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Title
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Alice Catton (1767-1848)
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1848
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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 life of Alice Catton (1767–1848), a Moravian sister raised in a devout religious household who spent most of her long life connected with the Moravian communities at Littlemoor and Fulneck. Known for her cheerful, gentle, and humble character, she faithfully served in various roles, including caring for her aging father and working in the Sisters’ House, while maintaining a steady and sincere religious life for more than fifty years. Though she experienced some hardships, including financial loss in old age, she accepted them calmly and trusted in God’s care. During her final illness she spoke peacefully and confidently of Christ’s grace and forgiveness, expressing no fear of death and affirming her complete trust in her Savior before dying quietly in 1848 at age 80.
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Subject
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Catton, Alice, 1767-1848
Moravians--Biography
Women--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/3/116
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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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Alice Catton
died Feb. / 48 Our late Sr Alice Catton was bore at Hathwaite in Huddersfd in Novr 1767, her parents being in connection with the Brns church & mem bers of our Cogn at Mifield who enjoyed the Grace of God in their hts. & brot. up their childrn in the nuture & admonitn of ye Ld so that our late Sr knew the truth & doubtless felt powerful drawings of divine lore from her early childhood. When abt. 16 yrs of age, she came to reside in it sisters house at that time existing at Littlemoor in the house now tenanted by Mr Parkinson While there she grew in grace & in the knowledge of our Ld. & Savr Jes. Christ, as her occasional references in conversation, to that period of her life, as a happy & profitable one, proved. In the yr 1783 the establishmet at Littlemoor being broken up, she removed with most of her companions to our Sisters house here having spent 8 years in the other institu- tion, & having been, during that time, recd into the Congn & admitted to the H. Comn. She did not spend reside (in this Sisters' house) for the whole of her remaining time, but lived some years with her late father, nursing him faithfully until his end, in her native place she was also a short time at Gumersal – lived with a friend in a private house in Fulneck & likewise occupied another house by herself she was for sometime cook in the Sisters house, & spent attasctory upwards of 50 years either in this or that at Littlemoor. The fact, that throughout the whole of her lengthened pilgrimmage of 4 score years she maintained a consistent Moravian character proves that she knew whom she believed, that her love of Moravians constrained her, & that she walked humbly with her God. Tho' not so communicative & open as some followers of the Lamb on spiritual subjects, her
& tender, as well as her walk conformable to the gospel, showed that she was in Christ & that his spirit dwelt in her. Being, moreover of a very cheerful, lively & amiable disposition she was generally beloved & respected wherever she dwelt & by old & young. Her course temporal & spiritual, was remarkably smooth & even; she had an excellent con- stitutn & enjoyed very good health not feeling much even of the infirmities of old age & being able often to attend the means of grace in which she delighted finding in these pastures for her soul. Nor had she many trials, of an external nature, to cope with; perhaps the heaviest was the loss of her little property by the failure of a bank in Halifax, at a time when such a calamity must be peculiarly dis tressing viz. where old-age was approaching yet she submitted, taking the dispensation as from the hands of the Lord, & believing that he would know how to provide for her; nor was her confidence put to shame; he, who clothes the lilies & feeds the ravens, found her food & raiment & what adds so much to those blessings a contented & cheerful mind until he took her to where the Lamb himself shall feed his sheep & guide them to living fountains of water. She was attacked by the then prevailing influenza abt 2 mos ago, & was so much reduced, that she quite expected to be called home to her Savr; she recovered, however, once more so for, as to have almost regained her wanted strength; but on Friday Jany 20th she was taken ill of another complaint, which presently reduced her so rapidly, that no hopes could be entertained of her recovery. Throughout the whole of her illness she was much pleased to enter into spiritual con- versatn with any spiritual believing friend, always welcomed her labourer & her minister, whom she had known from a little Boy, with joy & affection & loved to have a prayer offered.
ed up at her side. When it became evident, that her days were numbered, & she was asked, if she herself thot our Savr would at this time take her to himself, she said at first with the utmost calm- ness, "It is not yet clear to me," but after a day or two, she said decidedly, "I know not that I am going," adding that she knew her Savr, in whom she had so long be lieved, who had led her from her youth up & shewn her never varying loving kindness, could now complete His work & crown His Grace for that tho' she was a poor worthless sinner in herself, He had washed her from sins in his own blood & would, she assuredly believed, fully pre- pare her, by His spirit for entering into his kingdom & seeing Him face to face. She spoke with true humility of herself as of one who had not a crumb of merit no, not one righteous work to plead; but she extolled the all sufficiency, the grace, the tender loving kindness of her Savr as her All. A friend observing to her one day in conversation, "You have had a smooth & even course thro' time," she replied: "Indeed I have, tho' not quite without troubles, which we must all share, I have indeed been most justly led, even to heavy heirs. Her very looks beamed for the the calm serenity of her soul, & whenever she was asked if she still felt our Savrs peace in her soul, & felt her reply was an empha- tic "Yes!" she stated too, that no doubts or fears even of a transiently disturbed her peace & joy in believing. Up to last sa- turday, tho' occasionally rambling she was able to understand & answer ques- tions, but on Lords day morning all con-
sciousness seemed to be gone & she lay perfectly quiet till abt. 6 o'clock in the evening when she breathed her last in the most gentle manner, & without even a sigh, at the age of 80 years & about 10 weeks. Thus her last end was peace, & she sleeps in Jesus.
