Born: 1741, Norwood Green
Died: 1770, Pudsey
Learn more about the life of Thomas Shoesmith Reading version
The Course of Life
of the married Brother Thos. Shoesmith
whose Remains were inter’d July 24 1770
He was born Febr 20 1741 in Norwood Green
in the Parish of Halifax Yorkshire; and
baptizd in the Church of England His Parents
being some of the first Yorkshire People that
adher’d to the Brethn perciev’d in his Boys years
that he was often much drawn by our dearest
Saviour and he knew it himself but continually
resisted the Grace offerd unto him, and
even hinder’d his Br & Srs by his bad Course.
He did not like to go to the Meetings and would
have even hinder’d his Parents, for which Pur-
pose once, when he was about 14 Years of Age, he
contriv’d to behave very badly while they
were gone to the Meetings at Fullneck that
they might fear to go another Time, but that
Night he could not sleep till after Midnight
for the Disquietude of his Heart and was
terribly frighted by a Vision or Spectre
which, he always said, came to him while he
was yet awake. This caused him to alter his
Behaviour to an orderly but dejected Course.
When he was about 17 he obtained Leave to live
in the Course House where he continued 4
or 5 Years, at first he was therein an hopefull
Youth & was soon reciev’d into the Congregatn
but after a while he became refractory and
so very high minded that he lost his Senses
and for some Time it become needfull to keep
him in Chains, when he had recovered so far
as to be able to work for his Living he went
to dwell with his Parents, but he still would
go his own bad Way in Disobedience to his
Creator and his Parents, & was so stubborn &
unruly as to shew a Disposition to beat his
own Father. Thus it became unavoidable
that he must leave his Fathers House and
seek a Place for himself. He then boarded
for some Time with a Relation and went on
in the Worlds bad Ways, but the Convictions of
his Heart often made him uneasy. In about
a Year he sought Acquaintance with his pre-
-sent Widow but her Relations opposing their
Connexion he came awhile to his Father, and
then went to live in Leeds where he listed for a
Soldier, but soon repented it and was got free by
his Father, & soon listed again & repented again
but was then oblig’d to remain a Soldier about
3 Months, tho’ very miserable & much shock’d at
the bad actions of his Comerades, till the Soldiers
finding him unfit for their Purpose, gave him
his Discharge in London. A Bror pitying him
lent him Money to return to his Father and he
came to him sickly & under Convictions. after
living in a Brothers House in Pudsey for some
Months he married his present Widow, by
whom our Savr has given him one Daughtr who
is still with its Mother in the Care of the Congn
On March 4 1768 He & his Wife at their Request
were acknowledged as Members of the Society
His Hot & impatient Temper sometimes still
broke out in a very disagreable Manner when
contradicted the otherwise he kept to his Work &
went on orderly. As to his Heart & Conscience he
constantly shewd & express’d himself self condemnd
dejected & reserved. When his impending Disso
-lution began to appear this Spring, by plain
Tokens of a Consumption he could not bear to
hear any Thing of it. The many Mention stir-
-ring up an Enmity in him till about May 20th,
one Night he got a gracious Look from his
mercifull Savr whereby he was quite alterd,
believ’d thenceforward that our Lord would take
him in Mercy, became genuinely openhearted
(which had been hitherto wanting) confess’d
that Pride & fleshly Lusts had been the Cause
of all his Deviations, & said: the Enmity of ones
own Heart is much worse to bear than all bodily
Pain. According to his earnest & written
Request he was publickly absolved on June 4th
and the whole congregation sung their hearty Wish
es for him. As his Body grew weaker he became
more & more desirous of going to Him who
died for him, whom he could now look on as his
best Friend. Oh! said he I have been a great Re
bel against our Savr but now He will have
Mercy on me and I want to go to him this very
1/4 of hour if it might be while you are here, he
mention’d in a contrite Manner his own bad beha
-viour at the Time of his Bror Stephens last
Sickness, and also to his own Wife at different
Times. On July 16th His Head continually catchd
as convuls’d in he often gaspd for Breath, and
looked ghastly as a dying Man: yet often repeated
very Sweetly: Dearest Savr come & fetch me!
Dearest Lamb! my Saviour! my dear Lamb!
Br Greening said: dost Thou then love that Savr?
he replied very earnestly: yes I do love Him, I did
long to live for him as a Boy: but afterwards I
was unfaithfull but now He has forgiven me
& will be very pretty to live with him for ever,
ah! if I was but with Him! after this by a
Discharge of much Matter from his Lungs he
was relieved for some Days, once when he had
spoken a good deal of his being a Rebel, & of our
Savrs Mercy he said: I was once out of my Senses
Oh! I shall have much to thank him for when
I come home! This his ardent Longing to go to
his Souls Redeemer was granted him on July
the 21st after receiving the Blessing of the Congn
in the 29th Year of his Age.
