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. 79<br />
Tiolence that none could stand against them. But<br />
some of our children got out through the windows,<br />
the rest through a little- door into the garden. I<br />
was not in a condition to climb up to the windows,<br />
neither could 1 get to the garden door. I endeavoured<br />
three times to force my passage through the streetdoor,<br />
but was as often beat back by the fury of the<br />
flames. In this distress I besought our blessed Saviour<br />
for help, and then waded through the fire, naked as I<br />
was, which did me no further harm than a little scorching<br />
my hands and face. When Mr. <strong>Wesley</strong> had seen<br />
the other children safe, he heard the child in the<br />
nursery cry.<br />
He attempted to go up the stairs, but<br />
they were all on fire, and would not bear his weight.<br />
Finding it impossible to give any help, he kneeled<br />
down in the hall and recommended the soul of the<br />
child to God.<br />
" SUSANNA WESLEY/'<br />
Man's extremity<br />
is God's opportunity; and John<br />
<strong>Wesley</strong> believed that it was at the moment when his<br />
father was thus recommending his spirit to the God<br />
who gave it, that he awoke, and not before ; adding :<br />
4< I did not cry, as they imagined, unless it was afterwards.<br />
I remember all the circumstances as distinctly<br />
as though it were but yesterday. Seeing<br />
the room<br />
was very light, I called to the maid to take me up.<br />
But none answering, I put my head out of the curtains<br />
and saw streaks of fire on the top of the room. I<br />
got up and ran to the door, but could get no further,<br />
all<br />
beyond it being .in a blaze. I then climbed up<br />
on the chest which stood near the window; one in<br />
the yard saw me, and proposed running to fetch a<br />
ladder. Another answered,<br />
'<br />
There will not be time ;
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