Crispin Taylor was born in Wyke in the Parish of Birstall on April 26th, 1698, and lived with his father, who taught him the trade of a shoemaker, until April 1722, being then 24 years of age, he was married to Mary Wilkinson, who is his present wife, and had by her 9 children, four of which are left behind, the other five went home before him. In his married state, he approved himself a careful, loving father and a tender husband. When Mr. Ingham first began to preach hereabout, he soon went to hear him, and his heart was touched by the Holy Ghost in the first sermon he heard. From that time, he sought all opportunities to hear the Gospel of our dear Saviour’s death and atonement. After the societies were settled here in Yorkshire, and put under the care of the Brethren, he and his wife upon their request were also taken in amongst them, which was a great satisfaction to both, and proved a blessing to their hearts, which made them some time after very desirous to be taken into the congregation and to be in a closer connection with the Brethren. He therefore spoke with Brother Toltshig about it, expressing his heart’s desire to be wholly our Saviours on October 1st, 1748. He had after many earnest and repeated requests this favour granted him to the great joy of his heart, for it proved an extraordinary blessing to him, so that his wife and all about him saw a visible change, he being so cheerful, lively and happy, as they never had seen him before. This continued with him. He was a simple and upright heart, and when he heard any one reason about

(2) things, he used to say: What is this to us, the lamb will know it best; and again: Let us wait for our Saviours time, his time is always the best. Soon after this, his heart secretly longed to partake of the corpse and blood of Jesus in the sacrament, when unexpectedly he was sent for, and told by the Brethren that our dear Saviour, who knew his hunger, would soon accomplish his desire, and should therefore be confirmed and blessed, which made his heart very glad and more attached to the wounds of Jesus. On March 24th, 1749, he partook of the Holy Communion for the fist time when his soul and body was so affected and penetrated through and through with the martyred corpse and blood of Jesus, that he could not express it with words. He was so happy in his heart and felt such blessings that he scarcely knew what he ate or drank or how he walked or worked for many days, and this sound he felt ringing in his ears perpetually: My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. And indeed it proved itself to him to be real life, and meat and drink to his heart. When his wife was concerned, that she did not partake with him of the same privilege, he behaved very tender towards her, and comforted her, saying: Have a little patience, for the lamb’s time is the best. Several years ago, he had got a surfeit by heating himself with working over hard, which for three years past, has at times troubled him much with a severe costiveness and pain in his bowels. About ten weeks ago he was taken with it again but continued cheerful and quite resigned to our Saviour; Brother Oxlee went to see him, and when he looked at him, he found him so solid and grounded, and with such a sinnerlike shame, as he never before had observed in him, so that coming home he said to his wife: Crispin Taylor ripens fast for Eternity. On October 28th, he grew worse and could work no more but soon after was obliged to keep to his bed. Brother Oxlee visited him, and asked him, whether he thought he should be soon well again? He answered softly (for he feared his wife would hear him and be grieved at it) but yet very cheerfully, and said: No, I shall go to my dear Saviour, and further being asked: Whether he should like to go home, he answered Oh yes, with all my heart and soul; I would go this night, if it pleased Him, but yet I’ll wait till he calls me, for his time is the best. Brother Hauptmann soon after came to Scholar to speak with the communion Brethren and Sisters and called on to see him, of which he was exceedingly glad and spoke of it with great joy. Some days after, Brother Oxlee came to see him again and found him asleep, and as he had had no sleep for many nights because of his extreme pain, he would not have him disturbed. But after he got wake his wife told him of it. O said he: Why didn’t you wake me, for I love the Brethren and am very glad of their visits, especially him, who lives so near me, and I am always better after I have seen any of them. On November 12th, Brother Oxlee visited him again, and being asked to pray for him, he asked Crispin, what his heart desired most, at which he looked up, smiled and said: my heart’s desire is, to be with my dear Saviour. He spoke but low, but one could understand and feel, what he said and according to his earnest request

(3) Br Oxlee recommended him to the lamb’s outstreched arms and bleeding heart with an inexpressible feeling. On November 19th he grew weaker and weaker and being asked: If he would not take any of the doctors’ medicines and he hereupon answered quite loud, saying: It signifies nothing, what I take, and you may give me what you will, I shall go nevertheless go to my dear Saviour. Brother Hauptmann has been to see me, and he has given me some thing, which is better then all the doctors’ stuff in the world, meaning the Sacrament of the corpse and blood of our Saviour. After that, his pains increased more and more, so that he could talk no more, but yet was sensible at the time. On November 29th, notwithstanding his being exceeding weak with his disorder, he was quite changed from a severe costiveness to a real purging, so that there seemed to be some hope of his recovery. They begged much that Brother Hurlock might come and see him, which he soon after did, but found him in such circumstances, that he rather despaired of his recovery. But he and the rest of the family were much pleased, that he came and saw him. Brother Oxlee, who came to see him, asked how he found himself, he said: my Brother, perhaps I shall not go yet, although I should like it, if my dear lamb would call me this night, for I sometimes think it long before he fetches me, but he knows best. He was very resigned and notwithstanding his violent pain, he suffered, yet he bore it patiently and scarcely ever complained. On December 12th, Brother Oxlee visited him again and found him exceedingly cheerful. He laid hold of his hand, and pulled him down to him to kiss him. He told him that he took it very kind that he came so often to see him and thanked him many times for it. He was then a little easier. He was told that next Sunday would be the communion at Grace Hall, of which he was very much rejoiced and glad. Brother Hauptmann came to see him few days after, and spoke with him about the ensuing feast of the corpse and blood of our husband. He found him very cheerful and happy and very hungry after the participation of the blessed communion with the congregation, December 15th being Friday at night, he altered very much for the worse in an instant. His wife perceiving it, asked him, if she should call his children; he said yes. When they came in, he was in great pain, notwithstanding that he called them to him, and began to speak tenderly to them, as well as his painful body and faltering tongue would admit of. He prayed them and even charged them each of them with dying words and weeping eyes, that they should give themselves and cleave to the crucified Saviour, and then reached out his trembling hand to bless and assure them, that if they should cleave to their Saviour, he would bless them and bring them through, and you Betty, with all your children, meaning his daughter, who is married. His poor weeping wife, feeling and seeing that he was going, said: Will you go and leave me behind? Oh says he, cleave to the Saviour, cleave to the Savoiur, and I will soon see you again. What, when I come to him? Ay, ay, cleave to the Saviour and he will bring you through. He gave her his hand to confirm it with

(4) his pains growing stronger, he seemed as if he would tire, to stretch himself, which was into the everlasting arms and pierced heart of Jesus, where he now rests sweetly and safely, secure and free from sin and earthly misery. He asked his wife to assist him, which she willingly did: He afterwards seemed as if he would go to sleep. His wife, not hearing him breathe, took a candle to look at him, and found that he was really gone without the least sighs or struggle, looking exceeding sweet and smiling, and thus he happily departed.