Susanna Wesley's Epworth Memoirs by Colin Ella - Part 10: The Rectory Church
SAMUEL'S frequent visits to London as the Lincoln District Representative to the Convocation were a considerable drain on our limited funds, taking no less than a quarter of our income.
Eminent churchmen and other friends helped us through these difficult times making collections for us which often rescued us from poverty. I did not begrudge a penny of Samuel's need for he was about God's work.
With my husband away church work had to go on but the Curate, Mr Inman considered holding one service a week was enough. Even then he only preached about debts and morality. Yes - and this from a cleric who spent six days a week hobnobbing with the worst characters in Epworth.
Our congregation dwindled down and down until there were only two dozen or so and a quarter of these made up by my own family.
I was unhappy when the afternoon service ceased and to compensate I began to do readings to my own children and servants each Sunday evening.
Well - not in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what was to become of our simple little weekly meeting.
Our man-servant told his parents about it and they joined us. Then many of their friends came along soon joined by more and more villagers and
my Sunday evening congregation swelled to over 40.
For these acts of worship I tried to select a number of sermons which I could read with a clear conscience and which I thought would be of the maximum benefit to my hearers.
The worship grew larger and larger and at times as many as 200 crammed into the room with some folk having to return home as we simply could not find room for them.
When Samuel learnt of my doings he was far from pleased and informed me that the role of a preacher was not for me.
I tried to put his mind at rest but he feared for his own reputation both as Epworth's Rector and Convocation member.
I told him that I had never dared to presume that God would make use of me as an instrument in doing good and the most I dared to think was - perhaps - maybe - but that was all. He then agreed with what I was trying to do.
Then Mr Inman persuaded Samuel to think seriously about what I was about and he accused of me of turning the Rectory into a Conventicle and causing scandal in the whole neighbourhood.
After some letters between Samuel and the Curate my man sternly forbade me from continuing the Rectory services.
I deliberately waited a few weeks before writing back and then I told him that I would not inquire how it was possible that he could have been prevailed on by the senseless clamour of but two or three of the worst people in the parish to now condemn what he had so recently approved.
I told him of the good things which had come from my experiment. More folk now attended St Andrew's, and some of them had never been to any church before.
There was also a strong bond of friendship and unity in the whole fellowship and most of the old animosity had gone from the parish.
When Samuel did return to Epworth he found a much happier and more agreeable flock.
The services at the Rectory were discontinued but my husband now preached regularly at St Andrew's to a full and occasionally very crowded Church - something he had never done before at Epworth.
Next week in Part 11 - Our Strange Visitor.
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Weather for Epworth
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
