Moravian Lives @ Moravian U

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Sister Mercy Sutcliffe was born at Claylor in the parish of Bradford, August 31, 1715, but having left no account of her course through this time, the following can only be noticed. The first knowledge of her was when she came to live with Mrs Holmes at Smithhouse in the year [date left blank], at which place the Brethren frequently held their meetings & as it was unavoidable, she then heard — could not but hear — that all lost sinners were the objects of redeeming Love; she turned herself as such, as a sinner, before our Saviour, prayed him to have mercy on her poor soul; it was perceived that she grew friendly and bore with patience the many difficulties. The numerous great concourse of people to such a house on such occasion, she grew familiar with the Sisters & came to live in the economies with them at Clackheaton in the year 1746 & was received into the congregation June 2 1747, admitted to the Holy Communion July 21 1748, removed with the first Sisters into the Choir house here at Fulneck 1752, in which place she has deported herself as an industrious happy handmaid of the Lord. She had the Grace to be amongst the company of intercessors & novice disciples of her choir; she was faithful in every little matter committed to her care & helpful to such who wanted her — every one whence her counsel & advice was wanting. Tho' Her words & admonitions were keen & sharp & would have wounded deep, had they not been mollified by the sinners’ feeling not the sinners at hand. The sense of her own great poverty & fallen state made her little, and she often owned her poverty with many tender tears of love. & the happy connection she had with the wounded person of her dearest Bridegroom, made us

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very desirouscof having an extensive account of her Life, and her labourers often desired her to write it down. She as often said my all & everything that's valuable unto me, comes from the humanity of my bloody reconciler, who has delivered me from the power & condemnation of sin & death, has called me to live a life of happiness amongst his dear people in this time & to rest hereafter eternally in his arms, for which all this no words of mine is able to express the gratitude & praise thus due to my beloved Saviour. About 2 years ago she was seized in the night with something of a paralytic disorder in her bowels, followed by a violent cough which settled at last upon her lungs to the weakening of her whole constitution & a gradual decay ensued; which rendered her for several months past unable to do the least work, & tho' the decline has been of a consumptive kind yet it has not been attended with much pain or any obstruction of any sort but in her breath, so that the time of her living in the sickroom has been a real Sabbath to her & a remarkable blessed feeling has accompanied her hearts conversation with her, and she has been to the Satisfaction of the Labourers all about Her, she having daily before Her Eyes the Happy prospect & expectation of Entering into Her Eternal rest which came to pass May 3d 1768; she enjoyed to the last a serenity & happy pleasure of mind & sensible of the great & happy change which was now about to take place, she fell asleep with the blessing of her choir which was imparted, thus close her mortal life May the 3d 1768 in the 55th year of her age.