Forest of Rossendale. 



2 I 



thanking Mr. Piccop for the discourse, hinted that he had exceeded 

 the usual time, observing that he should have noticed his watch. 

 Mr. Piccop, in his rustic simplicity, informed him that he never 

 had a watch in his life, upon which the gentleman drew his from 

 his pocket and presented it to him, declaring he should not be 

 without one any longer. Such was his popularity in London, that 

 a congregation would have assembled to hear him at five o'clock 

 in the morning." He was born at Loveclough, near Crawshaw- 

 booth, and died there in September 1772, the immediate cause of 

 his death being cancer in the breast. His remains lie buried 

 within Ebenezer Chapel-yard, Bacup. 



John Hirst, the successor of Piccop, and who ministered at 

 Bacup during a period of forty-two years, was also in many 

 respects a remarkable man. He was born at Rochdale in 1736, 

 and was the youngest of seven children. The circumstances of his 

 early years were not promising — nay, they were altogether 

 unpropitious ; yet, by his native strength of mind and diligent and 

 determined spirit, he became a preacher of great originality and 

 power, and left his mark upon the times. He died June 15th, 

 1815, in the 79th year of his age, and was buried by the side of 

 Piccop, his worthy predecessor. His aged widow, who was ten 

 years his senior, survived him only fifteen days. 



