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.
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TEACHING IN PUBLIC.<br />
and delight in His public worship so as never to<br />
neglect it more.<br />
" If you do, after all, think fit to dissolve this assembly,<br />
do not tell me that you desire me to do it, for<br />
that will not satisfy my conscience ;<br />
but send me your<br />
positive command, in such full and express<br />
terms as<br />
may absolve me from all guilt and punishment for<br />
neglecting this opportunity of doing good, when you<br />
and I shall appear before the great and awful tribunal<br />
of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
" SUSANNA WESLEY/'<br />
This wise and temperate letter shows plainly that<br />
there was no personal partisanship about its writer.<br />
She was not anxious that the people should come to<br />
her service instead of going to hear Mr. Inman, but<br />
earnestly desired that they should go to the services,<br />
conducted by him, for the honour of God and the<br />
Church ;<br />
and also regarded herself as a stewardess,<br />
keeping the flock together till such time as the Rector<br />
could return. And it must be remembered that Mr.<br />
<strong>Wesley</strong> was acknowledged to be one of the readiest<br />
and best preachers of his day, so that his hearers<br />
were somewhat spoilt, and resented having an inferior<br />
man set over them during his absence. Whatever<br />
may have been the motive that first led Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong><br />
to hold private services, or that made the neighbours<br />
wish to attend them, it is evident that closer contact<br />
with the earnest high-souled woman, who held on her<br />
stedfast way through evil as well as good report,<br />
called forth a feeling of deep respect which ripened<br />
in many instances into affection. All difficulties<br />
ceased when Convocation rose, and Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong> returned<br />
home to resume his ministrations in the parish<br />
and in his own household.
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