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S. C. Chichester = 1832 ..

THE

LIFE AND JOURNAL

OF

JOHN WROE,

WITH DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS

REVEALED TO HIM,

BEING

THE VISITATION OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD,

TO

WARN MANKIND

THAT

THE DAY OF THE LORD IS AT HÄND,

When the Kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdoms of God,
and of his Christ.,

JEREMIAH, chap. L. v. 2.-Declare ye among the nations, and
publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not.

Ashton-under-Lyne:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ISRAELITES' OFFICE,
BY E. LEES, AND CO.

Entered at Stationers' Hall.

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THE LIFE AND JOURNAL

OF

JOHN WROE.

I was born in a small village called Bowling, in the parish of Bradford, Yorkshire, September 19th, 1782, and baptized and registered at Bradford Church. I was a tender child, much despised and abused by my father, and before I was fit, put to the drudgery in the land, and the best name that my father could afford me was TOM BLAND, (the name of an idiot, kept at Bowling work-house.) My brother Joseph, two years younger than myself, was placed by my father as master over me, which I thought very hard, and which caused us often to quarrel and fight.

I went a little to the night and day schools, at one of which being ill used, my mother would suffer me to go no longer, and although nine or ten years of age at that time, I could do no more than say my letters.

While young, 1 became very deaf in consequence of being thrown into a pond of water, at a time when it was covered with ice, for offending a young man, and being afraid of my parents knowing, 1 stript off my clothes and hung them upon the edge several hours to dry: this deafness was an additional cause of ill usage amongst my relations. I had also another misfortune: having to serve the masons in the repairs of some houses my father had bought, I was

nearly bent double in carrying a window stone to the second floor, and have never been straight since.

About the age of fifteen, my father's brother, John, interfered with him respecting his cruel conduct towards me, and attempted to persuade him to take me into the trade, but he would not; I left him for a while to reside with my cousin, who wished me to bind myself apprentice to him as a wool-comber; afterwards my father persuaded me to return home, and a form of agreement of partnership was made but never signed, and he got from me the little money that I saved. I was then about seventeen. My brother Joseph entered into partnership with us, and did the business of riding out, and I continued to do the drudgery. I laboured late and soon for I was determined to save money.

I still continued very deaf, but fortunately hearing of the Whitworth doctors, I applied to one of them, he syringed my ears, and I could hear afterwards as well as ever I could in my life.

As well as being a worsted manufacturer, my father was concerned in several coal-pits, he and his partner had a law suit of several years standing, and were cast in all expences, &c., and to relieve my father from an arrest for so large a sum, greatly disturbed us in our business, and I was then allowed the disgreeable office of borrowing money, which made me wish to be at the drudgery again. I was then about twenty-four years of age.

My brother Joseph got married, and entered into the cotton business, and for a while lived withmy father and mother, and by various means got more than four times his share out of the trade; this continued four years.

But I may say the hard usage of my father and brothers is like the conduct of Joseph's brethren towards him on account of his dreams, for the Lord has suffered it that he might bring forth his strange

acts.

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I will now speak concerning my grandfather, he declared the Lord would raise up a priest of the fruits of his body. And in consequence of this, my father called his younger son, Thomas, after him, and intended to make him a minister, and sent him to diffenent schools till he was twenty years of age, but was prevented from applying to the Archbishop of York, for ordination, by the persuasion of the Vicar of Bradford, and his schoolmaster, on account of the badness of his speech. He was a short time with a doctor; afterwards got married, and entered into business, bnt not succeeding in that, my father took him to the colliery and allowed him weekly wages.

I began to think I would learn to read, and went to a school at Bretton, near Wakefield, and agreed with the master for a year, but from various causes did not stay long, and left little better able to read than before, the master declaring I should learn nothing however long I might stop. This is the end of my going to school.

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I again returned to my father, and joined with him in the trade. After which we had a quarrel in consequence of his selling a large quantity of goods to Joseph and John Sykes of Leeds, whom I said would never pay for them,, and so it proved. I was then determined to begin for myself, and put the books into the hands of a person to settle the accounts betwixt us, and the balance was much in my favour, notwithstanding the great loss just mentioned.

After leaving my father, I was again a short time with my cousin, but hearing the tenant was leaving the farm in Tong-street, I went without delay and took the place, although other persons were about the house on the same errand at the time. The next morning my father told me the bills were returned, that had been given in the transaction about which we parted, and wished me to go to Liverpool about them, which I did. Whilst there, the tenant brought to my father the letter that he had received from his

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