Moravian Lives @ Moravian U

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Ful/3/108
Memoir of the Single Sr Eleanor Briggs
I was born at Pudsey in the Parish of Calverly, County of York, Oct. 20th 1752 and
Baptized by a Presbyterian Minister, my Parents being of that persuasion, but soon after
join'd the Methodists, who having at that time no Chapel in Pudsey, they held their meetings in
my Fathers house. the Ministers who came at different times to preach, often prayed the Lord
to bless us Children the names of Mr Whitfield, Westley, Grimshaw, Eastwood, and many others
I remember particularly, and have often in the sequel thought their blessing has rested upon
us. When I was five years old it pleas'd the Lord to take my Father to himself, after a tedious
illness of two years, which brought my Mother into very distressing circumstances, a few
days before his departure, he desir'd that Mother with us five Children might be call'd to his
bedside that he might commend us in prayer to the Lord and give us his last blessing,
he assur'd my Mother the Lord wou'd care for her and us too, if she wou'd only put her trust
in him. it was a moving sight five helpless Children, with a Mother almost drown'd in tears
and ready to faint with sorrow, happily for her she knew in whom she believed, and trusted
in him with her whole heart, and amid'st all her trouble she had faith that the Lord wou'd
never leave nor forsake her, and she was not put to shame. In my sixth year it happen'd
to be where one of the Methodists was preaching which terrified me so much that for some
days after I cou'd do nothing but cry, his discourse was upon the state of the wicked after
death, I thought I was one of those wicked people, and must go to hell, I told my Mother
my distress, she bid me pray to God to have mercy upon me, I did this as well as I cou'd
but thought I was so bad he wou'd not grant my prayer, I beg'd her to pray for me that
I might not be lost, she assur'd me she did, and she was sure I shou'd be saved if I was a
good Child however this did not satisfy me, an Uncle of mine who lived near Fulneck came
often to our house, he was one of the Brethren, I thought the next time I saw him I wou'd
tell him my distress, I was so anxious to see him and know what he wou'd say to me
that I went into a Wood he had to pass thro to meet him, he took me up in his arms
telling me that God Almighty whom I was so much afraid of came into the world to
as a little Child, and lived a life of suffering upwards of thirty years on purpose
to save sinners from being lost, this made a deep impression upon me, which I never lost
tho' I have since run astray in various ways, yet my gracious Savior kept his
hand over me. A Gentlemans man in the town who took delight in visiting the poor and
doing good came often to see my Mother, and was a great comfort to her, she put me to
school, and said when I was big enough she wou'd take me into her own family, but
it pleas'd the Lord to order it otherwise, my Mother being unable to provide for five
Children was oblig'd to apply to the overseer for relief, he propos'd placing the two
oldest Girls out aprentice, this caus'd her great trouble knowing that many were
placed in families, where neither their souls nor bodies were car'd for, she pray'd
fervently to the Lord himself to make a way for us, and in answer to her prayer a
friend of hers came in as overseer, to him she told her trouble, he gave her the choice
of three places, the one she fix'd on for me was the Revd Mr Charlesworth of
Fulneck, I being the youngest he was surpriz'd that she chose that for me, and ask'd
reason, at that time she knew nothing of the Brethren, and cou'd only give [torn]
reason that it was impress'd on her mind, it was the place for me, the [torn]
provided my way and brought me to his chosen people, where thro his grace [torn]
remain'd, his all powerful hand has in mercy been held over me, and [torn]
to keep my ground even to this day, when I am completing my sixtieth [torn]
committed to the care of the Revd Mr Charlesworth, and bound [torn]
Mother entreated him not to let me be turn'd off the place when my time was [torn]
her with Fatherly kindness and assur'd her I shou'd not if I conducted [torn]
ought, the time was now come when my Mother & I must part, after [torn]
on both sides, she pray'd the Lord to bless me, and bid me farewell, [torn]
among entire strangers, my much respected Master & Mistress [torn]
helpless Child only eight years old, with the utmost tenderness [torn]
will be rewarded by Him who takes notice of the smallest kind [torn]
Children, especially to the fatherless, I was put to a school kept in [torn]
I had an opportunity of learning many verses concerning our Saviors [torn]
deep impression upon me, the school Srs was not able to teach us

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of work, but she never fail'd to tell as much of our Savior, she one day took us into the
Srs sleeproom, as soon as the door open'd, the thought struck me, O that I might one day
live in this house, and while my companions were looking about them I crept unobserv'd
between the beds and prostrated myself in prayer to my Savior to grant me this favor
and simple as it was the Lord did not disdain to hear me, for soon after my dear
Master was appointed to the office of Minister & warden of the Congn and having
only 1 room for themselves, and another for their servant they cou'd not take me,
now came on the trial what was to become of me? at that time no Children
were permitted to live on the place whose Parents did not belong, therefore my stay
was much oppos'd, but my good Master feeling bound by his promise to my Mother
beg'd it might be submitted to a direction from the Lord, leave was granted not only
to remain in Fulneck but also to live in the Srs house, previous to this Mr Charlesworth
had obtain'd the promise of the Choir helper of the Single Srs, Sr Mary Vongelson
to take me in, promising on his part that I shou'd not be troublesome to the family
with regard to my living, she took me into her special care, and treated me with
the tenderness of a Mother, her memory will be ever dear to me a helpless orphan
I trust the Lord has rewarded her in this world, and that she is now receiving the
crowning reward in heaven, it was a severe trial to me when this dear person
was call'd to Gracehill as Choir helper of the Srs there, but the Lord in whom I trusted did
not forsake me. - I was rec'd into the Cong'n in the year 1767. which prov'd a great
blessing to me, and I went on for some time happy and chearful, but subsequently fell
into a dark indifferent state, yet strong convictions that I was wrong follow'd me
good advice was not wanting, but foolishly disregard'd till it pleas'd the Lord to visit me
with a fit of sickness, which brought me so low that I was on the brink of the grave when
I was inform'd that the Doctor had given me up, I said I shou'd soon be gone, it gave
me a shock no words can describe, the fear that I must be lost for ever drove me in
earnest prayer to the Lord to raise me from that bed of sickness, and not to permit
me to be launch'd into eternity unprepar'd, it pleas'd him in mercy to grant my request
and I made many promises to him to begin again anew, but alas they were soon
forgot when I got well, and I went on as before, till the Lord in mercy to his
rebellious [inserted above line: creature] visited me with another severe attack of sickness, it struck me with
such a deep sense of my sinful state, that I fell on my face at his feet imploring his
patience and forgiveness, and from that time I determin'd to follow the Lord thro
all whether hard or easy might be my lot thro life. - In Octr 1776 I had the favor
to be a spectator at the Holy Comn and July the 19th 1777 to partake of that high-
est good, I shall never forget that enjoyment, I had many difficulties to encounter
in outward circumstances, apparently often impossible to be overcome but the
help of my Savr brought me thro, and about this time I was appointed to teach
in the Childrens school in Pudsey plan, for some time it was in a very prosperous
state, during the summer as many as sixty in number, and some pleasing proofs
of our Saviors blessing became manifested at the departure of many of these dear
young Children, from hence I was call'd into the Srs House to have the care
of the wash, this situation I found one of peculiar difficulties, but here also
[torn] ved the Lords help was sufficient to support me, now I will look
on the way the Lord hath led me, to humble and prove me, and know
what was in my heart, to see how kindly he has led me on tho' at times it seem'd
[torn] sible, I had many hard struggles before I could bring myself to lie as
[torn] the feet of my Savior, but one day when in the deepest distress I took the
book and open'd the words for myself, the Lord thy God turn'd the curse into
[torn] because the Lord thy God loved thee, it came with such power to
[torn] as if spoken to me, and impossible as it seem'd I have liv'd to see it,
[torn] me, which constrains me to say is any thing too hard for the Lord? - After this
[torn] was pleas'd to make a way for a place of rest to me, by enabling me to procure
[torn] a little dwelling of my own, the happy days I spent there can never be
[torn] how often have I come from the Chapel and prostrated myself before my Savior
[torn] ends, his gracious visitations there constrain me to say in the words of the
[torn] is present here. Fulneck, O Fulneck [torn] prov'd, Fulneck which is my
dear resting place, how often hast thou witness'd my prayers and tears offer'd up for my
[torn]distress, every spot in thee is hallowed ground thro' [torn]

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hundreds who have been train'd upon thee, and brought to the knowledge of a Savior
in that dear place, O that the Lord may in future cause his face to shine upon it, to the
end of days, that thousands yet unborn may be converted, and become witnesses of his
salvation together with hundreds in my time who in that blessed place found grace
and who will join me in an endless eternity to sing his praises for bringing us
thither, I desire especially dear Savior to give thee unfeigned thanks for raising
me up a friend who for fifty years has remained such, thro' all painful and trying
circumstances, and now when I am old, and unable to help myself is willing to
assist and care for me, I thank thee for giving her grace and patience to bear with my
infirmities with unexampled tenderness, merciful Lord be pleas'd to reward her for all
her kind services, thou hast promised that a cup of cold water given in thy name
to any of thy Children shall receive its reward, and I feel assured thou hast seen her
kindness to me, and wilt bless her abundantly, most merciful Lord be pleas'd to accept
of my grateful tears, for all thy gracious answers to my prayers all my life long,
day again thou hast fulfill'd thy promise that thou wilt help thy poor unworthy crea-
ture who calls upon thee in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt
glorify me, this 24th of Augst is one of those never to be forgotten, I did indeed sit under his
shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste, his banner over me was love, all around me
was mercy the remembrance will remain dear as long as I remain in this poor
tabernacle of clay, and when permitted to join the saints above my praises shall be
tuned to higher strains of gratitude to my dear Redeemer for his condescention to his
poor worm for such unbounded favors, Jesus will I never leave, while I breathe and
have my senses - from his merits I receive, pardon for my past offenses, all the powers
of my mind, to my Savior are resign'd. - And now my dr Savr since it hath pleas'd thee
to take to thyself my best earthly friend I humbly entreat thee to heal the wound, nothing
short of thyself can heal a broken heart, come thou and dwell within me, I desire to adore
thee for thy gift in her continued to me for sixty years, she was thine not mine, and tho
separated by circumstances for 15 years, thou broughtest us together again, and wert our
refuge in all trials, we lived in love and harmony, our only object being to preserve a close
communion with thee, after 22 years thus spent thou hast received her to thyself, I thank
thee for her happy lot, I know she is receiving her reward for faithfulness to those commit-
-ed to her care besides me, - And now I desire to thank thee for preparing a home for
me here in Fairfield when I was destitute, and raising up friends who provide for [torn]
wants, wait upon me, and treat me with kindness beyond what I deserve, also for
many other friends who contribute to my comfort, one Lady in particular, may thy
blessing rest upon her & her sister, and a number of other friends, thou knowest them all
whose bounty, and sympathy for my afflicted state have wiped away many bitter tears
dr. Savr. once more I humbly entreat thee to lay thy blessing on all those who feel for and succor
the afflicted, and if the smallest things are noticed and rewarded by thee, the greater vouchs [torn]
to me cannot be overlook'd this is my comfort under a weight of obligations, which no [torn]
but thy blessing can repay. - Prayer has been my support thro life and thro [torn]
now the staff of my old age, O may that precious gift be preserved to me to [torn]
days. - A Prayer thou mine of things unknown - Who can be poor [torn]
Thou wert the fount of things unknown - And more than worlds of good
bereft of all beside - That bears the name or form of bliss - Or, w [torn]
betide - My God in mercy love me this.-