The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Mrs. Wesley seems to have accompanied her husband in his long northern
journey, undertaken a few weeks after they were married. She, also,
went with him into Cornwall, in the month of August following.
Again, in March 1752, she, and one of her daughters, shared all the
adventures, privations, and roughnesses of another three months’
journey to the north of England.[122] On the way, while at Epworth,
Wesley wrote as follows to Mr. Blackwell: “April 16, 1752.—My wife is,
at least, as well as when we left London: the more she travels, the
better she bears it. It gives us yet another proof, that, whatever God
calls us to, He will fit us for. I was, at first, a little afraid,
she would not so well understand the behaviour of a Yorkshire mob;
but there has been no trial; even the Methodists are now at peace
throughout the kingdom.”[123] Before the month was ended, Wesley and
his wife had mobbing to their hearts’ content.
Hitherto, their married life, if not ecstatic, had not been absolutely
miserable. Things, however, were soon altered. On November 3, 1752,
Vincent Perronet wrote as follows to Charles Wesley: “I am truly
concerned that matters are in so melancholy a situation. I think
the unhappy lady is most to be pitied, though the gentleman’s case
is mournful enough. Their sufferings proceed from widely different
causes. His are the visible chastisements of a loving Father; hers, the
immediate effects of an angry, bitter spirit; and, indeed, it is a sad
consideration, that, after so many months have elapsed, the same warmth
and bitterness should remain.”[124]
This was within a year and three quarters of the time when the marriage
ceremony was performed. Four months later, she again went with Wesley
to the north and to Scotland. Indeed, up to the year 1755, she seems,
generally speaking, to have been his travelling companion; but, in the
autumn of that year, there was a change. Wesley then went to Cornwall
without her, and, while there, sent a packet of letters to Charles
Perronet. The packet came into the hands of his jealous wife; most
unwarrantably she opened it, and, finding a few lines addressed to Mrs.
Lefevre, fell into a furious passion.[125] Ever after, there was little
else than a succession of connubial storms. In February, 1756, Wesley
wrote to Sarah Ryan: “Your last letter was seasonable indeed. I was
growing faint in my mind. The being continually watched over for evil;
the having every word I spoke, every action I did, small and great,
watched with no friendly eye; the hearing a thousand little, tart,
unkind reflections, in return for the kindest words I could devise—
‘Like drops of eating water on the marble,
At length have worn my sinking spirits down.’
Yet I could not say, ‘Take Thy plague away from me;’ but only, ‘Let me
be purified, not consumed.’[126]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account