THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Memorial service held for murdered missionary

A memorial service had been held at Albertbridge Congregational Church for the “devoted and young missionary” the Reverend David J Cooper who had been murdered by militants while working at Fez in Morocco.

Cooper had been engaged in medical and missionary work in Morocco for two-and-half years before his untimely death.

The church was thronged with those wishing to pay their respects to the Rev Cooper and to sympathise with his bereaved family and a solemn atmosphere pervaded throughout the service for a man who had been a member of the church before travelling to Africa to spread the word of Christianity.

The Reverend James Cregan, pastor of the church, preached from Ecclesiastics ix 10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.”

The Rev Cregan said that he had heard of a young man who had once stood before a fine sculpture and said, “I, too, will become a sculptor”.

He said that night that he hoped that a young man in the congregation listening to the praise for the late Rev Cooper might think to themselves, “I, too, will be a Christian and a missionary”.

The Rev Cregan then went on to speak of Cooper’s earnestness, self-denial, courage and modesty but concluded that his sincerest sympathies lay with the young widow and the “two dear little fatherless children” who mourned the loss of this missionary to north Africa, it was further noted that all three had been with the Rev Cooper in Fez when he died.