ANOTHER watchman has fallen! Another laborer has been called home from the Church militant to the Church triumphant. Rev. Daniel Cooper, of Alleghany Presbytery, departed this life on the 27th ult., near midnight; aged thirty-seven years. In that silent hour, when weeping friends were watching around his bed, the angel of the everlasting covenant came, and faithful to his promise, stood prepared to walk with him through death's dark vale.

Clouds and darkness are sometimes about the throne of God. We cannot fathom the mysterious providence that leaves the hoary headed sinner, and takes away, in the meridian of life, his servants from the whitened fields of harvest where the laborers are few. "Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments."

We expect the grain that has ripened to be cut down and gathered into the garner. We expect the sere and yellow leaf to fall. When the oak has attained its centuries, and the life fluid is ceasing to flow through its pores, it is fit and proper that it should fall to the earth and be dissolved into its original elements. When man has lived his three score years and ten, we know that "earth to earth and dust to dust" will soon be repeated and that the "mourners will go about the streets." The saddening circumstances attending the death of a good man are all on this side of the vale. On the other side all is light and joy. Here are the ashes of earthly hopes that have perished, the sundering of tenderest ties, the sorrows of wife, father, mother, brother, and sister, who shall not look again upon his face "till the heavens be no more." But on the other side, "everlasting Spring abides, and never withering flowers:--"absent from the body; present with the Lord;" where there is fulness of joy and pleasure forevermore.

It was the writers privilege, as a co-presbyter, to be intimately acquainted with Bro. Cooper ever since he entered the ministry. He received his education at Waynesburg College. A severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism compelled him to leave college before the course was completed. His earnest desire, was to preach the gospel, and in due time he was licensed. His church relationship was transferred to Alleghany Presbytery, and he accepted a call from Shiloh and Olive congregations, which he faithfully served till sometime after the death of the lamented Bro. Sayers, when he was called to take charge of Jefferson congregation, Punxsutawney. Here he lived during all the years of his ministerial labors, respected by the community, and beloved by the Church. Jefferson congregation was in low circumstances; five churches had been built in the surrounding country from that congregation; her membership was depleted; the meeting-house was delapidated; the title to the lot on which it stood, worthless; the congregation was weakened and disheartened; in a measure, the confidence of the community in the character of the ministry was impaired. The church, in viewing their low condition, wanted a Boenerges to build them up. But God sent them something better--a man who, by living unto Christ in his daily walk and conversation, received the esteem of the community and won the affections of the church. His heart was burning with zeal for Christ's glory and the salvations of souls. He was an earnest student, laborious in his studies, seeking intently the mind and will of God, that he might declare it unto the people. His sermons were wrought out in the atmosphere of prayer, and baptized in prayer. He loved to preach, and yet he tried to keep an abiding impression coming from God's tremendous declaration to the prophet Ezekiel, "O son of man, I have set thee a watchman . . . When I say unto the wicked, O, wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." He went into the sacred desk conscious of the solemnities connected with his holy calling. I have seen him often, in protracted meetings, in the pulpit, when preaching, his breast would heave with emotion, his eyes fill with tears, and utterance for a little while be denied. The manifestation of such intense earnestness assisted in carrying home the truth to many hearts. Every church he labored in as pastor, enjoyed revival seasons and times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

Under his ministry, Jefferson congregation began to grow in grace and numbers. Lots in a central part of that beautiful town were purchased and paid for. Brick was burned, and in due time, a solid meeting-house, with modern improvements, costing eight or ten thousand dollars, was erected and paid for. But alas, the flame and zeal were beginning to consume the candlestick. The exposure in riding long journeys in wintery storms, to assist at sacramental meetings, and the labor in preaching, began to wear him down. Three Winters since, he assisted in six protracted meeting, preached about seventy times, in as many days, riding on horseback some hundreds of miles. Numbers joined the church at each meeting. His soul was on the mount, but his exposure and labor brought on hemorrhage of the lungs.

In early Autumn of 1870, Bro. Cooper was married to Miss Jennie A. Bowman, daughter of Rev. Jos. A. Bowman. In about a year after, a little son came to bless their union, who, just before he learned to lisp his parents, names, was taken back to heaven.

After Bro. Cooper's first attack of hemorrhage his physicians advised him to desist from preaching, or he would not live long. "Will I live long and be able to preach again if I now desist?" was the question he asked; and as it could not be answered in the affirmative, as soon as able he continued to preach. A second time he was laid aside by hemorrhage, and though able to meet with the congregation, and preach occasionally, and hold prayer meetings, his remaining strength began to give way. His intense desire was to be able again to preach, and the sorrow of his life was that, physically, he was unable. With his wife he went home to his parents' house near Washington, hoping that entire rest would bring back his strength again. It was there that his soul went through the melancholy process of trying to give up his life's work, of sundering earthly ties, of dismissing plans that had never been brought to completion. He alternated between hope and the fear of disappointment. He had a desire to live, but it was in subjection to the will of the Divine Master. He had hoped to live longer, but since the Divine will was otherwise, he began calmly to look death in the face. He had no fear. He knew that for him "to live was Christ; to die was gain." The precious gospel that he had loved to preach to others, was now his comfort and support.

As a man, Bro. Cooper was genial, amiable, and lovable. Under a sober, grave countenance he carried a vein of pleasant, quiet humor, though his pleasanty was of that kind that never shocked the sensibilities of the listeners, but comported with the gravity of the ministerial character. As a presbyter he was faithful in his attendance, wise in counsel, and earnest in contending for the right. He assisted in meetings in nearly every congregation of the Presbytery, and scores of families, whose hospitality he enjoyed, will long remember him with kindly feelings. Many, in the day of final account, will rise up to call him blessed.

His body is now laid away till the resurrection. He died in "certain hope;" and we confidently trust that "them also that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him."

  "Life's duty done, as sinks the clay,
    Light from its load the spirit flies;
  While heaven and earth combine to say,
    How blest the righteous when he dies."
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, March 4, 1875, page 2]

Deceased Ministers

In addition to the above we deem it proper to mention the names of Rev. Daniel Cooper, of Allegheny Presbytery, ..., who died during the previous ecclesiastical year, and by an oversight their names were not in the list prepared by the last Assembly.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1876, page 27]