The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-04-24
JOHN WESLEYS LOVES.
He Finally Married a Widow With
Four Children-His Experi-
ence in Georgia.

The married life of John Wesley, the
famous preacher and fountain head
Of Methodism, was a nightmare. 1t
ALI came about because he did not
marry the woman of his heart. The
love affairs ofJohn Wesley are full OF
romance, and the reason why more is
not made of them in sketches OF the
great theologian is because his tran
scendent merits as a preacher over
shadow the other affairs of his life.
His first love affair occurred when
he was thirty-two years of age while
on a missionary tour in Georgia.
There he met Miss Causton, a niece of
Governor Oglethorpe, a fair and
sprightly damsel, TO whom he was
much attracted. This young lady's
uncle encouraged the intimacy, great
~ desiring to keep the eloquent
young preacher in the colony.
Miss Causton, nothing loath, did
her best TO fix the waverihg purpose
of her admirer. She went to him with
her religious doubts and her French
verbs, asked his opinion concerning
the color OF her new gown, and the
binding nature of the thirty-nine
articles; made him slippers and em-
broidered night caps and nursed him
in sickness. Whether Wesley ever
actually offered the young lady his
hand in marriage, or not the historian
dare not assert, testimony on that
point being conflicting.
But the Good Sisters in Israel took
offense at the love making of Wesley
with such effect that he broke off all
communication with Miss Causton.
Within a year the young woman was
married to another and became Mrs.
Williamson. She seems to have had
a grudge against Wesley, and the re-
result was to embroil the eloquent
preacher and his whole congregation.
Mrs. Williamson violated some of the
minor rules of the. church to defy
Wesley.
Firm in his faith, the preacher
brought the woman to trial. The wife
and husband now turned on Wesley,
and so vigorously did they wage war
on him, creating a feeling against him
in the church, that he was compelled
to leave the colony. The great Wesley
was no match for a woman's tongue,
and a woman's desire for revenge.
There are those who believe that his
sentiment for Miss Causton was moth
ing but a passing passion in the light
of mis- next and most serious love
affair.
The exact date of Wesley's first ac-
quaintance with Mrs. Grace Murray is
not given, but it must have been
about 1746 or 1747. The conference of
Methodist societies in London in 1748
1901 . -1A.1Afso. a 41lo ~. 4haN A.
believer might marry without suffer-
resolution was passed with the APP
prevail and concurrence OF Mr.. Wesley,
it may be assumed without improba-
bility that he also instigated it.
Mrs. Grace Murray was at that time
a buxom widow, thirty-three years OF
age. She was the daughter of a re-
spectacle tradesman, and although
she is always alluded to by those who
mention her as being in the rank Of a
servant yet it is quite possible she
may have had a better education than
usually fell to the lot OF women of her
class in those times. We have no de-
scription OF her personal appearance
even from Wesley's pen, but he refers
to her engaging behavior"
~She was avirtuous, godly, reputable
woman, firmly attached to the doc
trines preached by the Wesleys. In
1749 Mrs. Murray accompanied Mr..
Wesley on one of his preaching tours
through Central England in the triple
capacity of travelling companion, fell
low laborer, and private servant. In
those days among the good apostles OF
Methodism who travelled about urging
upon men the principles of a clearer
faith and the practice of a purer life,
women as we'll as men were enrolled
aud worked together as brothers and
sisters. So blameless were their lives,
however, in all respects, that these
companionships could not be made,
even by the most worldly, occasions
of reproach.n
The feeling of respect in Wesley for
the widow Murray deepened into love,
but he put it from him. Finally, in
174S the pair met the Rev. James
Benet, with whom the widow was inn
pressed. She had before this time
nursed Mr.. Wesley through a danger
Gus illness. Then began a curious
three-cornered struggle. The widow
had two strings to her bow, and she
worked both of them. Finally Charles
Wesley came to the rescue, and inn
pressed Mrs. Murray with the neces-
sity that John should not be hindered
in his Gospel work. Thereupon the
widow married Benet.
The revenges of Nemesis are some
times peculiar, to say the least. Mrs.
Murray led a peaceful and contented
life for many years with James Benet,
who proved to be a kind and con-
siderate husband. Mr.. Wesley was