Susanna Wesley's Epworth Memoirs - part 3 Difficult Times
NOW in her later years, and living at the Methodist HQ in London, Susanna Wesley reflects on her time in the Epworth Parish) Sammy was making a young man of whom we felt proud and was showing much promise in all his studies.
We sent him to John Holland's Academy in Epworth to get extra tuition and had him registered for Westminster School. My husband was confident that Sammy wwould prove himself a competent scholar and we both hoped that he would eventually take Holy Orders.
During our very first year at Epworth our decrepit old barn finally gave in to the winds and collapsed, but in all honesty, it was a miracle it had survived the elements for so long. Of course we were not in any financial position to replace it for we had only just obtained a 50 loan in order to buy some much needed furniture.
But even then we were a lot better off than many of the Epworth townspeople. Even the upper classes were very careful with their money and made do with a diet of bread, ash-heap cakes, flour puddings, buttermilk and a few eggs. Many of the very poor, however, would have thought this fare sumptuous. I had never seen such passing on of clothes as I witnessed in Epworth. Some of the farm labourers wore smocks that must have adorned their grandfathers whilst many of the ladies paraded around in dresses which must have served their mothers for no small period of time.
As if times were not hard enough the Rectory caught fire in 1702. It may have been caused by sparks from the chimney but Samuel was of the opinion that it was the work of a few folk who did not like him. They had previously fired our crops, maimed some of our cattle and thrown mud and stones at the children. The fire damaged two thirds of the house and we were fortunate to stop the blaze before it consumed everything. Kitchen, buttery, hall and the girls' bedchambers were all destroyed. At the time of the fire Samuel was out visiting parishioners and saw the flames from some distance. He borrowed Mr Coggan's horse to get back quickly but he was too late to do anything and could only stand and watch as the menfolk battled to subdue the inferno. We were just thankful we were all safe and still had some living space. Happily our library was unscathed and Samuel's precious books and manuscripts were intact. Sometimes I thought I took second place to my fellow's love of his books and writing. A lot of folk in the town thought Samuel was too much the academic and they wanted a more practical pastor. At times their animosity reached fever heat and I feared for my husband's life. He was unmoved by this agitation, and iron man that he was, he regarded it as the work of the Devil and saw it as a challenge which he believed his Saviour would defeat.
I was relieved that Anne was born before the fire as I was beginning to think that God did not wish us to increase our family. especially as I had lost five babies in as many years. Over those five bitter years, we faced persecutions, we lacked proper nourishment, the house was ill-furnished, our clothing was threadbare and perhaps these difficulties had contributed to our loss of that sad quintet. But God smiled on us again with the coming of Anne and it was a joy to see her thrive. We felt that God had brought us to Epworth for a purpose. I was perverse enough to think that my husband's enormous talent was wasted on the backward rustics of Axholme, but I was to learn that God was the arbiter of our destinies.
Next week in Part 4 - Separation
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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
