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The Preacher’s Notebook The Paper and Electronic Pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC (Delivered by E-mail and Us Postage Through Subscription as an Extension of the Pulpit Ministry of this Church)

Dr. Terry W . Preslar – PO Box 388 – M ineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858 – E-Mail: [email protected] Copyright (C) 2009. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

Vol. III

May, 2009 – A Special Day Resource

Issue 5

What Is

Mother’s Day? (It comes on May 10 th this year) About the middle of May each year comes “Mother’s Day”. This day is a grand time for the forgotten Mothers of us all. So often through out the year we take so much, but on this day we give to them (our Mothers) in a free-hearted manner that we hope will encourage these wonderful people. A “Mother” is a bride and a lover then children come and she is converted, by some force known only to GOD, in a way so marvelous that words can not even describe it and with a joy that makes her give love with unshaken devotion to her child. This glorious condition is unspeakable for those of us who will never know the inside of its wonders; however the joys of Motherhood are enjoyed by all in the love we receive from these untiring and devoted Mothers. To a boy, his Mother is a friend, a counselor, a partner in play, a challenge to his ambitions, a proud fan of his successes and a provider of peanut butter and jelly, tea, clean socks, rides, and thousands of hours spent in almost any manner thinkable yet un-numbered by us in the days of boyhood. To a girl, Mother is a source for un-numbered doll clothes, bows for “pony tails”, frilly dresses, bed time stories, warm hugs after bad dreams and the role model for little girls that will be Mothers themselves someday. There was a time when there was no day called “MOTHER’S DAY.” This fault was recognized and rectified in the early day of the last century. A Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives May 7, 1914 providing that the second Sunday in May be designated “MOTHER’S DAY”. The Senate approved it the next day, and President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation asking the public to display the American flag “as a public expression of our love and reverence for the Mothers of our country.” Every year since has seen a greater or wider observance of “MOTHER’S DAY”. And although gifts, flowers, messages and dinner out, have become a way of expressing thought of one’s Mother, it is now an American custom!

Many Mothers Have Prayed...! Hannah prayed for Samuel and he became a prophet and a mighty man in Israel. A mother named Monica prayed and GOD saved Augustine who became a bishop of the early church. The mother of John Newton prayed, he grew up to be a wicked man, a blasphemer, and a “man-stealer” of African slaves. As his conviction came, in a storm on the slave ship, he was heard to pray on his knees: “O thou GOD of my dead mother, have mercy on my soul!” GOD did have mercy on John Newton and he wrote many hymns and songs among which is our “Amazing

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Grace.” We may forget her melting prayer, While leaping pulses madly fly! But in the still, unbroken air Her gentle tones come stealing by, And years and sin and manhood flee To leave us at our mother’s knee.

Notable Quotes about Mothers “Love droops; youth fades; the leaves of friendship fall; a Mother’s love outlives them all.”(Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. - 1809-1894 – American physician, professor, lecturer and author). “All that I am my Mother made me.” (John Quincy Adams 1767-1848 – American diplomat and politician, sixth President of the United States). “Heaven has nothing more tender than a woman’s heart when it is the abode of piety.” (Martin Luther (1483-1546) – German monk, theologian, university professor, priest, and church reformer). “Let France have good Mothers and she will have good sons.” (Napoleon Bonaparte - 1769-1821 – military and political leader of France).

“To the world you might just be one person, but to one person you might just be the world.” (Author Unknown). No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement. (Florida Scott-Maxwell). “The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom.”(Henry Ward Beecher - 1813-1887 – American preacher, editor and orator). “The joys of motherhood are never fully experienced until the children are in bed.” (Author Unknown). “God pardons like a mother who kisses the offense into everlasting forgetfulness.” (Henry Ward Beecher 1813-1887 – American preacher, editor and orator). “Men are what their mothers made them.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson -1803-1882 – American poet and essayist). “One good mother is worth a hundred schoolmasters.” (George Herbert - 1593-1633 – British poet). “There is none, in all this cold and hollow world, no fount of deep, strong, deathless love, save that within a mother’s heart.” (Felicia Hemans - 1793-1835 – English poet). “If the whole world were put into one scale, and my mother into the other, the world would kick the beam.” (Sir Marmaduke Langdale - 1598-1661 – High Sheriff of Yorkshire before the English Civil War). “No man is poor who has had a Godly mother.” (Abraham Lincoln - 1809-1865 – Sixteenth President of the United States). “The bravest battle that ever was fought; Shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world you will find it not; it was fought by the mothers of men.” (Joaquin Miller - 1837-1913 – the pen name of the colorful American poet and essayist). “The mother’s love is like God’s love; he loves us not because we are lovable, but because it is His nature to love, and because we are His children.” (Earl Riney - 1885-1955 – American clergyman). “The bearing and the training of a child are woman’s wisdom.” (Alfred Lord Tennyson - 1809-1892 – British Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom ). “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” (Abraham Lincoln - 1809-1865 – Sixteenth President of the United States). “Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” (Lin Yutang - 1895-1976 – a Chinese writer and inventor). “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” (Honore’ de Balzac - 1799-1850 – French novelist and playwright). “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” (George -2-

Washington - 1732-1799 – 1st President of the United States) “By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.” (Anne Morrow Lindbergh - 1907-2001 – Pioneering American aviator, author, and the spouse of fellow aviator Charles Lindbergh). “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” (Abraham Lincoln - 1809-1865 – Sixteenth President of the United States). “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (Henry Ward Beecher 1813-1887 – American preacher, editor and orator).

Things I Learned from My Mother 1. My mother taught me RELIGION. “You’d better pray that will come out of the carpet.” 2. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. “If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!” 3. My mother taught me LOGIC. “Because I said so, that’s why.” 4. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.” 5. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.” 6. My mother taught me IRONY. “Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.” 7. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.” 8. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!” 9. My mother taught me about STAMINA. “You’ll sit there until all that broccoli is gone.” 10. My mother taught me about WEATHER. “This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.” 11. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!” 12. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. “Just wait until we get home.” 13. My mother taught me about RECEIVING. “You are going to get it when you get home!” 14. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.” 15. My mother taught me ESP. “Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?” 16. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.” 17. My mother taught me about my ROOTS. “Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?” 18. My mother taught me WISDOM. “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.” 19. My mother taught me about TRUST. -3-

“I promise I won’t spank you if you’ll just come down off that oil derrick!” 20. And last but not least: my mother taught me about JUSTICE. “One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!” The Acrostic of the Word M-O-T-H-E-R A mother is a biological and/or social female parent of an offspring. Because of the complexity and differences of the social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to define a mother in a universally accepted definition. “M” is for the million things she gave me, “O” means only that she’s growing old, “T” is for the tears she shed to save me, “H” is for her heart of purest gold; “E” is for her eyes, with love-light shining, “R” means right, and right she’ll always be, Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER,” A word that means the world to me.

Trivia about Mothers... 1- There are 84 million mom’s in the U.S. 2- The youngest mother on record was Lina Medina, who delivered a 6½-pound boy by cesarean section in Lima, Peru in 1939, at the age of 5 years and 7 months. 3- The odds of a woman delivering twins is 1-in-33. Her odds of having triplets is approximately 1-in-539. 4- August is the most popular month in which to have a baby. 5- Kentucky has the highest percentage of women who are mothers at 67%. The national average is 57%. 6- About 4 million women will have babies this year in the U.S. 7- The median age of a woman giving birth for the first time in the U.S. is 24.8. 8- Daughters keep in closer contact with their mothers than do sons. (Pew Research) 9- There are more phone calls made on Mother’s Day than on any other day of the year. (Pew Research) 10- The number of people calling their moms on Mother’s Day has declined in recent years due to e-mail and other electronic means of communication. 11- While nearly 80 percent of Americans will buy a card for mom this year, 83 percent of the cards will be purchased by daughters. (American Greetings) 12- Mother’s Day is the third-largest card-sending holiday. 13- Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants.

What the Bible says about Mothers... 1- “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.” (Gen 3:20). 2- “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” (Ex. 20:12). 3- “Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.” (Lev. 19:3). 4- “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” (Deut. 5:16). 5- “And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.” (2 Kings 4:30). -4-

6- “The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” (Prov. 10:1).. 7- “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isa. 66:13). 8- “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” (Ezek. 16:44). 9- “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). 10- “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” (Luke 2:51). 11- “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.” (John 19:26-27).

A Mother’s Love I saw an aged woman, bow ‘Mid weariness and care; Time wrote in sorrow on her brow And ‘mid her frosted hair. What was it, that like sunbeam clear O’er her wan features ran, As pressing towards her deafened ear, I named her absent son? What was it? Ask the King of Kings, Who hath decreed above That change should mark all earthly things, Except a mother’s love!

The Old Paths (“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jer.6:16) According to the Bible record; the peoples of the earth are all descended from four main groups, headed by four men: “And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.” (Gen. 9:18-19). Out of these four main ethnic groups only one remained true to the GOD that had saved them from the flood and followed the doctrine of divine salvation by Grace. His name was Shem, and he became the head of a great nation as time went along. There seems to have been a clear path in some ancient time (if anybody has come along that path, surely there could have been others if they had wished to). After a few generations have passed the path had become an unmarked and uncharted course. I- Proposed in the Bible (Isa. 30:21 “...walk ye in it...”) II- Preferred in the past (Psa. 122:1 “...glad...” III- Profitable in the present (Titus 2:12 “...present world...”) God had provided a way to know the “Old Paths.” This knowledge was forgotten and the way was lost. It seems that it is lost again. GOD placed a sharp rebuke in HIS word concerning the “Landmarks” and so few today see the need of a clearly marked path for others to follow. It is the determined teaching of the -5-

Bible that these “LANDMARKS” are man’s only way and to veer from them is sure destruction in the ruin of our culture. In the outline below, see how the “LANDMARKS” that GOD has placed may apply to us today.

Let’s Restore the Landmarks “Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deut. 27:17)

I- The Landmark of Pure Religion (“Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.”Job 24:2) (James 1:26) II- The Landmark of Separation (“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Prov. 22:28). III- The Landmark of Conversion (“Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.” Deut. 19:14) IV- The Landmark of The Family (“Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:” Prov. 23:10) (Eph. 5:21-33) A) Wives (Eph. 5:22-24) (Heart of the family) B) Husbands (I Peter 3:7) (Head of the family) C) Children (Eph. 6:1; see also Psa.127:4-5) (Hope of the family)

Oh! That God Might Give Us the Old Paths Again... Three Bible Mothers I. Rizpah (2 Sam. 21:9) – She kept the birds from the bodies of her sons until David gave her their bodies – OH! Would to GOD we had some mothers like this and surly our DAVID [THE LORD JESUS] would give us our sons. II. Belshazer’s mother (Dan. 5:10) – She gave her son, the King, good advice – to call for GOD’S man. III. The Shunamite (2 Kings 4:19-21) – She knew what to do with a dead son – OH! our sons are dead too!! (Eph. 2:1)

Mary - Mother of Jesus Who is Mary? You might want to run down to the Christian bookstore and buy a copy of Herbert Lockyer’s book, “All the Women of the Bible,” to give you some help. There are six women by the name of Mary mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. It is interesting to note these personages and to see the most important “Mary” – the Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord. At the end of these remarks I have included an outline for you of some things about Mary that I think ought to be remembered. The list is given from the least to the most important and in each case, may speak to us: I- A Jewish-Christian woman in Rome (Rom. 16:6). Nothing more is known of her but this honorable mention of her name. It is probable that these persons were formerly residents in Greece, and that the apostle, Paul, had there become acquainted with them, but that they had now removed to Rome. (Rom. 16:12; Matt. 27:55; 1 Tim. 5:10). II- Mother of John Mark and sister of Barnabas, the author of the Gospel, where it appears many were gathered together making prayer and supplication, and probably for Peter’s release. (Acts 12:12; Col. 4:10). III- Sister of Lazarus – Sits at Jesus’ feet for instruction (Luke 10:38-42). Beloved of Jesus (John 11:1, 5). Anoints Jesus (Matt. 26:7-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 11:2; 12:3). -6-

IV- Sister of Mary the Mother of Jesus, and wife of Cleophas (John 19:25). Mother of James and Joses (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25). At the grave-site of Jesus (Matt. 27:61; Mark 15:47). Assists in preparing the corpse of Jesus for burial (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1). A witness of the resurrection (Luke 24:10). V- Magdalene – Possessed of devils, delivered by Jesus (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2-3). Present at the crucifixion (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 20:1,11-13). Recognizes Jesus after the resurrection (Matt. 28:8-10; Mark 16:9; John 20:14-18). VI- The Mother of Jesus (Matt. 1:16; Luke 1:26-38; 2:5-19). Visits her cousin, Elisabeth (Luke 1:39-56). Attends the feast at Jerusalem with her husband and her son, starts back on the return, misses Jesus, seeks and finds him in the temple area (Luke 2:48-51). Is present with Jesus at a marriage feast in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-10). Seeks Jesus when he is teaching in a house (Matt. 12:46-47; Mark 3:31; Luke 8:19). Present at the cross (John 19:25-27). Is committed to the care of John (John 19:27). Lives with the disciples in Jerusalem (Acts 1:14). Prophecies concerning (Isa. 7:14; Luke 2:35). A) Her Importance (“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Matt. 1:16) – Although never called the “Mother of God” in scripture, and Jesus never even called her “Mother,” she did have the wonderful privilege of being the Mother of our Lord. B) Her Insignificance (“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Matt. 2:11) – It is worth noting that alongside the Lord, she was insignificant. The wise men worshipped HIM, not HER. They bowed before HIM, not HER. They gave gifts to HIM, not HER. See also Luke 8:19-21; 11:27-28. C) Her Issue (“Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” Matt. 13:55) – Contrary to Roman Catholic tradition, Mary was not a perpetual virgin. Rather, she had sons and daughters as a result of her normal physical relationship with her husband. See also Matt. 1:25 (only in the King James Bible – other modern perversions of scripture remove the word “firstborn”). D) Her Insufficiency (“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Luke. 1:46-47) – She rejoiced in God her Savior. Only a SINNER needs a SAVIOR; therefore, Mary was a sinner, later going into the temple to offer a sacrifice for her sin. See also Rom. 3:23. E) Her Instruction (“His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” John 2:5) – You couldn’t ask for better advice: Whatever the Lord Jesus Christ tells you to do, DO IT. If he says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,” COME TO HIM. F) Her Interchange (“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!” John 19:26-27) – Unrevealed in scripture is when Mary’s husband, Joseph, died. He apparently died before the Lord did, for at Christ’s death, John the beloved adopted Mary as his own mother and cared for her in his own home. G) Her Involvement (“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” Acts 1:14) – In the last mention of Mary in scripture (chronologically), she is found busy assembling with the New Testament disciples. She was not being worshiped, and no one was praying to her. Rather, she prayed WITH the disciples, as all of them approached the throne of the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Conclusion to this Matter Without a doubt, Mother is what makes “home” a Home. Some have denied the mothering-instinct but there is something in mothers that a wicked society cannot erase. Wash womanhood with the white-wash of professionalism — yet the Mother in her shines forth. Embellish womanhood with the mantel of education -7-

— yet the mother in her will always come through. Garnish wamanhood with “rights” from her station — yet a Mother cannot deny her rank as the GOD given caretaker of little boys and girls. It seems that the suffering of birth would drive her away but it has brought her nearer. The truth is before us everywhere; Mothers are incredible people. There are many things that a Father can do but there is more that no one can do except a Mother. Mothers are the foundation of a great nation, the heart of a family, and girls’ and boys’ best friend. Mothers, OH, for good Mothers!

Appendix to the Body of the Paper Oh Susanna: Model of a Christian Mother (The Inspiring Story of Susanna Wesley – The Mother of John and Charles Wesley) With deep admiration, Samuel Wesley wrote this to his children: “You know what you owe to one of the best of mothers...above all (for) the wholesome and sweet motherly advice and counsel which she has often given you to fear God....” Susanna Wesley lived just long enough to see the fruits of her work; two months before she died in July 1742, her son John preached a series of revival messages in their home town of Epworth, England, to the biggest crowds that area had ever seen. The blossoming ministry of John and Charles would impact generations to come for the Gospel of Christ. Yet their success was a blessing Susanna was not sure God would let her enjoy in this life; mingled with her happiness were some hurtful memories. In nineteen years, she gave birth to nineteen children, nine of whom died as infants—including two sets of twins. One baby was accidentally smothered by a maid. Another was crippled for life in a tragic accident. Susanna met her trials with the faith in God that she had learned as a child. She was the youngest of twenty-five, born in 1669 to the family of Dr. Samuel Annesley, a well-known, powerful minister. Her parents were gracious, tireless workers who kept a pleasant home. Her father’s study was a hub of intellectual activity where many famous men of the day debated on current issues. Always keeping an attentive ear to the arguments was young Susanna, who loved to learn. She had an opportunity for education available to few women of her time, and she made the most of it. Her bright mind absorbed her father’s instruction. Susanna remembered those days with fondness, especially her growth in the Lord. She wrote in a letter: “I will tell you what rule I observed when I was young, and too much addicted to childish diversions—never to spend more time in mere recreation in one day than I spent in private religious devotions.” When Susanna Annesley, the 25th child of Dr. Annesley, was born to his second wife there probably was not much discussion about her or her future. Little could the family dream that she would become the mother of John and Charles Wesley, the founders of worldwide Methodism. Susanna was an “old lady of 19" (almost a late marriage in those days) when she became the wife of Samuel Wesley, an Anglican minister. She was as pretty and captivating on the outside as she was in her heart, and the young Samuel Wesley was quick to notice. They wed on November 11, 1688, when Susanna was nineteen. But when she married him, she did not anticipate the tough life ahead. -8-

The first battle was a material one. Because Samuel was a newly ordained minister in the Church of England, he had to wait for appointments to parishes that paid a sufficient salary. Eventually, he was made a rector at Epworth, a good position, but by then they were mired in debt. To make the situation worse, Samuel was a poor money manager. Every side venture he touched turned to disaster and left them poorer than before. Between bearing children and enduring lingering sicknesses, Susanna was unable to do much to supplement his income. The generosity of friends and supporters kept them going during the bleakest periods. Despite his love for her and his commitment to Christ, Samuel was blind to his faults. At times he was tyrannical and despotic at home. Once after a minor disagreement, he abandoned Susanna and their several children for an entire year. The Wesley family traced their lineage to the 10th century, but ancestry did little to help the problems of their forty-four year marriage. They suffered illness, disease, poverty, and the death of children. Fire twice destroyed their home. But through it all Susanna accepted the will of God and placed herself and her family in His hands. Politically Samuel and Susanna were both Tories, but while Samuel accepted William of Orange as King William III, Susanna considered James II to be the true king. Once in 1701 Susanna refused to say “Amen” to Samuel’s prayer for King William. Tension ensued. Samuel left for London as a Convocation proctor for a year. He returned in 1702 when Queen Anne, whom they both acknowledged as the legitimate sovereign, came to the throne. So in a real sense, we might say that John was the child of their reconciliation. Susanna bore between seventeen and nineteen children; ten survived. The frequent absences of her husband on church business left the management of the household in her hands. Through it all she remained a steadfast Christian who taught not only through the Scriptures, but through her own example of daily trust in God. She once wrote: “We must know God experientially for unless the heart perceive and know Him to be to be the supreme good, her only happiness, unless the soul feel and acknowledge that she can have no repose, no peace, no joy, but in loving and being loved by Him.” The children were raised strictly. They were taught to cry softly, to eat what was put before them, and not to raise their voices or play noisily. Physical punishment was used, but confession of faults could avoid it. All but one of the children learned to read from the age of five, including the girls. (Susanna made it a rule for herself to spend an hour a day with each of the children over the period of a week.) After the fire of 1709 family discipline broke down, but Susanna managed to restore it later. She paid special attention to John, who was almost lost in the fire. He referred to himself as “a brand plucked from the burning fire,” and his mother said that she “...intended to be more particularly careful of the soul of this child that Thou hast so mercifully provided for, than ever I have been, that I may do my endeavours to instill into his mind the disciplines of Thy true religion and virtue.” No matter what the circumstances, however, Susanna was committed to caring for her family the best way possible. Though resources were limited, she started a daily school for her children. She said her purpose was exclusively “the saving of their souls,” so the rigorous academics never took priority over instruction in God’s Word. Each day before class, she set aside an hour to herself for Scripture reading and prayer, and then led them all in singing psalms. Biographer Arnold Dallimore notes: “Susanna trained her children to obey and in so doing richly molded their characters.” Each child had separate responsibilities, a necessity in running a large household. When one was disruptive, Susanna responded with appropriate discipline. Though some modern counselors are critical of Susanna’s methods, their assessment of her is accurate. She never disciplined excessively or unkindly. Because Susanna wanted to develop a personal relationship with each child, she scheduled a private appointment with each of them once a week for encouragement. These bonds of faith and love helped them survive continual hardships. Twice their home was destroyed by fire, and God saved them from the flames. In the second fire, John -9-

was only five and was trapped upstairs. Neither Susanna nor Samuel could reach him, but they heard his cries of fear. They prayed, and John appeared in the window just in time to be grabbed before the roof caved in. Shortly before she died at age seventy-three, Susanna wrote Charles to describe her faith. She admitted that for years she struggled with doubt and confusion about her salvation, but that she finally had complete peace. “When I had forgotten God, yet I then found He had not forgotten me. Even then He did by His Spirit apply the merits of the great atonement to my soul, by telling me that Christ died for me.” With her family gathered around her bedside during her final illness, she said: “Children, as soon as I am released, sing a psalm of praise to God.” Her grave marker reads in part: “...A Christian here her flesh laid down, the cross exchanging for a crown.” It is said that at the age of six or seven John thought he would never marry “because I could never find such a woman as my father had.” After Samuel Wesley died in 1735, Susanna lived with her children, especially, in her last year, with John. She died on July 23, 1742 and was buried in London’s Bunhill Fields, where John Bunyan and Isaac Watts are also buried. Her sons won tens of thousands of souls to Christ. She would not have wished for more.

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Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2 These Sermons are used through the subscription to an E-Mail list maintained by Bro. Preslar ([email protected]) and are the copyrighted property of Dr. Terry W. Preslar. This document is part of a growing collection that is part of the Fresh Waters Digital Library. Re-distribution is allowed with this restriction: This document must not be disassembled or reverse engineered and all pages must be distributed together. This material may not be used in any commercial manner. All files in this series are in the PDF file format and can be read with the free pdf reader fro adobe called acrobat reader. It is hoped that this restriction will not hinder the effective use of this sermon/essay in the teaching and preaching of this document. – The Editor

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