SUNDAY, 15TH.-Read Exodus xii. 21-27.

I. Give an account of the Feast of the Passover.

2. Find as many remarkable Passovers as you can, that we read of.

SUNDAY, 22ND.-Read Psalm cxxii.

1. What remarkable places would the people of Nazareth pass in going up to Jerusalem ?

2. Was Jesus Christ ever at any other Passover ?

SUNDAY, 29TH.-Read John iii. 13-17; Phil. ii. 3-8.

1. How many times did Jesus speak of God as His Father? 2. What passages teach us that children should obey their parents?

Connexional Department.

MEMOIRS AND OBITUARIES.

MR. JAMES TANCOCK,

M. A. P.

THE Son of James and Mary Tancock, was born at Hatherleigh, in the north of Devon, on the 3rd of July, 1825. The parents belonged to the industrial class, and were respectable, upright persons; held in high repute by the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood, for integrity and goodness. They were both connected with the Bible Christian Society, and were of the earliest to join the Church among us in that town. From his earliest days, therefore, our dear brother was the subject of religious influences, and teaching, and example. This, no doubt, will explain, to some extent, why our friend, from his youth up, was remarkable for probity and good conduct, which distinguished him from the bulk of the young men of his day. There were also elements of character in the moral constitution of our friend, favourable to honesty, truthfulness, and virtue. His filial affections were strong and deep, hence the counsels and example of his parents were valued, and to a great extent heeded by our friend when young. So that as he grew to riper youth and manhood, his love of truth, his respect for propriety of conduct, his reverence for goodness, his regard for justice and uprightness in all his dealings with his fellows, were signally developed; which, joined to a thoughtful, reflective mind, made him in the estimation of those who knew him, a model young man. His opportunities for education when young were limited; but the little leisure time he had he sought to employ in reading what useful books came in his way, with a view to his increasing in knowledge. He was apprenticed for seven years to a

Mr. Hill, of Iddisleigh, near Hatherleigh, to learn the business of a tailor, and, having served his full term of apprenticeship, he continued for some years in the same business with his master. The master cherished for his apprentice and workman the highest esteem and confidence. Our dear brother, whilst at Iddisleigh, was accustomed to attend regularly religious worship on the Lord's day, both at the Parish Church and at Dissenting Chapels, and so far as his general external conduct was concerned, he was considered by many as decidedly religious. But he himself was conscious that something more than a correct exterior was necessary in order for him to be in true relationship to God, to have real peace of mind, solid, and lasting joy of soul, true dignity of character, and a good hope in relation to eternity. The clergyman noticed the quiet, cheerful, consistent, thoughtful young man, and invited him to assist in the Sunday-school, and for a time he made himself useful in this work. But, in his efforts to benefit and instruct the young members of his class, he was often led to see and feel his moral and spiritual defects and needs in relation to himself and God, as also his lack of qualification for the work in which he was engaged. In the year 1852, when Br. Tancock was 26 years of age, the Rev. J. Bartlett, one of our ministers, was labouring on the then Winkleigh Mission, which included Hatherleigh and Iddisleigh. Mr. Bartlett arranged to hold special religious services at Iddisleigh Chapel, and though, a few told him that such services would be of no avail, inasmuch as several other ministers had tried such services, and they had all signally failed. Br. Bartlett said:"Instead of being discouraged, I was inspirited to proceed, and told them and the people generally, that we should have a blessed revival. And so we had. Praise the Lord! Mr. Tancock and Mr. B. Paddon (brother of Mrs. Tancock) were among the converts. There were many brought to the Lord about that time. Some of them went home to heaven before my three years expired. There was great rejoicing over Mr. Tancock's conversion, as he was considered to be so moral and thoughtful. He at once joined our Society at Iddisleigh, and soon became useful. One of the first things he did was to interest himself in behalf of our missionary cause, by voluntarily acting as a collector. Without having box or book, or card from the pastor, he made use of his pocket-book, and when the public meeting came off, he surprised the whole of us, by putting the result of his private effort on the plate, which made up a large collection for the small chapel at Iddisleigh. I am at a loss to say how much I respected and loved him. I knew him before his conversion, as he frequently attended our services at Iddisleigh and Hatherleigh, and I often visited his parents at Hatherleigh;

they were excellent friends, and consistent Christians. I have, with great pleasure and interest, watched the course of our dear friend and brother, as he has risen in business, and also taken a prominent and useful position in our beloved denomination."

Almost immediately, on Brother Tancock's union with Christ by faith, and his identification with Christ's people, his own soul being now filled with peace, and joy, and hope through believing, he sought in various ways to promote the salvation of his companions and associates, and thus to promote the glory of his Redeemer. In his closet, and in the public prayer meetings, his intercessions and prayers were frequent, and characterised with great fervour and holy solicitude. He soon began also to exhort his fellow-men to yield themselves to Christ, and his earnest loving appeals were in many instances very successful. It soon became manifest that our friend possessed many qualifications for usefulness as a preacher of the Gospel of salvation, and within twelve months from the time of his conversion, he was pressed by the preacher's meeting to devote himself to the work of teaching and preaching Christ as a local preacher. Brother Bartholomew Paddon, who was converted to Christ at the same time as Brother Tancock, tells me that they also went together in the work of exhortation and preaching. Mr. Paddon says that, from the first the services and labours of Brother Tancock were highly acceptable and useful. His addresses and sermons were Scriptural and practical, delivered with much earnestness and fervour; clear in statement of Gospel doctrines; he was often very happy in his illustrations and forceful in his appeals to the conscience and judgment. The pulpit services of our dear friend were everywhere heartily appreciated and eagerly sought after, so that he had numerous appointments given him, and frequently long and tedious journeys had to be performed by him on the Lord's day; but it was to him a labour of love; hence his appointments were faithfully kept. When he had been connected with the Church of Christ about three years, and having formed an acquaintance with Miss Jane Paddon, a daughter of a respectable farmer, of Iddisleigh, and who for several years had been a member of the same Society, our friend entered on the marriage estate, on the 27th day of December, 1855. Their first home after marriage was at Hatherleigh, where our friend in his native town commenced business for himself. Both husband and wife now united with the small Society of Bible Christians in the town, and helped for a season to encourage and strengthen the members in their then feeble state. The services were then conducted in an uncomfortable room, since which time, however, a chapel has been built, which in turn has given place to a larger and more commodious building. Brother Tancock's

parents were members of the Society at Hatherleigh for many years, but they have both passed away to their heavenly rest, one at the age of 73 and the other at the age of 80 years.

About Michaelmas, 1856, Mr. and Mrs. Tancock removed from Hatherleigh to Tavistock, to conduct a drapery and outfitting business for one of Mrs. Tancock's brothers. In this town our friends resided for four years and six months, when they removed in 1861 to Gunnislake, in the Callington Circuit, to manage a branch business for Mr. Paddon. For three years our friends had their business and religious home in Gunnislake, when an opening presented itself for a business in Penzance; and our friends, having a little family growing up and being desirous of having a business for themselves, in the year 1864 took up their residence on the Terrace, where for nearly seventeen years the name of James Tancock has been found in association with a steadily increasing business. Mr. T. W. Garland, who was pastor of the Tavistock Circuit for three years, says:" Mr. Tancock came in the Tavistock Circuit soon after I did, and at once attached himself to our Society with all heartiness as a follower of Christ and a servant of the Church. No brother could be more agreeable, or ready to serve. I have always highly prized him from the time when I first knew him. His loss will create a blank not easily filled; but we have this comfort, that he is now amongst the Lord's jewels." Whilst at Tavistock Brother Tancock was elected by the Circuit Quarterly Meeting as one of the Circuit Stewards, and in the year 1860 he attended the Devonport District Meeting, and the Exeter Conference as lay representative. During his residence at Gunnislake in 1861, our brother was laid low for several months by typhoid fever, which left considerable physical weakness for a long time after his recovery; but, as his strength enabled him, he, with his usual cheerfulness and heartiness, threw himself into the work of the Lord at Gunnislake, and in the Circuit. The friends at Gunnislake about this time resolved on building a larger chapel, and our friend exerted himself greatly in aid of the project, though he came to Penzance before the building was completed and opened. As I was one of the ministers who officiated at the opening services, I can bear testimony to the fact, that Brother Tancock's name and fame, among the friends there, were very fragrant, and lovingly and gratefully remembered. During the sixteen years and a half that our friend lived in Penzance, he was true to and heartily with the Society and denomination of his early choice. His services as local preacher were freely given, and at every place in the Circuit were highly appreciated; so that his presence was always welcome. At the Christmas Quarterly Meet

ing, after coming to Penzance, our brother was chosen as one of the Circuit Stewards, in connection with Brother Dunn, of Tredavoe; and I find he held that office, on the whole, in this Circuit, nearly twelve years. He also filled for years the office of leader of the Sunday afternoon class, and was a trustee for several Chapels in the Circuit. Truly devoted as he was to the interests of his own church and people, he was large-hearted and catholic in spirit, so that most of the churches in the town have been glad to have his services in the pulpit and on the platform; and our dear brother always felt at home in rendering such services, as he was an ardent lover of all good men, and intensely solicitous for the promotion of the best interests of his fellows and the cause of Christ, with whatever section of Christ's Church, such efforts were put forth. As an evidence of the worth of our friend-morally, socially, and commercially, in the year 1874 he was elected on the Town Council to fill a vacancy which had occurred, and on two subsequent occasions he was re-elected without opposition. Three years ago, when Mr. Thomas died, our friend was chosen to succeed him as President of the Temperance Society, which office he held until his death. The Young Men's Christian Association, the Seamen's Bethel, the Town Mission, the Working Men's Institute, all these, and kindred institutions, secured the sympathy, the services, and generous support of our dear brother. But it was with his own people in his own place of worship, in the society and fellowship of those of his own denomination, and especially in his own happy domestic relationships, that the true worth, and thorough genuineness, and full beauty of his character became manifest. He was, indeed, "ready for every good work."

With the exception of the serious illness which befell our brother in July, 1861, at Gunnislake, his health had been generally good, and equal to the duties that devolved on him. Never so strong and robust as many, but generally cheerful, buoyant, and active. For some two or three years past, however, it must have been apparent to his intimate friends, if not to himself, that incipient disease and physical weakness were telling on him. He seldom, however, complained of being unwell, and regularly attended to his duties. until about twelve months ago, when he began to feel exhaustion and weariness from his journeys in the country to his Sabbath appointments, and after a heavy day's work in the shop. As the Spring advanced, this feeling of weakness increased upon him, and an irritating cough was also experienced. He became very subject to colds, and susceptible of changes in the weather. After some time medical advice was sought, but as nothing definite was said, or notice seemingly taken of his condition, he struggled on, think