Susanna Wesley
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

Susanna Wesley

This is the story of Susanna Wesley, 1669-1742 Mother of Charles and John Wesley, who were founders of the Methodist Church. Susanna and her husband, Samuel, had nineteen children, ten of whom survived to adulthood. Her son Charles became a well-known hymn writer and her son John became the found of Methodism. Susanna was brought up in a Puritan home as the youngest of twenty-five children. As a teenager, she became a member of the Church of England. She became the wife of a chronically debt-ridden parish rector in an English village. She said, "I have had a large experience of what the world calls adverse fortune." Nonetheless, Susanna managed to pass down to her children Christian principles that stayed with them. This is the story of Susanna Wesley, 1669-1742 Mother of Charles and John Wesley, who were founders of the Methodist Church. Susanna and her husband, Samuel, had nineteen children, ten of whom survived to adulthood. Her son Charles became a well-known hymn writer and her son John became the found of Methodism.

Susanna was brought up in a Puritan home as the youngest of twenty-five children. As a teenager, she became a member of the Church of England. She became the wife of a chronically debt-ridden parish rector in an English village. She said, "I have had a large experience of what the world calls adverse fortune." Nonetheless, Susanna managed to pass down to her children Christian principles that stayed with them.

carrythelight
from carrythelight More from this publisher
17.04.2021 Views

90 SUSANKA WESLEY. to the principles of the Revolution, the Government, and the Protestant succession. The two sermons, which contained a great deal of abuse of prominent personages, were voted scandalous and seditious libels; and Dr. Sacheverell, being brought to the bar of the House, acknowledged the authorship of them, and was committed to the custody of the deputy usher of the black rod, bail being refused at first, but afterwards allowed. The trial came on in Westminster Hall on the 27th of February, 1710, and lasted three weeks, Queen Anne coming every day in a sedan-chair as a the hall and its spectator, and the populace thronging approaches, and behaving as though Sacheverell were a saint and martyr. The excitement was so great that it culminated in a riot, during which a good deal of mischief was done, in consequence of which some ringleaders were arrested and, afterwards, tried for high treason. The Queen, in her heart, favoured the Doctor; her chaplains extolled him as the champion of the Church ; and when his counsel had finished the defence, he himself rose and delivered a speech, in which he solemnly justified his intentions towards Her Majesty and her Government, and spoke in most respectful terms of the Revolution and the Protestant succession. He maintained the doctrine of nonresistance in all circumstances as a maxim of the Church of England, and by many touches of pathos endeavoured to excite the compassion of the audience. That this speech was the composition of the Rector of Epworth seems to have been universally recognised in Lincolnshire, and, in after years, John Wesley declared positively that his father was its author. Probably he was paid, in some shape or form, for preparing it, although, perhaps, like an old war-horse, he scented

winters THE HOME REBUILT. 91 the battle from afar and did his share of the fighting gratuitously. Having proved himself so good a spokesman for his party, the clergy of the diocese once more chose him as their representative in Convocation; so he journeyed to London in November 1710, ill as he could afford it, and did so seven . successively, while his family at home were in want of clothes, food, and, in fact, of all the necessaries of life. Mrs. Wesley suffered a great deal from weakness, and possibly from the damp inevitable in a house inhabited before it was properly seasoned; and, according to her daughter Emilia, from insufficient nourishment and clothing. No doubt the husband and father hoped that, being1 in London, he should find literary employment, and he might reasonably have looked for some pecuniary help from the party he so zealously served. In spite of weakness and weariness the mother struggled on, and, in proportion as her family's little comforts in this world decreased, her anxiety for their happiness in a future state grew and strengthened. In Mr. Wesley's absence Emilia, probably rummaging in his study for a book to read, met with the account of a Danish mission to Tranquebar, written by the two devoted and saintly men who had worked in it. Missions were then uncommon, and the story brought with it the thrill of a new interest, and diverted the mother's thoughts from her own surroundings. Emilia, who was a good reader her brother John said the best he had ever heard, when the book happened to be Milton's poems read it aloud, and Mrs. Wesley herself told her husband how it affected her. " Soon after you went to London," she wrote to him, " Emilia found in your study the account of

winters<br />

THE HOME REBUILT. 91<br />

the battle from afar and did his share of the fighting<br />

gratuitously.<br />

Having proved himself so good a spokesman for<br />

his party, the clergy of the diocese once more chose<br />

him as their representative in Convocation; so he journeyed<br />

to London in November 1710, ill as he could<br />

afford it, and did so seven .<br />

successively, while<br />

his family at<br />

home were in want of clothes, food, and,<br />

in fact, of all the necessaries of life. Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong><br />

suffered a great deal from weakness, and possibly from<br />

the damp<br />

inevitable in a house inhabited before it<br />

was properly seasoned;<br />

and, according to her daughter<br />

Emilia, from insufficient nourishment and clothing.<br />

No doubt the husband and father hoped that, being1<br />

in London, he should find literary employment, and<br />

he might reasonably have looked for some pecuniary<br />

help from the party he so zealously served.<br />

In spite of weakness and weariness the mother<br />

struggled on, and, in proportion as her family's little<br />

comforts in this world decreased, her anxiety for their<br />

happiness in a future state grew and strengthened. In<br />

Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong>'s absence Emilia, probably rummaging in<br />

his study for a book to read, met with the account of<br />

a Danish mission to Tranquebar, written by the two<br />

devoted and saintly men who had worked in it. Missions<br />

were then uncommon, and the story brought<br />

with it the thrill of a new interest, and diverted the<br />

mother's thoughts from her own surroundings. Emilia,<br />

who was a good reader her brother John said the best<br />

he had ever heard, when the book happened to be<br />

Milton's poems read it aloud, and Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong><br />

herself told her husband how it affected her.<br />

" Soon after you went to London," she wrote to<br />

him, " Emilia found in your study the account of

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!