‘Mother of Methodism’ influenced generation of mothers
Susanna Wesley (1669–1742) is known as the “Mother of Methodism.” Her sons — John and Charles Wesley — were founders of the denomination. Her Christian example and faithful teaching greatly influenced not only her children but also generations of mothers.
This year is the 275th anniversary of her death.
Susanna was born Jan. 20, 1669, in London — the youngest of 25 children born to Samuel Annesley and his second wife, Mary White. She grew up reading books from her father’s library.
On Nov. 11, 1688, she married Samuel Wesley, an Anglican minister, poet and writer.
During their 44-year marriage, they experienced numerous hardships. She was sick most of her life and debt, disease, poverty and death of nine of their 19 children were misfortunes they faced.
Twice their homes burned and they lost everything. Samuel went to jail twice because of debt. Once he left Susanna and the children for a year over a dispute about who should be the King of England. He spent much of his time and finances on his writing about the book of Job. Despite difficulties, Susanna remained faithful to God.
Susanna taught her children at home under strict rules. They had no formal lessons until the day after their fifth birthday. On the first day of their education they were expected to learn the alphabet. Everyone except two did so. The children attended classes for six hours a day. All were schooled in the classics, including Latin and Greek.
When she was young, she promised the Lord that for every hour she spent in entertainment pursuits, she would spend equivalent hours in prayer and in Bible study. But raising and teaching her children, working in the gardens, milking the cow and managing the household gave her no time for entertainment.
So she decided to give the Lord two hours in prayer.
She found a way to pray: when her children saw her with her apron over her head, she was not to be disturbed because she was praying.
Susanna was a writer — penning letters, meditations, scriptural commentaries and longer commentaries on the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments.
Her husband died in 1735. She lived with her children the rest of her life, staying with John the last year, who conducted her funeral service after her death July 23, 1742.
She suffered severely with arthritic gout before her death. Her last words were “My dear Savior, art Thou come to help me in my extremity at last?”
She was buried in London’s Bunhill Fields, the same location where author John Bunyan and hymn writer Isaac Watts are buried.
Glorifying God
Susanna once said, “I am content to fill a little space if God be glorified.” Her remarkable life as one of history’s greatest mothers glorified God in an extraordinary way.
John Wesley said of his mother: “I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians of England.”
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