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Title
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Suzanna Liley (1722-
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1757?–1758?
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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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Susana Lily, born in 1722 at Spen, became connected with the Moravian Brethren in the early 1740s and gradually developed a deep spiritual devotion to Christ after struggling for years with feelings of spiritual dryness and uncertainty. Through life in various Moravian Sisters’ Oeconomies and participation in Holy Communion, she eventually experienced a profound sense of grace and closeness to the Savior, which transformed her spiritual life and brought her lasting joy. She faithfully served the community for many years, especially through cooking and caring for the Sisters, despite suffering repeated injuries, chronic weakness, and worsening illness. Even as her health declined, she remained patient, deeply attached to the Moravian congregation and her Choir, and joyfully longed to be united with her “everlasting Bridegroom.”
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Subject
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Liley, Suzanna
Moravians--Biography
Women--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/SS/18
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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, UK
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transcript of
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Susana Lily was born at Spen, in ye 12 Novr 1722 In ye year 41 her parents got acquainted with ye Brn And she also went to hear them altho at that time She had not much feeling of her heart till in ye year 42 when She got a real desier in her heart, after our Savior And to know her Election of Grace in his Wounds Apri 25 1745 in ye year 44 there was the first Regulation, of Class’s made, This proved to her a gret blessing; and She went on very happly some time but She being of a curious turn of mind, and Loveing to prey into matters, at one time She got in to Some Conversation with a Sertain person, which proved some what hurtful to her But however; She soon got helped; for her Natural Disposs on, was very upright, so that She always spoke her mind just as it was to those who had ye Care of her, in the same year She was Reced in to the Congregation, She now thought She was out of all danger and that nothing more Could happen to her, wereby She came into acertain dryness for some time, which proved very heavey to her; as She was very upright an Conscientious; wch was thought that her being mad[e] a pertaker of the holy Sacrament, might prove the mens of bringing her in that right Course of Grace, which She her self as well as her Labours, percived was yet a wanting wich on ye 12th of May 1745 was granted to her it however did not take the wishd for Affect Therebeing at that time an EOconemy at Oxhayes She earnestly desierd to go to it, beliveing that it would prove a blessing to her heart; In June, there was an EOconemy began at Home when she According to her Ernest, desier, went into that EOconemy with Several more Sisters, as to her out ward behaviour She was unblammable, but through drynes of heart, She was Still keept back from going on in that happy Corse of Grace which She other wise might; in May 46 or there was some alterrations made in ye EOconomy’s And it was thought fit for her to be moved to Oxhayes
EOconem, Here our Dear Saviour brought her to a Solid feeling of heart, the State werein She had been so Long became very burdensom and intolerable to her, and She Crid with out Cesing to our Saviour, that he Should give her a deep and Lasting impression of his death and Sufferings, which He soon granted, a great Charge was then Wrought in hers which was very descernable to all who Coversd with her, & When She was spoke with her the following Lord supper it was to the Mutual Satisfaction of her self and her Labourer, it was then Alowed her to go again to the holy Sacrament; to which She had not been Admitted for some time, but on Accont of some Smal Circumstance. She Chose rather to desir all of time following; what our Saviour tho granted her to enjoy proved such a blessing to her heart which she Cou’d never forget; and which She related with many tears of joy about a fort Night before her happy dissolution from this time forward She went on in at interrupted Course of Grace; Soon after She removed from Oxhayes home EOconomy Soon after this EOconemy Left Oxhays, it was propost to her to join home or Clakern, the latter place She refused, on accont of her parent, Replying that She knew her Weakness, and what A great influence her parents had over and beg’d that She might go to the home, which She accordingly did, and Spent her time there very happyly; in June 48 She with some more Srs Removed to the Lone House, were She Lived to the satisfaction of her own heart, and of all her Sisters Octer ye Same year this EOconemy went to Live on Lamb hill, wither our Departed Sr went also, were She Continued till Decber ye 15th 1752 when she with the rest of the Sister enterd ye Choir house, were her employme was Cooking and Bakeing for the family, which She did with great faith fullness, but being of a weak Constitution She desierd to be Dismis’d from that Servis; which She accordingly was the Cannon Omit mentioning that later memorable Choir Sacrament in ye year, 54 when the dear Disciple and Deciples was here; that she was one of that Select Number, in ye year, 55 when ye EOconemy at Gummershill was began it was proposd, to her to be the Cook; which She Accepted of in May the same year She got a Lameness in her knee, by falling down stairs which disabled her from performing her office as before but she haveing Such a perticular Love for the Sisters She not Chuse quit to Relinguish it, but Continued to have the Chif Care of the kitchen, with the Asistene of another till April 50; when She return’d again to the Choir house, to her great Satisfaction; finding her knee growing rather wors then better, as also a general weakness through all her Limbs She had an inclination to go to ilkley wells, hopeing to find bennifit from ye Cold Bath, but in going She got A freack Accident, by falling of from her Horse I She had all Care and Advise possible, but to Little Affect to which the Labours Consented, and A Sister to to atten’d her; but will She was there Afreast Accident happend to by falling of from her Hourse, by which mens her Sholder was put out, and her Arms very much hurt When She returnd, back all mens possabl was usd to help her, but to Little Affect, She however made les to come to her self and others, as posable and Continued to go to ye Meeting; Once as She was present at ye Prayer Day, when the Congregation fell on their knees before our Saviour; She thought She was now able also, which She accordingly did, and in geting up again, forgot her not being able did not Concider that She was not able to help her Self as Useal, so that in geting up She fell down again, and hurt her knee, the second time, which renderd it incurable, in thes hevey Surcomstances She was very patient, believing
that our Saviour ??? unto for permitting all the our ??? could not help Some ??? Acidents to happen to her we Latley percived that her Tabernacl grew Continualy weaker Last Sepber She got a Cough and her Disorder settled on her Longes, and, She becam quit incapable of helping her Self, She Longed very much for that happy time When She Shou’d get her dismishon from hence, and Used frequently to Divert her Self with talking with the Srs about it, She never being able to be present at the dayle operr tunits was always desiers of haveing some what thereof related to her which She always heard with great pleasuer As always ye morning and Evening, She would Ask if ther her not been something perticuler, I have had such a good feeling & desierd to have the Verses repeted to her her tender Connection with the Man of Sorrows was very persepttable to all about her; As also her firm Attach ment to his Congregation, And in perticuler to her Choir, for we Cerbraly Give her the testymony of a true Choir Sister On ye Elders fest Last, She expressed her hearts felling in a very tender manner; how near our Saviour was to her; tho’ She could not be present in the hall; She said She could never express what She fell will dureing the ringing of the Bell for the Absolute 24 of November She was present at the Cohoir Cacrament which had such a powerfull affect on her; that She expressed her gret Longing to be at home with her everlasting Bridgrom, wishing that her Hour might soon Come; Decber ye 19th on ye festivel of the Mother She cou’d not be present at the hall, but She expressd her mind in a very felling manner, on this Ocation, how much faith full Care an Nursing on dear Mother, the holy gost had bestowd on her in perticuler, in prepareing and traing her up for her Eternal Bridegroom; On New years eve She was for the last time in the hall And we cant but take Notice that to the very Last, time of her pertakeing of the holy Sacramen, She She had the plesuer of Pert being present in the hall till to the very Last, which was on New years Night
