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.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
PARTINGS. 173<br />
self " from pain of body and other severer trials not<br />
convenient to mention," besides seeing her husband's<br />
health rapidly failing but no word<br />
;<br />
about her own probable<br />
privations after his demise ever seems to have<br />
escaped her. Perhaps this was from the unselfishness<br />
of her nature, or perhaps she never thought it likely<br />
that she should survive him. She alludes to several of<br />
these subjects in portions of a letter to John :<br />
" I don't know how you may have represented your<br />
case to Dr. Huntingdon. I have had occasion to make<br />
some observation in consumptions, and am pretty certain<br />
that several symptoms of that disorder are beginning<br />
upon you, and that unless you take more care than<br />
you do, you will put the matter past dispute in a little<br />
time. But take your own way ;<br />
I have already given<br />
you up, as I have some before which once were very<br />
dear to me. Charles, though I believe not in a consumption,<br />
is in a fine state of health for a man of<br />
two or three and twenty, that can.'t eat a full meal<br />
but he must presently throw it !<br />
up again It is a<br />
great pity that folks should be no wiser, and that<br />
they can't fit the mean in a case where it is so obvious<br />
to view that none can mistake it that do not<br />
do it on purpose. I heartily join with your small<br />
society in all their pious and charitable actions which<br />
are intended for God's glory, and am glad to hear that<br />
Mr. Clayton and Mr. Hall have met with desired suc-<br />
on and<br />
cess. May you still in such good works go<br />
prosper. Though absent in body, I am with you in the<br />
spirit, and daily recommend and commit you<br />
all to<br />
Divine Providence. You do well to wait on the Bishop,<br />
because it is a point of prudence and civility though,<br />
;<br />
if he be a good man, I cannot think it in the power of<br />
anyone to prejudice him against you.
Change language