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Title
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James Peel (1743-1764)
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1764
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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 describes the short but deeply religious life of James Peel (1743–1764), who was raised within the Moravian community from childhood and developed an early love for the Brethren and their meetings. Although he drifted somewhat during his apprenticeship years, he later renewed his commitment to Christ and joined the Moravian Society, longing especially to live in the Single Brethren’s Choir House. Before he could fully begin that life, however, he became seriously ill with a painful disease affecting his leg, which gradually left him unable to walk. Over time he came to believe that his sickness was the means by which Christ intended to “take him home,” and after a profound spiritual experience that filled him with peace and joy, he endured his suffering with remarkable patience and cheerfulness. He died peacefully in 1764 at age 20 during the singing of hymns among the Single Brethren, fully convinced of Christ’s nearness and love.
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Subject
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Peel, James, 1743-1764
Moravians--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/3/105
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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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Depd March 21. 1764
James Peel. was born at at Heckmondwike Smithies in
the Parish of Birstal May the 9th 1743 and baptised in
the Church of England. When he was about 5 year old
his parents took him with them to Gummersal to the
Childrens Meetings, which he took great Delight in,
and our Savr found a Way to his Heart thereby. His
Parents removing to Leeds some Time after, he became
very disconsolate, & could not be satisfied till he
could again have the Opportunity of being amongst
the Children, which soon came to pass by his Parents
removing hither into the Dye House of the Manufac
tury. When he was 12 year old he was put apprentice to
a Shoemaker, & during the first 4 Years of his Appren
ticeship the Impressions which our Savrs Grace had
made on his Heart in his Childhood seemed to wear
off, & he had no Connexion with the Brn: He indeed
retained a secret love to them, but was afraid & ashamed
of its being known to his Young Companions, & more
over, had lost his concern after our Savr, & therefore
spent those years in a careless & thoughtless Manner;
yet our faithful Savr kept his Hand over him, & renewed
his gracious Drawings & Visitations, which brought him
anew under Concern about the Salvation of his Soul
and excited in him a Desire of entering into Fellow
ship with the Brn, and applied being of a bashful
Disposition, desired his Father to speak for him to
the Single Brns Labourer, & who also brought his Son to
him & thus his Connexion begun with the Brn In the Beginning of the Year
1761 he was recd into the Society to his great Joy, & went
on in a regular & orderly Manner. When he was in the
last year of his Apprenticeship, his Father being solli-
citous to know the Situation of his Mind, asked him his
Thought about his Future Course? & got for Answer, that
he had no other The Intention but to get Leave to live
for there says he my Heart was been already for three years
in the Choir House of the Single Brn, & about which
he also spoke often with the Choir Labourers. Being
sickly some Months before his Apprenticeship was out,
he moved to his parents at the Dye House, & when he was
able ,worked for his Master. He got Leave to move into
the Choir House, but on Account of his Weakliness con
tinued with his parents, expecting that he might get
better from his sickness again. At last Sickness Disorder settled in his Thigh
and made him lame which continued encreasing, so
that he was not able to walk; In the Beginning this
was a little heavy to him, & the Time of his being kept
from the place Choir House to which he thought was destined for seemed
long to him, till about 3 Months ago that our Savr
made it clear to him, that this sickness was to be the
Means of Opportunity by which he should be taken
Home. He then kept a special thorough Bond with his Labour
er about all his Circumstances, during the shedding
of many Tears, resigned himself over to our Savr
with Thankfulness for his Call & happy Lot, & only
wished he might effect every Thing all that upon him, which
He had resolved upon in his Heart. Some Days after this, he had
was the most remarkable Season of Grace he ever
could remember in his whole Life, when in the Night
our Savr appeared to Him as his Redeemer, & entirely
pacified his Heart upon every Account, and from
this Night he spent his restless & sleepless Days & Nights
in one divine Joy. His sickness was of such a Nature
that be had exceeding much pain & that for several
weeks together without Cessation, & could not bear
to lie down at all, but the precious Nearness of our
him who has also felt much pain, refreshed & sup
ported him beyond all human Conception, & enabled
him to endure it with surprizing patience, & was
always well & chearful in his Heart, longing con
tinually for the happy Hour to come, when his Re
deemer would take him to himself. It was a real
pleasure to be with him & feeling how his heart
was situated has proved a Blessing to many of our
Brn, as well as to his parents. A few Weeks before
his Departure his pains abated so far that he could
again bear to lie in his Bed, & also slept well, &
spent his Time in a happy Stillness in Converse with
his Friend, looking out with longing Desire for the Moment of his coming
to fetch him to himself. The 21st (March 64) he said
that this was the Day when our Savr would certainly
come, desired his Labourer might come to him, and
during the Choir Liturgy of the Single Brn on their Choir
Day he departed gently & happily to our Savr during
the singing of several Verses, and with a sensible
perception of the Nearness of our unseen Lover,
having spent almost 21 years in this mortal Body.
