Born 26 November, 1742 at London
Died 7 February, 1772 at Fulneck
Learn more about the life of Christian Bell
February 1772
Christian Bell was born in London Decr 7th
1742 and came as a little Boy into the Children’s
Oeconomy, he was a very lovely Child, beloved by all
about him. When he arrived to his Boys Age, he
was put apprentice to our dear late Br Charlesworth in
the Merchant Business, during which time he
behaved himself as an orderly & faithful Apprentice,
and gave full Satisfaction to Br Charlesworth & others
about him. It was evident that there was a Work
of Grace in his Heart, & those who were acquainted
with him were in Hopes that he would not only prosper
& become a happy Brother, but that he would also be
useful in our Savrs kingdom, In these Years he was
very openhearted & seemed to have no other Concern than
to be formed by our Savr quite according to his Mind &
to live for His alone in the World.
He was received into the Congn April 16th 1754 & on
August 29th 1762 he was rec’d into the Single Brns Choir
March 27th 1766 he was admitted to the holy Com-
munion, but which had not the wished for Effect. Soon
after he went to London where the Snares laid for him
caught a surprizing Hold of him & a love to the World
took place in him, so that his Soul rec’d a Hurt at this
Time which was never rightly cured again till a little
while before his Departure.
After he set up Business for himself, it obliged him
to make some Journeys to London, where Temptations
were renewed, to draw him altogether into the World, and
altho’ the Staff of Corruption & strong tendencies thereto
lay in him, yet he felt such Strong Convictions, that he
never could come to a Resolution to go into the World;
yet this divided Heart & continual Struggle betwixt our
Savr & the World caused him a heavy & truly unhappy Life
that one could not see and speak with him without being
moved with compassion. At Times he was much concern’d
about his unhappy State of Heart & wished our Savr
might attain his Aim with him; he also was some times
very sensibly Struck with the strong proofs he had of our
Savrs Faithfulness to him & by seeing how He kept his Hand
over Him. This had the effect upon him that he once in
a particular Manner pray’d our Savr if He saw no other
way of obtaining his Aim with him to do it by giving him
a sickly Habit of Body, or taking him to himself rather than suffer him to go into
the World, & he has often considered our Svrs Dealings with
him as an Answer to this Prayer. About a half a Year ago, as he was going to Leeds & had still thoughts of pursuing a Worldly Scheme, tho’ with much uneasiness of Mind & Having pray’d as above, he stop’d & looked back for his Company when he got a Vomiting of blood, which was the beginning of his last Sickness.
About 2 months ago it was observed that his tender
and weakly Constitution turned into a Consumption &
he declined very fast. He was frequently visited by
many Brn, for he was generally beloved, & when it drew
nearer his End that he himself begun to think, he
would soon go home, he spoke with great concern, to
Some of the Labourers whom he had most Confidence
in & had been best acquainted with, and Lamented
that he had spend much of his Time so poorly with Rea-
soning, Reading unprofitable Books, neglecting the
Meetings & other privileges of the Congregation, he
also said that he never had experienced the true Grace
in the Blood & Merits of Christ as a poorour Saviour Sinner.
This brought him into such Distress that he thought
he would be lost. Two Nights before his Departure,
and beingwhen he was yet pretty strong, he wept & prayed all
the Night thro’ and gotwhen he also gotComfort from our
Savr. From that Time his Fear was gone & he longed
to go to our Savr. which was on the 6th of Febr. , the same
Evening he sat up a long while & conversed with 2 Brn
in a bandlike way in the heartiest & very agreeable
Manner. He also kept a very openhearted Band with
a Labourer 2 days before. He himself thought
he should continue about 3 weeks longer, but the
Night betwixt the 6th & 7th of Fcbruary, he all at
once began to hasten, & when his Choir Labourer
came to him at 5 in the Morning he asked him, if
he had got full forgiveness from our Savr, & if he
now was longing to go to Him, both he answered in
the Affirmive. A few Minutes after it was
observed that the happy moment approached. He
was blessed & turned pale during the Verse: When in
the Armes of Jesus etc. accompanied with a sweet
feeling of Grace in the 30 Year of his Age.
