Don't Deflect Your Compass
Ss = all re Don't Deflect Your Compass As broad-winged gulls swerved and turned in the currents just above the ship's masts, and the tang of the sea filled his lungs, Samuel Wesley climbed onto the man-of-war to which he had been assigned.
While hurrying across the blood-red deck, he tingled with inspiration. It was great to be alive! On a moonlit night, Susanna had agreed to marry him. And she had said yes in spite of his approval of John Knox.
Better yet, he was confident the poem he was planning would stand shoulder to shoulder with the best!
But there were many things he would have to learn before he could extend his wings. And now that he was chaplain of the ship, he'd have to learn them or face ridicule. Everything he saw was different.
''Why, sir, is the deck red?'' he inquired of a sailor who was mending some canvas.
''It was painted red, sir, so that when we get into a fight with another ship the blood won't be so conspicuous. Before it was painted that color, the sight
ye of the blood encouraged the enemy and lowered our morale. Blood-red decks, sir, are an advantage.''
'"Thank you, sir!'' replied Wesley, forcing himself to salute for the first time in his life.
""Aye, aye, sir!'' responded the man, touching his forelock.
It was then that Wesley noticed that the man's arms and chest were covered with blue tattoo marks. The design that crossed his chest was that of a huge anchor.
''And your name, sir?''
'Jim. Just call me Jim. I'm from Birmingham.'
Within a week Chaplain Wesley had acquired the beginnings of a new vocabulary. He had learned that leeward meant the direction the wind was blowing; forward is toward the bow; aft is toward the stern. The > right side of a ship is starboard; and the left is port. He also learned the names of the sails and that to reef one meant to reduce its size by rolling it up.
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During the first week, he often found himself rushing to the rail because of seasickness. But he soon got his sea-legs and could endure a mild storm along with the best of them.
Wesley's ship was armed with thirty-eight guns, all of them thirty-two pounders.
'"How accurate are they?'' he asked.
'"They're good for well over a mile,'' replied a gunner.
Having settled into the routine of ship life, Samuel opened his notebook and began the poem that he had dreamed about during the last year or two. And whenever the captain dropped anchor at a port, he had a letter ready to mail to Susanna.
In one letter he wrote, ''The Irish Sea is rough.
Not only does the ship roll, but it also stands on one end and then the other. Our plates sometimes slide off the tables. But I'm getting used to the sea. We had a storm yesterday and I managed to stay away from the rail. This week I've started my new poem.
It's titled The Life of Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ. It will contain about ten thousand lines. These will be divided into ten sections, and then all of them will be published in one volume. If all goes well, I'll dedicate it to her Most Sacred Majesty, Queen Mary II."'
Samuel enjoyed life at sea. He wrote letters for the men, preached, taught classes, counseled. And when
Jim fell from a yardarm and was killed, he preached his funeral and said the last words as the canvaswrapped body was slipped into the sea. But he could not keep his mind away from Susanna. Finally the tension became so unbearable he wrote to the Bishop of London and informed him that he would like to be a curate—especially if he could find a position in the London area.
Back at home, Susanna missed Samuel. During the
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
first month of his absence she counted the days; but within a few months she was counting the hours— and then the minutes. She passed the time by helping her father with his visitation, going on long walks—and reading. She loved theology and even studied the writings of the Early Church leaders.
Toward the end of spring, Elizabeth came rushing over to the Annesley home. Her face was radiant.
what?'' she exclaimed. ''John has paid his most pressing debts! And that means he no longer has to wear a disguise and be afraid of his own shadow.''
She took Susanna's arm. '"'Have you heard when Sam will be moving back to London?''
'No news yet. But the Bishop is trying to get him a curacy."'
'"When you write, tell him that John is all excited about the magazine he's going to publish. And tell him John expects him to do a lot of the writing.''
As the sisters were visiting, Dr. Annesley stepped into the room. "'Another of God's laws has been proven to be true,'' he announced with conviction.
''And which one is that?'' asked Elizabeth.
'The law of sowing and reaping. Brother Paul wrote: 'Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' (Galatians,6:7).''
Susanna slanted her eyes: ''And how has it been proven true?"'
'It was proven with Judge Jeffreys. Remember how he slaughtered the people after the Monmouth Rebellion?"'
""Yes, I remember,'' said Susanna. ''He bragged that he had hanged more people than all the English judges put together since the days of William the Conqueror."
'"This is what happened,'' continued Annesley.
SUSANNA WESLEY
''After James II escaped, Jeffreys disguised himself and boarded ship. His plan was to escape to the Continent. But while his ship was in an English port, he was so overcome by his thirst for alcohol he went on shore. There, as he was drinking at the bar of the Red
Cow, he was arrested and dragged off to the Tower.
He pled guilty; but he tried to blame his crimes on King James. While he was in the Tower he was so hated by other prisoners the officers kept him under guard for his own protection.
''Sooner or later Jeffreys would have been beheaded. But last week he died of stomach ulcers.
Many are saying he reaped what he sowed."'
During the spring, along with three week-long illnesses, Susanna became deeply discourged. An entire month had. crept by in which she had received only one letter from Samuel—and it contained only three paragraphs. Also, there were no positions for him in London. Feeling discouraged, Susanna made an appointment to see her father. The clock was booming ten when she knocked on his door.
Having summoned her inside, Annesley said, ''I'm glad you're so punctual. Those who are prompt at appointments are on their way to success.'' He pointed to a chair.
Susanna noticed a map on his desk, and just beyond the map was a short section of straw, a long needle, and a pan of water.
I'm deeply troubled,'' she began, speaking in alow voice. ''Sam and I are going to be married.
I'm confident that our coming marriage is in the will of the Lord. But, sir, I can't get any more specific directions. I pray and ask for directions, but all I receive from God is the old word: Wait.''? Susanna dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose. '"Tell me, what am I to do?'' Before her father could answer, she
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
continued, ''I still remember the time I came to you when I was thirteen to talk about the church. You reminded me that I was born during the year the guards at the Tower were named Beefeaters, Rembrandt died, and Stradivari created his famous violin.
I know God doesn't want me to become a Beefeater!"'
She managed a smile. ''But what does He want me to become? I have only one life to live—and I want to know. When you were my age you knew God wanted you to become a minister. But, sir, when I pray, all I hear is: Wait! Wait! Wait!'
Dr. Annesley frowned. Then he touched his chin.
After slowly moistening his lips, he said, "'It's true that God spoke to me early in life. But God doesn't always do that. He has plans for each of his children.
But he is not always specific—especially about the future. And there are reasons for that. One reason is that if we were to know too much about our future our lives could be ruined."'
''What do you mean?"'
"If in my youth I had known that I would someday preach in the House of Commons, I would have been so elated I would have lost my humility.
Likewise, if I had known that I would one day be put out on the street without a job, I could have become so discouraged I might have dropped out of school.
'"The main thing to remember, Sukey, is that God loves you, that He has definite plans for you. When
He says wait, He does so with purpose.'' Annesley, raising his voice slightly, said, ''You know, you are a very fortunate girl."'
Susanna lifted her head. ''What do you mean, sir?"'
isn't everyone who has two dozen brothers and sisters. Children in large families have certain advantages. In a way I envy you, for I was an only child.
By having many brothers and sisters, you have learned
SUSANNA WESLEY
how to shrug at defeat, how to get along with people, how to rejoice with others, and how to be thrifty."'
'"You're right about learning to be thrifty, sir. The coat I'm wearing was worn by Elizabeth, Mary,
Esther, Martha, Judith, and Ann. And it wasn't new when we got it. It's been repaired so often it doesn't even resemble the original version.'' She sighed and, shaking her head, added, ''It was my lot to be the youngest!"'
Annesley laughed and patted her on both shoulders.
'"You've carried the trials of being the baby of the family with remarkable understanding. I'm proud of you! But you're also fortunate in another way. You were born in one of the most interesting periods of all time. The plague swept over London in 1665, and then the next year we had the Great Fire and three years after the fire you came along. The whole world is changing. And you have been able to sit on the front seat. Current events, Sukey, and history are great schoolmasters.
''Many fail because of one mistake—the mistake that ruined Oliver Cromwell, a man I knew well. By noticing how he failed, you can avoid the mistake he made. And so, let's review a little history. After Good
Queen Bess died in 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. (He is the one who gave us the Authorized Version of the Bible). At his death in 1625, his son Charles was crowned Charles I. I was only five then, but I can still remember the way people talked about it.
'Like his father, Charles I was obsessed with the divine right of kings. His favorite scripture was Romans
13:1—'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.' He believed that he had been appointed by God to rule; and that, therefore,
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
he was always right. Always! And because of this, neither House of Parliament was called into session for eleven years. Charles ruled like a tyrant.
'In 1640 the Long Parliament was elected. It was dubbed with that name because it continued to sit until
1652, and was not dissolved until 1660—twenty years after it was elected. Oliver Cromwell was a member of that Parliament. This legislative body did some fine things: it stood up to King Charles, and it eliminated the Star Chamber—the committee used by Laud to torture, prosecute, and condemn Dissenters.
'"'But the Long Parliament was not united. Some were for the king; others were against him. Those who supported King Charles withdrew and became known as Cavaliers because of their dandified dress. (They sported feathers, elaborate wigs, long hair).
''Civil war erupted in 1642. The Cavaliers took one side and the Roundheads—those who stood for Parliament—took the other side. They were dubbed
Roundheads because of the way they cut their hair.''
Annesley paused. He pushed the needle inside a section of straw and carefully laid it in the water. Then he continued, ''I was twenty-two at the time and was all excited. It seemed to me that England was on the very edge of a new era—an era in which God's righteousness would prevail. I was ready to give my life for the cause.
since Cromwell was a member of Parliament, and was for Parliament, I was for Cromwell. After all, the Bible says, 'In the multitude of counselors there is safety' (Proverbs 11:14).
"Oliver Cromwell was a military genius. But he forgot, 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts' (Zech. 4:6). After the battles of Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645), he was almost in control of England. Ah, but now Parliament,
SUSANNA WESLEY
for whom he was fighting, stood in his way! He had denounced Charles for not heeding Parliament, and now he, too, did not want to heed Parliament. And so what did he do?
''He went to the General Council, and the Council debated as to whether Parliament should be dissolved—or purged. The vote was that it should be purged.'' Pausing for breath, Annesley twisted the needle in the water to the east/west position. Then, after it had resumed its north/south position, he continued:
''And so at seven o'clock in the morning of December 8, 1648, a date England should never forget, Colonel Pride took his place by the Army in front of the House of Commons. As members arrived, only the favored ones were allowed to enter. It was like the Day of Judgment! Those out of favor were told to go home, and those who didn't obey were arrested. Altogether, thirty-nine members—mostly
Presbyterians—were arrested.
The Thirty-nine members were locked in a tavern nicknamed Hell.
''Approximately eighty members retained their seats. This group has been named the Rump Parliament. It was named that because it was only a part of the whole. Eventually this fragment tried King
Charles and ordered his execution.
'"The whole affair, Sukey, was wrong.
And sometimes when I think about it, I'm almost ashamed I'm an Englishman!
'*Soon even the Rump was too much for Cromwell.
The members took too long to pass bills, and sometimes they even opposed him. Eventually his patience snapped. Without even changing clothes, he motioned for a squadron of soldiers to follow, and strode from his home to the House of Commons.
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
pe There, like a tiger in the zoo waiting to be fed, he sat and listened. Then he leaped to his feet.
strode back and forth as he pointed at one and then another while he denounced them. He called them drunkards, unjust men, and names I don't want to repeat. It was a terrible moment. At one point he bellowed: 'Perhaps you think this is not parliamentary language. I confess it is not, neither are you to expect any such from me. It is not fit for you to sit as a Parliament any longer.' He then jabbed his finger at the Speaker and ordered his men to 'Fetch him down.' And this they did, pulling him by his robes.
''Following this, Cromwell assumed the title Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He ruled with a determined fist. Indeed, he was just as dictatorial as Charles I!"'
did Cromwell rule without a parliament from then on?"'
'Not quite! Cromwell was clever. He had another idea. He decided that there should be a new ruling body—no, he didn't want to call it a parliament— and that it should be formed by nominations.
Churches and others were told to make nominations of 'divers persons fearing God.' Those who made the nominations were ordered to exclude lawyers and accountants! Within weeks a group of one hundred and forty men was chosen—''
'"How did they vote on them?'' asked Susanna.
'"There were no votes! Cromwell was against that.
Also, he and his friends reserved the right to approve or disapprove those nominated. Some called this body the 'Parliament-that-was-not-a-Parliament.' But it is best known as the 'Barebones Parliament'!"'
Susanna's eyes widened. "'Barebones?'' She pulled her handkerchief into a square knot. ''You mean bones without flesh?''
SUSANNA WESLEY
''Yes, barebones! It was nicknamed that because the delegate who represented London was Praisegod
Barebones.
He was a leather merchant and an Anabaptist preacher. I knew him well—"'
''But was that his real name?''
""Yes, that was his real name!"'
Dr. Annesley twisted the needle in the water again, and again it settled in a north/south position. ''The Barebones Parliament lasted less than five months,'' he continued. '"Then Cromwell arranged for England to be ruled by a parliament of four hundred members.
But—listen carefully. That parliament was scheduled to meet only once in every three years —and then for a maximum stretch of only five months!'
''And who ruled during the remaining thirty-one months?"'
'Oliver Cromwell!"'
''Wasn't he worse than Charles I?"'
'*As a dictator who craved power, yes."'
Susanna shook her head. "'I think Cromwell's story is terrible. He was out to defend Parliament, then he went to a Rump Parliament, then to a Barebones Parliament, then to a Parliament that was invisible for thirty-one months out of each three-year period.
What happened to him?"'
Dr. Annesley pointed to his newly-constructed compass. ''Which way is the needle pointing?" he asked.
''North and south.''
''Correct. Let's see if we can change that.' He slowly moved the lodestone around the magnetized needle, As he did so the needle shifted.
''Explain that, Sukey.''
'"The needle is more attracted to the lodestone than to the north pole."'
""Why?'"'
'*Because the lodestone is closer."'
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
(ei 'Correct! And this is what happens to most of us.
We seek God's will for our lives, but even as we seek it our inward compass is deflected by our own desires.
In the beginning, Cromwell was an honest man. But as he began to have success his personal desire for more and more success overwhelmed him.
'If Cromwell could have continued with the same spirit with which he started, England would be a different place. But that is hard to do. I know from personal experience. r '*When the Puritans got into power they made fools of themselves. They invaded the churches, smashed the stained-glass windows, chopped up the altars, tore up the Book of Common Prayer and used its pages for unmentionable purposes, pried up the brass plates over the graves on the floors of the churches, hacked the statues to pieces, stabled horses in the cathedrals, and even pried out the eyes of the monument of Edward VI. As I watched them, I was almost ashamed that I was a Dissenter!
'Finally, Oliver Cromwell died in 1658. He was followed by his son, Richard. Richard favored me.
He gave me the lectureship in St. Paul's. But he was a weak man, and by this time the masses wanted to return to a monarchy. And so Charles II was recalled in the spring of 1660. And you should have seen the way the people celebrated! They lit bonfires, danced in the streets, played games on Sunday—and got drunk."'
Susanna shuddered. ''Is Charles II still called the Defender of the Faith?"'
''As king, it is his title'? Dr. Annesley stood and began to pace around his study. ''But he's also the most immoral king England ever endured."'
vengeance, Charles II ordered the deaths of many. For a while, I feared I might be hanged.
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Indeed, an officer began to write out a warrant for my arrest; but before he signed it, he fell over dead.
'"The only reason I wasn't hanged is because, as the king said, he'd become weary of hanging. But in 1662 His Majesty did a terrible thing—'' Annesley cautiously opened the door, then peered out the window. ''I don't want to be overheard,'' he explained.
"Yes, he did a terrible thing. His Cavalier Parliament passed the Act of Uniformity. That bill stated that every minister had to be ordained by the Church of England and accept the Book of Common Prayer. It stated that anyone who served communion without Church of England ordination was subject to a fine of 100 pounds, and that if he continued to do so he would be imprisoned.
perhaps to make the law more dramatic, we were all informed that the Act of Uniformity would take effect on St. Bartholomew's Day—August 24.
That was an ominous date, for it was exactly ten years before that the Catholics in France had slaughtered ten thousand French Protestants!
'"That was a terrible time for dissenting ministers.
Your mother and I spent weeks in prayer as we sought the Lord's will. At the time I was vicar of St. Giles and had the lectureship at St. Paul's. Those positions brought me 800 pounds a year!'' He raised his eyebrows. ''But, Sukey, the Lord directed me to refuse ordination in the Church of England. So, along with two thousand other ministers—Baptists, Independents, and Presbyterians—I lost my pulpit.
It was a hard blow.
''But as always, the Lord was good to your mother and me. After I lost my position at St. Giles, I established the congregation where I am now. Many of the parish followed me.
Remember the candlemaker, Mr. Foe?''
DON'T DEFLECT YOUR COMPASS
'Of course. But I know his son, Daniel, better. Dan wants to be a writer."'
''All of this demonstrates that we must seek God's will. Go into your closet and close the door. Get on your knees. Search your heart. And make sure you aren't deflecting your spiritual compass. Then when you've discovered God's will, follow it!''
As her father headed for the door, Susanna said, **Sir, I know you spread that map on your desk to use for an illustration—''
'That I did,'' he replied. Returning to his desk, he ran his palm affectionately over the map. ''This is one of my treasures.
It was drawn by Sir Christopher Wren, and he autographed it for me. Sir Christopher is the greatest architect now living, even though he started out as an astronomer.
map was his idea of how London should have been rebuilt after the fire of 1666. Since over four hundred acres had been destroyed, Wren felt that London could be rebuilt in such a way that it would be the most beautiful city in the world.'' Pointing with the end of his quill, he said, ''Please notice the arrowstraight avenues he had in mind. Some of them would have been ninety feet wide! Ah, but the city fathers turned his plan down. And why? Because Wren's plans meant that many houses and buildings would have to be shifted a few yards. And now, because of their lack of vision, London remains a city filled with narrow, twisting, hard-to-find streets. Future generations will look back at those city fathers with scorn.
*'And that's the way it is with a lot of people.
Instead of being willing to yield their stubborn wills, they insist on having their own way. Spiritual giants are the ones who keep saying yes to God."'
"Even though God says wait?"'
*"Yes, even though God says wait!''
Queen of the Rectory Unexpectedly, a curacy opened in the London area.
'""But do you think you can support a wife?'' Annesley searched Samuel's face with suddenly fierce eyes. ''Susanna is used to living well. Thirty pounds a year is a pittance. That's not enough for one!'' He thoughtfully rubbed his chin. ''And where will you live? There's no rectory.''
''We'll find cheap lodging, sir.'' Samuel tried to keep his voice from trembling, but was not quite successful. "'Also, I have an agreement with John Dunton to be a regular contributor to his new magazine."
Annesley frowned.''Are you sure he'll be able to pay you? He has one foot in debtor's prison."'
will help us, sir. Susanna and I have prayed about it and we are certain our marriage is in God's will,"'
Annesley smiled. ''If it is in God's will it'll work out fine. Remember she's my baby—and also my twenty-fifth child. You must take good care of her."'
SL wilk, «sir