is for seventee
With seventeen children just about anyone woulc
W
B y M a rg a r e t Jacobsen
7 hat would you do if you had 17 children? Susannah Wesley did and she was one of the most influential women in Christendom. She was married to an Anglican rector of great learning and studious habits. However, because her husband often attended his chinch’s convocations in London, the care of the 17 Wesley children fell largely to the responsibility of Susannah. She purposed that each one in her family should live for the glory of God, and set about to do her part in molding their lives. With so many children it is easy to understand why she insisted upon quietness and a regular method of liv ing with definitely specified times for meals, study, family prayers and bed. Here is her own account of life in the Wesley home: “ They were taught to fear the rod, and to cry softly; by which means they escaped abundance of correction they might otherwise have had; and that most odious noise of the crying of children was rarely heard in the house; but the family usually lived in as much quietness, as if there had not been a child among them. A Bath After Supper “ They were never suffered to choose their meat, but always made to eat such things as were provided for the family. “ At six, as soon as family prayers were over, they had their supper; at seven, the maid washed them; and beginning at the youngest, she un dressed and got them all to bed by eight, at which time she left them in their several rooms awake; for there was no such thing allowed in our house as sitting by a child till it fell asleep. y f jf
posed to piety, or in more subjection to their parents, till that fatal dis persion of them, after the fire, into several families. In those they were left at full liberty to converse with servants, which before they had al ways been restrained from; and to run abroad, and play with any chil dren, good or bad. They soon learned to neglect a strict observation of the Sabbath, and got knowledge of sev eral songs and bad things, which before they had no notion of. That civil behavior which made them ad mired, when at home, ,by all which saw them, was, in great measure, lost; and a clownish accent, and many rude ways, were learned, which were not reformed without some dif ficulty. “When the house was rebuilt, and the children all brought home, we entered upon a strict reform; and then was begun the custom of sing ing psalms at beginning and learning school, morning and evening. Then also that of a general retirement at five o’clock was entered upon; when the oldest took the youngest that could speak, and the second the next, to whom they read the Psalms for the day, and a chapter in the New Testament; as, in the morning, they were directed to read the Psalms and a chapter in the Old. After which they went to their private prayers, before they got their breakfast, or came into the family. “ There were several by-laws ob served among us: “ 1. It had been observed that cow ardice and fear of punishment often lead children into lying, till they get a custom of it, which they can not leave. To prevent this, a law was made, that whoever was charged with a fault, if they would ingenuous-
“When a child is brought to revere and stand in awe of the par ents, then a great many childish fol lies and inadvertencies may be passed by. Some should be overlooked, and taken no notice of, and others mildly reproved; but no wilful transgression ought ever to be forgiven children, without chastisement, less or more, as the nature and circumstances of the offense require. “ The children of this family were taught, as soon as they could speak, the Lord’s Prayer, which they were made to say at rising and bed-time constantly; to which, as they grew bigger, were added a short prayer for their parents, and some collects, a short catechism, and some portion of Scriptures, as their memories could bear. “ They were very early made to distinguish the Sabbath from other days, before they could well speak or go. They were as soon taught to be still at family prayers, and to ask a- blessing immediately after, which they used to do by signs, before they could kneel or speak. “ They were quickly made to un derstand they might have nothing they cried for, and instructed to speak handsomely for what they wanted. They were not suffered to ask even the lowest servant for aught without saying, ‘Pray give me such a thing’ ; and the servant was chid, if she ever let them omit that word. Taking God’s name in vain, cursing and swearing, p ro fan en e s s, obscenity, rude, ill-bred names, were never heard among them. After the Fire, a Clownish Accent “ For some years we went on very well. Never were children in better order. Never were children better dis
36
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker