a heart, and such a soul, so gentle, so lov- ing, so full of goodness, could only arise out of a Keligion that was deeply personal. His theology was fixed and definite, but it was his personal piety, which distinguished the man. lie was one of the holiest men I have ever met, and the very radiance of his fiice, told the passer- by, that he lived with Jesus. In the last commu- nication which he made to his Clergy, he says : 24: l ll ' lll llllMMM aBSMn "As to my hope of justification with God, tell them, that -This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the w^orld io save sinners.' I have been called a good man, a kind man, from my youth up. I do not say whether justly, or otherwise. I have tiicd to show kindness and sympathy to all, especially to the poor, to the afflicted, and to the bereaved, and I am certain that I do not now bear malice, or cherish unkind feelings, towards anybody on the face of the Earth. But, if I have done any kind deeds, or any good works, I am sure I make no merit of them, but cast them all behind my back, and nauseate them, and spit upon them as 'filthy rags,' and counting myself an 'unprofitable ser- vant,' I look only unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and say: 'In my hand no price I bring, Simply to thy Cross I cling.' " And this was a fitting close to a life of entire devotion to the cause of Christ. He knew no other master than Jesus Christ, and Him crucified : and "next to Christ, Who is the Head, he loved the Church," to use his own language, "which is His Body, with his whole heart." Trusting thus in the blood of the Atonement ; rejoicing that Christ had died for his sins, and risen for his justification, he submitted himself to the Sover- ereign Will of God. "I know not yet, with cer- tainty, what is to be the issue of this sickness. I have no will nor wish in the matter. ^ISTor life nor death I crave' ; but simply to do, to bear, to suffer, and to glorify the will of God." And with this humble, submissive spirit, he went his way to his Father's home. And well may you, m}^ hearers, and all the Church over which he had the oversight, lament to-day, in dust and ashes ; for you have lost, at this most critical period of 3'our civil and ecclesiastical affairs, one whose prayers were mighty before God, and whose counsels were prevalent among men. Most grievous is the affliction, when, at any time, and under any circumstances, a faithful Bishop is taken from his flock, but it is over- whelming, when his light is put out just as that flock is entering into the dark cloud of trouble and of perplexit3^ Yet such is your condition to-da}'. Just when his people most need consola- tion ; just when his Clergy most require the coun- sels of a wnse experience; just when the Church is to be guided through a period of change, and therefore of peril, your earthly Guide and Coun- sellor is taken to his rest. And such a Guide! So gentle, yet so wise ; so loving, yet so firm ; so modest, jet so influential ; so full of the Spirit of God, yet knowing how to move warily among the children of men. 26 It is indeed, for I end as I began, " a great pub- lic sorrow ;" and well may the State, equally with the Church, lament that so holy a man has been taken away in this her hour of trial, perchance of peril. For such men as he, men of prayer, and men of truth, constitute the strength and power of a State. They are " the horses and the chari- ots of Israel." Well, therefore, may the tears of Statesmen mingle with the tears of women, and the grief of age be uttered side by side with the grief of childhood. It is a conjunction worthy of him, wh came so near to his Savior's ideal of conduct, that he should be "wise as a serpent, and harmless as a dove." But, he has not left you without counsel in this emergency. He has counselled you, year after year, from this pulpit, telling you where to look for wisdom and for strength, in every hour of your necessity. His finger has pointed you un- swervingly to the Throne of Grace, and all his lessons have taught you, that the Lord God Om- nipotent reigneth, and that He holdeth in His keeping the hearts of all men. He has counselled you in his daily intercourse with you, teaching in season and out of season, that God is Love, and that He watches over His children, with a tenderness, surpassing the love of woman, keep- ing them as the apple of an eye. He has coun- 27 selled yon, by his daily walk aud conversation, showing you, in his own life, what it is to move daily and hourly in the faith of God, and in the righteousness of Christ. And now has he coun- selled you by his death, showing you how one, born weak, and sinful, and corrupt, can glorify God, even in his infirmities; can triumph over sickness, and pain, and death ; can lie down in peace, assured that "them which sleep in Jesus, shall God bring with Him." For you. Brethren of the Clergy, has he left a more particular and special blessing. He had you in his heart, all through his weeks of suffer- ing, for he knew your sorrow, and he could sym- pathize with it. " Give to each and every one of them," are his own touching words, "individually, my love and my blessing, and tell them, that as during my whole Episcopate, it has been my earnest purpose and constant endeavor to be, and to show myself to be, the personal friend and helper of every Clergyman in my Diocese, so now, I have them still in my heart. And, with my farewell blessing upon them, upon their families, upon their Parishes, and upon my whole Diocese, tell them, that their dying Bishop exhorts them, in Christ's name, to study to be men of God: men of peace, men of brotherly kindness, men of charity; self-denying men, men of purity of s^Esss^^ssa 28 character, men of prayer, men striving to perfect holiness in the fear of God, and laboring and preaching with an eye single to His Glory, and the salvation of souls." I dare not intrude myself into the sacred sanc- tuary of his home. Private loves and private griefs belong not to the public eye. They are for the heart, and for God. But, I may be permitted to say to you, out of the fullness of a loving heart, that his widow and his children have the sincerest sympathy of the Church of Christ, and that their names will be carried upon the wings of prayer to that Comforter, Who alone knoweth how to comfort all them that are afflicted. Your richest legacy is his character ; your surest trust, the promises of God, made to the seed of the righteous. May His peace, that peace which passeth all understanding, abide with you, now and forever. And now, let us take the aged warrior to his rest. His time of work is over; the sun has stt upon his' day of labor, the hour of rest is come, and he is given that blessedness, which none but a christian warrior can know, the blessedness of the transition state from the work of Earth to the work of Heaven. Oh ! the sweetness of that word rest ! To cease from all the weariness of life ; to be done with its cares, its perplexities, its 29 sorrows, its miseries ; to have fought the good fight of faith and ended the struggle; to have finished the work whicli God has given us to do, and now to lie down and be at peace. Tlie Psalmist expressed it, when, in the weariness of his struggles, he cried, "Oh ! that I had wings like a dove, for then would I flee away and be at rest." St. Paul expressed it, when, aged and worn, he exulted in his approaching end. "For I am now ready to be oftered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good figlit, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Hence- forth, there is laid up for me a crown of right- eousness." St. John proclaimed it, as an utter- ance from Heaven, when he said : " I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, Write, Plessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." It was rest that our beloved warrior craved ; rest from sin, rest from warfare, rest from responsibility, rest from temptation, rest from the solemn work of life ; and God gave him the boon when He dismissed him from his post. "Go thy way, till the Great Day : faithfully hast thou done thy work. ^N^ow shalt thou rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." Almighty God, with Whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and with Whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity ; We give thee hearty thanks for the good examples of all those Thy servants, who, hav- ing finished their course in faith, do now rest from their la- bors. And we beseech Thee, that we, with all those who are departed in the true faith of Thy Holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. aow O T H E K OI3ITXJA.I1Y IVOTICES 1 Thess. II. 10. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe : 11. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12. That ye should walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his king- dom and glory. 'WE ARE WITNESSES. RESOI.UTIOXS OF THE] CLERGY Present at tlie Funeral of the liate Bishop Cobbs. At a meeting of the Clergy of the Diocese of Alabama, who were present at the funeral of their lamented Bishop, the Right Rev. N. H. Cobbs, D. D., on motion the Rev. Mr. Hansox was called to the Chair, and the Rev. Mr. Gholsox appointed Secretary. The object of the meeting was explained by the Rev. Mr. TiCK.voR ; and on motion, a Committee was appointed for the purpose of drafting appropriate resolutions. The Chair appointed as said Committee the Rev. Mr. Tick- NOR, the Rev. Dr. Cushman, and the Rev. Mr. Lee. After an interval, the Rev. Mr. Tickxor reported the fol- lowing preamble and resolutions, which, on motion, were received and unanimously adopted : Whereas, It has pleased the great Head of the Cliurcli, in His wise Providence, to take from us, at a time when his presence and counsels seemed most needful, our revered Diocesan, our tenderly beloved father and friend, after a lin- gering and painful illness, in which his " patience was tried for an example to others, and his faith found laudable and glorious to the increase," as we doubt not, " of his own end- less felicity" : Resolved, 1. That while we are deeply sensible of our own personal loss, and the loss to the Diocese of Alabama, and to the Church at large, we bow with resignation to a blow di- rected by a Wisdom which cannot err, and prompted by a Love which " does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men." 34 2. That from the depths of our sorrow, we render hearty thanks to Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, for the good example of this His servant ; an example of entire self-con- secration to the cause of Christ and His Church ; an exam- ple of zeal with discretion ; of wisdom with innocence ; of strength with humility ; of firmness in all that involved principle or duty, with the most unfeigned and affectionate respect for the opinions and feelings of others; of "mercy without remissness, and of so administering discipline as not to forget mercy:" qualities which eminently fitted him to be the reliable guide, the safe adviser and sjnnpathising friend of his Clerg}^, and under Christ the faithful shepherd of an infant Diocese, which, mainly by his unwearied labors and the influence of his christian character, has been brought to its present strength and prosperity. 3. That we recognizie the grace of God in the formation of such a character, and the goodness of God in so long contin- uing it in our midst : " The Lord gave and the Lord hath ta- ken away : blessed be the name of the Lord !" 4. That, by God's help, we will ever cherish in our minds, and, so far as in us lies, inculcate in our ministrations, the things we have received from him ; and especially will we remember, as having been nearest his heart : His devotedness to the cause of the poor ; His zeal to secure the proper religious instruction of servants ; His earnest and unceasing anxiety that the children of the Church might be brought up, according to her mind and teachings, in the full faith and fear of God ; His inculcation of ■' devout manners,'' as a necessary mani- festation of inward grace and christian principle ; His unaffected charity, " maintaining and setting forward quietness and peace among all men ;" 35 His tenderness for the erring, and liis "diligence in seeking for Christ's slieep that are dispersed abroad, and for His children that are in the midst of this naughty world, that they might be saved through Christ forever ;" Ilis uncompromising faithfulness, tempered with the ut- most sweetness, in " rightly dividing the Word of Truth,"' and "administering the doctrines, sacraments and discipline of Christ as this Church hath received the same," combi- ning evangelic truth with apostolic order ; '•In all things showing himself an example of good works ;" "exhorting, comforting and charging every one of us as a f\ither doth his children ;" and "endeavoring that after his decease we might have these things always in remem- brance." 5. That we praise God for the numerous circumstances of consolation attending this trying visitation, for the perfect clearness of intellect, and the spiritual tranquility and sup- port enjoyed amid physical suffering and exhaustion ; for the verifying before our eyes of the promise that "God will keep them in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on llim ;" and for the precious legacy of parting words of admonition, en- couragement and blessing, now communicated to us from the venerated deceased. G. That we offer our fervent petition to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, that this afflicting dispensation may be sanctitied to us all, in the increase of faith, in the promo- tion of brotherly love, and in the renewal of self-devotion, diligence and humility in the service of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls. 7. That we tender our earnest sympathy to the family of the deceased in tliis their sore bereavement, commendinir 36 them to Him who alone can bind up tlieir bruised and bleed- ing hearts. On motion, it was further Resolved, That it be recommended to the Parishes of the Diocese, to drape in mourning their churches, in memory of the deatli of our honored Bishop. Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be transmitted to the family of the deceased ; and that they be published in the City and Church papers. F. R. HANSON, Chairman. John Y. Gholson, Secretary. (From the Minutes of the Standing Committee.) "Whereas the Right Rev. Nicholas Hamner Cobbs, D. D., late Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of Alabama, entered into rest on the 11th day of January, 1861, the Standing Committee of the Diocese desire to place upon their Records, the expression of their un- feigned sorrow, under a bereavement so afflicting. Called to the Episcopate of Alabama with entire unanimi- ty, A. D. 1844, after a long, honorable and highly successful ministry in Virginia, during sixteen years he so administered the Diocese as to secure the cordial confidence, respect and love of the whole body of the Clergy and Laity, proving himself to be, in deed and in truth, a Father in God, whom living, they revered, and the memory of whom dead, will ever be hallowed among them. 3T A Diocese grown up, during his too brief administration, from feebleness to its present goodly measure of strength and prosperity ; where all do ''let brotherly love continue," and party strife has not been known among them ; where Bishop, Clergy, and Laity, continuing steadfastly in the Apos- tles' doctrine and fellowship, each in his own proper sphere, have together contended earnestly for the Faith once deliver- ed to the saints, and where no "root of bitterness" the while, has sprung up to trouble them — a Diocese, under God, built up thus by his meekness and gentleness, by his unaffec- ted humility, by the fervency of his piety which was without pretence, by the example of his godly life, by his persuasive and earnest eloquence, by his wise and prudent counsels, by his " good report with those that are without," by his love of the household of faith and of the things that make for peace, by his untiring energy and abundant labors— by all such virtues and graces as in any age were meet to adorn a Bishop of the Church : such a Diocese, bereaved of such a Bishop, is bereaved, and will not soon cease to remember him with reverence and filial affection, nor forget the abun- dance of his labors, the fragrance of his holiness, or "the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." But while the Committee, in common with the whole Dio- cese and the Church at large, are deeply sensible of the ir- reparable loss of one whose works thus do follow him — a loss doubly severe because of the perilous times — they dare not sorrow as tho|p without hope, because " blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." God rules in Earth as in Heaven, and they bow in reverence to the^iatof His will. . To the afflicted family of the late Bishop, the Committee tender their most hearty condolence and sympathy in this their hour of anguish and sorrow, and commend them to the tender care of the God of the widow and the fatherless. RESOI^UTIONS OF THE VESTRY OF ST. JOHn's CHURCH. At a meeting of the Vestry of St. John's Church, Mont- gomery, held on Wednesday, January 16th, 1861 ; the fol- lowing preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted, and ordered to be published in the city papers. Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to call to his "eter- nal rest," the late Rt. Rev. Nicholas Hamner Cobbs, D. D., for the space of sixteen years last past the beloved and hon- ored Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Dio- cese of Alabama, and from May, 1853, to January, 1859, the efficient and esteemed Rector of this Parish, and since that time a resident in our midst, going in and out among us, and oftentimes breaking unto us "the Bread of Life," and preaching the Gospel of Christ from house to house : there- fore, be it, Resolved, By the Yestry of St. John's Church, Mongomery, That notwithstanding our profound sense of the incalculable loss we have sustained in his removal from Christ's Church Militant, we will not only endeavor meekly to bow in humble submission to the sovereign will of Him, "who gave and hath taken away," but we hereby place upon the records of this Parish, this testimony, that we do heartily bless the name of the Lord, by whose grace to him, and good providence to us. 39 he was enabled, in both relations in which he stood to us, to minister unto us such holy doctrine, such godly admonition, such wholesome discipline, such wise counsel, such tender and affectionate sympathy in all our joys and sorrows, and such an example of godly living, as shall cause his memory to be blessed, and his name and character to be honored among us and our children, to the latest generation. Resolved, That the wave of sorrow, put in motion by the death of such a man as Bishop Cobbs, cannot expend itself on the shores of a single Diocese, but must bear its sorrow- ful dirge to the remotest bounds of the Church, for he was one of the truly good, and wise, and great. So steadfast for truth and duty, yet so gentle and loving, so full of practical wisdom, but always guided by meekness and patience, so no- ble and valiant, but always under the shadow of the cross, and true to that blessed ensign, so faithful, so diligent, so self-denying, so wary and yet so innocent, so full of sound learning, so devout and yet of manners so free from austeri- ty, he lived and he died a man and a Bishop, whose memory will ever live in the affections of God's people. Resolved, That to his widow in her deep affliction, deep as that love in which all have learned in some degree to feel a sympathetic throb, and to his children and family, we tender our heartfelt condolence in their great bereavement. Hesolvcd, That the church be draped in mourning for the space of six months, and that the members of the Yestry wear the badge of mourning for the space of two months. Resokec], That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by the Secretary of the Yestry to the family of the deceased Bishop. The following resolutions were also adopted : RcsolvccJ, That the thanks of the Yestry be returned to the 40 Bishop of Georgia, for the very able, eloquent and apprecia- tive sermon, delivered by him on the occasion of the funenil of the late Bishop Cobbs. Resolved, That the Senior Warden and Secretary be ap- pointed a committee, to present the above resolution to Bishop Elliott, and to request a copy of his sermon for pub- lication. A true copy from the records. A. R. BELL, Secretary, St. John's Church, Montgomery. Hollinger Corp. pH 8.5