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