Christian Bell (1742-1772)

Title

Christian Bell (1742-1772)

Publisher

Moravian Lives Project

Date

February 1772

Type

Text

Format

image/jpg

Description

This biographical memorial account describes the life of Christian Bell (1742–1772), a Moravian brother raised in the Children’s Economy who was initially seen as sincere, faithful, and spiritually promising. After entering business and traveling to London, however, he became increasingly drawn toward worldly ambitions and struggled inwardly between devotion to Christ and attachment to worldly life. Though deeply troubled by this divided heart and fearful for his soul, he repeatedly experienced convictions of conscience and continued longing for spiritual peace. Eventually he developed consumption, which he viewed as part of God’s merciful effort to draw him back fully to Christ. During his final illness he openly confessed his regrets about neglecting the congregation and pursuing worldly interests, but shortly before death he found comfort, assurance of forgiveness, and peace in Christ, dying calmly in 1772 at age 29.

Subject

Bell, Christian, 1742-1772
Moravians--Biography
Biographies

Identifier

Ful/3/31

Place

Fulneck, England

Language

English

Extent

4 pages

Rights Holder

Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, England

transcript of

Page 1

February 1772 
Christian Bell was born in London Decr 7th 
1742 and came as a little Boy into the Children’s 
Oeconomy, he was a very lovely Child, beloved by all 
about him. When he arrived to his Boys Age, he 
was put apprentice to our dear late Br Charlesworth in
the Merchant Business, during which time he 
behaved himself as an orderly & faithful Apprentice,
and gave full Satisfaction to Br Charlesworth & others
about him. It was evident that there was a Work
of Grace in his Heart, & those who were acquainted
with him were in Hopes that he would not only prosper
& become a happy Brother, but that he would also be
useful in our Savrs kingdom, In these Years he was
very openhearted & seemed to have no other Concern than
to be formed by our Savr quite according to his Mind &
to live for His alone in the World.

He was received into the Congn April 16th 1754 & on
August 29th 1762 he was rec’d into the Single Brns Choir
March 27th 1766 he was admitted to the holy Com-
munion, but which had not the wished for Effect. Soon
after he went to London where the Snares laid for him
caught a surprizing Hold of him & a love to the World

Page 2

took place in him, so that his Soul rec’d a Hurt at this
Time which was never rightly cured again till a little
while before his Departure.

After he set up Business for himself, it obliged him
to make some Journeys to London, where Temptations
were renewed, to draw him altogether into the World, and
altho’ the Staff of Corruption & strong tendencies thereto
lay in him, yet he felt such Strong Convictions, that he
never could come to a Resolution to go into the World;
yet this divided Heart & continual Struggle betwixt our
Savr & the World caused him a heavy & truly unhappy Life
that one could not see and speak with him without being
moved with compassion. At Times he was much concern’d
about his unhappy State of Heart & wished our Savr
 might attain his Aim with him; he also was some times
very sensibly Struck with the strong proofs he had of our
Savrs Faithfulness to him & by seeing how He kept his Hand
over Him. This had the effect upon him that he once in
a particular Manner pray’d our Savr if He saw no other
way of obtaining his Aim with him to do it by giving him
a sickly Habit of Body, or taking him to himself rather than suffer him to go into
the World, & he has often considered our Svrs Dealings with
him as an Answer to this Prayer. About a half a Year ago, as he was going to Leeds & had still thoughts of pursuing a Worldly Scheme, tho’ with much uneasiness of Mind & Having pray’d as above, he stop’d & looked back for his Company when he got a Vomiting of blood, which was the beginning of his last Sickness.

Page 3

About 2 months ago it was observed that his tender

and weakly Constitution turned into a Consumption &
he declined very fast. He was frequently visited by
many Brn, for he was generally beloved, & when it drew
nearer his End that he himself begun to think, he
would soon go home, he spoke with great concern, to
Some of the Labourers whom he had most Confidence
in & had been best acquainted with, and Lamented
that he had spend much of his Time so poorly with Rea-
soning, Reading unprofitable Books, neglecting the
Meetings & other privileges of the Congregation, he
also said that he never had experienced the true Grace
in the Blood & Merits of Christ as a poorour Saviour Sinner.

This brought him into such Distress that he thought
he would be lost. Two Nights before his Departure,
and beingwhen he was yet pretty strong, he wept & prayed all
the Night thro’ and gotwhen he also gotComfort from our
Savr. From that Time his Fear was gone & he longed
to go to our Savr. which was on the 6th of Febr.  , the same
Evening he sat up a long while & conversed with 2 Brn
in a bandlike way in the heartiest & very agreeable
Manner. He also kept a very openhearted Band with
a Labourer 2 days before. He himself thought
he should continue about 3 weeks longer, but the

Page 4

Night betwixt the 6th & 7th of February, he all at
once began to hasten, & when his Choir Labourer
came to him at 5 in the Morning he asked him, if
he had got full forgiveness from our Savr, & if he
now was longing to go to Him, both he answered in
the Affirmive. A few Minutes after it was
observed that the happy moment approached. He
was blessed & turned pale during the Verse: When in
the Armes of Jesus etc. accompanied with a sweet
feeling of Grace in the 30 Year of his Age.

Reading Version:

Christian Bell was born in London December 7th, 1742 and came as a little boy into the Children’s Economy. He was a very lovely child, beloved by all about him. When he arrived to his boy’s age, he was put apprentice to our dear late Brother Charlesworth in the merchant business, during which time he behaved himself as an orderly and faithful apprentice, and gave full satisfaction to Brother Charlesworth and others about him. It was evident that there was a work of grace in his heart, be those who were acquainted with him were in hopes that he would not only prosper and become a happy Brother, but that he would also be useful in our Saviour’s kingdom. In these years he was very openhearted and seemed to have no other concern than to be formed by our Saviour quite according to his mind and to live for Him alone in the world.

He was received into the congregation April 16th 1754 and on August 29th, 1762 he was received into the Single Brethren’s Choir. March 27th, 1766 he was admitted to the holy communion, but which had not the wished-for effect. Soon after he went to London where the snares laid for him caught a surprising hold of him and a love to the world

(page 2)

took place in him, so that his Soul received a hurt at this
time which was never rightly cured again till a little
while before his departure.

After he set up business for himself, it obliged him to make some journeys to London, where temptations were renewed, to draw him altogether into the world and although the staff of corruption and strong tendencies thereto lay in him, yet he felt such strong convictions, that he never could come to a resolution to go into the world. Yet this divided heart and continual struggle betwixt our Saviour and the world caused him a heavy and truly unhappy life that one could not see and speak with him without being moved with compassion. At times, he was much concerned about his unhappy state of heart and wished our Saviour might attain his aim with him; he also was sometimes very sensibly struck with the strong proofs he had of our Saviour’s faithfulness to him and by seeing how He kept his hand over Him. This had the effect upon him that he once in a particular manner prayed our Saviour if He saw no other way of obtaining his aim with him to do it by giving him or taking him to himself a sickly habit of body, rather than suffer him to go into the world, and he has often considered our Saviour’s dealings with him as an answer to this prayer. About a half a year ago, as he was going to Leeds and had still thoughts of pursuing a worldly scheme, though with much uneasiness of mind and having prayed as above he stopped and looked back for his company when he got a vomiting of blood, which was the beginning of his last sickness.

About 2 months ago it was observed that his tender

(page 3)

and weakly constitution turned into a consumption and he declined very fast. He was frequently visited by many Brethren, for he was generally beloved, and when it drew nearer his end that he himself began to think, he would soon go home He spoke with great concern, to some of the labourers whom he had most confidence in and had been best acquainted with, and Lamented that he had spent much of his time so poorly with reasoning, reading unprofitable books, neglecting the meetings and other privileges of the congregation. He also said that he never had experienced the true grace as a poor sinner in the blood and merits of Christ.

This brought him into such distress that he thought he would be lost. Two nights before his departure, and being when he was yet pretty strong, he wept and prayed all and got the night through and got when he also got comfort from our Saviour. From that time his fear was gone and he longed to go to our Saviour which was on the 6th of February, the same evening he sat up a long while and conversed with two Brethren in a bandlike way in the heartiest and very agreeable manner. He also kept a very openhearted band with a labourer 2 days before. He himself thought he should continue about 3 weeks longer, but the

(page 4)

night betwixt the 6th and 7th of February, he all at once began to hasten, and when his Choir labourer came to him at 5 in the morning he asked him, if he had got full forgiveness from our Saviour, and if he now was longing to go to Him, both he answered in the affirmative. A few minutes after it was observed that the happy moment approached. He was blessed and turned pale during the verse: When in the arms of Jesus etc. accompanied with a sweet feeling of grace in the 30th year of his age.