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. 81<br />
" St. Peter's College, Westminster,<br />
" MADAM, June 9th, 1709.<br />
" Had not my grandmother told me, the last<br />
time I was there, that you were near lying-in, at<br />
which time I it<br />
thought would be in vain to write<br />
what you would not be able to read, I had sent you<br />
letters over and over again before this. I beg, therefore,<br />
you will not impute it to my negligence, which<br />
sure I can never be guilty of, while I enjoy what you<br />
gave me life.<br />
My father lets me be in profound<br />
ignorance as to your circumstances at Epworth, and<br />
I have not heard a word from the country since the<br />
first letter you sent me after the fire ;<br />
so that I am<br />
quite ashamed to go to any of my relations for fear<br />
of being jeered out of my life. They ask me whether<br />
my father intends to leave Epworth. Whether he is<br />
rebuilding his house ? Whether any contributions are<br />
to be expected? What was the lost (last?) child, a<br />
boy or a girl ? What was its name ? Whether my<br />
father has lost all his books and papers ? If nothing<br />
was saved ? To all of which I am forced to answer,<br />
'<br />
I can't tell, I don't know ;<br />
I 've not heard.' I have<br />
asked my father some of these questions, but am still<br />
an ignoramus. If you think my ' Cowley ' and<br />
'<br />
Hudibras ' worth accepting, I shall be very glad to<br />
send them to my mother, who gave them to me. I<br />
hope you are all well,<br />
as all<br />
are in town.<br />
" Your most affectionate son,<br />
"SAM WESLEY."<br />
As the mother, just then, had more time than usual<br />
on her hands, it is more than probable<br />
that she<br />
answered her boy's questions, though her letter has<br />
6
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