THE LIFE, &c. &c. MR. JOHN WESLEY, the second son of the Rev. Samuel Wesley, the grand subject of our history, was born June 17th, (old style) 1703. Of his mere childhood nothing very material has reached us, except a remarkable deliverance from fire, when he was about six years of age. What so nearly concerned the life of so great a man, cannot be unpleasing, or uninteresting, to relate. The following letter from Mrs. Susanna Wesley, to a neighbouring clergyman, with Mr. John Wesley's additions, will afford full information concerning the whole transaction. EPWORTH, Aug, 24, 1709. "ON Wednesday night, February the ninth, between the hours of eleven and twelve, some sparks fell from the roof of our house, upon one of the children's (Kitty's) feet. She immediately ran to our chamber, and called us. Mr. Wesley, hearing a cry of fire in the street, started up (as I was very ill, he lay in a separate room from me :) and opening his door, found the fire was in his own house. He immediately came to my room, and bade me and my two eldest daughters rise quickly and shift for ourselves. Then he ran and burst open the nursery door, and called to the maid to bring out the children. The two little ones lay in the bed with her; the three others in another bed. She snatched up the youngest, and bade the rest follow; which the three elder did. When we were got into the hall, and were surrounded with flames, Mr. Wesley found he had left the keys of the doors above stairs. He ran up and recovered them, a minute before the stair-case took fire. When we opened the street-door, the strong North East wind drove the flames in with such violence, that none could stand against them. But some of our children got out through the windows, the rest through a little hole into the garden. I was not in a condition to climb up to the windows; neither could I get to the garden-door. I endeavoured three times to force my passage through the street-door, but was as often beat back by the fury of the flames. In this distress, I besought our blessed Saviour for help, and then waded through the fire, naked as I was, which did me no farther harm, than a little scorching my hands and my face. "When Mr. Wesley had seen the other children safe, he heard the child in the nursery cry. He attempted to go up the stairs, but they were all on fire, and would not bear his weight. Finding it impossible to give any help, he kneeled down in the hall, and recommended the soul of the child to God." Mr. John Wesley adds, "I believe, it was just at that time I waked : for I did not cry as they imagined, unless it was afterwards. I remember all the circumstances as distinctly, as though it were but yesterday. Seeing the room was very light, I called to the maid to take me up. But none answering. I put my head out of the curtains, and saw streaks of fire on the top of the room. I got up, and ran to the door, but could get no farther, all the floor beyond it being in a blaze. I then climbed upon a chest, which stood near the window: one in the yard saw me, and proposed running to fetch a ladder, Another answered, "There will be no time: but I have thought of another expedient. Here, I will fix myself against the wall: lift a light man, and set him on my shoulders" They did so, and he took me out at the window. Just then the whole roof fell in: but it fell inward, or we had all been crushed at once. When they brought me into the house where my father was, ne cried out, "Come neighbours! Let us kneel down let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children: let the house go: I am rich enough." : |