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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PARTINGS. 157<br />
may be in searching into the nature, or in distinguishing<br />
the properties, of the passions or virtues of human<br />
kind for your own private satisfaction, be very cautious<br />
in giving nice distinctions in public assemblies ;<br />
for it<br />
does not answer the true end of preaching, which is tomend<br />
men's lives, and not fill their heads with unprofitable<br />
speculations. And after all that can be said,<br />
every affection of the soul is better known by experience<br />
than any description that can be given of it. An<br />
honest man will more easily apprehend what is meant<br />
by being zealous for God and against sin when he hears<br />
what are the properties and effects of true zeal, than<br />
the most accurate definition of its essence.<br />
" Dear Son, the conclusion of your letter is very<br />
kind. That you were ever dutiful, I very well know.<br />
But I know myself enough to rest satisfied with a<br />
moderate degree of your affection. Indeed, it would<br />
be unjust in me to desire the love of anyone. Your<br />
prayers I want and wish nor shall I cease while<br />
;<br />
I live<br />
to beseech Almighty God to bless you. Adieu !<br />
" SUSANNA WESLEY."<br />
Part of a letter written to John at Oxford during the<br />
winter of 1727 shows that Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong> sometimes<br />
gave him prudent, practical advice which was not<br />
exclusively religious :<br />
" "<br />
DEAR JACKY, Jan. 31st, 1727.<br />
" I am nothing pleased we advised you to have<br />
your plaid, though I am that you think it too dear,<br />
because I take it to be an indication that you are disposed<br />
to thrift, which is a rare qualification<br />
in a young<br />
man who has his fortune to make. Indeed, such a<br />
one can hardly be too wary, or too careful. 1 would
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