Leeds - Ann Carr (1821)



It was at the close of 1821 that Ann Carr first visited Leeds. The report of her zeal and labours had reached that place and she received pressing invitations to come and there plant the standard of Emmanuel. Her labours were abundant and were most signally owned of God. Very many souls were pricked to the heart and they found mercy. The impression produced by this visit led numerous friends to wish that she would continue among them and watch over them in the Lord. She had no thought or desire of forming a separate Society, either here or elsewhere, but .many circumstances induced her to seriously ponder on the matter and to ask direction from her God. The entreaties of those to whom she had been made a blessing and whom she loved as her own soul—the important sphere of usefulness which this great and densely populated town presented—and. the painful consciousness that her bodily strength was beginning to fail, at last prevailed on her to yield on certain conditions to the voice of entreaty, believing it to be the voice of God. Those conditions were that her labours should not be confined within her new sphere of la­bour, but that she should go and proclaim Christ wherever the door was wide and effectual opened. The first place which she occu­pied was a large room at Spitalfields, on the Bank: here the Society was formed and the first quarterly meeting held. She had soon to enlarge the place of her tent and she took possession of the large room, George’s Court, George’s Street, at an annual rental of £30. Here she remained three years. But though Leeds was the scene of her stated ministry, it only became a centre, the circumference of which extended far and wide.

Additional Information

The chapel was in Geroge's Court, George's Street, but I do not know where this is.