the truth of salvation by grace, and the company of Deacon Martin P. Cooper was born in Broome, N. those who believed with her. It was our privilege | Y., Dec. 18th, 1830, (his father dying Nov. 18th, one to be much in her company for many years, and in month previous to his birth.) He was called to his all this time there is not one recollection but what is eternal rest Jan. 18th, 1906, after an illness of six most pleasant. We know of but two now living who days of pleuro pneumonia, being 75 years and 1 were members of the church in Baltimore when we month old. He was married to Harriet Townsend went there, nearly forty years ago. We can but be Feb. 16th, 1852; to them were born one son and sad at times as we recall the faces and voices of three daughters. In his early life he professed a those who were so dear to us then, and remember hope, and went before the Middleburgh Old School that we shall on earth see them no more, but their Baptist Church and related some of his travels, and memory is precious, and so the memory of our sister was received by them, and baptized by Elder George Annie Scott is altogether pleasant, for we received Slater, July 15th, 1866. He was chosen to fill the nothing but kindness at her hands at all times, and office of deacon Jan. 18th, 1868, which office he filled she was kindly in feeling and in deed to all. May with honor and satisfaction to the church till his God give to us all, that her mantle of true spiritual death. Brother Cooper leaves his wife, three daughlight and life may be ours also.-C.] ters: Alice Wood, Helen Thorne and Fannie Smith, all worthy members of the Middleburgh Old School Baptist Church, and one sister, Maria Bush, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, besides the church, to mourn their loss, but truly not as those who have no hope, feeling our loss is his gain. Deacon Cooper was a self-made man, and but few are his equal. In humility, patience, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness he manifested the Spirit of Christ. He was firm, uncompromising, fearless, and blest With a forgiving spirit in its true sense, beloved by all who knew him. It was my sad pleasure to be at his bedside the most of the time during the last four days of his sickness. His mind was clear until near thing, he said, "I have had my say long ago." Yes, his whole life speaks volumes. Brother Cooper's place in the church was always filled, with but two or three exceptions, at meeting time. His daughter expressed a desire that he might recover; he answered, "His will be done, it will all come out right." We as an association and as a church feel our loss keenly, yet cannot mourn, knowing God doeth all things well. May the Lord remember his bereaved family and the church in much mercy. Mordecai W. Elston, son of Deacon Asa and Catharine C. Elston, was born in Wantage, Sussex Co.,N. J., Oct. 28th, 1821, and fell asleep in Jesus Feb. 18th, 1906, being in his 85th year. Deceased married Millicent Wheat Hoyt, daughter of John and Phebe Stiles Hoyt, Dec. 25th, 1841. She departed this life May 24th, 1892. To this union were born eight children: Mary, died in 1869; Joel Nelson, in 1876; John Asa, in 1882. Those who survive him are Mrs. Phebe C. Smith and Miss Fannie A. Elston, of Middletown, N. Y., Dr. G. A. Elston, of Corry, Pa., George B. Elston, of Norfolk, Va., and M. W. Elston, Jr., of San Franeisco, Cal. Brother Elston lived where he was bornly the last. When asked if he wished to say any until he was married, when he moved near Mount Salem, N. J., on a farm which remains still in the family and is known as the Elston homestead, and where he remained until seven years ago, when he came to live in Middletown. The old homestead is furnished and unoccupied, except as a meeting place for the family during the summer months. This homestead is a pleasant place, surrounded by many comforts, with pleasant outlooks, and it being the home of the children of the family, is very dear to them. The home of brother Elston was a pleasant resting place for all of his friends and also for those of his family. He was baptized in the fellowship of the Salem Church by the late Elder Gilbert Beebe. He united with the Middletown & Wallkill Church soon after coming to Middletown to live, and remained a faithful, steadfast member till the end of his pilgrimage on the earth. The doctrine of God our Savior was his delight and comfort, and he died in triumphant faith, to awake in the likeness of Jesus. He was well known in Sussex and Orange counties and elsewhere as an honest, upright man, faithful in all the duties of life. He was a kind father, an affectionate husband and a good neighbor. He will be greatly missed in the home where he had spent most of his time of late owing to ill health, and where he received every attention by his dutiful and kind daughters. Elder John Clark spoke very comfortingly to relatives and friends Jan. 21st, after which the remains were laid to rest in the Middleburgh cemetery. BROOME CENTRE, N. Y. D. M. LEONARD. BROTHER Corbin Grafton, whose funeral took place Feb. 23rd, 1906, on his 84th birthday, was our brother in the flesh and also in the Spirit, we hope. He was baptized, I believe, by the late Elder Wm. J. Purington, in the fellowship of the church at Harford, near the beginning of my ministry, I having never administered the ordinance at that time. In full fellowship he continued in this church until the end of his life. He was the oldest of six brothers, all sons of Martin Grafton, who, together with our mother, two sisters out of five, and three brothers K. out of six, were members of that church, and those who make no profession are favorable to the doctrine held by the Baptists. Our brother was of a quiet, and rather reserved disposition, patient in his life, seeking peace with all men, and especially in the church. He leaves three sons and two daughters, all in homes of their own, but were all present during his sickness and departure. The beginning of the end was with a chill, followed by raging fever, which EBENEZER OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST CHURCH, IN NEW YORK CITY. lasted as long as he did; he appeared to be struck Meetings every Sunday at the Hall. with death at once, but lingered for several days, being aware of his condition; notwithstanding being encouraged by his physician, he felt that his time had come. He had all the attention that his children and others could give, but he is gone, leaving a widow who is also advanced in years, and five children, but they seem not to mourn as those who have no hope, but the flesh is weak. The bereaved widow has lost a faithful husband, the children an indul gent father, and the church at Harford an old, tried and faithful member. The Lord be merciful to those who remain, and fill up the vacant place, according to his good pleasure. FOREST HILL, Md. WM. GRAFTON. INFORMATION WANTED. If there are any Old School Baptists near Wagner, South Dakota, will they please write to Mrs. R. T. Stout? Address, Wagner, S. Dak., R. F. D. No. 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT. ELDER Wm. Morphew, of Lake Crystal, Minn., wishes to state that he has received $11.60 in answer to his appeal for aid, for which he feels very thankful. CONTRIBUTIONS TO AID IN SENDING THE POOR OF THE FLOCK. First Independent Baptist Church, Woburn, Mass., $6.00. MEETINGS. This work is no dry mass of details-no bombastic effort to inflame the natural pride, but a vivid and brilliant narrative of the events of our history, from the discovery of the American Continent down to 1893. The work is printed from plain, new type, on fine calendered paper, and comprised in one octavo volume of 960 pages. It is splendidly embellished with neary 500 fine engravings, embracing battles and other historical scenes, portraits of distinguished men, views of our principal cities, &c., &c. Bound in Fine Silk Cloth, Plain Edges, $2.00 postpaid. Address, J. E. BEEBE & CO., Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y. PRICE REDUCED. We have a new edition of Durand and Lester's Hymn and Tune book, both round and shape notes, THE ALBANY AND TROY OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST and are now able to reduce the price to $6.00 per CHURCH. Meetings the fourth Sunday in each month, at 10:30 a. m. and 2 p. m. in a Hall on Franklin Square, in the Flatiron Building, in Troy, N. Y. All lovers of the truth are cordially invited to meet with us. H. SEWARD, Clerk, dozen, sent at expense of purchaser, and 70 cents for a single book, sent by mail postpaid. Name which note is desired. Send orders to Elder Silas H. Durand, Southampton, Bucks Co., Pa. A booklet containing rudiments of music will be sent with each book, when requested, without extra cost. THE 66 SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 99 (ESTABLISHED 1832.) DEVOTED TO THE OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST CAUSE, PUBLISHED THE FIRST AND FIFTEENTH OF EACH MONTH. BY J. E. BEEBE & COMPANY MIDDLETOWN, ORANGE CO., NEW YORK, To Whom all letters should be addressed, and money orders made payable. EDITORS: Elder F. A. Chick, Hopewell, N. J. Elder H. C. Ker, Middletown, N. Y. CRUDEN'S COMPLETE (STUDENT'S EDITION) CONCORDANCE TO THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, (Which enables any one to readily find any passage of Scripture of which they can call to mind two or three words.) With a complete table of Proper Names, with their meanings in the Original Languages, a Concordance to the Proper Names of the Old and New Testaments, a Concordance to the Apocrypha, and a Compendium of the Holy Scriptures, &c. The above described book of 719 pages, 61x94 inches, we will mail postage paid for one dollar and fifty cents; or FOR ONE DOLLAR we will mail, postage paid, the same book without the Compendium, &c. HYMN BOOKS. (BEEBE'S COLLECTION.) These books contain 800 pages and 1311 hymns carefully selected by the late Elder Gilbert Beebe, especially for use in the Old School or Primitive Baptist churches of America. Also an alphabetical index of the first line of each hymn. Our assortment of the small books embraces: Cloth Binding, per copy, 75 cents; per dozen, $6.00. LARGE TYPE EDITION. We also have an enlarged fac-similie of the small Although the cheaper book is just as good for refer-books, being about twice the size, in two kinds of ence, we would recommend the one dollar and fifty Both these books are in good substantial cloth bind- Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y binding at the following prices, viz: Cloth Binding Blue, Marbled Edge. $1 00 1 50 At the above prices we will mail the books, postage SIGNS OF THE TIMES. DEVOTED TO THE OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST CAUSE. "THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON." VOL. 74. MIDDLETOWN, N. Y., APRIL 1, 1906. POETRY. JUST AS GOD LEADS. (By request of Mrs. Mary Purington.) JUST as God leads me I would go, I would not ask to choose my way; Just as God leads, I am content, I rest me calmly in his hands; That which he has decreed and sent, That which his will for me commands, I would that he should all fulfill, That I should do his gracious will, In living or in dying. Just as God leads-I all resign, I trust me to my Father's will; When reason's rays deceptive shine, His counsel would I yet fulfill; That which his love ordained as right, Before he brought me to the light, My all to him resigning. Just as God leads me, I abide In faith, in hope, in suffering, true; Can aught my hold on him undo? Just as God leads I onward go, Oft amid thorns and briers seen; God does not yet his guidance show, But in the end it shall be seen How, by a loving Father's will, Faithful and true he leads me still. NO. 7. CORRESPONDENCE. ROMANS III. 24. "BEING justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." "How should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand."-Job ix. 2, 3. The wisdom of the world can never tell us how transgressors can be justified before God. It is only the gospel of Christ that yields us the answer to this momentous inquiry, and the declaration at the commencement of our writing proclaims the good news. Justification. Glad tidings indeed is this to sin-burdened, contrite souls, for such have come to the knowledge of the hopelessness of their condition if their justification depends upon the creature. Let us then for our comfort and hope look at the presentation of the subject in the text before us. The first consideration is that it is "God that justifieth."-Rom. viii. 33. What, the righteous God, who hateth iniquity, justify vile transgressors of his holy law? Yes, this is the divine mystery in the gospel. What moved God to such acts? O, he was self moved, it was his own graciousness, it was the good are bowed before him, do not our hearts pleasure of his will, it was according to throb with adoring gratitude that grace the eternal purpose which he purposed in was given us in Christ Jesus before the Christ Jesus our Lord. "Being justified world began? Perhaps the most perfect freely by his grace." This graciousness presentation of Jehovah's abounding and of the Lord is very consoling to us un-reigning grace in the Scriptures is found worthy ones, and it is all treasured up in in Romans viii. 29, 30: "Whom he did the Son of God, the Head of the church. foreknow, he also did predestinate to be So it is written, "Grace and truth came conformed to the image of his Son, that by Jesus Christ," and God "hath saved he might be the firstborn among many us, and called us with an holy calling, brethren. Moreover, whom he did prenot according to our works, but according destinate, them he also called: and whom to his own purpose and grace, which was he called, them he also justified: and given us in Christ Jesus before the world whom he justified, them he also glorified." began."-2 Tim. i. 9. Then, from ever-"Whom he did foreknow." Before he lasting, grace was given us, given us, not gave them being in Adam, when as yet apart from, but in Christ Jesus. God's there were none of them, he knew them, love also is declared in this same man- he had taken them into heart intimacy ner: "The love of God, which is in Christ unto himself, he loved them, his chosen Jesus our Lord."-Rom. viii. 39. God in Christ Jesus. The Son of God prays hath chosen his people in Christ Jesus unto the Father, saying, Thou hast loved before the foundation of the world, that them, as thou hast loved me. "For thou they should be holy and without blame lovedst me before the foundation of the before him in love, and all spiritual bles- world.”—John xvii. 24. God predestinasings in heavenly places were given to ted them to be conformed to the image the elect in him. (Eph. i. 3.) "In Christ, from everlasting loved, In Christ they were accounted one, of his Son. This signifies they shall attain to the highest excellency, to be in nearness to Jehovah in all the nearness of the Son of his love; it declares their attainment to immortal beauty, they shall be like the altogether lovely One; it reaches forth to their ultimate glorification when in the resurrection at the last And as I muse upon this my heart ex-day (John vi. 40,) they shall be raised in claims: "() wondrous grace and mystery profound, His sovereign love, his grace, his deep decree, corruptible, immortal, then shall they fully bear the image of Christ, the heavenly One. "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." "Moreover, It is ever well for the heirs of promise whom he did predestinate, them he also to trace the streams of their present bles-called: and whom he called, them he also sedness to the eternal source from whence justified: and whom he justified, them he they all flow. This will abase all our also glorified. What shall we then say pride, we shall see there is no ground for creature glorying in the sight of God, and while in humility, in nothingness, we to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Read on to the end of the chapter this joyous song, and as |