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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TEACHING AND TRAINING. 35<br />
ment; as in the morning they were directed to read<br />
the psalms and a chapter in the Old Testament, after<br />
which they went to their private prayers, before they<br />
got their breakfast or came into the family.<br />
' '<br />
There were several bye-laws observed among us.<br />
I mention them here because I think them useful.<br />
"<br />
First, it had been observed that cowardice and<br />
fear of punishment often lead children into lying till<br />
they get a custom of it which they cannot leave. To<br />
prevent this, a law was made that whoever was charged<br />
with a fault of which they were guilty, if they would<br />
ingenuously confess it and promise to amend should<br />
not be beaten. This rule prevented a great deal of<br />
lying, and would have done more if one in the family<br />
would have observed it. But he could not be prevailed<br />
upon, and therefore was often imposed on by false<br />
colours and equivocations which none would have used<br />
but one, had they been kindly dealt with ;<br />
and some<br />
in spite of all would always speak truth plainly.<br />
" Second, that no sinful action, as lying, pilfering at<br />
church or^on<br />
the Lord's day, disobedience, quarrelling,<br />
&c. should ever pass unpunished."<br />
(Onfe feels that in the last sentence Mrs. <strong>Wesley</strong><br />
must have been interrupted, or that possibly a line or<br />
two of her letter may have been lost has been<br />
(it<br />
several times printed), for usually she was very clearheaded<br />
and precise in what she wrote, and certainly<br />
would have considered pilfering on any day and in any<br />
place sinful.)<br />
" Third, that no child should be ever chid or beat<br />
twice for the same fault, and that if they amended<br />
they should never be upbraided with it afterwards.<br />
" Fourth, that every signal act of obedience, especially<br />
when it crossed upon<br />
their own inclinations,<br />
3 *
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