Wife's Meetings Bigger Than Husband's

Born on January 20, 1669 in England, the 25th of 25-children, Susanna Wesley never preached a sermon, built a church or published a book, but she is identified as the “Mother of Methodism.” She managed her household, raised and educated more than a dozen children. 

The huge impact of her two children John and Charles was chronicled in a book: England: Before and After Wesley. By J. Wesley Bready, 1938.

John Wesley’s mother, Susanna Wesley, held larger house meetings than her husband’s church service during the winter of 1711–1712 while her husband, Samuel Wesley, was away at a church convocation in London.

Key Details of the Account:

• The Setting: It took place in the rectory kitchen of their home in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England.

• The Attendance: While the local curate (Mr. Inman) often preached to only about 20 to 25 people in the parish church, Susanna’s Sunday evening kitchen meetings grew rapidly by word of mouth until up to 200 or 300 neighbors packed into her home, with many turning away because they ran out of room.

• The Format: She gathered her family, servants, and local parishioners to read prayers, sing psalms, and read aloud the best awakening sermons from her husband’s library because she felt the Sabbath was not fully honored by church alone.

• The Conflict: The curate grew jealous of her massive audience and complained to Samuel Wesley that she had turned the parsonage into an irregular "conventicle" (an unauthorized religious gathering). When Samuel asked her to stop or have a man read the sermons, Susanna famously defended her actions, noting that no man present could read a sermon well enough without spoiling it.

Collected Sources via Google AI.