Mr A. J. Townsend’s Home-Call

The sadden illness and Home-call of our esteemed brother A. J. Townsend of Exeter came as a great shock to us and to his many friends in the West Country. On Monday, September 22nd, he was taken to hospital for an operation which appeared to have been successful, but the Lord called His servant Home on the following Friday. His oft-expressed wish to ‘remain in harness’ until the end of the journey was granted, for he was preaching the Gospel at Martock (Som.) the evening before he was taken ill.

Converted at 18 years of age Mr. Townsend early took up the preaching of the Gospel, and during a long business life he assiduously served the assemblies over a wide area in Devon and Somerset, in a variety of ways. Among the many services he rendered to the assembly at Fore Street, Exeter, was the work of Correspondent which he undertook for many years. Upon retirement from business he devoted his whole time to the Lord’s work, and his sphere of usefulness rapidly extended to many parts of the country.

He will be missed in many spheres, and not least on the Committee of “Precious Seed,” in which he took a keen interest from the very first.

The sympathy of a wide circle of Christians goes out to the widow and family in their great loss, and we commend them to the God of all comfort.