William Cowper
“God Moves in a Mysterious Way His Wonders to Perform”
How many times have your heard, said or even sung those words without thinking who wrote them and what was the occasion of them being written?
William Cowper (pronounced “cooper”) was the fourth child born in Berkhamstead, England to the Rev. Dr. John Cowper and his wife, Anne Donne, in 1731. Though the fourth child in the family he was the first to live past infancy. Two more children were born after him but these also died. Finally, John, who survived, was born but his birth was the occasion of William’s mother’s death.
William came from a distinguished family. His grandfather had been a Chief Justice. William’s father was the chaplain of King George II and his mother’s family ancestors included the Puritan poet, John Donne, and nobility such as King Henry III and Queen Anne.
Soon after losing his mother William was sent away to a prep school. This was the unhappiest period in young William’s life. He was subjected to terrible bullying by a 15 year old boy who delighted in terrifying the sensitive child. Along with the bullying he developed serious eye problems. His father removed him from the school to receive care from Mr. and Mrs. Disney who were eye specialists. (Strangely enough his eye problems cleared up when he later developed smallpox!)
At 10 years of age he was sent to WestminsterSchool in London. These were much happier years than at the previous prep school as he made many friends. His greatest joy was being taught by a great classical scholar of the day, but along with his studies he participated in sports and taking long walks.
Upon leaving Westminster School William’s father arranged for him to study law. However, William was more interested in writing poetry than in preparing for a career as a lawyer.
At age 19 William was taken on as apprentice at a London lawfirm.. During his days off he would visit the home of his nearby uncle. It was during these visits that William, though very shy, fell in love with one of his cousins named Theodora. Their relationship became serious and finally they were engaged. However, Theodora’s father broke the engagement though history does not give us an exact reason. They were never to see each other again. Over the years William wrote many beautiful poems which were obviously based on his continued love for Theodora. She, like William, never married and when in later years William was needy financially she would anonymously send him personal gifts and money.
During this time of his failed romance he also lost his father, his financial support and his closest friend who drowned. Cowper had hoped to gain a post as the Clerk of Journals in the House of Lords. This would have given him the financial security he so desperately needed. However, in order to obtain this post he would have to take a public exam. This was more than Cowper’s sensitive mind could bear and he resorted to several serious attempts at suicide, all of which failed.
Because of his greatly improved emotional condition Cowper moved to Huntingdon. While on a Sunday walk, he met a Christian man named William Unwin. An invitation to the Unwin home followed and this in turn led to him becoming a paying guest. Mary Unwin, William’s mother, shared
Cowper’s evangelical commitments though her minister husband, Morley Unwin, did not. It was not until Mr. Unwin was dying from a fall from his horse that he confessed his need of salvation.
Soon after the Rev, Unwin’s death the Rev, John Newton visited the home to bring comfort. Cowper and Mrs. Unwin were so impressed with John Newton that they decided to move to Olney in order to sit under Newton’s ministry. Newton secured a house for them (now the Cowper-NewtonMuseum) which was near his own home and near the parish church. Shortly after moving to Olney Mrs. Unwin became ill and was close to death. The distress of possibly losing his best friend caused Cowper to write one of his well-known hymns.
Over the next six years Cowper became a great asset to Newton in his ministry, praying with him, visiting the sick, teaching in the Sunday School and writing special poems to mark church anniversaries. In the celebration of opening a special meeting place for their mid-week prayer meeting Cowper wrote,
In January of 1773 as Cowper was walking in the fields he was struck with great fear that he was about to fall into another dreadful depression. As soon as he arrived home he sat down and wrote what was to become his most famous hymn with its oft-quoted line.
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs and works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence he hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.
As he feared, he fell into a deep depression that lasted many months. Newton felt that the best help for Cowper would be for William to stay with him and his wife, Mary, for a short time. The “short time” lengthened into 13 months! By October he was greatly improved and was able to move back into his own home. It was at this time that he seriously began to take up gardening – a pursuit that helped in his emotional healing. (The garden as Cowper developed it can still be visited and enjoyed at the CowperMuseum) He also became interested in keeping pets. A neighbour gave him three hares (which are significantly larger than rabbits). They were allowed to play freely in one of the rooms of his house.
It was during this time that Cowper took up the cause of the lace makers who lived in Olney. This was a cottage industry carried on by the poor women in the town. The price of lace had declined and many were in great financial need. Cowper appealed to men of rank for funds to help and then he distributed money and items such as blankets to those who were desperate.
In 1779 John Newton published a book of hymns called Olney Hymns. This was a collection of 200 hymns which he had written along with sixty-eight that Cowper had contributed. Many Christians of those days opposed the use of “man-made hymns” but Newton felt they were a useful tool for teaching believers. He also intended the hymnbook to be a memorial to his deep friendship with Cowper.
Soon after the publication of Olney Hymns Newton moved away from Olney to a ministry in London. Cowper missed his old friend desperately but Newton had encouraged a friendship between Cowper and William Bull, a godly evangelical minister in the area. This friendship proved a great comfort to Cowper.
It was at this period of life that Cowper began to write his best known poems. Many Christians are familiar with his great hymns but often forget that Cower was one of the finest poets of England. In his time his poetry was widely read and loved.
In the summer of 1781 a new lady came into Cowper’s life. Lady Austen, a widow, was visiting her sister from a nearby village. Upon meeting these ladies he invited them to his house for tea. A strong friendship developed between Cowper and Lady Austen. It was during this period of friendship that, at her suggestion, he wrote his most famous secular work called “The Task”. It became obvious to all but Cowper that Lady Austen was looking for more than mere friendship. Perhaps because Cowper did not share the same romantic feelings there developed a break in their relationship. Cowper wrote a kind letter to her to say that he “renounced her society.” There was never reconciliation and they never saw each other again.
His cousin, Lady Hesketh, felt a change was needed for Cowper and arranged for him and Mrs. Unwin to move to another village near Olney. Any change was dreadfully difficult for Cowper and added to this he suffered the loss of his dearest friend, William, the son of Mrs. Unwin. This brought him into a third deep depression and in his despair he again attempted to take his own life. Mrs. Unwin found him in time and cut the rope from around his neck. Slowly he began to recover through the literary work he was engaged in and through the encouragement of friendship with the Throckmortons – a wealthy Catholic family in the area. Though they did not share Cowper’s evangelical beliefs their kindness and company cheered him.
Mary Unwin’s health began to fail and in 1791 she suffered a stroke. She recovered somewhat only to suffer a second stroke two years later. She was no longer able to give fragile Cowper the care that he had received from her over the years. Kindly friends realized that they both needed to receive more outside assistance. A second cousin, John Johnson, gave up his ministry as a curate and invited them to live in his home in East Dereham, Norfolk. Mary’s health continued to weaken and in 1796 she died. Cowper, in his unstable mental state refused to believe she was dead. Her funeral had to be held at night so that Cowper would not see her buried.
Cowper’s pathological illness deepened and in his final years, he heard voices, had terrible dreams and came to believe that he was a “castaway” from God. Strangely, he never doubted the work of Christ for the salvation of sinners but felt it could not be for him.
On April 24th, 1800 he slipped into unconsciousness and died peacefully. John Johnson described the look on his face as “calmness and composure mingled with holy fear.” He was buried in the parish church in East Dereham.
In one of his poems, which is
obvious
ly biogr
aphical, he describes himself as “a stricken deer.” Here was a man who suffered great anguish with his severe emotional illness. God, in His wisdom, did not deliver him in this life from all those terrible trials. But now that he is with the Lord he knows with joy the One who also had been “hurt by the archers”.
I was a stricken deer, that left the herd
Long since; with many an arrow deep infixt,
My panting side was charg’d, when I withdrew
To seek a tranquil death in distant shades.
There was I found by One who had himself
Been hurt by th’archers. In his side he bore,
And in his hands and feet, the cruel scars.
With gentle force soliciting the darts,
He drew them forth, and heal’d and bade me live.
Jesus, wher’er thy people meet, there they behold thy mercy seat;
Wher’er they seek Thee Thou art found, and every place is hallowed ground.
The dearest idol I have known, whate’er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy Throne and worship only thee
Oh for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road that leads me to the Lamb.
Over the months his mental condition became so bad that his brother John had him placed in an asylum. Unlike most of the asylums of the day which treated inmates with cruelty, Cowper was put into the care of Dr. Cotton, a godly man who treated his patients with great compassion. While walking in the garden of the asylum he came across a Bible lying on a garden bench. He sat down and read the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Cowper saw in this the rich mercy of Jesus but did not become a believer until sometime later when he read the comforting words of Romans 3:25Romans 3:25
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; set forth: or, foreordained remission: or, passing over
– Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. – Of this experience he wrote, “Unless the Almighty arm had been under me I think I should have died of gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears and my voice choked with transport and I could only look up to heaven in silent fear overwhelmed with love and wonder.”
The death of his loving mother when he was only 6 years old was the greatest loss of William’s life. His father showed little attention or affection to this grieving child. The life-long grief for his mother may have caused him to take comfort in the words he wrote years later in the hymn, “Hark My Soul it is the Lord.” – “Can a woman’s tender care, cease towards the child she bore? Yes, she may forgetful be, yet will I remember Thee”.
