Mary Scott (1734-1764)

Name:
Mary Scott
First name:
Mary
Last name:
Scott
Birth date:
1734
Birth place:

Halifax

Death date:
1764-09-05
Death place:

Halifax

Gender:
Female
ML ID:

mlper000270

Memoir:

  • Archive: Fulneck Moravian Archives, Fulneck, England
  • Shelfmark: Ful/SS/63

Mary Scott was born in Halifax in 1734 and raised in the Church of England, serving as a dutiful daughter and housekeeper for her father following her mother's death in 1746. Although exposed to the Brethren as a child, she did not formally seek their fellowship until the final year of her life, when a debilitating struggle with consumption and dropsy led her to renounce her self-made piety in favor of a "sinnerlike" reliance on the Savior. Her final months were marked by extreme physical suffering, including severe swelling that prevented her from lying in bed for months, which she bore with remarkable patience and childlike cheerfulness. She died on September 5, 1764, at the age of thirty, her final words joyfully announcing that her dear Lamb had come for her.

View Transcription of Memoir

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September 5th, 1764; Mary Scott, a single woman in Hallifax who was before her last sickness in no connection with us, went happily to our Saviour. She was born in the above-mentioned town in 1734. Her parents, being Church people, educated her in the same way. Her Mother was concerned for her own salvation, and when Mr. Ingham preached several times in Hallifax Church, she went to hear him, as also afterwards the Brethren: and took this her child along with her, but afterwards she became sick, & went happily out of time in 1746 in reliance upon Jesus Merits. This her daughter was then in her 13th year, she lived all the rest of her time with her father & kept house for him as a dutiful, obedient child, but did not follow the Brethren: any more after her mothers departure, but went to church & led a still & quiet life, bore a good character amongst all those that knew her. About 2 year ago she had the first symptoms of a consumption and dropsy, but was restored again by timely assistance; However a troublesome cough & shortness of breath attended her ever after, she came during that time now & then to the Stanery to hear the Brethren, which always left an impression upon her mind. However, she being inclined to be good, the convictions to seek forgiveness of sins in our saviour & his bloody visits remained a mystery to her. About Christmas last past her cough increased to a great degree. The dropsial symptoms appeared low again, thus she went on to the latter end of February, when she defined one of our Single Sisters: to tell the Brethren: who comes to the Stanery to come to see her, & Brethren Schulze who has the care of that plan at present went on February the 28th to see her the first time, when she told him her great concern to be saved with many tears, and he painted the friend of sinners as crucified to her heart, which had also its wished for effect, for she soon observed that all her former piety availed nothing, which gave her great pain. About a fort night after it was made clear to her that all selfmade Piety was an abomination to our saviour, & she ventured as one who all her life time had indevoured to establish a rightiousness of her own, as a sinner to our saviour, & he as the sinners friend drew near her Heart, which gave her great comfort & has never left her during her long & painfull sickness. Br. Schulze recommended her to the Single Sisters, who live at Stanery, & they have visited her partly every day to her great Comfort. Sister Whitehead & some other sisters from Wike have also several times gone to visit her. Sister Mary & Ann Birkby who visited this plan visited her likewise on June 18th to their satisfaction, just then her dropsy being at height & she was swollen to a high degree. She has been obliged to sit up

 

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& has not been in bed since mid-summer day, but has endured everything with such uncommon patience, that it struck even natural people with amase, to see her so chearfull & childlike amidst those incredible pains she indured, which became at last so troublesome that she had no rest or sleep for near a week together, & when ever she must be moved or lifted at any time, she could not forbear crying out like one that is pierced thro. Whenever she was overcome with impatience, she wept, soon after asked pardon of those about her & called herself a coward, because she did not bear more children likely, what our Saviour was pleased to let her endure. I continued visiting her for these 27 Weeks every Tuesday but one, with real satisfaction & found her heart always tender, towards our Saviour, never did I visit anyone more glad & thankful than she was every time, amidst her pitiful & painful sickness. She being poor, our Saviour raised up friends who assisted her in all she stood in need off; and among the rest a young women, who has proved a friend indeed: One Grace Holdin who was acquainted with her from a child, who has spent most of her time with her & nursed her to the best of her knowledge & when even her dropsy broke & became disagreeable she has either dressed & kept her clean herself, or proved some body to do it for her. However, by seeing Mary carried on in such a manner & hearing me speak with her has likewise gotten a concern for her soul's salvation, & has come to meetings to the Stanery & desires to be received into the society. When I saw poor Mary the Tuesday before last, her feet mortifying & her body full of exquisite pain, it moved my heart with such pitty & compassion, that I could not speak a word for some time. She was dressed twice a day. Her feet, which had great holes, began to be so bad that a kind of growth grew in it & fell out of the holes, but this did not last longer than 2 or 3 Days. I visited her for the last time on September 4th. I Kept her a liturgy with great tenderness, & prayed our Saviour to hasten her dissolution & take her soon out of this bodily pain, which also came to pass the day following about 9 o’clock in the for noon, when first the one arm became lifeless & then that whole side she sinking together desired to be raised up, & said soon after now my dear Lamb is acoming for me, which were her last words, & soon after she fall happily asleep in the 30 year of her age she is now in Peace.