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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SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS. 231<br />
quoting the well-known line from the Beggars'<br />
Opera<br />
But two at a time there 's no mortal can bear.<br />
Dr. Johnson had a little weakness for being the<br />
chief speaker, and no man likes to be what he calls<br />
" preached at" by a woman. Mrs. Hall's preaching,<br />
however, was probably of a mild description, and<br />
dealt with theories rather than persons. She had<br />
something good to say of everyone ;<br />
and if faults had<br />
to be mentioned, she always remembered extenuating<br />
circumstances.<br />
She remained well and strong and able to take long<br />
walks to the last ;<br />
and when she was over eighty, Sally<br />
<strong>Wesley</strong> tried to obtain a promise that she might be<br />
with her in her dying moments.<br />
" Yes/' replied her<br />
aunt, "if you are able to bear it; but I charge you not<br />
to grieve for me more than half-an-hour."<br />
John <strong>Wesley</strong> died in March 1791, leaving Mrs. Hall<br />
the sole survivor of the Epworth household, and she<br />
felt his loss deeply. She was then eighty-five, and<br />
only outlived him by about four months. In the beginning<br />
of July it was evident that she was gradually<br />
sinking, and Sally claimed the privilege of watching<br />
by her ;<br />
but the invalid, unselfish to the end, insisted<br />
that she should always go home at night, " lest you<br />
should not sleep then your anxiety would create<br />
mine." She died on the 12th; and shortly before,<br />
when her niece asked if she suffered any pain, she<br />
answered, " No, but a new feeling/' Just before the<br />
end she called Sally, and, pressing her hand said, " I<br />
have the assurance which I have long prayed for.<br />
"<br />
Shout !<br />
Immediately afterwards she expired.<br />
It seemed very natural that she should be buried<br />
in the same grave as her favourite brother in the
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