The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-10
JOHN WESLEY'S WIFE.
Scandal Against a Great Preacher q
Hundred Years Since.
From the Boston Advertiser.]

The assault upon the name ana lame
of Henry Ward Beecher recalls the
story of similar attack upon the
apostolic and sanity man, John Wesley.
The charges were similar and ground
less beyond the shadow Of a doubt.
They were occas;oned by the senseless
jealousy of Wesley's ignorant wife, and
were caught up by rival sectaries and
even entertained by the public press.
Wesley disdained to notice the SLAM
ders, notwithstanding the agitation and
distress Of his brother Charles Wesley,
of other members of the family, and of
the dignitaries of the church. We
find our narrative in the Life and
Times of the Rev. John Wesley" by
the Rev. l.. Tyerman, published by
Harper 4 Brothers in 1872, in three
volumes, and reprint it for the purpose
of showing that men Of snotless lives
and the most exalted character are liza
| BILE to the same abuse and ISLANDERS as
have befallen the pastor of Plym ,uth
Church. Sarah Ryan, who is men
toned in the narrntive, was
housekeeper in one of
Wesley's UNCONVENTIONAL asylums.
She had been married to three men sue
cessively, who in turn abused and de-
serted her. Her station in life was low,
her education limited, and at times the
obligations Of duty lay loosely upon
her. Under the preaching of the Meth
odists she became convert and won
the great preachers confidence. Wes-
ley was undoubtedly imprudent to con-
fide his domestic troubles to her as he
did, but there is not the least atom of
evidence of any other indiscretion on
his part.
In February, 1855, Wesley wrote to
Sarah Ryan: "Your last letter was
seasonablc indeed. l was growing faint
in mind. The being continually watch.
ed over for evil; the having every word
l spoke, every action l did, small and
great, watched with no friendly eve;
the having thousand little tart, un.
kind reflections, in return for the kind.
est words could advise
Like drops Of eating water on the marble.
AT length have worn my sinking spirits
down.
"Yet l could not say, Take thy pla-
que away from me-; but only, Let me
be purified, not consumed
In another letter to Sarah Ryan he
writes as follows:
January q, 1883.
Ny Dear Sister: Last Friday, after
many severe words, my wife left me,
vowing she would see me no more,
Wesley and his wife, however, were
again united, but were far from being
happy. So things proceeded till l77i.
ION one occasion she seized his letters
and other papers and put them into the
hands Of such as she knew to be his
enemies, that they might be printed as
presumptive proofs of illicit connec-
tons" She even interpolated letters
which she had intercepted, SO as to
make them bear q bad construction.
and then read them to different persons
in private for the purpose of defaming
him. In one or two instances she pub
lished interpolated or forged letters in
the public prints. She accused Charles
Wesley of idleness, and declared that
for years bis dearest Sally had been
John Wesley's mistress. Charles
danced with rage ct this imputation
cast upon his wife; but his Sally calm |
ly smiled and said, "Who will believe |
my sister nova" frequently she would |
drive hundred miles t" see who was
in the carriage with sher husband on
entering town. Sometimes her pas.
sions hurried her into outrage and indie.
cency. More than once she laid vio-
lent hands upon his person
and tore his hair. "Jack, said |
John Hampson, senior, Zone Of
Wcsleys biographers), to his son, IL
Was once on the point of committing
murder. Once, when was in the !
north Of Ireland, went into . room
and fou4d Mrs. Wesley foaming with
fury. Her husband was on the floor.
where she had been trailing him by the
hair of his head; and she herself was
still holding in her hand venerable
locks which she had plucked up ~ the
roots. l fell" continued the gigantic
Hampson, who was not one Of Wesley's
warmest friends, 81 felt - though
#H{lsM