Moravian Lives @ Moravian U

The Life of the Widower Br Jr. Evans as Dictated by himself.  I was born at Presteign Radnorshire May 3d 1714. being in low Circumstances I went as a Boy into Service to do Husbandry work, but had early impressions, abt my present & future State, not without Temptations to make away wth my Self having at times great Anxiety abt my unsafe State. But our Savr has graciously kept his hand over me & preserv’d me in many dangers of Body & Soul. While in Service wth Esqr Legge I was sent up a Ladder to the pidgeon holes & got a fall, by which my Thigh joint was put out & has remain’d so ever since. I then learnd the Clothing BusynessBusiness, here my Concern for my Salvation encreasdincreased & I thought I had committed the Sin against the H. Ghost, but was much comforted by hearing some Religious Books Read on the Subject.

One Parker from Londn & soon after the late Br Beaumon came & preach’d in those parts, & when a SoicetySociety was settled at thelgore, I was also a Member thereof, I hereby got some knowledge of the Brn. I went on in a very legal course, but cod find no Rest for my Soul, till once in my distress our Savr manifested himself to my Soul, wch removed all my Fears, & I enjoy’d a happy Intercourse wth him for 3 Years. After Mr. Beaumons Decease there was different Doctrines Taught by the Methodists but Br Cennick having preach’d there many were dispos’d to adhere to the Brn when I wth sevl more Join’d Br Roberts & sent a Written Invitation to the Brn, wch was accepted of.

At a time when there was a difference in opinion whether we shod pay our Devotion to our Savr in his Glorified State or in that of his Suffring’s upon wch I pray’d our Savr to make it clear to himme, upon wch  Note: I

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I had such a Manifestation of our Savr in his suffering from in Spirit as if he had seen him wth his bodily Eyes, wch melted himme into Tears of Love & tenderness. He remov’d to Leominster in order to enjoy the more special Fellowships of the Congn I was Rec’d in the Congn in August 64, but not admitted to the Comn till July 63. during wch time of waiting he had [muornering]?in his Mind; & being engaged in foulness wth merely Natural people in Mr. Nelnos? Busyness, he went aside & cast himself at our Savrs feet & implor’d him to shew him what was his hindrance, who manifested it to him that it was his own fault, his heart was grown Dry & indifferent towards him, wch he acknowledg’d wth abasemnt & soon after was admitted to partake of that Grace.

In Jany 64. he was Marrd to his late Wife wth whom he liv’d in a Comfortable & happy manner. She has always [???] & enjoy’d the fellowship & blessings in the Congnwhile without interruption.

He became a Widower in July 81. this alteration affected him much finding himself so lonely & often thought he shodnot be long after her, & last winter he began to fail pretty much, & abt Candlemas grew incapable of doing his work, altho’ he had struggled wth it longer than cod have been expected.

During his Sickness wasin a Dropsical Disorder, it has been evident that he has Legitimated himself as a faithful Servt where he has work’d both at Paesteign & Leominster he having rec’d much kindness & assistance from them. he was of a plain blunt, but very honest disposition. but our Savr was his object & his heart cleav’d to him, & most pleas’d wth what honour’d him.

In his heavy Sickness he earnestly desires to be disolv’d & to be at home wth his Lord. He was diligently visited, & many Verses sung by him for for which he was thankfullthankful; on the 5th in the afternoon as his dissolution drew near, some Brn & Srs came to him, & in a feeling Prayer recommended him to our Savr for the Accomplishment of all his thoughts of Peace in him & with him & in the Peace of Jesus Christ the blessing of the Congrn was imparted to him & in the Evening he departed happily to his Everlasting Rest.