Together Forever

Together Forever

They are in heaven together.

JOHN COWPER and his wife, Ann, had seven children, but only two survived infancy: William born in 1731 and John born in 1737. Ann was very frail and died six days after the birth of John. Their father was rector of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. The family was keenly evangelical. Not only were both parents Christians, but also many of the boys’ aunts, uncles, and cousins. The one weakness that the Reverand Dr. Cowper passed on to his son William was chronic depression.

In 1764, during one of his hospitalizations, William was converted through the evangelistic efforts of his doctor, Dr. Nathaniel Cotton. Despite his lifelong battle with mental illness, he became one of England’s greatest poets, authoring the lyrics to hymns such as “O for a Closer Walk with God” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.” His brother, John, however, remained an unbeliever.

When John became ill in September 1769, his friends insisted that William come to Cambridge to visit him. After ten days John improved, and William returned to his home in Olney, mystified as to why his brother refused to trust in Jesus even when facing death.

The following February, William was again summoned because of John’s failing health. John continued in great suffering until March 10, 1770, when William heard him quoting the words “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” to which he added, “Ay, and he is able to do it too.”

The following day William wrote to a Christian friend of what had happened:

I am in haste to make you a partaker of my joy. . . . Yesterday, in the afternoon, my Brother suddenly burst into tears, and said with a loud cry, “Oh! forsake me not!” I went to his bed-side, and . . . found that he was in prayer. Then, turning to me, he said, . . . “I have felt that which I never felt before; and I am sure that God has visited me with this sickness, in order to teach me what I was too proud to learn in health. I never had satisfaction till now. The doctrines I had been used to referred me to myself for the foundation of my hope, and there I could find nothing to rest upon. The sheer anchor of the soul was wanting. I thought you wrong, yet wanted to believe as you did. I found myself unable to believe, yet always thought that I should one day be brought to do so. You suffered more than I have done, before you believed these truths, but our sufferings, though different in their kind and measure, were directed to the same end. . . . These things were foolishness to me once, I could not understand them, but now I have a solid foundation and am satisfied.”

When I went to bid him good night, he resumed his discourse as follows—“I see the Rock of my salvation. I have peace, myself, and if I live, I hope it will be that I may be a messenger of the same peace to others. I have learnt that in a moment, which I could not have learnt by reading many books for many years. I have often studied these points, and studied them with great attention. . . . Now they appear so plain. . . . The evil I suffer, is the consequence of my descent from the corrupt original stock, and of my own transgressions. The good I enjoy, comes to me as the overflowing of his bounty. But the crown of all his mercies is this, that he has given me a Saviour, and not only the Saviour of mankind, but my Saviour.”

John Cowper died ten days later.

Reflection

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Many people call themselves Christians because they have learned facts about Jesus and the Christian faith. Yet the only way a person becomes a Christian is by trusting Christ personally. Make sure you trust him as your Savior so that you can experience the same joy as John Cowper.

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that . . . after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! . . . I am overwhelmed at the thought!

Job 19:25-27