Flavius Cook

January 26, 1838 (age 63)

Cook preached for a while in the vicinity of Boston. Later he modified “Flavius Josephus” into plain “Joseph” and started to lecture. In 1874 he was invited to lead the Monday noon prayer-meetings in Tremont Temple. He accepted, and under his leadership they increased so amazingly in attendance that a year later they became the Monday Lectures. For nearly twenty years, Cook’s Boston Monday lectures were one of the striking features of that city. Year after year, on Monday noon, Tremont Temple was thronged to hear the lecturer “present the results of the freshest English, German, and American scholarship on the more important and difficult topics concerning the relation of Religion and Science, ” together with “Preludes on Current Reform. ” As their fame increased the lectures were repeated elsewhere, were published in newspapers in the United States and in England, were again published in book form, and were translated into various foreign languages. A great, burly man, with a massive head covered with reddish hair and beard, Cook spoke in an oracular manner which greatly impressed his audience. The doctrine of evolution and the philosophical theories connected with it were then disturbing the faith of many. It was a great comfort to such to listen to one who was ardently orthodox in his sympathies, who seemed to have all knowledge at his fingers’ ends, and who made so clear and plain that what the scientists and philosophers were saying was either incorrect or entirely in harmony with revealed religion. But his statements were not allowed to go unchallenged either by theologians or by scientists. The latter were especially severe, as may be inferred from the titles of two criticisms of Cook, via. , “Spread Eagle Philosophy” in The Popular Science Monthly Supplement, June 1878, and “Theological Charlatanism, ” by John Fiske in the North American Review, March 1881. There is no reason to doubt Cook’s sincerity, but his learning was not accurate or profound, and he was often unfair to those whose views he opposed. Even his friends also acknowledged that his belief in his own learning and ability was exaggerated. He was sensational in his methods; hut, in his own fashion, he helped to convince his hearers that science and philosophy are not at enmity with religion and thus helped to combat obscurantism. Cook made a lecturing tour of the world, speaking to great crowds in the British Isles, India, Australia, and Japan. In 1895 he started on a second world tour, but in Australia he suffered a sudden stroke, from which he never fully recovered. Brought back to America, he was able after 1899 to lecture a few times, but in 1901 he died as a result of the grippe.

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Labor: With Preludes on Current Events (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from Labor: With Preludes on Current Events How ...)

Transcendentalism

(Transcendentalism. 330 Pages.)

Orthodoxy, with Preludes on Current Events, and a Copious Analytical Index

(Leopold is delighted to publish this classic book as part...)

Orient With Preludes on Current Events (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from Orient With Preludes on Current Events The ...)

Socialism, With Preludes on Current Events (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from Socialism, With Preludes on Current Events ...)

Conscience, with preludes on current events

(Conscience, with preludes on current events. 157 Pages.)

Heredity: With Preludes on Current Events (Classic Reprint)

(Excerpt from Heredity: With Preludes on Current Events T...)

Occident: With Preludes On Current Events

(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

Flavius Josephus Cook

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clergyman lecturer author

Background

Josephus Flavius Cook was descended from Francis Cook, one of the Pilgrim fathers. He was born on January 26, 1838 in Ticonderoga, New York, United States. He was the son of William Henry and Merett (Lamb) Cook, and grandson of Warner Cook of New Milford, Connecticut.

Education

Cook attended schools in the neighborhood of his birthplace, and read every book he could obtain. To complete his preparation for college he went to Phillips Academy, Andover, and entered Yale in 1858. In 1861 he broke down in health and was obliged to leave, but later went to Harvard, where he graduated with honors in 1865. Graduating three years later from Andover Theological Seminary, he remained there for another year of post-graduate study. About 1871 he went abroad for another two years, studying at several German universities and traveling in Southern Europe, Egypt, and Palestine.

Career

Cook preached for a while in the vicinity of Boston. Later he modified “Flavius Josephus” into plain “Joseph” and started to lecture. In 1874 he was invited to lead the Monday noon prayer-meetings in Tremont Temple. He accepted, and under his leadership they increased so amazingly in attendance that a year later they became the Monday Lectures.

For nearly twenty years, Cook’s Boston Monday lectures were one of the striking features of that city. Year after year, on Monday noon, Tremont Temple was thronged to hear the lecturer “present the results of the freshest English, German, and American scholarship on the more important and difficult topics concerning the relation of Religion and Science, ” together with “Preludes on Current Reform. ” As their fame increased the lectures were repeated elsewhere, were published in newspapers in the United States and in England, were again published in book form, and were translated into various foreign languages.

A great, burly man, with a massive head covered with reddish hair and beard, Cook spoke in an oracular manner which greatly impressed his audience. The doctrine of evolution and the philosophical theories connected with it were then disturbing the faith of many. It was a great comfort to such to listen to one who was ardently orthodox in his sympathies, who seemed to have all knowledge at his fingers’ ends, and who made so clear and plain that what the scientists and philosophers were saying was either incorrect or entirely in harmony with revealed religion. But his statements were not allowed to go unchallenged either by theologians or by scientists. The latter were especially severe, as may be inferred from the titles of two criticisms of Cook, via. , “Spread Eagle Philosophy” in The Popular Science Monthly Supplement, June 1878, and “Theological Charlatanism, ” by John Fiske in the North American Review, March 1881.

There is no reason to doubt Cook’s sincerity, but his learning was not accurate or profound, and he was often unfair to those whose views he opposed. Even his friends also acknowledged that his belief in his own learning and ability was exaggerated. He was sensational in his methods; hut, in his own fashion, he helped to convince his hearers that science and philosophy are not at enmity with religion and thus helped to combat obscurantism.

Cook made a lecturing tour of the world, speaking to great crowds in the British Isles, India, Australia, and Japan. In 1895 he started on a second world tour, but in Australia he suffered a sudden stroke, from which he never fully recovered. Brought back to America, he was able after 1899 to lecture a few times, but in 1901 he died as a result of the grippe.

Achievements

Joseph Cook became popular with his Monday Lectures which he delivered on a variety of topics. Of the eleven volumes of his lectures that were published in book form, the most popular was his Biology (1877). The others were Transcendentalism (1877), Orthodoxy (1877), and Conscience (1878).