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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76 SUSANNA WESLEY. to his window, was frightened, and ran away to get mother's chamber. He could not open the door, so ran back again. The man was fallen down from the window, and all the bed and hangings in the room where he was were blazing. They helped up the man the second time, and poor Jacky leaped into his arms and was saved. I could not believe it till I had kissed him two or three times. My wife then said unto me, * Are your books safe ? ' I told her it was not much now she and all the rest were preserved, for we lost not one soul, though I escaped with the skin of my teeth. A little lumber was saved below stairs, but not one rag or leaf above. We found some of the silver in a lump, which I shall send up to Mr. Hoare to sell for me. " Mr. Smith of Gainsborough, and others, have sent for some of my children. I have left my wife at Epworth, trembling but hope God will preserve her, ; and fear not but He will provide for us. I want nothing, having above half ray barley saved in my barns unthreshed. I had finished my alterations in the Life of Christ a little while since, and transcribed three copies of it. But all is lost. God be praised ! " I know not how to write to my poor boy (Samuel) about it ; but 1 must, or else he will think we are all lost. Can your Grace forgive this ? I hope my wife will recover and not miscarry, but God will give me my nineteenth child. She has burnt her legs, but they mend. When I came to her, her lips were black. I did not know her. Some of the children are a little burnt, but not hurt or disfigured. I only got a small blister on my hand. The neighbours send us clothes, for it is cold without them. " SAMUEL WESLEY."

FIRE AND PERIL. 77 The rector wrote pretty cheerfully considering how great was the trial. The books which he had carefully collected one or two at a time, and paid for with money which could only be spared by self-denial, were only a little less dear than his children, and his collection of Hebrew poetry and hymns was of considerable value. A large number of letters from friends and literary connections were also consumed, as well as papers connected with the Annesley family and the parish registers. One item alone was left, and that was a hymn of six verses, written by Mr. Wesley, and set to music by, as is supposed, either Purcell or Dr. Blow. It is incorporated in the Methodist hymn-book, and is the only specimen of the elder Mr. Wesley's versification it contains : the opening words are "Behold the Saviour of Mankind." Then there was the well-worn though useful furniture, and the clothes of all, the little store of money and the indispensable comforts prepared for the expected babe, all were swept away in a few minutes. The children were scattered ; but Emilia, the eldest girl, who was about seventeen, remained to take care of her mother in the lodgings where she and her parents were domiciled at Epworth, and became her patient and cheerful nurse and constant companion for nearly a year. She was an unusually well-educated girl, having shared the lessons given by the father to Samuel as long as he remained at home, and it was intended that she should earn her own living as soon as she was old enough, as a governess. She loved her mother with the adoring fondness sometimes seen in an eldest daughter who is old enough to sympathise with her parent's trials, and regarded the months in which she had her almost to herself

76 SUSANNA WESLEY.<br />

to his<br />

window, was frightened, and ran away to get<br />

mother's chamber. He could not open the door, so<br />

ran back again. The man was fallen down from the<br />

window, and all the bed and hangings in the room<br />

where he was were blazing. They helped up the man<br />

the second time, and poor Jacky leaped into his arms<br />

and was saved. I could not believe it till I had kissed<br />

him two or three times. My wife then said unto me,<br />

*<br />

Are your books safe ? ' I told her it was not much<br />

now she and all the rest were preserved, for we lost<br />

not one soul, though I escaped with the skin of my<br />

teeth. A little lumber was saved below stairs, but<br />

not one rag or leaf above. We found some of the<br />

silver in a lump, which I shall send up to Mr. Hoare<br />

to sell for me.<br />

" Mr. Smith of Gainsborough, and others, have sent<br />

for some of my children. I have left my<br />

wife at<br />

Epworth, trembling but hope God will preserve her,<br />

;<br />

and fear not but He will provide for us. I want nothing,<br />

having above half ray barley saved in my barns unthreshed.<br />

I had finished my alterations in the Life<br />

of Christ a little while since, and transcribed three<br />

copies of it. But all is lost. God be praised !<br />

" I know not how to write to my poor boy (Samuel)<br />

about it ;<br />

but 1 must, or else he will think we are all<br />

lost. Can your Grace forgive this ? I hope my wife<br />

will recover and not miscarry, but God will give me<br />

my nineteenth child. She has burnt her legs, but they<br />

mend. When I came to her, her lips were black. I<br />

did not know her. Some of the children are a little<br />

burnt, but not hurt or disfigured. I only got a small<br />

blister on my hand. The neighbours send us clothes,<br />

for it is cold without them.<br />

" SAMUEL WESLEY."

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