E furnish above a view of the monument to MRS. SUSANNAH WESLEY, recently erected, by public subscription, in the CityRoad Chapel-yard, London. The propriety of erecting such a monument had been frequently discussed, but no action was taken in the matter until the opening of the Bunhill-Fields' Burial Ground, by the Corporation of London, in the autumn of 1869. An appeal was made at that time to the "Boys of England," in the VOL. I. FEBRUARY, 1871.

columns of the "Christian World," for funds in order to the restoration of the decayed tombstone of Daniel Defoe, whose body lies in that historic cemetery. A similar appeal appeared in the "Methodist Recorder," to the "Mothers and Daughters of Methodism," to erect a suitable monument over the grave of Susannah Wesley, "the mother of the Revs. John and Charles Wesley; the former of whom was, under God, the Founder of the Societies of the people called Methodists." This appeal met with a hearty response, and the monument has been erected; not, however, in the Bunhill-Fields' Burial Ground, but on a much more eligible site in front of the City-Road Chapel, and immediately adjoining the house in which her most distinguished son lived and died.

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At

It is now nearly one hundred and thirty years since Mrs. Wesley died, but her memory is still fragrant, and the story of her remarkable life continues to be read and pondered with interest and wonder. different times that story has been told, incidentally and briefly, in the biographies of her sons, in histories of Methodism, and in various periodicals; but no worthy memorial of her existed until the publication of the Rev. John Kirk's admirable book, entitled "The Mother of the Wesleys." To that volume we are largely indebted for the following facts.

According to the inscription on the monument here given Susannah Wesley was the youngest daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley, who was ejected from the Rectory of St. Giles, Cripplegate, by the Act of Uniformity, August, 1662. For ten years afterwards he resided in London, in obscurity and silence. Many attempts were made to bring him into trouble, but they did not succeed. "His Nonconformity created him many outward troubles, but no inward uneasiness. God often marvellously appeared for him;" and one magistrate died in the act of signing a warrant for his apprehension. In the year 1672, the famous Declaration of Indulgence was proclaimed; whereupon, Dr. Annesley licensed a meeting-house in Little St. Helen's, Bishopsgate-street, and for nearly a quarter of a century ministered there to á numerous and loving people. It has been very difficult to ascertain who was Wesley's mother. Dr. Annesley was married twice, although none of his biographers mention the fact of his being married at all. While he held the living of Cliffe, his first wife and a son died—the former in 1646, and the latter in 1650. The records of their burial appear in the parish register. The second Mrs. Annesley was the daughter of one John White, who was the representative of the borough of Southwark, in the Long Parlia ment in 1640, and on whose tombstone there was the following curious epitaph :—

Mrs.

Here lies a John, a burning, shining light, Whose name, life, actions, all alike were White." She was probably married to Samuel Annesley about the time of his removal to London, in 1652. She was the mother of a very numerous family, being in this respect more distinguished than her distinguished daughter. "How many children has Dr. Annesley?" said a friend to Thomas Manton, who had just consecrated one more to the Lord in baptism. "I believe it is two dozen, or a

quarter of a hundred," was the startling reply. Of this number only three appear to have been sons, so that the good Doctor must have rejoiced in the possession of upwards of twenty daughters, of whom Susannah was the youngest. She is supposed to have been born in Spital-yard, a narrow and obscure region between Spital-square and Bishopsgate-street, January 20th, 1669. Little is known of the incidents of her childhood. She obtained a good, thorough, substantial education, but nobody knows when, where, and how she acquired it. That it included instruction in domestic matters, her subsequent skilful management of a large household, on small means and with little help, abundantly testifies. In early life she manifested that intellectual strength, penetration, thoroughness, and self-confidence, for which she was afterwards remarkable. She did not confine herself within conventional limits in the selection of books, and in the range of her reading. She meddled much, whilst very young, with the theological and ecclesiastical polemics of the times. With more daring than discretion, she attempted to master the Arian and Socinian controversies, and all but made shipwreck of faith. From this peril she was rescued by Samuel Wesley, to whom in all probability she was at that time betrothed. In after life, she referred to this deliverance with great gratitude, and became a most intelligent and valiant expositor and defender of the orthodox faith. She also gave earnest attention to the church questions, which were then rife; and before she was "full thirteen" began to examine the matters in dispute between Dissenters and the Established Church. The result was that she professed to believe that the latter had the best of the argument. She renounced the ecclesiastical creed of her father, and became a member of the National Church. Various reasons have been assigned for this remarkable conduct: the most plausible of which is that which ascribes it to the state of her affections. It is shrewdly conjectured that she had already a secret liking for the aforementioned Samuel Wesley, a young student from the Stepney Academy, who was wont, with some fellow-students, to frequent her father's house, and whose attention was occupied with the same subject, and with a like result. He changed his church views in the year 1683, when Susannah Annesley was about fourteen years of age, and within six years of their marriage. It is, therefore, not unlikely that they discussed the question together; and that, as in the former instance, he kept her

from heresy, and established her in the truth, so in this matter she was influenced by his arguments a result facilitated possibly, we suggest, by the condition of her heart. Sometime late in 1689, or early in 1690, they were married, Samuel Wesley having been ordained by the Bishop of Rochester, in 1688. He had a curacy in London, and was "passing rich on £30 a year." They lived in town, without incurring debt, until the autumn of 1690, when Wesley was presented to the living of South Ormsby, in Lincolnshire. Here they had £50 a year to live upon, and "one child additional per annum." At the close of 1696, or the beginning of 1697, they removed to Epworth, to the living of which Mr. Wesley was presented by the Crown, in recognition of services rendered to the Queen, by writing in favour of the Revolution which placed her husband on the throne. This living was worth £200 per annum, four times the value of South Ormsby. Mr. Wesley had not sought preferment, but thankfully accepted it; and, with his devoted wife and four children, took possession of Epworth Rectory, which became the scene of strange events, and of a succession of misfortunes. In order to stock his farm, the rector was obliged to borrow money at high interest. "One barn of six baies" fell down within six months of his coming into possession of the living. On two occasions his house was destroyed by fire; and, in the second instance, the ruin was so complete that he declared they "had very little more left than what Adam and Eve had when they first set up housekeeping." What rendered this disaster all the more distressing was the suspicion of foul play. About this time Mr. Wesley was arrested for debt, and thrown into prison. His parishioners His parishioners were violently opposed to him on political grounds, and they persecuted and insulted him in every possible form. After time the rectory was rebuilt, but on the 1st of December, 1716, " Old Jeffery' commenced the performance of those pranks which occasioned so much perplexity at the time, and which are still a mystery. Mean

a

while, the annual child statedly arrived, so that, in twenty-one years of married life, Mrs. Wesley became the mother of nineteen children. Of these, nine died in childhood; but ten survived, requiring all a mother's care. Her marvellous skill and success in their education and training continue to be a wonder to many. The infant life of her children was strictly regulated. They ate, and drank, and slept, and laughed, and cried, and played according to fixed rules. They were never taught a letter until they

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had completed their fifth year; but then they were made to set to earnestly, and to learn the alphabet in one day. The incident which led to this was connected with her eldest son, Samuel, who, until nearly five years old, could not, or would not, speak. At that age, he was one day missing to the whole family, when the mother, in seeking him, and on calling his name loudly, was answered by the boy himself, who said, from under a table, where he had been playing with a favourite cat, "Here am I mother!" and from that day he spoke freely. They were taught to observe the utmost propriety towards each other, and to every one in the house. Rudeness, even to a domestic, was invariably punished. The fulfilment of all promises was rigorously exacted, and the rights of property scrupulously enforced. Before they could either kneel or speak, her children were taught to ask a blessing on their food by appropriate signs, and to behave devoutly at family worship. They were instructed to pray in short and simple words, to repeat the Lord's Prayer morning and evening, to hallow the Sabbath, and to reverence the house of God. When they grew older, and required more advanced instruction in Divine things, Mrs. Wesley set herself to the task of giving them a thorough Christian training. She prepared for them a "Manual of Doctrine," comprising the main arguments in the controversy relating to Christian Theism, and an exposition of the Apostles' Creed and the Ten Commandments. She arranged for a special religious conversation with each child once a week, and ordered a general retirement as soon as the school duties for each day were completed. The eldest child took the youngest that could speak, and the second the next, and so with the rest, until they had all passed, two and two, into private rooms, where they read a chapter in the New Testament and the Psalms for the evening of the day. In the morning, they were directed to read a chapter in the Old Testament and the morning Psalms. They went to private prayers before breakfast, or before they came into the family circle. In all these efforts and arrangements, Mrs. Wesley was ably supported by her husband. This has been doubted; but his long and affectionate letters to his children indicate his intense concern for their spiritual welfare.

Meanwhile, the family was in circumstances of most distressing poverty. The full story of their thrift, sufferings, and anxieties can never be told. At one time, Mrs. Wesley and her husband "clubbed and joined stocks to

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send for coals," and all they could muster was six shillings! Twenty-five years later, five pounds was all they had with which "to keep the family from May-day till after harvest." "Tell me, Mrs. Wesley," said good Archbishop Sharp, "whether you ever really wanted bread." "My Lord," she replied, "I will freely own to your Grace that, strictly speaking, I never did want bread. But then I had so much care to get it before it was eat,

were all so employed, though I should never see them more. She resided with one or other of her children, in various places, until the year 1739, when she returned to London. In the autumn of that year, John Wesley took the old foundry, in Moorfields, and had it fitted up as a place of worship. In connection with it was a dwelling-house, where Wesley and his friends and helpers found a home. To this town-house of her son,

and to pay for it afterwards, as has often made it very unpleasant to me. And I think to have bread on such terms is the next degree of wretchedness to having none at all." But in the darkest hour of their fortunes her husband testifies, "All this, thank God, does not in the least sink my wife's spirits. She bears it with that courage which becomes her, and which I expected from her." On the 25th of April, 1735, Samuel Wesley died, from whieh time Mrs. Wesley was dependent upon her children. When her consent was asked for her sons to go to Georgia, she said, "Had 1 twenty sons, I should rejoice that they

Mrs. Wesley removed, and there ended her days.

In view of the amazing energy of her character, and the great amount of work she accomplished, many have supposed that Mrs. Wesley must have been a woman of vigorous constitution, and of robust health. But that is not a correct impression. Not only in advanced age, but in her years of prime, and throughout her married life, her health was feeble and precarious. One of her daughters declares that this was occasioned by want of clothes and convenient meat." On the 18th of July, 1742, her son, John, was

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