.10066.20358

Peter West, the son of our brother John and Esther West, was born at London on February 12, 1751. He came into the Childrens Oceonamy here July the 30th 1754. In his infancy he was a simple and open child, of a very active and lively spirit. His greatest Pleasure from the beginning was to get his Room Companions around him to sing verses with him, and if they showed sometimes an indifferency to it, he was grieved and lamented over it with tears to his Brethern. In general he was very fond of learning verses, could sing prettily and went on in a pretty and tender course in his Heart. Sometime after some of the Boys in his Room being older than he, he was often very much pained as he could not willingly submit to be inferior to any of them either in understanding or learning and this school for his mind cost him sometimes tears. 1757 he was exceedingly rejoiced when the children got their little Hymn book, and he soon got it all by heart. The many really good and pretty qualities, which he had was at times food to his self Love, which gave both Him and his Brethren Pain, but his Heart returned always soon to the chief point, and he became sinner like and poor in His own Eyes. In short, his attachments to our Saviour and his wounds was obvious, and was a happy counter point against his Self Love, and in general he gave Brethern as much cause of Joy as any boy in the Room. In the same time, he got several swellings in different parts of his Body, which were hard to be removed, But through Brother Planta's care and directions they were cured to our great joy. During his sicknerss he retained his usual lively Spirit and chearful course, and was rejoiced to see his dear Papa and Mama here, they having brought his Brother Lewis with them from London. In 1758 a german school was begun with some children of his Room, he soon learned to read tolerably, for he was very fond of it, he also learned a great number of Serman verses, which he could sing with understanding. His way of singing was such that he often brought a Liturigical Spirit into the Room, which was also perceived and felt in the next. Though he had an active temper, yet he was sometimes found spending his Time in stillness, speaking with our Savioralone, and the Converse with the man of Sorrow was plainly to be observed in Him. His Brethern found however, cause to watch over Him, least he should come into a lightminded and extravagant Course, but before they had time to admonish Him, when any thing occured, they found that the dear mother had brought Him upon that point in his heart, and this soon made all well again.
      Some Days before the last mother's Festival the Brethern speaking with the Boys concerning the subject of the Day and the care and work of the Holy Ghost among them, He afterward wrote the following upon that Head; " The Mother points no to the wound holes and Nail Prints of our Savior;