Moravian Lives @ Moravian U

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Ful/3/30
The Life of the mard. Sister Mary Calvert
who entered into the Joy of her Lord July 18th 1772.
The following is taken from her own Mouth.
"I was born at [inserted above line: Pudsey] in the Parish of Calverly Feb. 17th 1710.
My Parents being Presbiterians, I was brought up
very strictly in the same Religion. In my seventh
year my Father departed this Life, & my Mother being
a very pious Woman & a strict Observer of the Duties
of her Religion, was very careful about my Education.
I attribute it partly thereto, & partly to a Concern I
had upon my Mind from my Childhood about my Sal=
vation, that I was not drawn into the sinful Ways
& Course of the World. Indeed when I grew up
into the Girls Years, I learned to know more of my
Depravity, & also perceived a Tendancy in me to the
World, & to be like other ??? People; but
as soon as such a Desire arose in me I was very mise=
rable always feeling the most terrible Stings in my
Conscience, and a Fear of being Lost. I frequently
read the Scriptures, by which the Concern of my Mind
was increased, as I saw from thence that my Soul
was not in a safe Condition. In my 21st Year
I married my present Husband who was of the Esta=
blished Church, but he being also ??? a serious Man
& under a real Concern about his Salvation, and
moreover saw that ??? he must be
lost if he was to depart this Life in that [inserted above line: this] Condition
he then was, thought it might be better for his Soul
to turn Presbyterian, & which he accordingly
did, & thus we continued together ???
toiling & striving hard in this Religion in Order
to find Peace & Salvation for our Souls. We also went
frequently to the Communion. But amidst all this ???

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I did not ??? find that which I wanted and must have for
the satisfaction of my Heart. We moved from Idle to
Bolton, where we attended the preaching of the Methodists
for 4 Years together; but as we even here did not find
that which satisfied our Hearts, [inserted above line: and] we remained destitute
of Peace, so we never joined the Society. From hence we
removed again to Pudsey, where we endeavoured to
satisfy our Hearts by mixing the Presbyterian and
Methodist Religions together, but neither did this an=
swer, for I still remained uneasy in my Mind & uncer=
tain about my Salvation. Having a grand child with
us, I was much concerned how to preserve him from
the Wickedness of the World, & hearing of the School of
??? the Brethren [inserted above line: kept by Brn] which Abr'm Roger, I applied to him
for Leave to send this Child to the School, thinking it
would be best preserved there. He spoke heartily with
me about the Aim of this School, & the Importance
of preserving Children from the World & Sin, & took
the Child on a Trial. This Child took a pleasure in
learning Verses, & going to the Childrens Meetings, yea
he was so delighted with the Brethren that he was not
willing to go with me on Sundays ??? but would
go to Fulneck, & moreover pressed me to go with him
thither. Having been struck by the Verses he had learn=
ed & by what he related concerning the Meetings, I
agreed to go with my Boy one Sunday to Fulneck where
I heard Br LaTrobe preach, & his Discourse was just
adapted to my Case. Ah! thought I, this is the very Thing
I want; A Savr is here set forth as ready to save lost
& undone Sinners; and it [inserted above line: is] just such a Savr that I want.
Having thus heard the sweet & genuine Gospel, I never
went more either to the Presbyterians or Methodists
but constantly to the Brn's preaching, where my poor
seeking Soul was much comforted & blest by hearing
of that loving Savr who had done so much for me, & was

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willing to receive such needy Creatures as I found
myself to be. In the Year 1768 My Husband & I were
recd into the Society to our great Joy, & the special Ac=
quaintance we had afterward with the Brn proved
a great Blessing to my Heart. My principal Concern
being to know our Savr truly & experience Him as my
Savr, I often prayed in my Distress for this Grace, & He
kindly attended to me, & fully satisfied me in this
important Matter by appearing clearly to me in his
crucified Figure & granting me to see my Name
written in his Hands whereby I was fully comforted
being assured that He was mine & that I was his, &
that my Sins were done away thro' his precious Blood.
He has since then been very gracious & faithful to me
& kept my Heart in Peace & Communion with Him.
The special Acquaintance I had afterwards & private
Conversation with my Labourers has been of great
Service & blessing to me, which I have much Reason
to be thankful to our Savr for, as also for what I
have enjoyed in my Bands & in bandlike Conversations
with other Sisters. August 13th 1770 I had the Grace
granted me to be received into the Congn, which
proved a great Blessing to me, & our Savr began
a new Work of Grace in my Heart; but what I enjoyed
when I was admitted the first Time to the holy Com=
munion with the Congn, was so great I had such an
Effect upon me that I am not able to express in
Words the Blessing it was to me. [inserted above line: At the prostration during the] Enjoyment
of his broken Body it was as if my dear Savr was
essentially bodily present, entered in a new Covenant
with me, & [inserted above line: said] distinctly to me: Thou art Mine & I am
thine; & this He has kept clear to me to this Day; &

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now I only wait for that happy Hour when it shall
please Him to fetch me Home to Himself. So far her
own Acct, which she partly related to a Brother & partly
to a Sister, &
She was indeed a venerable Sister; loved &
was beloved. She had thro' Grace got a true Foundation
on Jesus Christ & his Merits, & [inserted above line: had] a real Connexion with Him.
She prized her Lot of Grace highly to know her Redeemer
& to be numbered to his People, & her Heart was
truly thankful for the Mercies & Blessings she
enjoyed. As she loved her Savr tenderly, her Mouth
overflowed with what the Heart was full of, so that
it was a real Refreshment to be in her Company &
hear her speak of what she enjoyed. ???
Some Time ago she begun to grow weak & feeble, &
so continued from [inserted above line: Time to] Time till her Departure; but
her Days of Sickness were spent in that same chearful
childlike & ??? confident Manner as be in her
Health. Her crucified Savr was her Object, & He sup=
ported & comforted her by his precious Nearness.
She often spoke of her Desire to be at Home with
Christ, wishing, with Resignation for the Hour soon
to strike, which came to pass the 18th of July
day above mentioned, being blest thereto by her
Husband, in the 63 Year of her Age.