.I (lnclt1nbent OJ St. Jmnes's, Ryde, Isle oj Wigllt.) - The Gospel ...

The Gospel Magazine 727
which were under the sandbll.gs to support the battery, took fire, and
during the work necessitated by this event a sailor asked him to move
from where he was standing. He did so, and almost at the same
moment the sailor was killed by a shell from the enemy, just as he had
taken the position vacated by his officer. Promotion in naval rank
followed his services in India, hut a powerful persuasion to enter the
ministry of the Gospel was experienced, and he came home on leave in
1853 with a view to study. He presently resigned his commission, and
entered Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. In
1857, just at the beginning of the terrible Mutiny, he again went out to
India, and, having been ordained by the Bishop of Bombay, took
charge of a church in that diocese. Subsequently MR. COUSENS
became Assistant Chaplain at Smyrna, his father-in-law being Chaplain.
On his returning to England later on, he was presented to the living of
Buckenham, Norfolk. For several years he acted as Metropolitan
Secretary of the Church Pastoral Aid Society. Then, in 1881, he was
instituted to the charge of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Here
he laboured until about two years ago, when, by exchange, he was
appointed to his present incumbency of St. James's, Ryde. St.
James's has the reputation of providing the only Evangelical Church
service for God's people in the town. Recently, the Advowson has
been secured in the interest of the pure Gospel of God's grace, and it
may be hoped that those who' know the joyful sound' will in all time
to come enjoy here the sweet privilege of feeding in ' green pastures'
and of worshipping God in the beauty of holiness, without any of those
fleshly adjuncts which are so much in vogue in these degenerate times.
MR. COUSENS, who adheres to the use of the time-honoured preaching
gown in the pulpit, is an able expositor of God's Word-an open Bible
being always his companion when, in clear, bold, eloquent, and earnest
language, he addresses his attentive congregation. The Pastor of St.
J ames's is a decided Protestant Churchman, loyal to the XXXIX.
Articles, and faithful in warning souls against the deadly errors of
Sacerdotalism, both Anglican and Roman. . . ."
The following appeared in an obituary notice of the REV. R. R.
COUSENS, in The Isle of Wight Observer of October 24 :-" The funeral
took place on Wednesday at Old Lee Churchyard, Blackheath, London,
the remains, which were conveyed from Ryde in the morning, being
laid to rest in the family grave. Many of the congregation of St.
J ames's Church assembled at the pier head as the cortege left by boat
for the mainland. . . .
" At the hour of interment a memorial service was held in St. James's