October 7, 1772 — to His Parents

PRIOR TO THE CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE

October 7, 1772 - December 6, 1784

CHAPTER 2

Asbury sailed from England on September 2, 1771, and landed at Philadelphia on October 27. He wrote to his parents immediately, but the letter has been lost. Several other letters have been lost. This letter is the first that has been found written by Asbury after coming to America. It is addressed to Joseph Asbury. He and his wife were still at Hampstead in Staffordshire. Asbury was evidently somewhat homesick for home and England.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

October 7, 1772

[TO HIS PARENTS]

My very dear Parents:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you, now and ever! I have now received two letters from you, and a third came to New York, and was lost. I was then in Philadelphia. But I think I have sent four letters to you. Have you had one, my first, from Philadelphia, dated about the latter end of October, which I wrote soon after I landed, and sent by the way of Bristol?

I am glad to hear you do not want the things of this life; for if you wanted these, it would trouble me much. I cannot comply at present with your request, as I think it is not the order of God. You would not have me leave the work God hath called me to, for the dearest friend in life. If the flesh will, your spirit will not. However, you may depend upon it, I will come home as soon as I can: but he that believeth shall not make haste. As I did not come here without counsels and prayers, I hope not to return without them, lest I should be like Jonah. I have seen enough to make me sick; but if I faint in the day of adversity, my strength is small. I am under Mr. Wesley’s direction; and as he is a father and friend, I hope I shall never turn my back on him.

I have found at length that Americans are more willing to hear than to do; notwithstanding, there is a considerable work of God. We have had a large opening in Virginia and Maryland, where Mr. Whitefield hardly ever preached with any success. The time to favor them I hope is come. Still old England for me. Yet this is a plentiful land; and if a poor man can live anywhere, he may live here. But my bread and water are sure, if I am faithful; and it is but little I want. I am not for making a fortune, but to convert souls to God.

‘Tis one great disadvantage to me I am not polite¹ enough for the people. They deem me fit for the country, but not for the cities; and it is my greater misfortune I cannot, or will not, learn, and they cannot teach me. But as my father and mother were never very polite people, it is not so strange. And as I was not born so, nor educated after this sort, I cannot help it. Besides, I was in the wilderness till my showing to Israel. But I see the emptiness of human life, and am sick of the gaudy scenes of life. I cannot as yet seek great things for myself, for I believe there will be, and now is, a dreadful consumption on the earth among people who call themselves Christians, because of their conformity to the world.

There is a decay of the primitive spirit of religion. Woe unto us! for we have sinned, and the plague is begun. There is a cry in the camp, and who will stand up to make the hedge, or stand in the gap? May I hope my father and mother will give their hearts to God, and aim at the prize of their high calling of God in Christ Jesus? Strive to be holy as he is holy, so that you may finish well and in peace, that we may have sure and certain hopes of meeting in the kingdom of God together, to part no more. Labour to support the preaching; it will not always be in vain. Stir up the people to meet together. Let me know whether there is much spiritual prosperity in the societies about. Let me know what is become of my mare. I hope the Lord will bring us together in this world, to praise him; which we shall have great cause to do. Help me by your prayers, to be faithful to the grace given. My love to every inquiring friend; and am, as ever, Your loving and dutiful son,

F. ASBURY

P.S. Joseph Pirkins has been with me this morning and I see him often when in New York. We talk together about our own country. He is in a way to do well and would be glad to hear of his mother, how she does in temporals and in health and in soul. He gives his duty to her and love to all friends. He tells me he has received a letter from young John Pirkins and has written an answer.

The Methodist Magazine, and Quarterly Review, 1831, 197-98