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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MATERNAL SOLICITUDE. 61<br />
have known. I have been the more particular in this<br />
relation because this man, as he was one of the richest<br />
in the place, so he was one of the most implacable<br />
enemies your father had among his parishioners ;<br />
one<br />
that insulted him most basely in his troubles, one that<br />
was the most ready to do him all the mischief he<br />
could, not to mention his affronts to me and the children,<br />
and how heartily he wished to see our ruin,<br />
which God permitted him not to see. This man and<br />
one more have been now cut off in the midst of their<br />
sins since your father's confinement. I pray God<br />
amend those that are left. I am, dear Sammy, your<br />
faithful friend and mother,<br />
" SUSANNA WESLEY."<br />
A few months later Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong> himself wrote to<br />
his boy a letter, which speaks so beautifully of the<br />
mother that no life of her would be complete which<br />
did not contain this tribute to her worth :<br />
"DEAR CHILD, "Epworth, September 1706.<br />
" The second part of piety regards your duty<br />
towards your parents; towards whom I verily hope<br />
you will behave yourself as you ought,<br />
to the last<br />
moment of your life; disobedience to them being<br />
the mother of all other vices<br />
generally " God Himself was doubtless infinitely pleased and<br />
satisfied in giving being to His creatures ;<br />
but I never<br />
could see any reason why this should lessen, or render<br />
unnecessary, their obligations to Him.<br />
"But, further, if there were no obligation to our<br />
parents, on account of having received our being from<br />
them, but only subsequent benefits, as education<br />
and the like, it would follow that there is no manner
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