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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192 SUSANNA WESLEY.<br />
who is sufficient for these things. But blessed be God,<br />
He is an all-sufficient Saviour; and blessed be Hi&<br />
holy name, that thou hast found Him a Saviour to<br />
thee, my son Oh, let us love Him much, for we have<br />
!<br />
much forgiven<br />
!<br />
"I would gladly know what your notion is of justifying<br />
faith, because you speak of it as a thing you<br />
have but lately received.<br />
" SUSANNA WESLEY."<br />
A second letter, which shows that Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong> did<br />
not quite comprehend the change of views experienced<br />
by her sons, and inculcated by them on their followers,<br />
was probably also written from Tiverton :<br />
'<br />
DEAR CHARLES,<br />
" December 6th, 1738.<br />
" I think you are fallen into an odd way of<br />
thinking. You say that till within a few months you<br />
had no spiritual<br />
life nor any justifying faith.<br />
" Now, this is as if a man should affirm he was not<br />
alive in his infancy, because when an infant he did not<br />
know he was alive. All, then, that I can gather from<br />
your letter is that till a little while ago you were not<br />
so well satisfied of your being a Christian as you are<br />
have now attained to<br />
now. I heartily rejoice that you<br />
a strong and lively hope in God's mercy through<br />
Christ. Not that I can think you were totally without<br />
saving faith before ;<br />
but it is one thing to have<br />
faith, and another thing to be sensible we have it.<br />
Faith is the fruit of the Spirit and the gift of God ;<br />
but to feel or be inwardly sensible that we have true<br />
faith, requires a further operation of God's Holy<br />
Spirit.<br />
You say you have peace, but not joy in believing.<br />
Blessed be God for peace ! May this peace
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