led by the Captain's father, Archibald Hamilton-Rowan, once a prominent United Irishman. Cooke's evidence before a Parliamentary Committee, in April 1826, regarding the state of education in Ireland, attracted considerable attention, and was widely commented on. He had then an opportunity of condemning the course of study pursued at the Belfast Institution, and writes at the time: "There is no event in my life for which I more sincerely bless God than that I was permitted to bear testimony against Arianism before the most august tribunal of the universe." In 1829, chiefly through his efforts, matters were brought to a point with the Presbyterian ministers who held Unitarian views, and his most sanguine wishes were gratified in their withdrawing from the general Presbyterian body, and forming the Remonstrant Synod of Ulster. The same year his friends and admirers built a spacious church in May-street, Belfast, for the services of his ministry. On 8th November he preached his farewell sermon at Killyleagh, and was immediately inducted into his new cure, which he practically occupied until his death. In 1829 the degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by the board of Jefferson College, in the United States. He opposed the new system of Irish National Education, as not permitting the free and unrestricted use of the Scriptures in the schools to the children of such parents as desired their teachings. A staunch Conservative, he bitterly opposed O'Connell's Irish policy, and boldly took his place on the platform of the great Protestant demonstration at Hillsborough, 30th October 1834, where he delivered one of the most eloquent and stirring addresses then made. In 1837 the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the Dublin University, and in 1839 the freedom of Dublin was presented to him by the Corporation, in appreciation of his services to Protestant Ireland. In 1839 the Presbyterian Synod established a system of education of its own: Dr. Cooke explained and advocated this scheme in Great Britain — in his own words, "exposing the false principles and strange acts of the Irish National Board, … denouncing the National system as opposed to the Word of God and the fundamental principles of Protestantism." Early in 1841 it was rumoured that O'Connell was about to hold a Repeal demonstration in Belfast. Dr. Cooke immediately sent him a challenge to a public discussion of the question. O'Connell fought shy of the invitation in a rather bantering speech (at a meeting in Dublin on 9th January), in which he spoke of Dr. Cooke as "Bully Cooke," "The Cock of the North," and "Daddy Cooke." Dr. Cooke replied to this in a public pronouncement on the 14th, declaring that O'Connell skulked "from the conflict beneath the meanness of a falsehood. … It will pursue you like a shadow; … will drown in the ears of conscience the loudest shouts of the momentary popularity which you purchased at the expense of every honest man's respect, and, what is worse, at the expense of your own." O'Connell then paid a visit to Belfast in promotion of the Repeal movement, which was responded to by the holding of a large and influential anti-Repeal meeting on the 21st January, the requisition being headed by 41 Peers, 14 Right Honorables, and 18 baronets, 32 Members of Parliament, 11 high sheriffs, 6 lieutenants of counties, 98 deputy-lieutenants, 335 magistrates, and 330 clergy. Dr. Cooke made a memorable speech on the occasion. His biographer says: "Dr. Cooke effectually stopped the Repeal agitation in Ulster. His bold policy and manly determination brought the boasting and the predicted processions and triumphs of O'Connell alike to an ignominious close. … The enthusiastic cheers of loyal Protestant Ulster, inspired by the eloquence of Dr. Cooke, rung the death-knell of Repeal." A testimonial of £2,000 was presented to him for his exertions in opposition to O'Connell. In 1843 Dr. Cooke attended in Edinburgh the discussions that led to the formation of the Free Church of Scotland. He participated in and approved the secession of the ministers from the Established Church, an event that might have been prevented, had Sir Robert Peel adopted the policy he suggested with regard to changes desirable in the establishment. For seven years nearly the whole of Dr. Cooke's spare hours were, about this period, devoted to the preparation of an Analytical Concordance of Scripture. When the manuscript was complete, he took it to London to arrange for a publisher. The hotel at which he stopped was burned, and the work which had cost him so many years' toil was reduced to ashes. There was something singularly noble in the equanimity with which he bore the calamity. He had no copy, and never found time to resume the task. His powers of concentration and of work were almost unrivalled. In the midst of other avocations, he managed to edit a new edition of Brown's Family Bible, by devoting to the task two hours (from four to six o'clock) each morning. He strenuously advocated
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