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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74 SUSANNA WESLEY. and asked her for her mother. She could not tell me where she was. I took her up and carried her to the rest in the garden came in the second time ; and ran up-stairs, the flame breaking through the wall at the staircase ; thought all my children weresafe, and hoped my wife was some way got out. I then remembered my books, and felt in my pocket for the key of the chamber which led to my study I could not find the key, though I searched a second time. Had I opened that door, I must have perished. " I ran down, and went to my children in the garden, to help them over the wall. When I was without, I heard one of my poor lambs, left still above stairs, about six years old, cry out dismally, ' Help ' me ! I ran in again to go up-stairs, but the staircase was now all afire. I tried to force up through it a second time, holding my breeches over my head,, but the stream of fire beat me down. I thought I had done my duty ; went out of the house to that part of my family I had saved, in the garden, with the killing cry of my child in my ears. I made them all kneel down, and we prayed God to receive his soul. "I tried to break down the pales, and get my children over into the street, but could not ; then went under the flame, and got them over the walL after them. Now I put on my breeches and leaped One of my maid-servants that had brought out the least child, got out much at the same time. She was saluted with a hearty curse by one of the neighbours, and told that we had fired the house ourselves, the second time, on purpose. I ran about inquiring for my wife and other children; met the chief man and chief constable of the town going from my house,, not towards it to help me. I took him by the hand

FIRE AND PERIL. 7$ and said, ' God's will be done ! ' His answer was : Will you never have done your tricks ? You fired ' your house once before ; did you not get enough by it then, that you have done it again ? ' This was cold comfort. I said ' God forgive you ! I find you are chief man still.' But I had a little better soon after y hearing that my wife was saved, and then I fell on. mother earth and blessed God. I went to her. She was alive, and could just speak. She thought I had perished, and so did all the rest, not having seen me nor any share of eight children for a quarter of an hour ; and by this time all the chambers and everything was reduced to ashes, for the fire was stronger than a furnace, the violent wind beating it down on the house. She told me afterwards how she escaped. When I went first to open the back door she endeavoured to force through the fire at the fore door, but was struck back twice to the ground. She thought to have died there, but prayed to Christ to help her. She found new strength, got up alone, and waded through two or three yards of flame, the fire on the ground being up to her knees. She had nothing on but her shoes and a wrapping gown and one coat on her arm. This she wrapped about her breast, and got safe through into the yard, but no soul yet to help her. She never looked up or spake till I came, only when they brought her last child to her bade them lay it on the bed. This was the lad whom I heard cry in the house, but God saved him almost by a miracle. He only was forgot by the servants in the hurry. He ran to the window towards the yard, stood upon a chair, and cried for help. There were now a few people gathered, one of whom, who loves me, helped up another to the window. The child seeing a man come into the

74 SUSANNA WESLEY.<br />

and asked her for her mother. She could not tell<br />

me where she was. I took her up and carried her<br />

to the rest in the garden came in the second time<br />

;<br />

and ran up-stairs, the flame breaking through the<br />

wall at the staircase ; thought all my children weresafe,<br />

and hoped my wife was some way got out. I<br />

then remembered my books, and felt in my pocket<br />

for the key of the chamber which led to my study<br />

I could not find the key, though I searched a second<br />

time. Had I opened that door, I must have perished.<br />

" I ran down, and went to my children in the<br />

garden, to help them over the wall. When I was without,<br />

I heard one of my poor lambs,<br />

left still above<br />

stairs, about six years old, cry out dismally, ' Help<br />

'<br />

me ! I ran in again to go up-stairs, but the staircase<br />

was now all afire. I tried to force up through<br />

it a second time, holding my breeches over my head,,<br />

but the stream of fire beat me down. I thought I<br />

had done my duty ; went out of the house to that part<br />

of my family I had saved, in the garden,<br />

with the<br />

killing cry of my child in my ears. I made them all<br />

kneel down, and we prayed God to receive his soul.<br />

"I tried to break down the pales, and get my<br />

children over into the street, but could not ;<br />

then<br />

went under the flame, and got them over the walL<br />

after them.<br />

Now I put on my breeches and leaped<br />

One of my maid-servants that had brought<br />

out the<br />

least child, got out much at the same time. She<br />

was saluted with a hearty curse by one of the neighbours,<br />

and told<br />

that we had fired the house ourselves,<br />

the second time, on purpose. I ran about inquiring<br />

for my wife and other children; met the chief man<br />

and chief constable of the town going from my house,,<br />

not towards it to help me. I took him by the hand

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