Susanna Wesley

204 SUSANNA WESLEY.
And thus the ordained priest, who had been a stickler
for sacerdotal privileges, the scholar and " Fellow of
Lincoln " was led to sanction the lay preaching which
was destined to form an important element in the
Methodism he founded. It is
supposed that Mrs.
Wesley took a warm interest in the women who joined
the classes at the Foundry and came there for teaching
and advice. She would naturally do so when well
enough.
It was characteristic of a youthful zealot like Charles
Wesley to imagine that his mother's views of the plan
of salvation were inadequate and to endeavour to correct
them in a long letter. She not only took what he
had to say very meekly but laid his words to heart ;
and her humble yet dignified reply to him is the last
letter she is known to have written :
"DEAR CHARLES, "Foundry, Oct. 2nd, 1740.
" I do heartily join with you in giving God
thanks for your recovery. He hath many wise reasons
for every event of Providence, far above our apprehension,
and I doubt not but His having restored you to
some measure of health again will answer many ends
which as yet you are ignorant of.
"I thank you for your kind letter; I call it so,
because I verily believe it was dictated by a sincere
desire of my spiritual and eternal good. There is too
much truth in many of your accusations : nor do I
intend to say one word in my own defence, but rather
choose to refer all things to Him that knoweth all
things. This I must tell :
you you are somewhat mistaken
in
my case. Alas it is far worse than you
!
apprehend it to be ! I am not one of those who have
never been enlightened, or made partaker of the