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

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writes: “I still love you, and I am as pure as the day I wasborn. I cannot be your enemy; but let me be your friend”.Now I can present some of the problems thatcooled down the relationship between John and Molly. Thetravelling, work and the problems this led to, has alreadybeen mentioned. Now one must find the other reasons whyMolly was jealous on John.First of all there is Wesley´ s care for Sarah Ryen,a woman with a very nervous character. She gave theimpression of being spiritual in her behaviour, but her lifehad been unusual. At one time she had three husbands whowere alive. She had not done anything to divorce themaccording to the law.Wesley was interested in her openness for theDivine impressions that she received. She had a spiritualinfluence, but Wesley made a great blunder. In a letter hetold her about his tragic situation in the family. She wasnot, with her own family problems, a suitable familytherapist for John Wesley, and his marriage problems.UNPLEASANT CONVERSATIONAT THE DINNER - TABLEThis happened at a dinner party in London with 40guests including Sarah Ryan and John Wesley. Here theinfected bubble cracked. Wesley referred to the goodinfluence Sarah Ryan had on his religious life. Wesleylooked upon her as channel for divine influence. He hadwritten to Mrs. Ryan in 1758: “To converse with you inspeech and writing is a blessing for me. I cannot think86
about you without thinking of God. You lead me straight tothe nearness of God”. Sarah was a jewel for Wesley.When Mrs. Molly Wesley had heard enough of theconversation, she stood up, and told the dinner guests Mrs.Ryan´ s whole married career. She criticised of her husbandin harsh words. She talked about her husband and hisfalseness, and much more to blacken his name withoutbeing any truth in what she said. One can think what anatmosphere spread there at the dinner table.Mrs. Molly Wesley made herself guilty of aspiritual-cultural maltreatment of her husband. At the sametime she betrayed her confidence. Bishop Francis J.McConnell says that the most intelligent explanation toMrs. Wesley´ s behaviour was that she was at least halfmad.We can may be agree with him, as we hear that Mollyopened letters, that John had written, and she addedpostscripts to hurt her husband and to make problems forhim.The references to Molly Wesley show that it wasnot easy for John Wesley. He met genuine human problemsin his nearest circle. We understand that John must havehad a strong psyche to be able to live through all this, tokeep his faith as well as his warm heart in tact as well as tocontinue to seek Christian perfection that we have learnt toknow as holiness. In everything that happened to JohnWesley we can see that he was a human person like hismother Susanna Wesley. Susanna played cards to get awayfrom stress, and she gave her children gymnastic trainingby giving her children ballet lessons. She let the balletteachers come home to the parsonage in Epworth to teachthem this art. If Susanna and John were ordinary people87
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THE WOMEN AROUND JOHN WESLEYAT HOME
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Leslie F. Church has contributed wi
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SAMUEL WESLEY - AN UNUSUAL PRIESTLe
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550 members from October 1972. Ther
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Cambridge University was not part o
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she, who had been her father´ s fa
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Fleming, Bishop of Lincoln. John We
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LITERARY ACTIVITYSamuel Wesley had
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The three Wesley brothers were all
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SUSANNA WESLEY THE MOTHER OF METHOD
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can partly thank Susanna that layme
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education and integration in educat
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he delivered a speech at the graves
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Emilia was helpful and took respons
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partly by John Wesley because he di
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SULKY MARRIES RICHARD ELLISONUnfort
Page 36 and 37: Richard had liked very much, had be
Page 38 and 39: The Vicar John Whitelamb opened his
Page 40 and 41: her beauty, others for her witticis
Page 42 and 43: perform weddings. Many young Englis
Page 44 and 45: suffering Hetty went through due to
Page 46 and 47: The Wesley-girls would not have man
Page 48 and 49: Hetty had surely hoped that the new
Page 50 and 51: “Ere thy gentle breast sustainsLa
Page 52 and 53: Your fatherS. Wesley.”FATHER AND
Page 54 and 55: had dated 22 nd August 1735, he had
Page 56 and 57: TO DIE IN HAPPINESSHetty said to a
Page 58 and 59: that he used to bring his dog with
Page 60 and 61: Samuel Wesley. Romley served also a
Page 62 and 63: THE TRUE NATURE OF WESTLEY HALLThe
Page 64 and 65: edited 1737. This play was performe
Page 66 and 67: could if she could stand it. Furthe
Page 68 and 69: It has surprised the historians tha
Page 70 and 71: were more out and about. In this wa
Page 72 and 73: wrote about in her dissertation. We
Page 74 and 75: WESLEY´ S MISSION ROMANTICISMJohn
Page 76 and 77: JOHN WESLEY AND SOPHY HOPKEYIn addi
Page 78 and 79: Sophy had many eyes directed toward
Page 80 and 81: EVERYONE FALL IN LOVE WITH JOHN WES
Page 82 and 83: salvation of their souls, which wer
Page 84 and 85: The Wesley biographer L. Tyeman tel
Page 88 and 89: who are searching for kingdom witho
Page 90 and 91: Mrs. Harrison is not the only one w
Page 92 and 93: Nottingham. On a wall in a small si
Page 94 and 95: was born in a pub should be accepte
Page 96 and 97: The vicar Rev. John Fletcher from M
Page 98 and 99: Huntingdon. The countess was more a
Page 100 and 101: This was an 84 years old woman who
Page 102 and 103: At the bottom of the montage is a p
Page 104 and 105: Lords. It was only a selection of t
Page 106 and 107: “The sacred bow he so divinelydre
Page 108 and 109: Conference; because we do not get a
Page 110 and 111: “PERSONALISM - THE SOUNDESTPOSITI
Page 112 and 113: method. Dr. Kristoffersen was respo
Page 114 and 115: She was critical against her father
Page 116 and 117: John Wesley went from an OxfordDon
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THE WOMEN AROUND JOHN WESLEY AT HOME ... - Kristoffersen

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