-
Title
-
Richard Fenton (1757-1772)
-
Publisher
-
Moravian Lives Project
-
Date
-
1772
-
Type
-
Text
-
Format
-
image/jpg
-
Description
-
Richard Fenton, born in Yorkshire in 1757, was raised within the Moravian community and spent his youth at the Brethren’s school before becoming an apprentice glover and resident in the Choir House. Though naturally quiet and well regarded by his companions, he became seriously ill as a teenager and gradually declined in health despite many attempts at recovery. During his illness he remained patient, peaceful, and deeply devoted to Christ, often expressing that he preferred to “be with Christ” rather than recover and continue living in the world. Shortly before his death he described experiencing a powerful sense of the Savior’s forgiveness and acceptance, telling others that Christ would soon take him home. He died peacefully in December 1772 at only fifteen years old, comforted by his faith and the support of the Moravian community.
-
Subject
-
Fenton, Richard, 1757-1772
Moravians--Biography
Biographies
-
Identifier
-
Shelfmark: Ful/3/29
-
Place
-
Fulneck, England
-
Language
-
English
-
Extent
-
3 pages
-
Rights Holder
-
Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, UK
-
transcript of
-
The Course of Life, of the great Boy Richd Fenton
who departed Dec. 29 1772.
Richd Fenton, Son of our Br Richd Fenton was born
the 16th of May 1757 at Pudsey, in the Parish of Cal-
verly. As a Child he went to the Brns School at Lane –
End where he learn’d till he was 12 Years old. In June
1769 he was bound Apprentice to Br John Spicer
to learn the Glover’s Business & came at the same
time to live in the Choir House, where he went on in a
still & quiet Course to the Satisfaction of his Brn
In the following Year he began to be sickly, & as all
endeavours for his recovery proved ineffectual, he grew
weaker & weaker from time to time & as his Parents
lived near, it was propos’d to him to go and live with them,
whereby he might enjoy more of their Parental Care &
Nursing; but he declin’d it. However as he grew more
helpless, he, in the beginning of last July, agreed to go
& be with his Parents, where he has enjoyed a happy
& sabbatical time waiting with Patience and Resig
– nation when it would please our Saviour to take him
into his eternal Joy & Security. He was now & then
visited by the Brn to whom he declared that altho’
he was resigned to our Savr yet he knew that it would
be better for him to be with Christ, than to recover
his Health, & live here still longer. He had an Im-
pression of our Saviour’s love towards him, which made
him look & pray to our Saviour with Confidence.
When he was visited by Brn whom he was accquainted with,
he desired that they might sign sing some Verses
with him, & several Times he mentioned in particular that
the following should be sung: I am a poor Sinner, yes
’tis true I am &c. He came here to the Meetings as long
as he was able to walk, or ride, which always seem’d
to be a refreshment to him, & when he was no more able
to come to the meetings, he was very Sorry for it, especially
when he thought that he should not have the pleasure
to attend the meetings on Christmas Eve, on which
account he propos’d that a couple of Brn should carry
him to the Hall in a Sedan; But on the 19th of Decr
in the Night, he had such a gracious visit of our
Savr that he became quite satisfied, with his not
being able to come to the meetings on Christmas Eve,
for when he got up in the Morning & dressed himself
he began to speak to his Mother about it & told her there
had happened an alteration with him last Night
when she asked what way, he told her that our Savr
had been very near to him & he had kept a band with him
about every thing, & our Savr had forgiven him all &
would take him soon to himself. He also said: “I gave
myself quite anew to our Saviour, & he accepted me as
his own Child, Believing his time would be short, he
desired that his Srs in the Choir House might be
sent for, to tell them how happy our Saviour had
made him, & that he would soon take him to himself
to be happy & to live with him forever. Since this
time he grew weaker so fast, that one could see the
time of his Departure came on very quickly. Some
Days before his going home, his Master came to
see him, & when he was going to leave him, he reached
his hand to his Master & thanked him for all the
love & favours he had shewn to him, telling him:
he very likely might never see him any more in this
World, & so it came to pass, for on Decr 29th, 1772
in the Morning his Soul took its Flight, to that
God, who had created & redeemed him & made him
so happy by his precious Nearness, in the 16th
Year of his Age.
