Susanna Wesley

TEACHING IN PUBLIC. 101
people called Methodists," and, indeed, of the party
who in later times have styled themselves Evangelical.
But when we read that the curate, who was
named Inman, preached perpetually to the flock on
the duty of paying their debts and behaving well
among their neighbours, it is impossible to forget that
Mr. Wesley had not always been able to pay his
debts, and was at that very moment terribly hampered
by them; that unseemly brawls had at exciting times
disturbed tbe peace of the little town and that for
;
political reasons, added to perpetual impecuniosity,
the Wesleys were not over-popular in the parish.
The better disposed among the people very possibly
complained that the curate's preaching was not in good
taste, and it cannot have been pleasant to Mrs. Wesley
that her family and servants should be obliged to
listen to him. This is at least as likely as that his
ministrations were considered " barren," and the flock
oraved for " fuller privileges." Whichever explanation
of the situation be accepted, certain it is that Mrs.
Wesley began to hold a service every Sunday evening
in the rectory kitchen for the benefit of her own
children and servants. A serving-man told his parents,
who asked permission to come ;
others followed their
example till forty or fifty assembled ; and, whether the
motive were mere curiosity, or an ardent desire to
participate in the instruction given, it is said that the
numbers increased so rapidly that, by the end of
January 1711, two hundred were present at the home
service, and many were obliged to go away because
there was not even standing room. This is the universally
received account, based on Mrs. Wesley's own
statements in a letter to her husband.
Good woman though she was, perhaps she exagge-