Spotlight on Mom: Susannah Wesley

Thirteen Reasons to Study Her Life

1. Susannah was a preacher’s kid.

Born on January 20, 1669, as the daughter of a London pastor and the youngest of 25 children, Susanna Annesley was quite familiar with both a clergyman’s household and large families… Susanna was educated at home, with her lessons supplemented by the intellectual atmosphere of her father’s many scholarly visitors. One of these was the son of a Dissenting minister, Samuel Wesley, then a student. Excerpt is quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.

2. Susannah was married to a pastor.

Samuel Wesley was ordained in 1689 and he and Susanna, who had also decided to affiliate with the Anglican Church, were married soon after when she was 20 and he was 28… Following his ordination and marriage, Samuel served other parishes before 1696 when he came to Epworth in the North Lincolnshire area, the church he would serve most of his life. Excerpt is quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.

3. Susannah gave birth to 19 babies.

During this time Susanna had had seven children in those seven years, three of whom died. More children were born in the next few years, but many did not survive… Ten of Susanna’s eventual nineteen children lived to maturity, making for a large family to raise and educate while she carried out all her other household responsibilities. Yet Susanna accomplished it well and often with only just [one] servant.

One scholar described the Wesley children as “a cluster of bright, vehement, argumentative boys and girls, living by a clean and high code, and on the plainest fare; but drilled to soft tones, to pretty formal courtesies; with learning as an ideal, duty as an atmosphere and fear of God as law.” Excerpt is quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.

4. Susannah was a good money manager.

The Epworth area was primarily rural in economy and in mindset, and for Samuel as a city minded scholar it proved difficult. He was a rigid and moralistic pastor and some parishioners responded with occasional hostility. Samuel also lacked business sense so it was left up to Susanna to manage the household and business expenses – and all with no word of criticism for Samuel… Excerpt is quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.

5. Susannah had ‘tude.

Susanna was a strong supporter of the Stuart King James who had been overthrown in 1688 and replaced by William, his Dutch son-in-law. In 1702 when in family prayers Samuel prayed for King William Susanna refused to say “Amen.” She was, as her son John described it later, “inflexible”, and Samuel was equally so.

“Sukey,” he told her as he left home. “We must part for if we have two kings we must have two beds.” Susanna asserted that she would apologize if she was wrong but she felt to do so for expediency only would be a lie and thus a sin. Eventually after five months and the death of King William Samuel returned home and from their reconciliation was born John in 1703. Excerpt is quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.

6. Susannah led her church small group.

[While her husband was away] there were no afternoon church services, [so] Susanna began an evening family gathering where they sang psalms, prayed and Susanna read a short sermon from her husband’s library. It began with the family and the servants but soon word spread and others neighbors appeared, and soon there were too many for the parsonage. Excerpt quoted from “Susanna Wesley: Mother of Methodism” by Anne Adams.



7. Susannah was a homeschooling Mom.

She spent six hours each day home schooling her children. One of her teaching methods was to write several manuals on Christian doctrine for her children such as A Manual of Doctrine, And Exposition of the Apostle's Creed, and An Exposition of the 10 Commandments. Here are 16 Rules she laid down in her home. Excerpt is quoted from “Amazing Moms.”

8. Susannah knew her 10 kids individually.

She gave each child individual attention by purposely setting aside a regular time for each of them. In fact, she dedicated one hour a week to each child, which was no small task. She wanted to influence each one of them as an individual and make sure that each one knew the Lord and were growing in their faith. To do that she had to know them. To know them, she needed to invest the time. She reaped great rewards. Excerpt is quoted from “Amazing Moms.”

9. Susannah made time to pray.

Susannah Wesley prayed two hours a day. She organized her children so this could be accomplished. She had a system by which they would take care of each other, and this was the root of Methodism. (In the beginning, what distinguished Methodists was their system). John and Charles, as little boys, just watched their mom. If she couldn’t find a room to retreat to, they watched her flip her apron up over her head and pray. More about battling in prayer is at “Holy Tenacity.”

10. Susannah was John and Charles Wesley's Mom.

From her loving home came a son, John Wesley, who would experience a spiritual awakening and change the course of English history by initiating a nation-wide revival. Another of her sons, Charles, is remembered for his over 9,000 hymns that have brought pleasure to the Church for many years. In fact, it could be said that the Methodist movement had its very foundations formed in the home of Susannah Wesley. It was the courageous, tenacious faith of this Bible-believing woman that gave Christendom two of the most important figures of the 18th century. Excerpt is quoted from “Amazing Moms.”

11. Susannah was well-read.

She knew Greek and Latin as well as English (and possibly French). From… a very young girl she had read deeply in the devotional works of some of the great Puritan writers like Bunyan and Baxter and also some of the Catholic mystical writers like St. Teresa, Lorenzo Scupoli (an Italian monk), Thomas-a-Kempis and others. Excerpt is quoted from “Susannah Wesley: Mother of John” by Douglas Graham.

12. Susannah was admired by many.

About her, Adam Clarke wrote: "I have traced her life with much pleasure and received from it much instruction; and when I have seen here repeatedly grappling with gigantic adversities, I have adored the grace of God that was in her, and have not been able to repress my tears... Such a one Solomon has described in the last chapter of his Proverbs; and to her I can apply the summed-up character of his accomplished housewife: Many daughters have done virtuously, but Susannah Wesley has excelled them all." Excerpt is quoted from Tiffany B. Dziurman.

13. Susannah is quotable.

“I am content to fill a little space if God be glorified.”
—Susannah Wesley

Related Resources

• Children’s Book. Ten Girls Who Made a Difference

• Adult Biography. Susanna Wesley: Mother of John & Charles Wesley

What impresses you the most about this extreme Christian Mom?

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Photo Credits: lilmisspriss, mag3737, foreversouls, Paul McCord Jr. (Flickr), Google.

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