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Title
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John Hugh (1743-1772)
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Creator
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Hugh, John, 1743-1772
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1772
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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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John Hugh, born in Pembrokeshire in 1741, was introduced to Moravian preaching and children’s meetings at a young age, where he first developed a love for the Savior through hymns, prayer, and simple religious fellowship. Although as a teenager he drifted toward worldly influences while working in difficult service positions, he later returned to a more serious spiritual life after reconnecting with Moravian believers and attending meetings in Haverfordwest. He eventually joined the Moravian congregation in 1765 and described experiencing deep joy, peace, and assurance through prayer, worship, and Holy Communion, often feeling spiritually comforted during solitary walks and devotions. After moving to Fulneck, he was respected for his sincere faith and devotion to the congregation, but a severe illness eventually overtook him. Facing death calmly and gratefully, he expressed confidence in Christ’s saving grace and died peacefully in 1772 at the age of thirty-one.
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Subject
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Hugh, John, 1743-1772
Moravians--Biography
Autobiographies
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Identifier
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Shelfmark: Ful/3/60
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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, UK
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transcript of
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John Hugh who Departed May 22d 1772 has dictated the folloing concerning his Life
I was born at Frestrup in the Parish of PembrokshireFebr 6th
1741, & lived with my Parents till I was 7 years of Age; about this
time Br Cennick came into this Country & Preached the Gospel,
my Mother who went frequently to hear him, took me with her
which I liked. When a Childrens Meeting was begun, I had the
Grace to be one of them who attended it, which proved a blessing
to me, for there I got the first Impression of our SavrsLove.
Esqr Roach of Clarison being a lover of the Gospel & a friend
of Children he settled a School, to which I also was taken, but I
having no Genius for learning, did not bring it far, yet by frequent
hearing the Versses out of the little Hymn Book which he had bought
for the Children, I learned many of them by heart & delighted in
singing them. Our Master who was a very good Man, used to sing
Verses before & after Meals of which the following made a particular
Impression upon me: We thank the Lord for this our Food; but more
for Jesus Flesh & Blood the Manna to the Spirit giv’n the living Bread
sent down from Heav’n. At Nights our Master used to kneel
down with us, & oftens pray’d very heartily that our Savr might
preserve us from every bad thing & lead us in the way to everlasting
Life. We Children kept also Meetings among ourselves & when we
went into the Fields, we sometimes kneel’d down under the Hedges &
pray’d to our Savr in a Childlike simple manner. When I was about
12 years of age I went to Service, where I had it very hard, nor did
I get enough to eat. After 2 Years I went to another place, where I
had it better in outward respects, but was much exposed to bad and
hurtful Company, so that I lost those good Impressions which I had
as a Child, & a Desire for the World & its Vanity took place in me.
When I was about 19 Years old, one of my former Masters wanted
me to enter again into his Service, with whom I also agreed, & as
I learn’d afterwards, a Scheme was laid, that if I had come there,
I very likely should have settled & been entirely lost in the things of
this World; but before the time came quite on, I went to see my
Mother & Sister, who persuaded me to go & work as a Mason on the
Fortification, which was then to be build, tho’ I never had been em-
ploy’d as a Mason before, but I got Tools & went, & the Lord to
whom I pray’d, helped me, so that I could go on with the work & there-
by all Dangers, which awaited me, if I had gone again to Service,
were prevented. Living now with my Mother, she asked me to go with
her to divine Service, which I did, as I had no particular Choise in
this Respect. After I had been to hear Br Nyberg several times he spoke
to me & invited me to call & see him, which I did the Sunday after, when
we had had some Conversation together, he told me, that now the
Society would have a meeting & I might be present; As soon as I
entered the Room, I was seized with an holy awe & the praying
of the Litany in that Meeting made such an Impression upon me
that I not only looked upon them as true Children of God, but became
also seriously concerned about myself. I then went to the Meeting
every Sunday & in my return, I oftens pray’ d to our Savr to
make me happy & give me the assurance thereof in my heart.
I had still some Difficulties on account of my former Connexions,
but my faithfull Savr help’d me thro’ & made me free from them all.
As we lived about 3 Miles distant from Haverforthwest, & my
Mother was not so well cared for as I could wish, I took a House
& moved with her to Haverforthwest where we lived happily toge-
ther. May the 12th 1765 I was received into the Congn which I
esteemed very highly. In general I have had a very happy time
& had many a Visit from our Savr in the Converse with him; As well
in my Sleeping place, as when I took a walk in the Fields & once
in particular when I walked by the River Side, He appeared to my poor
heart & assured me that I should be His & that he has shed his Blood for
all my Sins; March 31st 1768I was made a partaker of our Lords
Flesh & Blood in the holy Sacrament, Ah! how thankful am I
for all the Grace our Savr has bestow’d upon me, how often has He drawn
so near to me, that I have melted into Tears, when I have been praying
or speaking to him, these were happy Times, which I shall never forget.
Thus far his own words.
When Br Petrus was in Haverforthwest, he desired & obtained leave
to come to Fulneck & arrived here Augst 28th 1768. His course here has
been Edifying & to our Satisfaction, he always expressed a great
Regard for the Congn, but when he saw or heard any thing unbecoming
in any one, who lived in the Congn, he did not rightly know how to
take it, yet our Savr always reminded him to look to himself &
to dwell upon the faults of others & thereby farther hurt was
prevented. He oftens expressed a Desire to serve our Savr, & some
time before his last Sickness begun; he declared to his Labourer:
That he had devoted himself quite a new to our Savr & his People,
was quite satisfied as & where he was at present, but if our Savr
would give him a Call to any other place or employ, if he but
knew, it came from Him, he would accept of it with all
his heart. Last Decemberhe got a bad Cold, which turned
to a severe Cough attended with a Hectic Fever. He expressed
a Desire to go to our Savr, but said, that he was not clear, if
it would be now. The Medicine he took had but little affect
yet we thought, the warm wheather & some gentle Exercise
might perhaps be a means of his recovery, & when it was prac-
ticed, it seemed to have a good effect, so that about 3 weeks ago
he thought still, that he would be able to take a Journey to Wales
& fixed the day for his setting out, which proved to be the day of
his happy Departure. Eight Days ago his Sickness took a turn,
when it appeared, that his time here would be but short, & when
the Doctor told him so, he was exceeding glad of it & waited with
resignation for his Desolution; a little before his Departure, a
Br said to him: that now he would soon be with our Savr and appear
before him in his Blood & Righteousness, upon which he answered
Ah! that is pretty, if I had no Savr, what should I do now? In this
Comfortable Disposition & with a Reconciled hearthe went to his Redeemer
in the 31st Year of his Age .
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Reading Version:
John Hugh
1
John Hugh who Departed May 22d 1772 has dictated the
following concerning his Life
I was born at Frestrup in the Parish of Pembrokshire Febr 6th
1741, & lived with my Parents till I was 7 years of Age; about this
time Br Cennick came into this Country & Preached the Gospel,
my Mother who went frequently to hear him, took me with her
which I liked. When a Childrens Meeting was begun, I had the
Grace to be one of them who attended it, which proved a blessing
to me, for there I got the first Impression of our Savrs Love.
Esqr Roach of Clarison being a lover of the Gospel & a friend
of Children he settled a School, to which I also was taken, but I
having no Genius for learning, did not bring it far, yet by frequent
hearing the Versses out of the little Hymn Book which he had bought
for the Children, I learned many of them by heart & delighted in
singing them. Our Master who was a very good Man, used to sing
Verses before & after Meals of which the following made a particular
Impression upon me: We thank the Lord for this our Food; but more
for Jesus Flesh & Blood the Manna to the Spirit giv’n the living Bread
sent down from Heav’n. At Nights our Master used to kneel
down with us, & oftens pray’d very heartily that our Savr might
preserve us from every bad thing & lead us in the way to everlasting
Life. We Children kept also Meetings among ourselves & when we
went into the Fields, we sometimes kneel’d down under the Hedges &
pray’d to our Savr in a Childlike simple manner. When I was about
12 years of age I went to Service, where I had it very hard, nor did
2
I get enough to eat. After 2 Years I went to another place, where I
had it better in outward respects, but was much exposed to bad and
hurtful Company, so that I lost those good Impressions which I had
as a Child, & a Desire for the World & is Vanity took place in me.
When I was about 19 Years old, one of my former Masters wanted
me to enter again into his Service, with whom I also agreed, & as
I learn’d afterwards, a Scheme was laid, that if I had come there,
I very likely should have settled & been entirely lost in the things of
this World; but before the time came quite on, I went to see my
Mother & Sister, who persuaded me to go & work as a Mason on the
Fortification, which was then to be build, tho’ I never had been em-
ploy’d as a Mason before, but I got Tools & went, & the Lord to
whom I pray’d, helped me, so that I could go on with the work & there
by all Dangers, which awaited me, if I had gone again to Service,
were prevented. Living now with my Mother, she asked me to go with
her to divine Service, which I did, as I had no particular Choise in
this Respect. After I had been to hear Br Nyberg several times he spoke
to me & invited me to call & see him, which I did the Sunday after, when
we had had some Conversation together, he told me, that now the
Society would have a meeting & I might be present; As soon as I
entered the Room, I was seized with an holy awe & the praying
of the Litany in that Meeting made such an Impression upon me
that I not only looked upon them as true Children of God, but became
also seriously concerned about myself. I then went to the Meeting
every
3
every Sunday & in my return, I oftens pray’ d to our Savr to
make me happy & give me the assurance thereof in my heart.
I had still some Difficulties on account of my former Connexions
but my faithfull Savr help’d me thro’ & made me free from them all .
As we lived about 3 Miles distant from Haverforthwest, & my
Mother was not so well cared for as I could wish, I took a House
& moved with her to Haverforthwest where we lived happily toge-
ther. May the 12th 1765 I was received into the Congn which I
esteemed very highly. In general I have had a very happy time
& had many a Visit from our Savr in the Converse with him; As well
in my Sleeping place, as when I took a walk in the Fields & once
in particular when I walked by the River Side, He appeared to my poor
heart & assured me that I should be His & that he has shed his Blood for
all my Sins; March 31st 1768 I was made a partaker of our Lords
Flesh & Blood in the holy Sacrament, Ah! how thankful mn I
for all the Grace our Savr has bestow’d upon me, how often has He drawn
so near to me, that I have melted into Tears, when I have been praying
or speaking to him, these were happy Times, which I shall never forget.
Thus far his own words.
When Br Petrus was in Haverforthwest, he desired & obtained leave
to come to Fulneck & arrived here Augst 28th 1768. His course here has
been Edifying & to our Satisfaction, he always expressed a great
Regard for the Congn, but when he saw or heard any thing unbecoming
in any one, who lived in the Congn, he did not rightly know how to
take it, yet our Savr always reminded him to look to himself &
4
to dwell upon the faults of others & thereby farther hurt was
prevented. He oftens expressed a Desire to serve our Savr, & some
time before his last Sickness begun; he declared to his Labourer:
That he had devoted himself quite a new to our Savr & his People,
was quite satisfied as & where he was at present, but if our Savr
would give him a Call to any other place or employ, if he but
knew, it came from Him, he would accept of it with all
his heart. Last December he got a bad Cold, which turned
to a severe Cough attended with a Hectic Fever. He expressed
a Desire to go to our Savr, but said, that he was not clear, if
it would be now. The Medicine he took had but little affect
yet we thought, the warm wheather & some gentle Exercise
might perhaps be a means of his recovery, & when it was prac-
ticed, it seemed to have a good effect, so that about 3 weeks ago
he thought still, that he would be able to take a Journey to Wales
& fixed the day for his setting out, which proved to be the day of
his happy Departure. Eight Days ago his Sickness took a turn,
when it appeared, that his time here would be but short, & when
the Doctor told him so, he was exceeding glad of it & waited with
resignation for his Desolution; a little before his Departure, a
Br said to him: that now he would soon be with our Savr and
appear before him in his Blood & Righteousness, upon which he answered
Ah! that is pretty, if I had no Savr, what should I do now? In this
Comfortable Disposition & with a Reconciled heart he went to his Redeemer
in the 31st Year of his Age.
