Henry Cooke, D. D., and Arianism in the Irish Chruch [pp. 205-230]

224 HENRY COOKE, D.D., [Apnl~
prediction that the Arians, when nntrammefled by orthodox
restrictions, would soon attract all the intellect of Ulster to
their communion has not been verified. Since the time of
their secession their numbers and influence have steadily declined. Congregation after congregation has dwind]ed to the
shadow of a shade, and the entire Arian population of Ireland
at present, men, women, and children, does not reach 4,000.
Orthodox Presbyterianism has on the other hand grown and
prospered. In 1840 the Synod of Ulster and the Secession*
Synod joined tcgether and formed the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The General Assembly
has now in its comnrnnion 630 ministers, 560 congregations,
and about 100,000 families. It possesses two colleges, one of
which, the Magee College, Londonderry, provides a complete
curriculum in literature, science and theology. It carries on
mission work abroad in almost every quarter of the globe, and
is the most active and successful of all Irish ecclesiastical
bodies in spreading evangetical truth at home. We most heartily concur with Dr. Porter when he says: "For all this wonderful success the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is, nnder
God, mainly indebted to the talents and labors of Henry
Cooke." And we are confirmed in this opinion when we consider that in Lngland, where no reformer like Dr. Cooke arose
to free the Presbyterian Church from heresy, orthodoxy wa~
strangled, and Arianism soon held undisputed sway.
The strnggle for the truth in which ThIr. Cooke was so long
engaged was watched with great interest in Ain eric a, and many
eminent Americans rejoiced in its successful issue. The Board
of Jefferson Col1~ege resolved to give a substantial token of
their esteem to the victor, and conferred upon him the degree
of Doctor of Divinity. Dr. Cooke prized highly this recognition of his services on the part of the great American nation.
It showed him that the result of his earnest labors was considered to have something more than a mere local interest
and importance. Some years later he received the degree of
Doctor of Laws from Trinity College, Dublin.
*The Secession Synod and Synod o~ Ulster were the two leading Prusby
terian bodies in Ireland previous to 1~4Q The Secession Synod never was
tainted with Ariaaisn~.