Moravian Lives

Focus on Fulneck: A Collection of Moravian Memoirs from 18th Century Yorkshire Congregation

Ann Cannings

Born: 1790, Mirfield
Died: 1813, Fulneck

Learn more about the life of Ann Cannings


The S. SrAnn Cannings was born
July 24th 1790 at Mirfield and by
attending the Brns Chaple in her
childhood, received an impression of the
love of Jesus into her heart and became
attached to the privileges of the Congn
into which she was rec’d March 9th 1805
Two years after she was rec’d moved in
to the S. Srs House in Gummersal, and
Jan 25th 1808 partook of the H. Comn
for the first time, her fellowship
with a Congn of Jesus, was much
vallued by her, as her frequent impres-
sions testified. She spent several years
in a happy frame of mind at Gummersal
but after some time a some of the
depravity of her nature aimed to


disturb her simple and childlike
confidence in our Saviour. May 4th
1811
she moved into the Choirhouse here
and by her pleasing behaviour soon
gained the love of the Sisters But
still she often complained of not

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enjoying that happiness which she felt
when first impressed with our Saviours
Love. Some time ago, a friend of hers
found the following verses written by
by her; “A whither should I go, burdened
and sick and faint? & What is it keeps
me back, from which I cannot part?”
& This gave rise to a conversation in which
she complained with many tears of
the state of her heart, and confessed
that she was engaged with thoughts
and actions contrary to the mind of
the Lord. She was then directed with
all her ailments to Jesus the good
Physicion, sought his pardning grace
and obtained a reviving sence of his
mercy. The celebration of the Passion
week this year was remarkably blessed
to her, and she expressed herself concern-
ing it, to the following effect:
“Oh how shall I describe my feelings,
the Power of Jesus blood and death
pervaded my soul in a manner, which

I shall never forget, in his pierced hands
I read my pardon seated, he is mine
and I am his, oh might nothing ever
separate me from him!”– She was
naturally of a weakly constitution, and
therefore often thought, that her pil-
grimage on earth might not be long. 
In the latter end of May last she was
obliged to move into the sickroom, and
growing no better, went to her parents
house to Mirfield to be nursed by them.
Her complaint appeared consumptive,
she grew rapidly worse, and tho’ she
did not immidiately suppose her de-
parture to be so near at hand, felt
soon resigned to our Saviours will
declared that thro’ the merits of
Jesus, her mind was at peace, begged
her parents not to grieve, and had a
lively hope of appearing in our Saviours
presence, as a pardened sinner, This
favour was granted to herSept 3d 1813
in the 24th year of her age.