Departed June 13. 1761 The Course of Life of our dr Br John Clarke from Holbeck. Our Br. Jno. Clarke was born in ye Year 1693 at Busling thorp in the Parish of Leeds Yorkshire; his parents were Religious Prosbiteriens & brot. up their son in ye same way, he was bound a Aprentice to Cloth-maker of ye same Profession who had a strict Eye over his Course in Genl. during his Apprentiship, he was us’d to go with some other to ye Minister’s House at Leisure times to sing Psalms &c., & was belov’d by his Minister. In ye Year 1716 he enter’d into ye Mard. State & had a very agreeable Helpmate, this pair durg 38 years they livd together, were so free from Domestic broils that he was never observ’d to be Angry with with his wife; they had 3 Children together viz 1 Son & 2 daughters, one of ye Daughters after having heard ye Gosple & been recd into ye Society went happily to our Savr. the Surviving Son & Daughter are amongst ye No. of our Comts. (both Singl.) & are beloved by their respective Choirs. When the Preaching began in this Country, our Br thro ye Prejudice of his Edu cation was for a little time prevented from going to hear, because as he said ye Comon prayer was read, & he lik’d best to hear Ministers who Pray’d by Heart & not by Book, when Br Browne came to assist Mr Ing ham he was told that there was a man come to preach who both pray’d & prd. Extemporary, he went to hear, & from that time became a constant follower; when ye Society was first settled at Holbeck he & his Family were recd into it & after ye Departure of Utley’s the Meetings were kept at our their Br’s House which is, near 8 Years ago Since wch time they have taken care to Make all things as convenient & Pretty as Possible for ye Brn who went to keep ye Meet

& also for ye People who frequented them. The 12 of May 1754 he was recd into ye Congn wch was a particular favr for to him, he said it was ye happiest Day he had enjoy’d in his whole Life, his Wife lay up on her sick bed & because she was not able to come to ye Hall she was recd into ye Congn. a few Days after at their own house, she continud waiting for ye hour of her release till ye 6 of Decr when ye happy hour came & she went to her Bridegroom & was inter’d in our Burying Ground. Our dr. Br in his Widr state was stayd & solid & also always chearfull & contented; he was approv’d of by our Dr Savr as a Candidate for ye holy Comn & went towards Lambs Hill but was oblidged to return after having gone apart of ye way on Accot of his Painfull disorder (the stone & Gravel) wch he Labrd under & bore it with Patience till yet end of all his Distress. on this accot. he was deprivd of ye enjoyment of ye Corpse & Blood of our Lord in ye holy Sacrament, so that he did not partake of it till he went to ye Congn above. He & his Family had a desire for along time to move nearer Lamb’s Hill & obtaind leave, they wd. have mov’d last May had it not been for ye difficulty of geting a convenient place in ye Plan to keep ye Society Meetgs, on that accot. they contented to stay contrary to their Inclination. Thurd. ye 4th Instant when Br Pugh went to Holbeck to keep ye Meetg. he found him upon ye Bed & when he enquird how he was he sd. he had a little Blister upon his Leg & he was lying down to ease it as it was troblesome when he sat up, he wd. not be Satisfy’d with out Shewing ye sore part, wch when seen appeard as ye means appointed for his Disolution, when he was ask’d about going to our Savr he said he wd. gladly go when our Savrs time came & wd. be glad to see him & be for ever with Him. When his Labr vissited him on ye 7th he was chearfull & said he wish’d for ye happy moment when our Savr wd. take him to to his Eternal rest. ye 8th he was vissited again & a feeling Liturgy kept by him. Frid. ye 12 his Labr paid him ye last visit, he was quite Sensible; ye night before he had a shaking fit like to an Ague fit, he cd. scarely bear it & finding himself perplex’d he said Lord tho thou slay me yet will I trust in Thee. The Sund. Morng. before when he felt acute his Pain acute he said he thought it wd. make his rest Sweeter when he same to our Savr, he cared to Sing verses frequently espe cially that grant me to lean unshaken & of ten said I want to go to our Savr. When he was askd by his Labr how he was he answerd, I am now easy but very faint, I wait for our Savr to come & take me out of all pain & missery – I go to him as a poor old Sinner I have confidence in Him he is my Savr & best Freind & were it not for him what cd. I do he said to his Children you are my Loves, but I have a better love still give me up to him & dont detain me let him take me with him we shall see each other again Home to himself As to ye manner of your living when I leave you I will confine you to nothing (but I think you will do best to live together as you are both sickly & so often in capable of working, you can help & Nurse one another) but Ill leave you to him who is our best Freind. Br Pugh stayd with him till about 10 oClock at night having kept a Liturgy by him recom mended him to our Savr took leave of him to see him no more here below, he continued Still till Saterd. afternoon June 13th about 3 oClock & then grew pale in ye mercifull arms of Jesus in ye 68th year of his Dying Life.