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Title
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Daniel Wade (1685-1767)
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1767
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Type
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Text
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Format
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image/jpg
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Description
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This biographical memorial account recounts the life of Daniel Wade (1685–1767), an orphaned Yorkshire laborer who endured a difficult childhood apprenticeship and later worked for many years peeling trees in the woods. After hearing the preacher Benjamin Ingham in 1739, he experienced a religious awakening and eventually joined the Moravian congregation, though his demanding work and worldly distractions slowed his spiritual growth for many years. Over time, especially in old age, he became deeply attached to Christ and the Moravian meetings, attending them faithfully despite extreme weakness and illness. He often reflected gratefully on what he believed were miraculous escapes from dangerous falls while working in trees, seeing them as signs of Christ’s protection. In his final illness he expressed joyful confidence that he would soon “see his Redeemer,” and he died peacefully in 1767 at age 81 after a life marked by increasing devotion, humility, and love for the Moravian community.
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Subject
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Wade, Daniel, 1685-1767
Moravians--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/3/103
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Place
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Fulneck, England
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Language
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English
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Extent
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4 pages
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Rights Holder
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Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, England
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transcript of
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The Widower Br Daniel Wade was born at Wike
in the Parish of Birstal in Sepr 1685. He was baptised
in the Church of England but his Parents dying while he
was very young his education was, like other Orphans,
depending upon the Town to which he belonged and there
fore was put out early an Apprentice to a Norwich
Carrier who made use of him in that Occupation till
he was 24 Years old, in which Servitude he underwent
such Treatment as all poor Children in his condition
commonly meets with. He married in the 29th year of
his Age and had 9 Children 2 of whom went happily
to our Savr under the Care of the Congn, 3 are in the Congn,
among whom is our Br John Wade upon his Post in
the Service of our Savr at present in Scotland, and 4
are still in the World. He was awaken’d by hearing of
Mr Ingham preach in the Year 1739, and was received
into Skoles Society in 1741. In 1743 he became a Widower
about which time he employed himself in the business of
Peeling in the Woods which occasioned his being almost
always absent from his Family. This Business like
wise proved hurtfull to the Course of Grace in his
Heart, as his Attendance upon it necessarily brought
him into an unsettled State and procured him
Company whose acquaintance & Conversation was
agreeable to his Call as a fruit of that awakening
consequence at this we find him 10 Years in the
without any visible Sign of the work of
Grace in his Heart prospering and was not received
into the Congn till Jany 11th 1751 when our Savr drew
near his heart afresh and revived that Spark of Grace
that was near being smothered under the Embers.
While he follow’d this Business he experienc’d several times
the Care of our Savr in sending his holy Angels to prevent
his suffering any Hurt by the Dangers he was exposed
to particularly twice wherein his Escape appeared mi
raculous to himself and those with him: the first was
as he was peeling on the Top of a Tree the Bough on which
he sat broke and he fell 9 Yards to the Bottom without
receiving any hurt. The 2d was still more dangerous for
he fell from a Tree with his chopping Bill in his Hand
and received only a slight wound in his Leg thereby which
was soon well again. These and such like Instances of
his being preserved he always attributed to the tender
Care and Mercy of our Savr and expressed much thanks
upon those Occasions. He continued in this Employ as
long as he was able to go into the Woods and when thro’
Age and Infirmity he could not go aloft he peeled at the
Bottom till about 7 Years ago and by the Opportunity
of staying at home and frequenting the Meetings he came
more solidly upon his heart and grew concern’d about
himself and his past Neglect. He was admitted the first
time to the holy Comn with the Congn Decr 19th 1761 which
great Favour he remember’d to his last and frequently
said with many Tears that he wondered how our Savr
could be so gracious to him a wretched Sinner. From
that time a visible tenderness and attachment to our
Savr and his Congn was evident in him and nothing was
so great a Joy to him as when he cou’d attend the Meetings
at Wike Chapel, which he did as long as he cou’d crawl &
many times in attempting to come he has fainted & fallen
thro’ weakness. One time he was very weak & sickly and
lamented at home that he had not strength to go to the
Congn meeting; His Daughter attempted to satisfy him
with this that he cou’d enjoy our Savr at home in his
Corner, but he got up immediately, went out of Doors and
came in again soon, saying: Our Savr has asured me he
will help me to the meeting, give me my Staff & I will
go, and indeed it was visible in him that he had recd
fresh Strength. Jany last in the great fall of Snow he
was suddenly seized with cold shiverings and something
of a Paralytic which affected his Senses so that he took
very little Notice of any thing. He continued for some Days
in this insensible State and then got more Strength in his
mental faculties, spoke clearly & positively about his
going home and & expressed his Joy that he shou’d soon see
his Redeemer. Jany 23d He was visited by his Labourer
who found him much weaker, but in his Heart and
Mind just as our Savr wou’d like to see us all, viz:
a loving, confident and chearfull Child (notwithstand
his Pain) who wanted nothing but the last Kiss of
that Friend who had appeared to his Soul and taken
all his Distress away. He continued in this blessed
State till by long lying his Back grow sore and
the external Smart caused in him some anxious
Desires to be gone. Feby 4th in the Morning he fell into
a deep sleep and continued so till 9 at Night when the
Family thot he was going. His Labourer came & found
him asleep as before but with Signs of his Dissolu
tion. He sung some Verses to Discover if he was
sensible, but he shewed no Marks of Attention.
After an Hour & a halfs waiting there was a Litur
gy kept by his Bed Side with a delightfull feeling
of our Lords Nearness, and as he was not likely
to go soon his Labourer blessed him with the
Churches Blessing and came away. He continued
in this Sleep till about 4 oClock in the Morning
of the 5th when his Breath stoped suddenly and
his Soul took flight into the Arms of Jesus
in the 82d Year of his Age.
