Susanna Wesley
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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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20 SUSANNA WESLEY. St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet Street and ; Benjamin Motte, Aldersgate Street." In truth, Dunton did not think it would improve its author's reputation, and denounced it as " intolerably dull," an opinion shared by Pope. The present generation would certainly endorse their views ; yet it went through a second edition in 1697, and was reprinted in a revised and abridged form a century later. The most interesting passage, and the only one it is desirable to quote here, is Mr. Wesley's sweet and appreciative portrait of the wife to whom he had then been married about four years : " She graced my humble roof and blest my life, Blest me by a far greater name than wife ; Yet still I bore an undisputed sway, Nor was 't her task, but pleasure to obey : Scarce thought, much less could act, what I denied. In our low house there was no room for pride ; Nor need I e'er direct what still was right, She studied my convenience and delight. Nor did I for her care ungrateful prove, But only used my power to show my love : Whatever she asked I gave without reproach or grudge,. For still she reason asked, and I was judge. All my commands requests at her fair hands, And her requests to me were all commands. To other thresholds rarely she 'd incline : Her house her pleasure was, and she was mine ; Rarely abroad, or never but with me, Or when by pity called, or charity.'' In 1694 the Marquis of Normanby did his best both with the Queen and Archbishop Tillotson to recommend Mr. Wesley for the Bishopric of an Irish

EARLY MARRIED LIFE. 21 diocese, two of which were then vacant. Considering how much Irish blood ran in the veins of the Wesleys, and also that their connections were people of position in the Emerald Isle, he would probably have been well placed in such a see, made to his family and the difference it would have would have been incalculable. Possibly neither Queen Mary nor the Archbishop knew of these circumstances, but simply thought that a clergyman at thirty-two years of age was too young, and the pastor of two hundred and fifty country people too inexperienced, for such a post. The Queen, however, did not forget him, and it is said that it was in consequence of a wish expressed shortly before her last illness that the living of Epworth was offered to him. that Mrs. It was just before leaving South Ormsby Wesley had the grief of losing her father, Dr. Annesley, who died, after five months' illness, on the last day of 1696. The news, of course, did not travel very quickly, nor was it unexpected ; but it was none the less keenly felt. She was then twenty-seven, and expecting her eighth child, only one of her family having been seen by its grandfather. She was a strong believer in communion between the spirits of the departed and those dear to them who are still in the body, and throughout the remainder of her life loved to think that her father was far nearer to her than while she was in Lincolnshire and he in the flesh in Spital Yard.

20 SUSANNA WESLEY.<br />

St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet Street and ; Benjamin<br />

Motte, Aldersgate Street." In truth, Dunton did not<br />

think it would improve<br />

its author's reputation, and<br />

denounced it as " intolerably dull," an opinion shared<br />

by Pope. The present generation would certainly<br />

endorse their views ; yet it went through a second<br />

edition in 1697, and was reprinted in a revised and<br />

abridged form a century later. The most interesting<br />

passage, and the only one it is desirable to quote here,<br />

is Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong>'s sweet and appreciative portrait of the<br />

wife to whom he had then been married about four<br />

years :<br />

" She graced my humble roof and blest my life,<br />

Blest me by a far greater name than wife ;<br />

Yet still<br />

I bore an undisputed sway,<br />

Nor was 't her task, but pleasure to obey :<br />

Scarce thought, much less could act, what I denied.<br />

In our low house there was no room for pride ;<br />

Nor need I e'er direct what still was right,<br />

She studied my convenience and delight.<br />

Nor did I for her care ungrateful prove,<br />

But only used my power to show my love :<br />

Whatever she asked I gave without reproach or grudge,.<br />

For still she reason asked, and I was judge.<br />

All my commands requests at her fair hands,<br />

And her requests to me were all commands.<br />

To other thresholds rarely she 'd incline :<br />

Her house her pleasure was, and she was mine ;<br />

Rarely abroad, or never but with me,<br />

Or when by pity called, or charity.''<br />

In 1694 the Marquis of Normanby did his best<br />

both with the Queen and Archbishop Tillotson to<br />

recommend Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong> for<br />

the Bishopric of an Irish

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