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 COOK. COOKE. 141 Company ; trustee of Wellesley College, and also of the Boston Five Cents Savings Bank. Mr. Converse is a successful business man, active in thought, indefatigable in work, conservative in method. His church connections are with the First Baptist society of Maiden. His private benefac- tions are as many and judiciously placed, as his public bequests are frequent and wisely bestowed. He is a loyal citizen, and has done probably more than any other resident of Maiden to increase its attractions and to promote its prosperity, his last and crowning gift being the mag- nificent library recently erected by his generous hand. COOK, JOSEPH, was born in Ticon- deroga, Essex county, N. Y., January 26, 1S3S. His early training was at Phillips Academy, Andover, under the celebrated classical teacher, Dr. Samuel H. Taylor. He entered Yale College in 1858, but his health having become impaired, he left col- lege early in 1861. He entered Harvard College as a junior in 1S63, and was grad- uated in 1S65, with honor, He then en- tered Andover Theological Seminary, and went through the three years' course. He added to this a fourth year at Andover, for special study of advanced religious and philosophical thought. He was licensed to preach, and has done so to some extent, but was not ordained. He was acting pas- tor of the First Congregational church in Lynn in 1S71. In September, 1871, he went abroad for two years, and studied at Halle, Leipzig, Berlin and Heidelberg, un- der the directions of Tholuck, Julius Miiller, Dorner and Kuno Firchen. He then traveled in Italy, Egypt, Syria, Greece, Turkey, and other countries in Europe. Returning to the United States at the close of 1873, he took up his residence in Boston, and in 1874 entered upon his spe- cial work as a lecturer on the relations of religion and science. His present vocation is lecturer and author, residing in Boston. He was married in New Haven, Conn., June 30, 1877, to Georgie Hemingway. Mr. Cook is a member of the Victoria Institute, London, and the American Insti- tute of Philosophy, New York City. He was Chautauqua lecturer five years, be- tween 1877 and 1S8S, and appeared in the same capacity before several theo- logical seminaries. He has conducted the Boston Monday Lecture for fourteen years, with great audiences at noon, on a week-day. He has also made extensive lec- ture tours for fifteen years. In 1S80, '81, and '82, Mr. Cook, accompanied by his wife, made a lecturing tour of the world. In all the great cities visited there were immense audiences. During the two years and sev- enty-seven days occupied by Mr. Cook's journey around the world, he spoke oftener than every other working-day while on the land. Mr. Cook made one hundred and thirty- five public appearances in the British Islands. Of these, thirty-nine were in Scotland, thirteen in Ireland, and eighty- three in England and Wales. After spending some months in Germany and Italy, Mr. Cook went, by the way of Greece, Palestine, and Egypt, to India, where he arrived on the fifth of January, 1882, and where he spent about three months. During this period he lectured in Bombay, Poonah, Ahmednuggur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Benares (the headquarters of Hindooism), Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore, etc., to large, intelligent, and appreciative audiences, composed of both Europeans and natives. From India, Mr. Cook's tour extended to China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Sandwich Islands. In Australasia, in the winter of the southern hemisphere, from July to Octo- ber, 1882, Mr. Cook gave long courses of lectures to brilliant, crowded, and enthusi- astic assemblies, in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, and other leading towns. His eleven volumes of Boston Monday Lectures, published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., have appeared in thirteen different foreign editions. In 1888 he founded " Our Day," a monthly record and review of cur- rent reform, with Miss Willard, ex-presi- dent Cyrus Hamlin, and other specialists as associate editors. COOKE, George Phelps, son of Albert Andrew and Maria Fidelia (Talbot) Cooke, was born in Oxford, Worcester county, October 28, 1849. His usual common school preparation was passed, and he entered Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, and subsequently the Harvard dental and medical college. He began the practice of dentistry in Milford, his present residence, in 1869, in which profession he still continues. Dr. Cooke was married in Medvvay, December 27, 1883, to Marianna, daugh- ter of William A. and Adelia E. (Crooks) Jenckes. Of this union are two children : Allan Jenckes and Guenn Cooke. ■ Dr. Cooke is president of the Quidnunc Association ; vice-president of the Co-oper-