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.
174 SUSANNA WESLEY. " Your arguments against horse-races do certainly conclude against masquerades, balls, plays, operas, and all such light and vain diversions, which, whether the gay people of the world will own it or no, do strongly confirm and strengthen the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life ; all which we must renounce, or renounce our God and hope of eternal salvation. I will not say it is impossible for a person to have any sense of religion who frequents those vile assemblies, but I never, throughout the course of my long life, knew so much as one serious Christian that did ; nor can I see how a lover of God can have any relish for such vain amusements. " The The Life of God in the Soul of Man is an excellent, good book, and was an acquaintance of mine many years ago, but I have unfortunately lost it. There are many good things in Baxter, with some faults, which I overlook for the sake of the virtues. Nor can I say of all the books of divinity I have read which is the best ; one is the best at one time, one at another, according to the temper and disposition of the mind. " Your father is in a very bad state of health : he sleeps little and eats less. He seems not to have any apprehension of his approaching exit, but I fear he has but a short time to live. It is with much pain and difficulty that he performs Divine Service on the Lord's Day, which sometimes he is obliged to contract very much. Everybody observes his decay but himself, and people really seem much concerned for him and his family. " The two girls, being uneasy in their present situations, do not apprehend the sad consequences which in all appearance must attend his death so much as I
PARTINGS. 175 think they ought to do ; for, as bad as they think their condition now, I doubt it will be far worse when his head is laid low. Your sisters send their love to you and Charles ; and my love and blessing to you both. Adieu. " SUSANNA WESLEY." Some parts of a very long letter written to John by his mother during Mr. Wesley's last absence in London, are interesting as showing how well she was acquainted, through her son's conversation and letters, with his Oxford friends, and the mode of dividing their time and regulating their occupations which had already earned for them the appellation of Methodists : " SON, Saturday, March 30th, 1734. " The young gentleman's father (Mr. Morgan), for aught I can perceive, has a better notion of religion than many people, though not the best, for few insist upon the necessity of private prayers. But if they go to church sometimes, and abstain from the grossest acts of mortal sin, though they .are ignorant of the spirit and power of godliness, and have no sense of the love of God and universal benevolence, yet they rest well satisfied of their salvation, and are pleased to think they enjoy the world as much as they can while they live, and have heaven in reserve when they die. I have met with abundance of these people in my time, and I think it one of the most difficult things imaginable to bring these off from their carnal security, and to convince them that heaven is a state as well as a place a state of holiness begun in this life, though not perfected till we enter on life eternal that all sins are so many
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174 SUSANNA WESLEY.<br />
" Your arguments against horse-races do certainly<br />
conclude against masquerades, balls, plays, operas, and<br />
all such light and vain diversions, which, whether the<br />
gay people of the world will own it or no, do strongly<br />
confirm and strengthen the lust of the flesh, the lust<br />
of the eye, and the pride of life ;<br />
all which we must<br />
renounce, or renounce our God and hope of eternal<br />
salvation. I will not say<br />
it is impossible for a person<br />
to have any sense of religion who frequents those vile<br />
assemblies, but I never, throughout the course of my<br />
long life, knew so much as one serious Christian that<br />
did ;<br />
nor can I see how a lover of God can have any<br />
relish for such vain amusements.<br />
" The The Life of God in the Soul of Man is an excellent,<br />
good book, and was an acquaintance of mine<br />
many years ago, but I have unfortunately lost it.<br />
There are many good things in Baxter, with some<br />
faults, which I overlook for the sake of the virtues.<br />
Nor can I say of all the books of divinity I have read<br />
which is the best ;<br />
one is the best at one time, one at<br />
another, according to the temper and disposition of the<br />
mind.<br />
" Your father is in a very bad state of health : he<br />
sleeps little and eats less. He seems not to have any<br />
apprehension of his approaching exit, but I fear he has<br />
but a short time to live. It is with much pain and<br />
difficulty that he performs Divine Service on the Lord's<br />
Day, which sometimes he is obliged to contract very<br />
much. Everybody observes his decay but himself,<br />
and people really seem much concerned for him and<br />
his family.<br />
" The two girls, being uneasy in their present situations,<br />
do not apprehend the sad consequences which in<br />
all appearance must attend his death so much as I
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