History

Family Ghost?

John Wesley’s parents, especially his mother, profoundly influenced his character and career.

In 1716 and 1717, the house at Epworth hosted a supernatural visitor. “Old Jeffrey,” as the children called it, made a variety of noises (groanings, knockings, stampings, and clatterings) and sometimes appeared as a badger-like creature scurrying across the floor. The whole family—as well as a neighboring clergyman—saw or heard it, and no one could find evidence of a hoax.

Though initially skeptical, Susanna wrote to her two oldest sons, who were away at Oxford, that she became “entirely convinced that it was beyond the power of any human creature to make such strange and various noises.”

A remark by oldest daughter Emily, however, perhaps provides the best clue to the incidents. She noted that the outbreak had quickly followed her father’s preaching against folk religious practice—namely, the consulting of “those that are called cunning men, which our people are given to”—after an alleged outbreak of witchcraft in a neighboring parish.

If disgruntled parishioners were behind the haunting, it wouldn’t have been the first time they caused trouble. Local enemies had already maimed some of the Wesleys’ animals, and they might have caused the rectory fires in 1702 and 1709.

Whether a supernatural visitor or flesh-and-blood conspiracy, “Old Jeffrey” might represent one of many clashes between the local world view and a rationally inclined outsider.

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today/Christian History magazine. Click here for reprint information on Christian History.

Our Latest

The Bulletin

Young Republican Texts, Anglican Split, and George Santos Released

Controversial Republican texts, Anglican Communion splits, and George Santos’s sentence is commuted.

Review

Do Evangelical Political Errors Rise to the Level of Heresy?

A Lutheran pastor identifies five false teachings that threaten to corrupt the church’s public witness.

Highlights and Lowlights of 1957

In its first full year of publication, CT looked at Civil Rights, Cold War satellites, artificial insemination, and carefully planned evangelism.

News

Will There Be a Christian Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Conservatives suggest country and Christian artist alternatives for game day.

News

As Madagascar’s Government Topples, Pastors Call for Peace

Gen Z–led protests on the African island nation led to a military takeover.

News

Amid Fragile Cease-Fire, Limited Aid Reaches Gazans

Locals see the price of flour rise and fall as truce is strained and some borders remain closed.

News

Federal Job Cuts Hit Home as Virginia Picks Its Next Governor

Meanwhile, the GOP candidate draws from Trump’s playbook to focus on transgender issues in schools. 

Religious OCD and Me

Scrupulosity latches onto the thing we hold most dear—our relationship with God.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube