Moravian Lives @ Moravian U

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Ful/3/49 The Course of Life of our Dr. Br. John Clarke From Holbeck.
                                                  Departed June 13. 1761.

Our Br. Jno Clarke was born in ye Year 1693. at Busling=
=thorp in the Parish of Leeds Yorkshire; His Parents were Religious
Presbiterians & brot. up their Son in ye same Way, he was bound an
Aprentice to a Cloth-maker of ye same Profession who had a strict Eye
over his Course in Genl. During his Apprenticeship, he was usd to go
with some others to ye Minister's House at Leisure times to sing
Psalms &c, & was belovd by his Minister. In ye Year 1716 he enterd
into ye Mard. State & had a very agreeable Helpmate, this pair durg
38 Years they livd together, were so free from Domestic broils, that he
was never observd to be Angry with with his Wife; they had
3 Children [inserted above line: together] viz 1 Son & 2 Daughters, one of ye Daughters after having
heard ye Gosple & been recd. into ye Society went happily to our
Savr., the surviving Son & Daughter are Amongst ye No. of our
Comts. (both Singl.) & are belovd by their respective Choirs - When
the Preaching began in this Country, our Br. thro ye Prejudice of his Edu=
=cation was for [inserted above line: a little] time prevented from going to hear, because as he said ye
Comon pray^er. was read, & [inserted above line: he] likd best to hear Ministers who Prayd by
Heart & not by Book, When Br. Browne came to assist Mr. Ing=
=ham he was told that there was a man come to preach who both
prayd & prd. Istemporary, he went to hear, & from that [inserted above line: time he] came a
constant fog follower; When ye Society was first settled at
Holbeck he & his Family were recd. into it, & after ye Departure
of Uttley's the Meetings were kept at our [inserted above line: their] Brs. House which is, near
8 Years also [inserted above line: ago] since wch [inserted above line: time] they have taken care to make all things as
convenient & Pretty as Possible for ye Brn. who went to keep ye Meetgs.

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& also for ye People who frequented there. The 12 of May 1754 he
was recd. into ye Congn. wch was a particular favr. for [inserted above line: to] him, he said it
was ye happiest Day he had enjoyd in his [inserted above line: whole] Life, his Wife lay up=
=on her sick bed & because she was not able to come [inserted above line: to ye Hall] she was recd. into ye Congn.
a few [inserted above line: Days after] at their own House, she continued waiting for ye hour of her release till
ye 6 of Decr. when ye happy hour came & she [inserted above line: went] to her Bridegroom & was
interd in our Burying Ground. Our dr. Br. in his Widr. State was
Stayd & Solid & also always chearfull & contented; he was approvd
of by our dr. Savr. as a Candidate for ye holy Comn. & went towards
Lamb's Hill but was obligd to return after having gone a part
of ye Way on Acct. of his Painfull Disorder (The Stone & Gravel)
wch he Labrd. under & bore it with Patience till ye end of all his distress.
on this Accot. he was deprivd of ye enjoyment of ye Corps & Blood
of our Lord in ye holy Sacrament, so that he did not partake of it
till he went to ye Congn. above. He & his Family had a desire for a long
time to move nearer Lamb's Hill, & obtaind leave, they wd. have
movd last May had it not been for ye Difficulty of geting a
convenient place in ye Plan to keep ye [inserted above line: Society] Meetgs. on that Accot.
they consented to stay contrary to their Inclinations. Thursd. ye 4th
Instant when Br. Pugh went to Holbeck to keep ye Meetg he
found him upon ye Bed & when he enquird how he was he sd.
he had a little Blister upon his Leg & he was Lying down to
ease it as it was troblesome when he sat up; he wd. not be
satisfyd with [inserted above line: out] shewing ye sore part, wch when seen appeard as
ye means appointed for his Disolution, when he was askd about
going to our Savr. he said he wd. Gladly go when our Savrs.
time came & wd. be Glad to see him & be for ever with Him.
When his Labrs. visited him on ye 7th he was chearfull & said
he wishd for ye happy Moment when our Savr. [inserted above line: wd] take him to

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to his Eternal Rest. ye 8th. he was visited again & a feeling Liturgy
kept by him. Frid. ye 12. his Labr. paid him ye last visit he was
quite sensible; ye night before he had a shaking fit like to an Ague
fit, he cd. searely bear it & finding himself perplex [inserted above line: he] said Lord tho
thou slay me yet will I trust in Thee! When he was askd [inserted above line: by his Labr] how
he was he answerd, I am now easy but very faint, I wait for
our Savr. to come & take me out of all pain & misery - I go to
him as a poor old Sinner I have confidence in Him he is
my Savr. & best Freind & were it not for him what cd I do.
he said to his Children you are my Loves, but I have a better
Love [inserted above line: still] give me up to him & dont detain me let him take me
Home to himself & [inserted above line: with him we shall see each other again] As to ye manner of your living when I leave
you I will confind you to nothing (but I think you will
do best to live together as you are both sickly, & so often in
capable of working, you can help & Nurse one another)
but He leave you to him who is our best Freind. Br. Pugh
stayd with him till about 10 oClock at night & having [inserted above line: kept a Liturgy & then] recom=
mended him to our Savr. took leave of him to see [inserted above line: him] no more here
below, he continud still till Saterd. [inserted above line: June 13th] afternoon about 5 oClock & then
grew pale in ye mercifull Arms of Jesus in ye 68th year
of his Dying Life -
F
The Sund. Morng [inserted above line: before] when he felt his [inserted above line: acute] Pain acute he said he thought [inserted above line: it] wd. make his rest
sweeter when he came to our Savr, he usd to sing verses frequently espe
=cially that Grant me to lean unshaken, & of then ??? said I want to go to
our Savr.