---

This is a memoir of Single Sister Elizabeth Clagget.

She has left in her Choir House a good odour behind her, so that those who were acquainted with her, and had an opportunity to converse with her, will always retain a blessed remembrance of the grace which our dear Lord had bestowed upon her.

Tho’ she has not, for some time past, frequented the meetings on account of her disorder, yet it was remarkable that she always had a feeling and partook of those blessings which were enjoyed by the congregation or her Choir, and would speak of it to the Sisters as if she had been in the meeting.

Some time before her dissolution, her peculiar disposition, namely a shyness to see or speak with any but a few particular friends, went to an extreme, but this served to her greater humiliation, and she became so loving, that she could not sufficiently express her gratitude, love and thankfulness to all about her, often repeating: I love and thank you, I love and thank you all. And desired often those who came to her to kiss her. It was a great pleasure to be with her in her last days, the Serenity and happiness of her heart, notwithstanding her great pains, made her sick room pleasant, though her disorder would else have been very disagreeable to the outward senses of those who came into the room. At last, her long and ardent wish to be dissolved and with our Saviour came happily to pass on the 12th; with a sensible feeling of her Bridegroom’s nearness, and with the blessing of her Choir in the 52th Yr of her age.

(page 2)

I was born in Yorkshire in the year 1715 where I stayed with my mother’s relations till the year ’20 in which my mother came and fetched me to London. I remember to have had some influences of grace even in my Infant years, but when I was about 14 years of age, I came under strong convictions. In the nights, I was sometimes so terrified, that I thought I really heard the trumpet give the signal of our Saviour’s coming to judgement. I believed I should be in the number of those who would call on the rocks and mountains to cover them. I made repeated resolutions of devoting my future life, if God should spare me a little longer, to his service. I began to be pretty diligent in prayer, both public and private, and in the 15th year of my age having now rec’d an invitation from one of my aunts in Yorkshire a religious woman, to go and stay some time with her; having first entreated the Lord with many tears, that he would direct this affair, I asked and obtained leave of my father and mother to go. She encouraged and instructed me as well as she could, which I prosecuted in my way, but was never satisfied. When I was 17 years old, I went to the Sacrament in the Church of England, for the first time. I was near 19 years old when I returned back to London, where I still continued a kind of religious course, but the gaieties and diversions of the town strongly took hold of my heart, till in my 21st year, when I got such a sense of the total depravity of my nature, that I believed the very marrow of my bones was infected with sin. I had never heard of any one’s being awakened, nor did I know there was such a thing; so I concluded there was not another such vile wretch existing as myself. I got various books of devotion, but could not use any of them; so I concluded they were not calculated for such a creature as I. I then betook myself to David’s Psalms, and from thence collected sentences and so compiled prayers which expressed the language of my heart. I often fell prostrate on the floor, and with floods of tears, lamented my wretched state; sometimes I had a glimmering of hope; these words often alleviated my distress, “perfect love casts out fear, for fear hath torment” to which my heart answered “yes, Lord, that fear hath torment I know very well, if there be a love which casts it out, bestow it upon me.” Another text also was much in my mind; except they eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood they have no life in you: to which my heart replied, “where shall I get this blood? Why in the sacrament, but that I dare not partake of lest I eat and drink my own damnation.” (I had entirely left off going to the sacrament, since I came to a sense of my sinful nature). One day, meditating about that blood, I resolved on a Saint’s day to go to St Lawrence’s Church, and by when I come there if I could venture to go to the sacrament. I chose that place rather than my own parish church, for my friends and acquaintance already thought I was out of my senses, so I concealed everything which had the appearance of religion as much as I could. Accordingly, I went to the above-mentioned church: after the first service I remained dubious whether I should stay the sacrament or not; I then opened my common prayer book on these words of the psalms, “unto the wicked saith God, why dost thou teach my laws or take my covenant into thy mouth.” With this I was quite stunned, and thus I went directly out of the Church home, and then to my chamber, where I fell prostrate, and silently poured forth streams of tears. I went on in a disconsolate Solitary way, conversing but little with any one; at length I contracted some acquaintance with an old woman who was a Presbyterian. She sometimes spoke words of consolation to me, tho’ I afterwards believed she herself did not understand them. In my 22nd year, during the Passion Week

(page 3)

I enjoyed a particular serenity of mind. Being wearied of my own strivings, and finding my last resolutions to be but vain; I stayed myself in some measure upon grace and mercy, hoping it might extend even to me. In this week I visited that woman, I told her of my desire to go to the sacrament, and also related my scruples. She encouraged me to venture, saying I should thereby get strength and nourishment to pursue my future course. I thought tho’ our Saviour would not accept of me before, perhaps he will now; so I concluded that if the same stillness and composure of mind, I then enjoyed continued till Sunday I would venture: it continued, and on Easter Sunday I arose in a calm bowedness of heart, and went to the early Sacrament which was kept at my own Parish Church. At receiving of the bread and wine, an awe seized one, so that my hand trembled greatly, which caused the minister to stare at me, but the love, peace and joy which in those moments took possession of my soul, words cannot express.

I returned home so cheerful lightsome and happy, that it seemed to me as if I went on wings. Being come home I met with many things not very agreeable, but so passionate as I used to be before, now nothing disturbed me; I loved everybody so exceedingly that I thought I could have laid down and let them tread upon one. I longed to be again at church out of the sight and hearing of earthly things, so thither I went again at 10 o’clock. My heart was in such a dissolving condition that the tears would now and then start out of my eyes, which the people observing, told my relations that now I was indeed gone out of my senses for I had wept at church; which obliged me to get a retired Seat among ordinary old people. In the nights my heart would be singing Hosannas and Hallelujahs, for I knew not right what to sing or say, nor what had happened to me; other things as well as myself seemed altered, and the scriptures as if I had never read them before, but for all this, I had times of heaviness, and if my feeling was long withdrawn, even of doubting of my salvation. So on after this, a poor woman came to my father’s house to beg some relief for her Sister who was ill of a cancer in her breast. I had a desire to visit the sick person, and accordingly went to her lodging. There I for the first time saw Brother Hutton who was then in his apprenticeship, and through his means I become acquainted with Whitefield, Wesleys and others of the Methodists, among whom I continued till in the year 1740 when the Brethren began their labour in England. I knew directly that they were the people for me, since which time I adhered to them entirely. In June 1742 I went with great reluctance but in compliance with my father’s commands to spend the summer with the rest of our family at Broadoaks in Essex. I had been there 2 or 3 weeks when as sitting alone in my room, our Saviour presented himself to my heart in his bleeding wounded form, and brought me into such a converse with his own dear person, as I had never known before. Then it was that my heart went over to Him, then I was willing to live anywhere, or be anything what might be most pleasing to him. His blood, his death, and almighty by atonement has since that blessed intercourse, remained my never-failing source of comfort and consolation, in all trials and vicissitudes whatsoever. His wounds and bitter Passion, his death was my confession, and shall be till my eye-strings break. The Brethren and Sisters rejoiced much at my return to London, at all the grace our dear Saviour had bestowed on me. In June 1742 my father having departed this life, I went by the direction of the

(page 4)

Brethren and Sisters to the Children’s Economy in Lambs-Inn, where I lived with the bigger Girls. October 29th I returned to London, and on the 30th of the same instant, that ever-memorable day, I was present at the settling of the London Congregation: what we felt at that time I suppose will by nobody be forgot who was there till beyond the grave. I thought, this is none other but the House of God, and here are the Gates of heaven! There I got my incontestable call, to be visibly united to that body. On the Congregation day next following, I was received viz. on Christmas Day 1743, and had the favour of being admitted to the Sacrament next following Sacrament, which I think to have been January 1743.

I assisted in the labour amongst the Single Sisters’ in London according to my small ability till June 1743, where I was sent by the Congregation into Yorkshire, to have the joint care of the Single Sisters’ Choir., there with my Sister Susanna and Sister Lloyd. In June 1744 I was blessed for the Office of Vorsteher of the said Choir, and in August following, I received the blessing for the office I afterwards held amongst the Single Sisters, during every anointed prayer of Brother Martin Dobers. In that situation I continued till my state of health rendered me incapable of serving my dear Sisters as I had hitherto done; I then sent my petitions to dear Mammagen and Anna Johanna to send a Sister from Germany to supply my place which was at length granted in the year 1748 to the entire satisfaction of my heart. I laid down my office at our Saviour’s feet with more inclination than I had at first to receive it, being now more unable to fulfil it yet awefully considering how he might have looked upon my poor services; and if his heart could upon the whole be satisfied with them? His friendly countenance cheered me, I begged his absolution for all my faults, failings, and mistakes, and thus with a thoroughly comforted and contented heart I entered into my wished for sabbatic state. I was desirous to go to the then now settled Economy at Littlemoor, hoping a change of air might be of service to me where I continued near a year, and really did grow a little better, having received a Letter from my dear Mammagen (who was not quite satisfied with my betaking myself wholly to sickness and Retirement) wherein she mentioned in the most loving and kind manner, that she should like to have me go to Duckenfield and do what I could amongst the Single Sisters’ there: I laid the matter before our Saviour, and found that notwithstanding the seeming impossibility of my performing the journey, my heart was never easy, but when I thought of going: thus I came to a resolution, and having had a blessed Journey I arrived there May 1749: from whence I returned with the whole Economy of Sisters September 29th, 1750. The Brethren favoured me with one of the Houses on Lambs-Hill, where I lived cheerful and contented only in an exceeding poor state of health till February 27th 1753 when I come into the dear Choir House.

(page 5)

Here I conclude with
(illegible)
(illegible)
my thanks to all who have had compassion on my very ailing and sickly tabernacle; and have shown me kindness in time of need, God reward them for it.

(page 6)

Our late happily departed dear Sister laboured under a heavy complication of disorders for many years, which together with the peculiarities of her disposition greatly obstructed her fellowship and intercourse with others in general; which was especially regretted by her choir, so many of whom she had been an anointed instrument of comfort as well as edification, and a blessed nursing mother in their first awakening. Her maternal affectionate concern for the welfare and prosperity of the whole congregation and particularly that of her Choir, she retained in the greatest degree through various trials, doings and vicissitudes; so that it was evident that nothing affected her so sensible as when painful circumstances occurred here and there, either in the whole, or in part or in with individuals; and this has been more evident since her more close retirement; in which beside her constant happy intercourse with her slaughtered friend; she diligently entertained herself with our ever-memorable dear disciple’s discourses which she esteemed the most consolatory delicacies on this side of eternity carrying 13 years, 6 months and 11 Days of her abode in her beloved Choir House; she has enjoyed a sabbatic season, as a poor, frail, disordered human creature, truly sensible of her election of grace, admiring rejoicing at her free salvation, charmed and captivated with the wounded person of her dear Lord, her so faithful lover. She has conducted herself as a dear handmaid of Jesus, and as a priestess of God; but, notwithstanding this her happy condition as a virgin of the Lamb, she had many weaknesses, faults and imperfections; which she was truly sensible of and served for matter of great humiliation to her naturally high spirit. Grace alone had brought her spirit into subjection, and set her above everything false, crooked and designing. She had very good and strong natural parts and was which made us regret that she was rendered unfit for public service through her disorder, also a gifted Sister, what her real character cannot be more justly expressed than in the following verses. 2d p 171 3d 7 and 8

A mind to lowliness inclined;
A Gall-less Dove’s unspotted mind;
A mind that strives untired
For a true spiritual frame
Shut up herein, that poor I am,
From hurtful fancies far retired.
To Souls who know that mystery,
joyful to look upon and see,
our love how much He can;
For comfort of the amazed with guilt
We children from the bottom spoiled,
In Jesus now a finished man;

(page 7)

entirely serious, childlike too;
In all essentials fixed and true;
An ear that one may trust;
A hearty genuine Sister’s heart

To sympathize with every smart

which chance sometimes among Sister’s must.

In her Choir House she has defused an odorous perfume of that sacred unction wherewith her chaste soul was distingushingly pervaded. She will forever remain as a fragrant Saviour in the deep recesses of those hearts who had the pleasure of her more intimate union and connection: nor can we by any means leave unremarked, that notwithstanding, this our venerable Sister, did not lately personally frequent the meetings, (on account of indisposition), yet her lively spirit happily partook of those divine sensitive breezes in each; which to the admiration of her Intimates, she would distinctly communicate.

Some short time before this, our dear Sister’s approaching dissolution was so perceptible to us: (tho, she herself had some inkling of it) her peculiar natural dispossession prevailed, to an extreme; which, afterwards served to her great deeper humiliation, so that she was altogether incapable of expressing her unfeigned gratitude, love and thankfulness to all about her, often repeating: I love and thank you, I love and thank you all! which she tenderly sealed with the warmest kisses.

She had many years earnestly longed and panted for her happy dismission which, on the 12 instant came blessedly to pass, in the sweet nearness of her dear eternal spouse, and the blessing of her Choir, in the 52d year of dying mortal life.