Torch, Summer 1986

children timidly called the phenome– non "Old Jeffrey," and one day , as unexpectedly as it had come, "Old Jeffrey" left the rectory after some final knocks on the exterior walls. A great disappointment in Susanna's life was what she called "the fatal dispersion" of the children into several families' homes follow– ing one of the fires. "Many rude ways were learned which were not reformed without some difficulty,:' she wrote later, and "strict reform" was indeed undertaken when the family came together again! What kind of a woman could endure trials and disappointments such as these? And how did she deal with them? First, Susanna Wesley loved God . And secondly, she did her very best for Him with the talent He had given her, in the circumstances He had placed her. Early in her life , she "resolved to spend more time on prayer than on pleasure ." She knew that her strength came from God . In times of deep adversity which caused her to be anxious , doubtful , and unbelieving, she prayed that God would keep her from thinking severely or unjustly of others; she asked Him to keep her from dejection, covetousness, or distraction from her communion with Him . She asked that God would use all the disappointments and calamities in such a way that they would unite her heart more closely with Him and would separate her affections from worldly things. She wished only "to stay and center my soul in Him, to confine my desires, hopes, and expectations of happiness to Him alone." Susanna's contemporaries and biographers described her as beauti– ful, charming, intelligent, warm, and of strong character. The daughter of a godly Dissenter minister, she had "theology in her blood" and an exceptional education which she faithfully passed on to her children. They knew Latin, Greek, and had memorized a large part of the New Testament by the time they left her tutelage . And because of their mother's "kindly but ferocious discipline ," they were well-man– nered, loving , respectfu l, and, yes , they were happy children. When asked by son John in later years to document her philosophy of child rearing, Susanna wrote ," . . .no one can, without renouncing the world in the most literal sense , observe my method ." She shared >:> with him , "Self-will is the root of all sin and misery" and "In order to form the mi nds of children, the first thing to be done is to conquer their will and bring them to an obedient temper. ... neglecting timely correc– tion, they will contract a stubborn– ness and obstinacy which is hardly ever after conquered." She also wrote that a child should be "gov– erned by the reason and piety of its parents till its own understanding comes to maturity and the principle of religion [has] taken part in the mind." Susanna set up for her children an orderly schedule of living . She taught the children "to fear the rod and to cry softly by which means they escaped abundance of correction which they might otherwise have had . .. ." They were to eat such things as were provided for the family and there was no eating between meals . Such offences as lying, pilfering , disobedience , and quarrelling never passed unpunished. Obedience, "when it crossed upon their own inclinations ," she com– mended and rewarded . In the busyness of her day , Susanna never lost sight of the fact that each child needed individual tutoring. Her children began their formal home schooling on their fifth birthday . Susanna expected them to learn the alphabet in one day (two of the girls needed one and one-half days!) . Then she introduced them to Genesis 1:l , heard them spell out the all the letters and then taught them the words . When they mastered that verse , they went on to verse 2. In a day when few girls could read, Susanna declared," .. .a girl should not be taught to work until she reads well." The older children helped the younger ones with Bible reading and memorization . Singing Psalms was a favorite family activity. Thus, Susanna Wesley opened the minds of her children to education and grounded them in the Word of God. After the children left home , they continued to seek her counsel on biblical doctrine, current issues, and the works of contemporary writers and theologians. Despite Samuel ' s shortcomings, there existed love, shared interests, and mutual respect between him and his family. He wrote of his wife: She graced my humble roof, and blessed my life , Blest me by afar greater name than wife ... * * * Her house her pleasure was, and she was mine; Rarely abroad, or never, but with me Or when by pity called, or charity . Susanna Annesley Wesley is indeed a role model for us. She shows us that deep , abiding faith in God and obedience to His Word is the key to enduring adversity , the forerunner of discouragement. Not only did she endure; she also passed along a godly heritage to her children - an accomplishment that endures for eternity . Typical of her were the words she uttered on her deathbed: "Children, as soon as I am released, sing a psalm of praise to God ." The in– scription on her tombstone in Bunhill Fields states : In sure and certain hope to rise, And claim her mansion in the skies, A Christian here her flesh laid down The cross exchanging for a crown . Martha Baldwin is Associate Editor of TORCH magazine and serves as a writer for the Public Relation s Department at Cedarville College. She is a graduate of Iowa State University. 9