Born: 1715, Castleford
Died: 1767, Fulneck
Learn more about the life of Elizabeth Clagget
This is a memoir of
S Sr. Elizt Claggett.
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 acct of her disorder, yet it was remarkable that she
always had a feeling & partook of those blessings which
were enjoyed by the Congn or her Choir, and would speak
of it to the Srs as if she had been in the meeting.
Some short time before her dissolution, her peculiar
disposition, namely a shyness to see or speak wth 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 & thankfulness to all about her,
often repeating: I love & thank you, I love & 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 & happinessof her heart, not-
withstanding her great pains, made her sick room
pleasant, tho her disorder would else have been very
disagreeable to the outwd senses of those who came into
the room. At last, her long & ardentwishto be dissolved
and with our Savr came happily to pass on the 12th
f Inst; with a sensible feeling of her Bridegroom’s
Nearess, & wth the blessing of her Choir in the 52th Yr of
her age.
I was born in Yorkshire in the year 1715 where I staid with my
Mothers Relations till the year 20 in which my Mother came & fetch’d me
to London. I remember to have head 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 rights I was sometimes so terrified, that I thought I
realy heard the Trumpet give the Signal of our Savrs coming to Judgment.
I believed I shou’d be in the Number of those who would call on the Rocks
& mountains to cover them. I made repeated Resolutions of devoting my fu-
ture life if God shou’d spare me a little longer, to his Service. I began to be
pretty diligent in Prayer, both publick & private, & in the 15th year of my Age
having now read in Invitation from one of my Aunts in Yorkshire a religi-
ous woman, to go & stay some Time with her; having first intreated the Lord
with many Tears, that he wou’d direct this affair, I ask’d & obtaind leave of
my Father & Mother to go. She encouraged & instructed me as will as she
could, which I prosicuted 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 returnd back to London, where
I still continued a kind of religious course, but the Gayeties and Divertions 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 believ’d the very marrow of
my Bones was infected with sin. I had never heard of any ones being awakend
nor did I know there was such a Thing; so I concluded there was not another
such vile wretch existing as my self. I got various Books of Devotion
but cou’d 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, & from thence
collected sentences & to Compild Prayers which express’d the Language of my
Heart. I often fell prostrate on the Floor & with Floods of Tears, lamented
my wretched state; some-Times I had a Glimmering of hope; these words often
aleviated my distress “perfect Love casts out Fear, for Fear hath Tor-
ment, to which my heart answerd “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 ye eat the Flesh of the
Son of man & drink his blood ye 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 & drink my own Damnation. (I had intirely 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 Saints day to go to
St Lawrances Church, & by when I come there if I cou’d venture to go to the
Sacrament, I chose that Place rather than my own Parish Church, for my Friends
& acquaintance already thought I was out of my Senses, so I concealed every Thing
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 shou’d stay the Sacrament or not; I then opend my common Prayer Book on
these Words of the Psalms, “unto the wicked faith God, why dost thou teach
my Laws or take my Covenant into thy mouth. with this I was quite stund &
thus I went directly out of the Church home, & then to my chamber, where I
fell prostrate, & silently pourd forth Streams of Tears. I went on in a
disconsolateSolitary way conversing but little with any one; at length I con-
tracted some acquaintance with an old women who was a Presbyterian
She some-Times spoke words of Consolation to me, tho’ I afterwards believ’d
she herself did not understand them. In my 22d year, during the Passion Week
week I enjoid a particular serenity of mind. being wearied of my own strive
ings, & finding my last Resolutions to be but vain; I steid my self in some mea-
sure upon Grace & Mercy, hopeing it might extend even to me. in this week
I visited that Woman, I told her of my desire to go to the Sacrament, & also
related my Scruples, the encouraged me to venture, saying I shou’d thereby
get strength & nourishment to pursue my future course. I thought tho’
our Savr would not accept of me before, perhaps he will now; so I con-
cluded that if the same stillness & composure of mind, I then enjoyd
continued till Sunday I would venture: it continued, & on Easter Sunday I
arose in a calm bowedness of Heart, & went to the early Sacrament
which was kept at my own Parish Church. At receiving of the Bread &
Wine, an awe seized one, so that my Hand trembled greatly, which caused
the Minnister to stare at stare at me, but the Love, Peace & Joy which
in those moments took Possession of my Soul, words cannot express.
I return’d home so chearfullightsome & happy, that it seem’d to me as
if I went on Wings. being come Home I met with many Things not very agre-
able, but so passionate as I used to be before, now nothing disturbed me;
I loved every Body to exceedingly that I thought I could have laid down & let them
tread upon one. I long’d to be again at Church out of the Sight & hearing of
Earthly Things, to thither I went again at 10 O’Clock, my Heart was in such a
desolveing condition that the Tears would now & 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 oblig’d me to get a retired Seat
among ordinary Old People. In the Nights my Heart would be singing Hosan-
as & Hallelujahs, for I knew not right what to sing or say, nor what had hap-
pen’d to me; other Things as well as my self seemd alterd, & the Scriptures
as if I had never read them before, but for all this I had Times of Hea-
viness, & if my Feeling was long withdrawn, even of doubting of my Sal-
vation. soon after this a poor Woman comingcame to my Fathers House to begg
some relief for her Sisr who was ill of a Cancer in her Breast, I had a desire
to visit the Sick Person, & accordingly went to her Lodging, there I for the first
time saw Bror Hutton who was then in his Apprenticeship, & thro’ his means I
become acqainted with Whitefield Wesleys & others of the Methodists, among
whom I continued till in the year 1740 when the Bren 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 Fathers 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 Savr presented himself to
my Heart in his bleeding Wounded Form, & 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 any where, or be any
Thing what might be most pleasing to him. His Blood his Death & Almigh-
ty Atonement has since that blest Intercourse, remaind my neverfailing
Source of Comfort & Consolation, in all Trials & Vicissitudes whatsoever.
his Wounds & bitterPassion, his Death was my confession, & shall be
till my Eye-Strings break. The Bren & Sisrs rejoicd much at my return to
London at all the Grace our dear Savr had bestowed on me. In June 1742
my Father having departed this Life, I went by the Direction of the
Bren & Sisrs to the Childrens Oeconomy in Lambs-Inn, where I
lived with the bigger Girls. Octr 29th I returnd to London, & on the
30th of the some Instant, that ever memorable day, I was present at the
settling of the London Congn: what we felt at that time I suppose will by
no Body be forgot who was there till beyond the Grave, I thought, this is
none other but the House of God, & here are the Gates of Heaven! There
I got my incontestable Call, to be visibly united to that Body. on
the Congn day next following, I was rec’d (viz) on Christmass Day
1743, & had the Favour of being admitted to the Sacrament next follow-
ing Sacrament, which I think to have been Jan. 1743.
I assisted in the Labour amongst the Single Sisrs in London according
to my Small abillity till June 1743 where I was sent by the Congn into
Yorkshire, to have the joint Care of the Single Sisrs Choir f there with
my Sister Susanna & Sister Lloid. In June 1744 I was blest for the
Office of Vorsteher of the said Choir, & in Augt following, I rec’d the
blessing for the office I afterwards held amongst the Single Sisrs, during
every anointed Prayer of Bror Martin Dobers. In that situation I continued
till my state of health render’d me incapable of serving my dear Sisters
as I had hithertoo done; I then sent my Petitions to dear Mammagen
& Anna Johanna to send a Sisr from Germany to supply my Place
which was at length granted in the year 1748 to the entire satisfac
tion of my Heart. I laid down my Office at our Savrs Feet with
more Inclination than I had at first to receive it, being now more unable to fulfill it yet awefully con-
ciding how he might have look’d upon my poor services; and if his
Heart cou’d upon the whole be satisfied with them? His friendly Counte-
nance cheard me, I begd his absolation for all my Faults Failings,
& Mistakes, & thus with a throughly comforted & contented Heart I
enterd into my wish’d for Sabbatick State, I was desirious to go to
the then new settled Oeconomy at little-moor, hopeing a change of air
might be of Service to me where I continued near a year, & realy
did grow a little better, having rec’d a Letter from my dear Mammagen
(who was not quite satisfied with my betakeing any self wholy to sick
ness & Retirement) wherein she mentiond in the most loving & kind
manner, that she shou’d like to have me go to Duckenfield & do what
I could amongst the Single Sisrs there: I laid the matter before our
Savr, & found that notwithstanding the seeming Impossibillity of my
performing the Journey, my heart was never easey, but when I thought
of going: thus I came to a Resolution, & having had a blessed Journey
I arrived thereMay 1749: from whence I return’d with the whole
Oeconomy of SisrsSeptr 29th 1750. The Bren favour’d me
with one of the Houses on Lambs-Hill, where I lived
chearful & contented only in an exceeding poor state of Health
till Febry 27th 1753 when I come into the dear Choir-House.
Here I conclude withbeing persuaded that my season? of life
[Illegible]
[Illegible] I will only add
my Thanks to all who have had compasion onmy very ail
ing & sickly Tabernacle; and all who have shewn mekindness in Time
of need, God reward them for it.
Our latehappily departed Dr Sr.Laboured under a heavy com-
plication of Disorders for many years, wch together with ye pecularities of
her Disposision greatly obstructed that socialher fellowship & intercourse with with others in
general; wch was especialy regretted by her choir, so wm many of wm she had been
an annointed Instrument of comfort& consolation as well as edification, &
a blessed Nurseing Mother in their first awakening. her Maternal
affectionateconcern for ye wellfare & prosperity of the whole Congn &
particularly that of her Choir, emently she retain’d in the greatest degree thro’ various Tryals,
doinges & vicitudes; so that it was evident that nothing so sensibly affected
her so sensible as when painful Circumstances occur’d Here & There, either in ye whole, or in
part or in with individuals; wch has been more conspicuousand this has been more evident since her more close
retirement; in wch beside her constant happy intercourse with her slaughtered friend;
she diligently entertained her self with our ever memorable dr Disciple’s Discourses
wch she esteem’d ye most consolatory delicaces on this side eternity
tarying 13 years, 6 months & 11 Days of her abode in her dr lovedbeloved Choir-
House; she has enjoy’d a Sabattic season, as a poor, frail, disordered
human Creature, truely sensible of her election of Grace, admireingrejoicing at
her free salvation, charmd & captivated with ye wounded Person of of her dear Lord
her so faithful Lover. Here she has conducted her
self as a dr Handmaid of Jesus, & as a Pristess of God; but, not-
withstanding this her happy condition as a virgin of yr Lamb, she had many
weaknesses, Faults & imperfections; wchalso she was truely sensible
of & served for matter of great humblinghumiliation to her naturally high Spirit. wch howeverGrace alone had brought her spirit into Subjection, & set her above thateverything false, crooked & designing spirit of dissimulation so prevalent in Ignoble Souls. She had very good & strong natural parts and wasas she was
which made us regret that she was rendered unfit for publick service thro’ her disorder also a Gifted Sisr fwhat her real Charactor cannot be more justly express’d then in ye following Verses. 2d. p. 171. 3d. 7. & 8
This verse is struck through with a single vertical lineA Mind to Lowliness inclined;A Gall-less Dove’s unspotted mind;A mind that strives untir’dFor a true spiritual FrameShut up herein, that poor I am,From hurtful Fancies far retir’d.This verse is struck through with several vertical linesTo Souls who know that Mystery,Joyful to look upon & see,our Love how much He can;For comfort of the amaz’d with GuiltWe Children from the bottom spoilt,In Jesus now a finish’d Man;
These words are written on the right hand side of page, and struck through with several vertical lines.changes &vicissitudes
entirely serious, Childlike too;
In all Essentials fix’d & True;
An ear that one may trust;
A hearty genuine Sister’s heart
To Sympathize with every smartwch chance sometimes ‘mong Sister’s must.
In her Choir House she has defused an odorous perfume of that
sacred unction wherewith her Chast Soul was distingushingly
parvaded she wch will forever remain as a fragrant Savour in ye deep
recesses of those Hearts who had ye happinesspleasure of her more intimate
union & connection: nor can we by any means leave unremark’d,
that notwithstanding, this our venebable Sister, did not lately frequent
Personaly frequent ye meetings, on account of indisposision) yet
her lively spirithappily partook of those divine sensitive Breezes
in each; wch to ye admiration of her Intimates, she wou’d distinctly
communicate. *
*some short time before this our dear Sister’s approaching
dissolution was so perceptable to us: (tho, she her self had some
inkling of it) her pecular natural dispossion prevailed,
to an extreem; wch, afterwards served to her great deeper
humiliation, so that she was altogether incapable of expressing
her unfaigned gratitude, Love & thankfulness to all about her,
often repeating: I love & thank you, I love & thank you all!
wch she tenderly seal’d with ye warmest kisses.
She had many years earnestly long’d & panted for her happy Dismision
wch, on ye 12 instant came Blessedly to pass, in ye sweet nearness
of her Dr eternal spouse, & ye Blessing of her Choir, in ye
52d year of dyingmortal Life.
