THE WOMEN AROUND JOHN WESLEY AT HOME ... - Kristoffersen

New Testament. He was further chairman of the studentdiscussions every day. He lived the life that he and hisfriends had decided should be suitable for a Christian. Hisfather, Samuel Wesley, was getting old and he needed anassistant in his parish. He wished that John would take overthe parish in Epworth to hinder that a Priest who was onlyinterested in foxhunting should get the spiritual work in theparish. John Wesley hesitated so long that it became toolate. A “fox-hunter” had taken over the Parish. SamuelWesley died and was buried on Epworth Church yard.John Wesley could now stay on at Oxford as aFellow. He now changed over to another extreme, andsigned up as a voluntary worker for mission work amongthe Indians in Georgia, America. General James Oglethorpestarted at this time to organize the colony Georgia withprisoners from London who had run into debt.General Oglethorpe needed a Chaplain to workamong the new colonists. The general had been a friend ofSamuel Wesley. He offered the position to the son of hisfriend. John was doubtful about the offer, but the doubtdisappeared after he had told his mother Susanna Wesley.She was the woman who had the strongest influence onJohn Wesley, as long as he lived. Susanna said to him: “If Ihad 20 sons, than it should make me happy if they had suchan occupation even if I never should see them again”. JohnWesley accepted the occupation as a missionary in “theSociety for the Propagation of thee Gospel to the Indians”with a yearly salary of £50. If he had taken over his fatherscall as a vicar in Epworth, he would have received a yearlysalary of £150.73