William Cowper

I recently wrote an article about William Cowper's famous Hymn "God moves in a mysterious way" and was searching for a verse that Newton wrote to that famous poet in heaven. I searched high and low on the web and then I found a book with it in, buried in St Deiniol's Library which used to be a useful repository of slightly quirky old commentaries and biographies.

So I thought, if I put it on here at least it would be easy for me to find when I need to find it.

Cowper was convinced that he was damned. Only when he slipped into his last unconscious hours was it noticed that he had been overtaken by a holy surprise. Newton wrote a verse fortelling what he would say to Cowper on meeting him in glory.

Looking Far beyond Jordan

My friend, my friend! and have we met again,

Far from the home of woe the home of men;

And hast thou taken thy glad harp once more,

Twined with far lovelier wreaths than e'er before;

And is thy strain more joyous and more loud

While circle round thee heaven's attentive crowd?

Oh! Let thy memory wake! I told thee so;

I told thee thus would end thy heaviest woe

I told the that thy God would bring thee here,

And God's own hand would wipe away thy tear,

While I should claim a mansion by thy side

I told thee so - for our Emmanuel died.

Quoted in George M Ella, William Cowper, Poet of Paradise, Evangelical Press, 1993

The article itself can be found in The Reader Magazine , Vol 107 no 2, pages 18ff click on the link for the relevant edition.