Calvin has often been charge with being a cold, harsh husband. Yet D’Aubigne say’s “This seem to me doubtful; when once married, he had a genuine affection for his wife. There was, we believe, a loftly intellect and a sublime genius, but also that love of kindred, those affections of the heart that complete the man.”

The high ideals of Calvin show just how noble must have been Miss D’Bures (Van Buren) for him to marry her.  She was a widow (previously married to John Storder a former Anabaptist but converted to the Reformed faith by the teaching of Calvin). She lived such a retired life that at first Calvin did not even consider her a candidate. He was drawn to her in remembrance that she fled from her native home in Liege to escape the persecution for her Protestant faith. Seeing she had a deep, genuine faith and Christian courage, he proposed to her.

The two where married on August 1, 1540.  The wedding was a grand event; even being attended by deputies from the surrounding towns. The wedding was not over long when Calvin was summoned away on business and had to leave his wife. Who, with great affection he said was “the excellent companion of his life, that ever faithful assistant of his ministry.” While Calvin was away an awful plague broke out in Strasburg. The theologian become very concerned for his wife saying: “Day and night I see my wife before my eyes, who is in the midst of these dangers without help and advice, because her husband is away. I make great efforts to resist my grievous anxiety. I have recourse to prayer and holy meditation.” Calvin’s prayers where heard and his wife didn’t catch the plague. She was waiting for him when he returned home.

It was after this that Calvin was asked to return to Geneva. He went; again leaving his wife  behind. Idelette stayed in Strasburg only for a time; the council of Geneva kindly sent three horses and a carriage to move her and her household to the Geneva. A lovely house with a garden was given to the couple for residence. It was during this time that she revealed much of her Christian character. She kept house for her beloved husband, watched over his bed when he was ill, and comforted him during trials. She was a very faithful help-meet and desired to do everything in her power to assist and build up the ministry of her husband.

Idelette and Calvin desired greatly to have children, but each child died not long after being born. In 1542 Idelette become ill, Calvin wrote to his friend Viret: “Salute all the brethren – salute also they wife, to whom mine sends her thanks for the sweet and holy consolation which she received from her. She would write to acknowledge these with her own hand, but she had not strength to dictate a few words. In that He hath taken away our son, He hath stricken us sorely, but He is our Father. He knoweth what is meet for His children.” This was the belief of the great reformer – he, and his wife, had absolute trust in the Sovereignty of God. Two years after this another child was born, but not long later she also died, and the next years yet another little baby died. Yet despite the many sorrows they couple faced at the loss of their children they trusted God and His perfect plan.

The next sorrow Calvin would have to face alone – with out his beloved wife beside him. For it was her death that caused the sorrow that  followed. In 1549 Idelette become very ill. She had the best of care but there was little anyone could do for her. The years of sorrow, sickness, and pain had taken their toll on her body; she died on April 5, 1549. She asked Calvin before she died to take care of her children from her previous marriage – which he promised to do. She departed to be with her Lord trusting folly in His sovereign grace for her salvation.

In 1818 to 1830, during the ten week winter terms, Mary and her sister Lucretia attended Mary Lyon’s Female Seminary in Buckland.  In the Summer of 1829 Mary worked at a teaching in Williamstown Massachusetts. She then moved, in 1832 to continue her own studies in Amherst Massachusetts at the Amherst Female Seminary. She began writing her brother Alfred during these years. She expressed to him many of her personal feelings towards friends and acquaintances. She also expressed her desire that all the friends she knew, would be worth of their pilgrim fathers and purpose to live and honorable and upright life in service to God.

Mary had a profound desire to serve the Lord, it flowed from deep within her heart. She expressed many perplexities to her brother, and always concluded with the fact that she wanted to do what the most pleasing to the Lord, and most useful to His cause. She desired to be a teacher in hopes of serving the Lord through this role. This desire the Lord soon granted her and she left for Indiana to teach in 1835. She had not a little difficultly in finding a suitable escort to accompany her to Indiana. Finally they found Rev. Dyer Burgess of West Union, Ohio. He had been visiting New York on business and was very willing to escort Miss Longley to her destination. It through Mr. Burgess she was first introduced to Stephen Riggs. He was a young, well educated man from Ohio. Mr. Riggs was a vision to take the Gospel to the heathen. He was studying to become a licensed preacher of the Gospel.

Mary considered herself a very unromantic type of person. She was quite practical, a quality that would be for her benefit in the work she would later give her life to. There where a number of small difficulties while she was getting to know Stephen Riggs. It was mutually understood by both of them that they where getting to know each other in order to see if they where well fitted for Marriage. Mary expressed to her brother that she thought Mr. Riggs was not as open hearted as she hoped, also that she did not think she really had the proper affection for him that she should. These matters where soon worked out and over come and the two where married in 1837 . Mr. Riggs was also now liscened to preach the gospel after graduating from the Chillicothe Prespytery. It was but a short time after the couples marriage they left for Minnesota. It had been decided that they would take the gospel to the Dakota Indians at the Lac Qui Parl Mission station.

Living among the Dakota was no easy task for Mrs. Riggs; she learned to live without many things to which she was accustomed. She truly hoped that through her and Mr. Riggs’ efforts the Dakota might be won to Christianity.  Her life was full and abundant; she spent her time learning the Dakota language, do all the necessary needle work for her family, laundry and mending, raising and care for their little baby Alfred, as well as teaching school to the Dakota children and a few adults. She spent much of her time tutoring as many Dakota women as where willing to learn. She taught them sewing, spinning, and other needle arts, as well as academic subjects. The greatest hope of the Riggs’ was that they could soon over come the language barrier between them and the Dakota; the soon they could speak the language of the people, the sooner they could share the Gospel with them.

In 1842 the Riggs family – with the exception of baby Isabella (the latest arrival), who in Minnesota with another family at the Mission – journeyed to Hawlay, Massachusetts. They where able to briefly visit the Longley Family, while visiting home Mary’s brother Thomas consented to join the Riggs’ at the Mission in Minnesota. On the return trip the little party stopped in Ohio to see to the printing of the New Testament in Dakota.

Upon returning to Minnesota the Riggs family decided to start a new mission station farther into to the plains of Minnesota. They made their new home at the Traverse des Sioux. The trip to their new home was a rather fearful one for Mrs. Riggs. Accompanied only by another female friend and a Christian Dakota named Simon, the party of travelers came across a war party of Ojjibeway’s returning for killing a couple of Dakota. The Ojjibeway’s did not disturb them, but continued on for they where being perused by a small band of Dakota. Not lot after this the Dakota band caught up with the Missionaries. They at once become very angry, beginning to blame the travelers for not stopping the Ojjibeway’s when they went past. In their rage they shot one of the horses of the wagon team, forcing the Missionaries to continue the rest of the way on foot.

Once at Traverse des Sioux Mrs. Riggs had to assist Mr. Riggs in building the family cabin, after the sad death of her brother Thomas. The couple where greatly cast down at the death of their young companion, but trusting in God’s providence, they continued on with their work among the Dakota. Mrs. Riggs continued to teach school to the Dakota, as well as teaching the women sewing, knitting, and other needle arts.

In 1846 the family moved back to the Lac Qui Parle Mission; this time with a larger family, two little girls: Martha (born 1842) and Anna (born 1845). They lived with Mr. Riggs cousin, Moses Adams and his family.

1854 brought another change in the Riggs family; a move to Hazelwood. Here they joined another missionary family; Dr. Williamson and his wife. Together Mr. Riggs and Dr. Williamson helped the Indian’s found the Hazelwood republic; a large number of Christian Dakota begin their own self-government modeled after the United States.

During much of this time Mrs. Riggs was very ill, yet continued to help her husband in his work as much as possible. In 1862 the Dakota Uprising broke out. A larger part of the Dakota Nation rose up against the settlers killing them in masses. The Riggs and many of the other missionaries where saved by the Christian Dakota, who helped them flee to safety. The Riggs lived in a tent for a month until Mr. Riggs found a house at St. Anthony. Here they lived for some time, Mrs. Riggs often alone with the Children (many of whom where know grown and going east to college). Mary as very sickly during this time, but continued on in the strength of the Lord. It was during this time that her husband was gone that the missionaries saw the most fruit from their labors. God used the heart braking events of the Massacre to turn the hearts of the Indians to Jesus Christ.

Mary Ann finally went to be with the Lord in 1869. Finally at rest in Christ, she left a long legacy for her family. All of her children who lived to maturity became missionaries. Some of them in foreign lands and some of them continued on their father’s work among the Dakota Indians. God greatly used Mrs. Riggs influence to turn many hearts to Christ and in the process radically change the Dakota culture.

She had been a member of the Order of the Sacred Dance*; but on professing faith in Christ, she renounced that, and threw away her “medicine sack”, which was regarded, by the medicine men, as a high crime. This subjected her to divers sorts of persecutions, which she bore patiently. There were times when all were forbidden to attend public worship at the mission. Then Catherine took joyfully the spoiling of her goods – the cutting up of her blanket.

She received the sabbath as a day of rest; and she more than once remained behind her company, when they travelled thereon.

In the first years of the mission at Lacquiparle, an effort was made to introduce spinning and weaving among the Dakotas. In these new branches of industry Catharine was a willing scholar. She spun and knit and wove garments for herself and household.

She was already a matronly woman, but learned to read among the first Dakota women, and entered heartily into all plans for her own and her people’s elevation. Her children were coming upon manhood. She desired that they should be Christians. When an offer was made to have some young men or boys visit Ohio for the purpose of learning the American customs and language, she brought her oldest son, and wished he might be taken. Now [in 1867] she is an old woman, feeble and childish in many things; but she holds fast to her faith in Jesus Christ.

*The Order of the Sacred Dance was in a way the established pagan church of the Dakota. It was a secret society who where supposed to have visions and communion with the god of the waters. In essence, the Dakota religion was demon-worship.

Catherine, or Kate (as Luther called her), spent the next few years performing the duties of a nun, but finally became dissatisfied with this life after hearing the teachings of Luther. The lady abbess, desirous for the other nuns to know the teachings of “that heretic Martin Luther” and to learn to abhor them, aloud the nuns to read the writings of Luther. It pleased God to use these writings of Luthers to turn heart of Kate (and eight of her companions) to a true knowledge of the salvation offered in Christ alone.

Smuggled out in barrels, Kate and her companions escaped to Wittenberg. In two years, with the assistance of Luther, all of the nuns where able to find homes, employments, or husbands. All of them – except Kate. She has stayed with many different families yet appeared to have little interest in marriage. Many proposals came to her from able men, yet she refused them all. Finally after a private conversation with a friend, Kate told him she would be willing only to marry Dr. Luther or himself.

Luther proposed to Kate to not long after  and she excepted him. The two where married on June 13, 1525. They had a full and abundant life. Luther was very busy and Kate took to the task of taking care of the monastery. This was a very large task, considering the number of guest, visitors, and students that visited the Luther home every year. She bore six children, Johannes, Elizabeth, Magdalena, Martin Jr., Paul, and Margarete. All but two of them lived to maturity. The Luther’s also adopted and raise four orphans.

Luther died in 1546 leaving Kate alone with the children. When asked to leave the abbey that had been their home for so long, she refused. She eventually was forced to leave with the break out of the  Schmalkaldic War, and she fled to Magdeburg. She was able to return to Wittenburg at the close of the war but found the it torn down and laid waist. She remain, though in poverty, in Wittenburg until 1552, when she was again forced to flee. This time do the outbreak of the black plague and a harvest failure. On her way to Torgau her cart was involved in a bad accisdent near the city gate. Three months later she died on December 20, 1552.

Catherine Von Bora had a strong faith in Christ, and was willing His servant. She was an able companion and help meet to Dr. Luther in his work for the Lord. She is quoting as saying, just before her death, “I will stick to Christ as a burr to cloth.”

Near Winchester, Virginia, on the afternoon of July 20,* 1864, a Confederate force under General Ramseur was defeated by Federal troops under General Averell. The Confederates were compelled to beat a rapid retreat and left their dead and wounded on the battlefield.

As night came on, a number of women of Winchester arrived on the scene to give aid and comfort to the wounded. Among the young girls who had thus volunteered was Miss Tillie Russell. In passing among the dead and wounded, visible by the light of the moon and the lanterns of the Federal surgeons, Miss Russell came upon a youth suffering the greatest agony. He was Randolph Ridgely of Maryland, although she then knew only that he was a Confederate soldier. His clothing was soaked in the blood from his wound, which, some time before, had been hastily dressed by the Federal surgeon. Miss Russell raised Ridgely’s head to give him, if possible, some ease, whereupon the wounded man gave a sigh of relief and his head sank back into her arms as she sat down beside him. Almost at once, his low moans gave place to regular breathing as he fell into a sleep of exhaustion.

After some time, Miss Russell found herself and her charge alone on that portion of the field among the dead and wounded. She attempted to change the position of the wounded man and free herself from a severely cramped position, which, all the while, grew more and more painful. Whenever she attempted to move, however, the soldier moaned and awoke. The Federal surgeon who had dressed young Ridgely’s wound came by and told her that the case was critical, but that if the wounded man could sleep until morning, he might live. On the other hand, his fever was at its most dangerous point, and if his sleep were broken, he would die. Then and there, regardless of her own suffering, Tillie Russell resolved to make no further effort to lay Ridgely’s head on the grass, but would support his head until his life should be assured by the rest he needed.

Hour after hour went slowly by. The moon passed through the heavens, and there was no sound on the battleground except that of a fitful breeze in the nearby woods. The girl was suffering agony, but she never faltered! and, at the first touch of dawn, she saw the soldier awake with a faint smile on his lips. Forgetful of self, her feeling was one of thankfulness that she had saved the life of a Confederate soldier.

Miss Russell was made seriously ill by her experience, and she could not lift her hand for some days. The story of her deed was eagerly sought for publication but she refused permission to have her name used in connection with it. Artists visited the scene and portrayed the incident with brush and pencil. One of these pictures, by Oregon “Wilson, is entitled “Woman’s Devotion.” It should always be associated with the memory of one of the most unselfish and self-sacrificing deeds of endurance during the War between the States.

*The day after the burning of “Fountain Rock” and “Bedford” some thirty miles distant from the scenes of this narrative. See pp. 196-204.

Not only were the wives of the reformers a great aid to the Reformation, but their sisters also. We have an illustration of this in Margaret Blaarer the sister of Ambrose Blaarer, the great reformer of Constance and Wurtemberg. In this city Huss had been burned at the stake prophesying that the Reformation would rise from his ashes. In 1527 that city rose, Phoenixlike, from his ashes to throw off the yoke of Rome; as many as twenty-three ministers preaching the gospel in the churches, out of which the Catholic priests and bishop fled from the city. In this Reformation the Blaarer family became very prominent. Ambrose, the reformer, had been a monk, but left the monastery disgusted with its vices. his brother Thomas became burgomaster of the town and Margaret became the female reformer of the Swiss Reformation.

Many, however, were the difficulties that arose to impede the Reformation there. Drought, plague and earthquakes came over after the other. During all these trials Margaret was the excellent helper of her brother Ambrose. She was a scholar in those days, when few women were educated. She read the old authors in the original tongues, had correspondence with many learned men in Latin and was highly honored as a poetess by Erasmus and Bullinger. Bucer, the reformer at Strasburg, having having attended the conference at Berne in 1528, returned with Blaarer to Germany by way of stance. He there learned to know Ambrose’s sister, and afterwards kept up correspondence with her, no less than seventy-nine letters of Bucer to her being shown in the Zurich library. He addressed her as “sister” and “mother”, although he was three years older than she. But then she was a mother to Israel because of her good works. But it was her piety that shone above all her gifts. For though so honored by men, and so well acquainted with the sciences of the day, she clothed herself, says a writer, “in the greater ornament of modesty, that she had not only found the pearl of great price, but was a pearl herself (Margaret means pearl) and through the splendor of her piety and her example of good works.” And not only this but also an ornament to her city.

In doing good she was untiring. Many were the poor children she taught to read. Many were the widows and orphans she visited in their sorrow. While her brother Ambrose swung the spiritual sword, the Word of God, and her other brother Thomas swung the worldly sword as a leader of the Reformation in the city council, her work was the quiet, still labor of a love that reached all. The first woman’s society to care for the sick was organized by her. She thus became the founder of the first woman’s society in the Protestant Church. When the plague broke out in 1541 she labored most assiduously and self-denyingly among the sick at the rick of her own life. Her brother Ambrose thus wrote to Bullinger November 5,1541, “Margaret, the best of sisters, behaves life an archdeaconess of our church in that she puts her life and all in danger. Daily she visits the houses where the patients of the pest are cared for. She has just taken a little girl whom she has supported for ten years, into her home. Pray, I beseech you, to the Lord, that He does not permit her who is our only comfort to be torn away from us.”

Ambrose’s wish was answered. She did not die of the plague, but she did not live long after; for she died of a fever, November 15, 1541, a the age of 47 years. After her death, ambrose received many letters full of sympathy and mourning from all the leading reformers as Bucer and Bullinger. Ambrose wrote a beautiful hymn on her death, full of Christian hope; for he was one of the earliest hymn-writers of the Reformation, as for 150 years after the reformation they sang mainly psalms.

She was a genuine sister of mercy, not one shut up in a convent, but one who entered the far wider sphere of everyday life, busy in acts of mercy wherever opportunity was found. If her brother has been called the Apostle of Wurtemberg, she might well be called the Angel of Mercy of Constance.

Well was it for her that she died when she did. It was a mercy of God that she did not live a few years longer, for then she would have seen the Reformed driven out of Constance and her brother Ambrose compelled to flee to Switzerland for safety. When the storm burst on Constance, she was safe above the storms in the bosom of her Lord in heaven.

She says:

“From that service, I date the darning of the true light in my soul. The Lord said to me, through His servant, ‘Give me thy heart’, and, constrained by His love, that night witnessed my solemn resolution to entire surrender to Himself.”

Despite her recognition of her sin and decision to seek Salvation is Jesus Christ she kept all religious thought to herself.

“Seasons of Darkness, despondency and doubt had passed over me,” she says, “but I had kept all my religious experiences carefully concealed in my own breast.”

It was the hesitation and reserve in this respect being the cause, in Mrs. Spurgeon’s judgment of the sickly and sleepy condition of her soul.

It was on December 18, 1853, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a youth of 19, preached for the first time at the New Park Street Chapel.  Susannah was not at the service that morning but heard glowing reports of the preacher from many friends. To please her friends, and out of curiosity to see the new preacher, Susannah accompanied her friends to the evening service. She later recalled her thought of the day:

“Ah! how little I then thought that my eyes looked on him who was to be my life’s beloved; how little i dreamed of the honor God was preparing for me in the near future! It is a mercy that our lives are not left to us to plan, but that our Father chooses for us; else might we sometimes turn away from our best blessings, and put form us the choicest and loveliest gifts of His providence. For, if the whole truth be told, I was not at all fascinated by the young orator’s eloquence, while his countrified manner and speech excited more regret than reverence. Alas, for my vain and foolish heart! I was not spiritually-minded enough to understand his earnest presentation of the Gospel and his powerful pleading with sinners; -but huge, black, satin stock, the long badly trimmed hair, and the blue pocket handkerchief with white spots which he himself has graphically described, – these attracted most of my attention and I fear awakened some feelings of amusement. There was only on sentence of the whole sermon which I carried away with me, and that solely on account of its quaintness, for it seemed to be an extraordinary thing for the preacher to speak of the ‘living stones in the Heavenly Temple perfectly joined together with the vermilion cement of Christ’s blood’”

The young miss Thompson, after she quickly over came her prejudices against the young preacher, was soon awakened to her back sliding state of indifference and became very alarmed. Yet through conversation with the Mr. Spurgeon and through the young man’s preaching, she soon found the rest her soul longed for at the cross of Jesus, where sin’s are washed away.

The first meeting of Charles and Susannah neither of them could ever remember, but they came to know each other through conversation and few outings. It was in June of 1854 that Charles first declared his love for Miss Thompson, the two where then engaged two months later.

Many where the trails ahead for the two young lovers. Mr. Spurgeon being extremely busy with his preaching, Susannah often felt slighted because of what she considered a lack of care of his part. Yet with some wise counsel from Mrs. Thompson, Susannah came to understand that she must never begrudge her future husband to God. The Lord Jesus would and should always be first in Charles life. She soon repented of her folly and became a willing and able helpmate to him.

The couple where married on January 8th 1856, in the New Park Street Chapel. The wedding was anything but a quite one; people came from miles around to see the couple exchange their marriage vows. Their honeymoon was spent in Paris, France, visiting museums and places of historical interest.

In September of that of that year the couple had their first children, a set of twins who they named Charles and Thomas. The Couple was so happy about the arrival of the new babies, but their happiness was soon over shadowed with a sad cloud.  Their was a very bad scare at one of Mr. Spurgeon’s preaching appointments at Music Hall. It left in a sad state of temporary mental anguish. Susannah and the babies joined him at some friends home in Croydon for some much needed rest. Charles Spurgeon soon recovered from his restlessness and was preaching again.

The couple spent 10 happy years together. Raising children, taking care of their own country home, Mrs. Spurgeon had the task of caring for her husband in a few illnesses, yet over all it was a joy filled time. Mr. and Mrs. Spurgeon both enjoyed gardening in their spare time, and built a lovely flower garden around their home.

Mrs. Spurgeon did not retain good health for much of her life. She was almost constantly suffering from physical ailments. She did her best to support and encourage her husband in his ministry despite her weakness.

In 1875 Mrs. Spurgeon begun was would soon become known as “The Book Fund”. After her husband wrote his first volume of “Lectures to my Students”, Susannah proof read it. She told her husband, “I wish I could place it in the hands of every minister in England!” Charles Spurgeon responded, “Then why not do so? how much will you give?” Thus the book fund began. Mrs. Spurgeon begun with saving her own money, and then announcing her intent of giving the book to ministers who asked for them. Money soon began to come in for the fund and it continued to grow. s

Despite her illness, Mrs. Spurgeon found many ways to help her husband in his ministry. She raised her sons, begun and worked on the “book fund”, and also wrote a number of devotionals. Her life was filled with much work and dedication for the cause of Jesus Christ.

In the Summer of 1903 Mrs. Spurgeon had a severe attack of pneumonia which prostrated her, and from this she never recovered, being confined to her bed. She was bed ridden from several months, slowing growing weaker and weaker. On October 22nd 1903 Susannah Spurgeon passed away quietly in her sleep, leaving a rich legacy of self-less love and devotion for Jesus Christ.

To Read a more full biography on Mrs. Spurgeon’s life go HERE.

Esther had a very bright childhood. She had a happy family, and loved reading. Her father’s home was a bright one.He had many contacts among the business men of the American colonies, many of whom came to visit his home in England. In 1763 one man  in particular was a welcome guest. A 23 year old man by the name of Joseph Reed, had come over to England to finish his professional studies as was the fashion of the day.

While staying at the de Berdt house Mr. Reed became quite fond of Esther. He soon asked her for her hand in marriage with she willingly consented to. When the desire for matrimony was told to Esther’s parents, the result was very disappointing to the young lovers. They counsel was that it was they should not be married. Given in such loving and kind words that the young people willingly submitted to the adult’s wisdom, though they still hoped that it would be resolved some day. The couple stay in contact with each other, though five years and the Atlantic separated them from each other.

Over these five years Esther always wrote to Mr. Reed. They sent many letters back and forth, many of which spoke of the political tension rising between England and the Colonies. It has been said of Miss Esther’s family that although English by birth, they where indeed Americans in political opinion. Her father did much to help begin the revolution.

After many years of waiting and prayers, Esther and Joseph where reunited in 1770. Joseph returned for a uncertain visit to England; he returned to find much changed. Mr. de Berdt had passed away, after loosing his entire fortune. Finally, with the consent of Mrs. de Berdt, Joseph was given permission to marry Esther. The couple said their vows privately in a little chapel in London on the 31st of May.

In October they sailed for America, and settled down in Philadelphia. The two spend a happy a mostly uneventful life for the next few years, until the Revolutionary War broke out and Mr. Reed joined the army in June of 1775 at the person request of the commander-in-chief George Washington. Mrs. Reed knowing full well the duties required of her husband let him go willingly and with out a murmur, sending her prayers with him.

Mrs. Reed staying in Philadelphia with her small children until 1776, when she moved to Burlington. She stayed there but a few months, then forced by the advance of British troops to take refuge in a little farm in Evesham. A little while later the family (Mrs. Reed, a Friend, Mrs. de Berdt, The Reed’s 3 children, and a fourteen year old boy) where again forced to flee this time as a precautionary measure to a little village in the woods. Should the British army advance any farther the ladies and children would be in grave danger.

The British and America shoulders met at Trenton and Princeton, and the consequence of this meeting was the saving of the area of New Jersey where the Reed’s resided. Mrs. Reed moved back to Philadelphia and her husband soon joined her. The couple got to settle down for only a brief amount of time. The British soon begun a new and more elaborate attempt on Philadelphia. Mrs. Reed was in Norristown during the movements of the army. Her husband was again called into service and remained until after the battle of brandywine.

Despite the many troubles and fears that where so present during this time of year, Esther was calm, trusting only in God, that He would accomplish His perfect will. Even through these hard years Joseph was able to visit his wife a few times.

In July 1778 yet another hard ship came to the Reed family. The death of one of the Reed children from small pox. Yet even in this she trusted God:

Surely, my affliction has had its aggravation, and I cannot help reflecting on my neglect of my dear lost child. For thoughtful and attentive to my own situation, I did not take the necessary precaution to prevent that fatal disorder when it was in my power. Surely I ought to take blame to myself. I would not do it to aggravate my sorrow, but to learn a lesson of humility, and more caution and prudence in future. Would to God I could learn every lesson intended by the stroke. I think sometimes of my loss with composure, acknowledging the wisdom, right, and even the kindness of the dispensation. Again I feel it overcome me, and strike the very bottom of my heart, and tell me the work is not yet finished.

The hard life of toil and pain where taking there tole on Mrs. Reed, her body was become more frail that it used to be. Yet she was still able to celebrate with her husband in the fall of 1778 when he was elected governor of Pennsylvania. Two happy years went by, full of parties, and society. Yet they to where not without trial. Being the wife of the a governor was not easy. Personal violence was threatened against their family, yet it was subsided.

In May of 1780 a baby boy joined the Reed family, he was named Washington after the General; who a month later wrote the the family saying: “I warmly thank you for calling the young Christian by my name.” This little boy grew up and thirty years later died in service to his country.

That fall the women of Philadelphia united to make clothing for the suffering soldiers. Mrs. Reed was at the head of the association, by popular demand. The services done by Esther and the other ladies on the city was so great that Mrs. Reed was sent  from La Fayetter which is as follows:

MADAM,

In admiring the new resolution, in which the fair ones of Philadelphia have taken the lead, I am induced to feel for those American ladies, who being out of the Continent cannot participate in this patriotic measure. I know of one who, heartily wishing for a personal acquaintance with the ladies of America, would feel particularly happy to be admitted among them on the present occasion. Without presuming to break in upon the rules of your respected association, may I most humbly present myself as her ambassador to the confederate ladies, and solicit in her name that Mrs. President be pleased to accept of her offering.

With the highest respect, I have the honor to be,

madam, your most obedience servant, LA FAYETTE

Mrs. Reed did as much work for the soldiers as her heath permitted, but she contracted a fatal disease that soon ran it’s course. On the 18th of September 1780 she breathed her last.

A few days later she was lade to rest in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church cemetery in Philadelphia. Her tumbstone reads:

In memory of Esther, the beloved wife of Joseph Reed
President of this State, who departed this life
On the 18th of September, A.D. 1780, aged 34 [sic] years.
Reader! If the possession of those virtues of the heart
Which make life valuable, or those personal endowments which
Command esteem and love, may claim respectful and affectionate
Remembrance, venerate the ashes here entombed.
If to have the cup of temporal blessings dashed
In the period and station of life in which temporal blessings
May be best enjoyed, demands our sorrow, drop a tear, and
Think how slender is that thread on which the joys
And hopes of life depend.

While Anna and her mother where quietly living with the convent, God was moving in Zurich. The preaching of Huldrych Zwingli had won the town to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the Reformation swept threw the town their was but one place that it had left to enter, that was the nunnery of Oedenbach. The city council desired that the nun should hear the Gospel, so they sent Zwingli to preach to the nuns in 1522. Zwingli willingly went and preached a sermon called “The Clearness and Certainty of the Word of God.” It had an effect on all the women and left none of them on the fence. Each of the women either embraced his teaching or turned bitterly against it. The city counsel then ordered Zwingli and Leo Juda to take the spiritual care of the nuns. Some of the sisters and many monks protested against this, but to little avail. The counsel then gave orders that any nun who wished to leave could do so at once. Many left and there after married. Anna had been won to the Faith by Zwingli’s preaching, but did not follow leaving with the other nuns. All had left except herself, one older sister. Anna had stayed to care for her sick mother.

Leo Juda came to visit one day and brought along with him a young man by the day of Henry Bullinger who was visiting him. Bullinger was very impressed by the tender love and care that Anna showed towards her mother, and wrote her an offer of marriage. It was fourteen pages long letter which ended by saying:

But why are so many words necessary! The sum of it all is, that the greatest, surest treasure that you will find in me, is the fear of God, piety, fidelity and love, which with joy I will not be wanting in temporal things. Concerning high nobility and many thousand gulden, I can say nothing to you. But I know that what is necessary to us, will not be wanting. For Paul says, “We brought nothing into the world, and we will take nothing out. Therefore, if we have clothing and food it is enough.”

It was ten days before Anna sent a reply to Henry, but when it arrived it was an affirmative to his proposal. She did request however, that the wedding be postponed. Her mother was sick and Anna wanted to stay at the nunnery with her mother.

During this period Henry took to training Anna about her new duty as a Christian wife. He wrote a small book entitled, ” Concerning Female Training, and How a Daughter Should Guide her Conduct and Life.”

Her mother didn’t recover from the sickness but died in 1529. At which time the Henry and Anna were married. Henry know being a licensed preacher, he excepted a position at Bremgarten, where is father had been pastor.

Two daughters where born to the happy couple while they lived there, bring great joy upon the family. This joy was soon turned into sorrow. The defeat of Zurich at Cappel, on October 1531, (In this Battle Zwingli died) made it dangerous for Bullinger, seeing that the Romish armies had little mercy for Protestant ministers. On the night of November 20th Bullinger fled from Bremgarten, with both his aged father and his brother. Not long had they left the house than the Catholic Armies took over and looted the home.

Anna was left in the little house with two children (a 1 1/2 year old and a 6 months old). Seeing their was no way to take care of herself their she was determined to follow her husband. Taking her two daughters in her arms she fled from the house and to the city gate. Upon arrival she found it well guarded and locks, the two soldiers having no intentions of opening it for her. Taking little care for that she set her babies down and overing powering the guards wrestled the keys from them. Picking up her two children she hurried from the city leaving everything but her small children behind. Great was the joy of her husband when she arrived with him at Zurich.

After the death of Zwingli, Henry Bullinger was placed in charge of Zwingli’s parish. This position brought many new honors and cares of Anna. There family grew of a small number of a great many. The family seams to grow rapidly, for a new little child entered the family almost every year, until the children numbered eleven in all. Besides so many dear children Henry’s father and mother both lived with with the family, as well as a young man that Henry was tutoring.  Anna learned much about economics, for they had a very small salary. She had to make everything go as far as possible in their large family.

The little parish home became a sort of safe house for many of the Reformed faith. Persecuted Christians from many lands found care and rest under the room of the Bullingers. They cared for as many as they possibly could, as well as taking a number of young people as their own children, and training them up in the Lord.

Anna served her husband well as a capable help mate. When he fell ill in 1564 she nursed him back to health with the utmost care. So well did she take care of him that she fell ill because of her self denial. Her failure in health led to death on September 25, 1564.  She was well loved and miss by all who knew her, for her faith service to her Lord Jesus Christ.

She was a very capable young girl. She studied Greek, Latin, Logic, and French, as well as mathematics.She was an avid reader of many of her father theological books. At the age of thirteen she studies and reviewed the controversy of the Dissenters and the Established Church, and decided in favor of the latter. She then stopped attending her fathers church and joined the church of england. This how ever did not put her on bad terms with her father. She continued to have a good relationship threw out her life.

Susanna left home at age 19 when she was married to Samuel Wesley (who was 26 at the time). She was very capable helpmate to him, and the two enjoyed a fairly healthy marriage, despite a few disputes. She ran a strict and very stern home. She had 19 children in all, but 9 of them died in infancy, while only 8 still lived at her death. On of her many rules in the house was no child was aloud to cry after the age of one.

Each child was well educated, learning both Latin and Greek. They began schooling the day after their 5th birthday. Upon which day they where supposed to learn the entire alphabet. Only two of her children did not accomplish this.

She had many hard ships and trial in her life, but found great comforts and strength when she turned her cares to the Lord. In 1702 their house burn down. Taking with it her husbands many writings and books. They lived in poverty for the rest of there lives. Though the house was consumed in flames, and the last child (John, age 5) was rescued from the house,  Samuel Welsey gather the neighbors together saying: “Come, neighbors, 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.”

Order and peace continued to rule the home even after it’s destruction and rebuilding. Though her husband had gone away for a time, Susanna would read to the children every Sunday from sermons, and speak with them of the Scriptures. It was said of this family that they where indeed the most loving family in all of England. The firm, yet gentle influence of their dear mother did much to calm the house.

Susanna did her utmost, trusting always in God, to train up her children in the Lord. Her son John Wesley quoted her once in a sermon saying: ” I insist, ” she said “upon conquering the will of a children early, because this is the only strong and rational foundation of a religious education, without which both precept and example will be ineffectual. But when this is thoroughly done, then a child is capable of being governed by the reason and piety of its parents till its own understanding comes to maturity, and the principles of religion have taken root in the mind. As self-will is the root of all sin and misery, so whatever cherishes this in children insures their after wretchedness and irreligion; whatever checks and mortifies it promotes their future happiness and piety. This is still evident if we further consider that religion is nothing else than the doing the will of God and not our own; that the one grand impediment to our temporal and eternal happiness being this self-will, no indulgences of it can be trivial, no denial unprofitable. Heaven or hell depends on this alone. So that the parent who studies to subdue it in his child works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil’s work, making religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child forever.”

Susanna Wesley was an extraordinary house wife, she brought 19 children into the world. Raised 10 of them to maturity, educated them all at home(for six hours a day) until they where of age for collage, was a faithful companion to her husband. Still among all of this she never lost out time in solitude with her Lord in prayer and meditation. Faithfully every day the family joined together for family devotion at 5 o’clock. Susanna would spend as often as she could, her noon hour devoted to the Scriptures.

Susanna’s husband died in 1735 peacefully, and she died a few years later in 1742. Six of her children where with her when she died. “My dear Savior,” they remember her says,  ”Are you come to help me at my extremity at last?” 12 hours later she departed to be with Jesus Christ in His kingdom.

Her grave is found in Bunhill-field, not far from that of the John Bunyan.