And the Clock Ticked On
And the Clock Ticked On Susanna acquired the habit of going to her room each day, closing the door, reading the Book of Common Prayer, studying the Bible, and lingering on her knees. Her daily prayer was, ''Dear God, guide me.
Help me do Thy will. Make my life count."'
Paul had been directed by a vision. Moses had been inspired by the burning bush. And being willing to do whatever God commanded, Susanna felt that God's directions to her would be as definite as those of an architect. But although she was always conscious of God's presence when she prayed, it seemed that the only instructions she received were: Wait!
Elaborate preparations had been made for Elizabeth's wedding on August 3. And among the guests was Samuel Wesley. Samuel brought an unusual gift—a poem of his own composition which he had grandly named Epithalmium. At the proper time, and with a magnificent flourish, he handed his gift to the bride and groom.
'So you're a poet!'' exclaimed Susanna.
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''T really want to be a minister,'' replied Samuel, obviously pleased. ''But poetry is my second love.
William Shakespeare is my favorite poet.''
Before the day ended, Sukey and Sam had shared a long walk, had started addressing each other by first names—and had discussed their ancestors. Their forbears had tended to be nonconformists, and were deeply religious. Strangely, each of their maternal grandfathers was named John White.
"'T wonder if they're related,' said Samuel, a slight note of concern in his deep voice.
"If they have the same name they couldn't be related."'
""You're quite right,'' replied Sam, his face brightening.
''What difference would it make?''
""Well, I wouldn't want to be related to you. At least not in that way!"'
''Maybe we'd better chart our families.'
Sam laughed. ''I saw your chart on Henry VIII, and it was good. Yes, let's chart our relatives and compare them.'' bl Just before they parted, Susanna learned that Samuel was studying the ins and outs of the Church of England and Nonconformity. ''I haven't made up my mind which group has the most truth,'' he said at the door. ''But I do like the Church of England!"'
Three days after Elizabeth's wedding, Susanna was awakened from a nap by loud pounding on the door.
Opening it, she faced a pair of officers.
"And what can I do for you?'' asked Susanna, making an effort to sound calm.
'Ts this the home of Dr. Annesley?'' asked the one with the eyebrow moustaches. ealtcasy © '"Then stand aside! We have orders to seize enough
— = — = — — \ ilies"
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of the Doctor's belongings to pay his fine for preachin' without bein' ordained by the Church of England.''
As Susanna watched, the men ransacked the living room. They unhooked paintings, rolled up the best rugs, took her father's favorite chair, carried out both tables, and helped themselves to the best pewter.
Horrified, Susanna all but shouted, ''Isn't that enough?''
'"We gotta be certain—''
"But the pewter you took was a wedding gift.
Mother will be brokenhearted.''
'Don't make no difference.
We' ve had orders from the court!'' they shouted over their shoulders.
When Annesley returned home from St. Bartholomew's Hospital where he had been visiting a sick parishoner, he viewed the wreckage in dismay.
''And what are you going to do about it?'' wailed Mrs.
Annesley.
''That pewter belonged to my mother!''
'"There's nothing that can be done. Charles II 1s our king, and he dislikes Dissenters. But don't worry.
So far I haven't been sent to the Tower.''
Susanna felt a pang of guilt. Here she was living in her father's home, and was forced to watch helplessly as members from her own church took his most prized possessions and wrecked his house.
Was this a sign from the Lord? Dismayed, she fled to her room and knelt by her bed.
That evening Susanna had little appetite. Would her father scold her for attending the Church of England? Instead of scolding her, he mentioned that he had met her pastor, Dr. John Brown, at the hospital. ''He's a fine man,"' said Annesley. "'I'm sure he wouldn't agree with what happened today.''
The religious and political storms that had started long before Susanna's birth continued to darken her
SUSANNA WESLEY
adolescent years.
One followed the other.
The hangmen at Tyburn kept busy and so did the axmen at the Tower. And now in 1685—her sixteenth year— the fury of the storms had so increased, rumors of impending war spread.
'Blood will run deep,'' prophesied many.
A new act in the royal drama began on Sunday, February 1, of that year. After a coach ride, dinner, and a visit with Louise, a current mistress, Charles
II was escorted to his room. On the way, the candle in the attendant's hand went out. And since there was no wind, this was considered a bad omen.
The next morning His Majesty's face was pale and his speech was slightly blurred. Then, as he settled in his chair for his morning shave, he slumped on the attendant's arm. Alarmed, a court physician withdrew sixteen ounces of blood from the king's arm. In doing this, he risked being hanged, for he had not been authorized by the Council, but he thought it was the way to cure the king.
Knowing that history was trembling on the verge of a drastic turn, James, the king's brother and titled the Duke of York, scurried into the room. In his haste, he appeared with a shoe on one foot and a slipper on the other. By this time, official permission had been received for treatment and the royal bed was surrounded by twelve doctors. They shaved his head, toasted his scalp with red-hot irons, drew another six ounces of blood, forced dozens of medicines down his throat, administered enemas, burned his feet, and squirted drugs up his nose. They also covered him with blisters.
While the medical men sweated to save the king's life, British ports were sealed. In strategic places, guards were doubled.
Soon the room was crowded with those concerned
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Se) about His Majesty's soul. Among these was Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken, a former royal chaplain. He urged the king to take communion. The king refused.
At this point, Queen Catherine approached James and suggested that he summon a Catholic priest. Bending low, James exchanged whispers with his brother.
James then disappeared.
In the meantime, totally unaware that a Catholic priest was being sought, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the bishops of Durham, London, and Ely, joined Bishop Ken in a circle around the stricken man.
Ken read the Prayer for the Sick from the Book of Common Prayer. By Thursday, in spite of the estimated fiftyeight medicines which had been administered, the king began to sink so rapidly it was apparent he would not recover.
Outside, church bells tolled.
Within those tense hours, Father Huddleston, disguised in a wig and cassock, waited hidden in a closet near the king's chamber. Soon, James cleared the chamber with an order: ''Gentlemen, the king wishes everyone to retire.''
The room having been cleared, Father Huddleston stepped out of the closet. From within his cassock, he produced the hidden crucifix. Charles II made his confession, took communion, was given Extreme Unction, and was accepted into the Roman Catholic
Church.
Charles II died on Friday, February 6, 1685. It was the day of a full moon and he was in his fifty-fifth year.
Since Charles II's wife, Catherine, had no children, the closest heir was his brother James, the Duke of York. And so James, avowed Catholic though he was, became James II. At the time of his coronation on April 23, he was fifty-two.
Shortly after the coronation of James II, Samuel
SUSANNA WESLEY
Wesley visited the Annesley home. During the evening meal, he sat beside Susanna.
'Do you think England will become Catholic?"' asked Dr. Annesley as he dipped into his pudding.
''T doubt it,'' replied Samuel.
''But during his first Sunday in power James openly attended Mass."'
'"True. But on the day Charles died, James assured the Privy Council that he would always defend and take care of the Church of England."'
''T still have doubts,'' said Annesley, lifting his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "'When he served as Lord High Admiral, he learned the use of deception. In my opinion, he can lie as well as Charles II lied—and Charles II was an expert.''
''Be careful what you say!'' warned Susanna. "'I don't want you to end up in the Tower."'
After a long silence, Samuel said, '"'His Majesty is for toleration. He said so and I believe it. Think of the thousands of Dissenters and Quakers he has just freed from prison."'
''And people who follow the Pope,'' added Annesley, striking the table with his fist.
""Yes,'' agreed Samuel.
Somewhat alarmed at this conversation, Susanna nodded to the servants to start clearing the table.
That night, sitting across from one another, Susanna and Samuel visited alone by candlelight.
''Father is a little determined,'' apologized Susanna.
''And so am I!'' replied Samuel, his deep voice resonant with confidence. ''But that's as it should be.
Your father, Susanna, is a brilliant man.''
While they visited, Samuel produced a package.
"It's for you."'
Eyes sparkling, Susanna opened it with care. Then
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od she held up a new book. It was titled: Maggots; or Poems on several Subjects never before handled by a Scholar.
"I wrote it,'' he said, ''and it's for you.'' He eagerly studied her face as she viewed his portrait in the front. The woodcut showed him crowned with laurel and with a maggot perched on his forehead.
"But why did you call it Maggots?''
''Read the poem beneath the picture and you'll see: ??
Slowly and carefully Susanna read:
In our own defence the author writes, Because when this foul maggot bites, He ne'er can resist in quiet:
Which makes him so sad a face, He'd beg your worship, or your grace, Insight, unseen, to buy it.
''Here, let me autograph it for you,"' he said. With a proud swing, he wrote, "'For Susanna Wesley,
Princess of the Rectory.'' He added, ''With love,"' and signed his name.
Susanna held the book next to her heart.
''I'll treasure it the rest of my life,'' she said. ''I'll read every word."'
A note in the book indicated that it had been printed for John Dunton ''at the sign of the Black Raven, near the Royal Exchange."' It was dated 1685. At the time,
Samuel Wesley was nineteen.
''What about that chart tracing your genealogy?"' asked Susanna.
"IT was too excited about Maggots to get it done. But I'll prepare one. Then we can compare it with yours so that we can make certain that we're not related.''
He laughed.
'"And why shouldn't we be related?'' Susanna touched her hair.
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''Well, mmmm. Well, that might cause complications. Your're such a nice girl I'd hate to think I was related to you!"'
He glanced at the clock.
you haven't told me what you're doing, and how you, a Dissenter, can be attending Oxford,"' said
Susanna.
'"That's an interesting story. But it's a long one.
I'll tell you all about it the next time I come."'
As they shook hands at the door, Samuel held her hand tighter than usual. While they lingered with their hands clasped, the barking of a dog, followed by the shrill growls of a pair of tomcats filled the air. Finally
Samuel withdrew his hand and broke the awkward moment by saying, "'Pray for me."'
Susanna watched as he turned the corner in the bright moonlight. Then she picked up the book, selected five or six long candles, and went to her room.
Maggots contained 172 pages, and she was determined to read each page at least once.
The poetry was not really great. Still, Samuel was just beginning to write. If he could continue to write, maybe in a few years—But would the world hold together for the next few years? While thoughts of approaching trouble clouded her mind, she knelt for prayer, and then pinched out the candle.
In September, Samuel visited again at the Annesley home. '' You keep asking why I'm going to Oxford,"' he said as he sat next to Susanna on a bench in the park. ''As you know, my blood flows with dissent.
For generations my ancestors were Dissenters. Also, I attended two of their schools before I started at Oxford."'
'"How can you go to Oxford and be a Dissenter?"' asked Susanna.
'"You can't. All universities are closed to anyone
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who isn't a member of the Church of England. King James, of course, will change that so Catholics can be admitted."'
''And so you've become an Anglican?"'
"Yes, I guess we're both Anglicans! But, Susanna, neither of us should forget our rich heritage. The Church of England needs to learn many things from the Dissenters. The Dissenters have truths the world needs to hear!"'
what do you think of the dreadful things King James has been doing?''
Samuel shuddered. ''I don't know. I don't approve of bloodshed. Still, he is our king; and Paul told us to be subject unto the higher powers."'
"'Even though the man is a tyrant?"'
"Yes, even though he is a tyrant.'"'
As Susanna and Samuel walked home hand in hand, Susanna had a question. ''Don't you have doubts about the rightness of leaving the Dissenters and attending Oxford?"'
''Absolutely not. I prayed about it for days before making the break, for I want to do exactly what God wants me to do. Before I went to Oxford I lived with my mother and an old aunt. Both were penniless. And both were as filled with dissent as John Bunyan! But I refused to let their views hinder me. At that time, all I had was forty-five shillings. And since this wasn't enough to pay my way to Oxford by stage, I walked.
At Oxford I registered at Exetor College as a servitor.''
Susanna frowned. ''What's that?"'
servitor is a student who waits on another: shines his shoes, mails his letters, carries his books, makes his bed. When I entered, I listed myself as a pauper scholaris. ve made my own way. The Lord has opened doors. Now I have more money than when
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I started! I earned it writing articles—and tutoring.''
''When will you finish?''
''T'll have my B.A. degree in June, 1688."
'*Then what?''
'"'T'll apply for ordination."'
Susanna bit her lip, and cocked her head to one side. ''Do you think the world will last that long?''
"Tt had better!'' exclaimed Sam.