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Title
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Esther Preston (1719-1771)
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Publisher
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Moravian Lives Project
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Date
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1771
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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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Esther Preston, born in 1719 at Kirkheaton, was raised in the Church of England and from early childhood felt a strong spiritual longing and fear of displeasing God. As a young girl she struggled between religious devotion and worldly amusements, but eventually found the spiritual community she had always desired through the preaching of Mr. Ingham and the Moravian Brethren. She joined the Moravian congregation in 1744 and devoted her life to serving within the Sisters’ communities at places such as Cleckheaton and Fulneck, where she became known for her simplicity, humility, faithfulness, and close personal devotion to the Savior. She was especially admired for her honesty about her spiritual struggles and her loving care toward others, particularly the sick. After suffering a stroke-like illness that left her speechless and weak, she died peacefully in February 1771, remembered by the congregation as a deeply sincere and “happy sinner” devoted to Christ.
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Subject
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Preston, Esther, 1719-1771
Moravians--Biography
Women--Biography
Biographies
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Identifier
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Ful/3/41
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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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3 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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Esther Preston, who went to our Savr on Febry the 22 1771
was born at Kirkheaton Ap 8 1719, of Ch Engl Parrents
She has left the following Concerning her Course,
I have from my earliest years, felt the drawings of the holy spirits
upon my heart, tho I did not understand it at that time.
When about 4 years old I asked my Parrents to take me with
them to Church, which they promised me Soon, having asked my
mother what the Church was, She told me it was Gods House,
which made me verry desirous of being there, in somuch that
my Parrents being from home, I desir ‘d to be carry’ d in a
Coffin & bury’ d before they came back upon their return they
took me with them, when there, the impression of the divine
Presence of God struck my mind, so as I never had felt the like
and remain’d with me so that when among my school Companions
if any one told a lie or said any Bad thing, it made me much
afraid thinking and often saying if we was good Children then
God would love us, but if not so, we shou’d go to hell, about
9 years of age I was taken ill of a fever, which I had hardly
recover ‘d before the same return’d, during which time I was verry
uneasy, feeling my own depravity, and not knowing how to
amend my self upon my recovery, I learn’d to read the Bible
especially the new Testament Concerning Our Savrs death & Suffferings
tho I did not understand, that He Suffer’d for me, but
thought by reading, Praying & doing nothing bad, I should
obtain the favour & love of God, yet this afforded me no real
Satisfaction, I thought if my Companions where but of one mind
with me then we could Serve the Lord, but they were not of
my mind, I often thought if there was but a people in this world,
of one heart to Serve the Lord, and if I might but live among
them I should then be happy, but not having the Opportunity
of such Aquaintance at that time my former Companions soon
Sown overcame me & in my 15 year took me to the dancing school
with them, which together with my inclination led me aside from
my former Convictions, so that I now lik’d nothing better than
singing & dancing, this did not last very long, when by accident
I not a Funeral Sermon, upon the death of a young Person, the
Text was Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth,
This brought me again to recolect my self, I thought if I go
on in this way I shall surely be lost, whereupon I began to leave
leave it of as much as I could, but my Companions being very
dear to me made it verry difficult to me, on the other had
accidental Circumstances brought me to a further thought
Concerning my self as I narrowly escaped being drowned 3 times
but was providentially preserved, after which time I could no
longer in any of my former amusements or Company, find any
Pleasure or Satisfaction, but was Continualy uneasy in my mind
Thus far our late Sister, When Mr Ingham began to preach in
the Churches, she went to hear him and by his means got aquainted
with the Br when she found to her Great Joy the people she
had so long wish’d for, She soon got admission into their
fellowship, was rec’d into the Congn July 26 1744 & admitted to the
Holy Communion on her desire to live with the Sisters, caus’d
her to leave her Fathers House soon after, & she lived for some
time with a few Sisters at Robert town from whence she removd
to Cleckheaton Oeconony 1746, where she went on in her usual
Simple Course; till she with some others mov’d to the House
Oeconomy where she remain’d till the Childrs Oeconomy came down
to smith house when she and more Sisters went to Care for the
Child’rn’s wash she was much belov’d, for her Simple.
faithful attachment to Our Savr & his Congn. The of 15 1752
She had the Grace to be one of the first inhabitants of the
Choir house at fullneck. She had also the grace to be
present at the Choir Communion, kept by the late Disciple in
1754, when the Discipleship was renew ‘d in the Congn she
injoyd that grace several times as Choir Discipless amidst all
those favours she knew herself as the poorest Creature,
and had a sup impression of what our Saviour has done for
her, & thro the deep Sence of undeserved Grace, she cou’d not
hear an unintire thought but made it known to her Sisters
with bitter Complaints that our Savr had not got the better
of such & such things for which he had suffer’d so much,
Nor cou’d ever rest till he had Comforted her over every
deviation from Him by which means, she improv’d daily,
in the sinnerlike Connection with Our Savr and the Sisters
and was a real Blessing to all about her, and to whom
She was known, She was on example of True Love and
Simplicity, She spoke as familiarly with our Savr, as if
He was her Bosom friend, about all her matters inwardly
and outwardly, and took her daily strength from His dear
Boson Her Memory, will Remain dear to her Choir.
as the Beauty of a happy Sinneres was seen, and felt
in her On account of her great weakness she has for
Several months Past been in the Sickroom where she was
as exeeding agreable Companion to the Sick and as much
as her strength would permit waited on them with great
pleasure, On the 15 of Febry she got up in the Morning
as usual But soon after was heard to groan, when the
Sisters came to her she was hoppling against the wall, being
struck with a fitt on her right side & Speechless, for
some days we was in hopes she woud Recover, and be
enabled to speak again, but found all means us’d to
no purpose, Our Gracious Lord had already rejoin’d
this Flower and made her in her last days, partaka
of His Sufferings. She Continued mostly unsencible, Till
on the 25 at 9 o Clock on the evening when her precious
Soul took flight into the arms of her Beloved just
as the hornswhere blowing, for the Sacrament Lovefeast
