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Title
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Hannah Westerman (1716-1761)
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Creator
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Westerman, Hannah, 1716-1761
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1761
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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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Written in English, this document is an autobiographical spiritual memoir of Hannah Westerman (1716–1761). Written in first person, the narrative reflects on her spiritual struggles, emotional suffering, religious experiences, and search for salvation through Jesus Christ within the Moravian tradition. The memoir emphasizes themes of repentance, inward conflict, prayer, grace, and Christian devotion, characteristic of Moravian spiritual literature of the eighteenth century.
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Subject
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Westerman, Hannah, 1716-1761
Moravians--Biography
Women--Biography
Autobiographies
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Identifier
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Ful/SS/36
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Place
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Fulneck, England
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Language
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eng
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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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Hannah Westerman born at Oset near Dewsbury June 13th 1716. I had from my Infancy a particular concern about my Salvation & about my 12 I felt strong convictions upon me & was particularly affected and as the preaching of the parish Minister Concerning the wickedness & Sinfullness of the human race, on the same day thro’ real anxiety of mind I proswaded my br tho younger then My self to walk with me in the fields, to whom I declared with many tears My concern of mind about not knowing that I shoud be saved which was the Cause of Many Melancholy reflections which my parents & acquaintances have to devert me from & took to the deversion of with other young people in a natural world way not with convicion all the time, at Last I resolve to go to Service to void the influence of my acquaintance & to live more to my hearts satisfactory Consideration. about my 18 year I had a voilent illness in which I felt powerfull conviction of my own sinfullness which Continue a Longing with me & myunhappy situation I bemoan this unhappy life with Many tears & prayed unto the Lord to help me being told Mr Ingham kept meetings for all such people who wanted to hear how they Might be saved & I with trimbling heart went to hear a little for myself not presumeing to make my self publick & among such sort of good people feeling My own wretchedness in such a palpable manner I was much discouraged hereby but Mr Ingham took notice & inquired after me by his Sistr who told him I was under great concern of mind. the next day I went to speak with him, he askd many Questions Concerning My coming to the knowledge of my own wretchedness, or if I had committed any Gross sins which had Voilently affected me I answerd no, he also askd If I had ever received the Sacrement I told him no I dost not presume to any such thing, her preswaded me to persevere & trust in the Lord & go with him to the next Sacrement, after which I felt a
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a little eaiser in my Mind, but no real comfort of heart or knowledg that my Sins was forgiven, Mr. Ingham being calld away I & several single women was Left in the Care of his sistr & on Mr Inghams return I went to be a Servant in his family, at which time Mr Ingham acquainted us concerning the Brn who was cald Moravians they having a More Experemental knowledg in the sufferings of Christ, then what he cou’d possabley speak about. in the year 41 Br Töltschig was the first who arrived, him whom Mr Ingham desired woud keep a meeting, Br Toltschig sung: this verse: ye hearts of stone, come Melt & see Viz. which made such an impression on my heart as if wrote by the hand of the Eternal Son of God, when the meeting was over Br Toltschig inquired who I was, Mr Ingham told Him I was his servant & one whom he might speak with at any time, the next day I injoyd that unexpected Grace to My Unexpressable shame & deep humiliation, for I thought he was surely like an angle of God who knew the Secrets of my in most Soul, & to whom I left nothing undisscovered, & from that time cou’d always unbosom the most Minute Circumstance of my heart situation, after this I continued pritty Cherefull but not wholey satisfied, some time after I was walking a lone being much depressed in My Mind, I was particularly depress affect with a divine impression in My Mind which that caused such an Emotion of heart as made me with great vemence cry out My Lord & My God, & the visiable aspect of him who had sufferd, death for on the Cross for my sins stood before my heart, the Effects of which was an abideing Grace
& some little time after it begun to clear to her mind, that Our dr Savr prehaps intend soon to take her to himself this made her more resign but upon some small apperance of her being better she begun to fear, that all these hopes must vanish but this continued not long her dissorder give Evident proof of a real Cousumption & tho of this slowest kind yet so bore it she was Strength’d by the Grace & nearness of her dearest Savr to wait with becomeing patience her apointed Time & with Childlikeness continued to deport her self with allthankfullness heart for all the nurssing Care wch was bestowd upon her & gave a real Testemonie of respectable behaviour to her Sistr & sick waiter in the room & Evidence a particular nearness of the person of her nearest Bridegroom & at the enjoyment of her our dr Lords Corpres & blood She felt a particular sinnerlike thankfullness of heart, & at the departure of one of her sick companions namely hannah westerman she was who had the Grace to Enter into her happy rest the first she particularly desired her her to use her intresst wch our Savr in here poor behalf that She might soon be Summons home to him with many tender tears their parting was be desired. She from this Time was visably seen to after, & at our fest when visitd by Sisr Mary she seam to feel her Time wou’d not be Long & was under some concern of Mind for feard Sist Mary would be so fully Occupied in this day of Grace that she would scarce have time to give her the Last unction of her Choir but so it was Made out between her Lord & she, that her hour shoud strike at the Closeing of of this blessed day & about 4 a Clock in the Morning her Spirit took flight into the Arms of her beloved under the singing of those words
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her Class had wth her a Lovefeast in the Sickroom wch was a particular favour to her
