John Wesley-- the Brand Plucked from the Burning

On this day in 1709, five-year-old, John Wesley was rescued at the last minute from a fire at the Epworth parsonage. Christian History Institute has the details:
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All of the family and servants escaped except five-year-old John, who had slept through the commotion. His nursery was directly under the flaming roof. He awoke and his frightened face appeared at the window, crying for help. Samuel made his way back into the house, but the flaming staircase crumbled under his weight. His wife Susanna tried entering through a second door, but the flames were overpowering. It seemed John was doomed because there was no time to fetch a ladder.

At that desperate moment, a couple of brawny neighbors heaved a light man onto the shoulders of a big fellow and stood him upright, creating a human ladder. The rescuer snatched John out of the window just seconds before the roof collapsed.
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