Makers of Methodism Author:William Henry Withrow Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: IV. JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY—FOUNDERS OF METHODISM. The Epworth rectory may well be called the cradle of Methodism. The group of boys and girls who gathered... more » around the knees of Susanna Wesley may not unfitly be regarded as a type of the great family of Epworth Leaguers who are being trained up in the household of Methodism in Christian culture and Christian service. Of the nineteen children of Samuel and Susanna Wesley several were in after life distinguished for piety, intelligence and scholarship. Others were remarkable for wit and vivacity. The eldest son, Samuel, became a very learned clergyman and author of some noble hymns. Others also had poetic talent. Several of the children died in childhood, but thirteen of them were living at one time- and must have made the old Epworth rectory alive with youthful fun and frolic. Two members of this remarkable family have won world-wide fame as the chief founders of Methodism. John Wesley, the elder of the two, born in 1703, is described as having a boyish turn for wit and humour. His brother Charles, five years younger,was exceedingly sprightly and active, and remarkable for courage and skill in juvenile encounters with his school-fellows. We have already described the home-training of this first Methodist household, JOHN WESLEY AT THE AGE OF 23. and the providential rescue of little John Wesley from destruction by fire. When only thirteen years old "Jacky," as he is named in his mother's letters, left the sheltering roof- tree of the Epworth rectory for the cloisters of Charterhouse School, London. This was an old monastery founded five hundred years ago. After itsdissolution by Henry VIII. it became the family seat of the Howards, and the court of Queen Elizabeth and of King James. It was converted into a school ...« less