April 19, 1791 — to Ezekiel Cooper
PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 122
An argument for doing away with the Council and substituting the General Conference as the court of the church is going on. It is evident that all is not quiet in the church. Asbury was agreeing to the substitution with great reluctance.
PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA
April 19, 1791
[TO EZEKIEL COOPER]1
My very dear Brother:
I am comforted to hear the work goes on in Annapolis, in your absence, that you revive a little in Alexandria, and your house in better order. I heard by a young man that you were doing well. Brother Ward2 has lost his reason, great exertions,3 may wreck the System. If possible we shall be in town for evening meeting on the Sabbath. We must enter fully into business on Monday morning. You perhaps have heard of the General Conference which is to meet instead of the next sitting of the council.4 A letter from Mr. Wesley, the reappointment of Brother Whatcoat,5 the strange spirit of murmur here, and what can be done to amend or substitute a council, and perhaps to implead me on the one part, and a presiding elder and conference on the other. No court is sufficient but a general Conference; and perhaps such a trial may make me and others take care how they take such rash if not unwarrantable steps. You are a thinking prudent man. A word to the wise, let it rest in thy heart. I am as ever yours,
F. ASBURY
Garrett Biblical Institute Library
Notes (5)
- Pastor at Alexandria, Virginia. ↩
- William Ward. ↩
- Reference is evidently to the hardships of the ministry and the Methodist system. ↩
- The small council which had been serving as the advisory body to Asbury was superceded by the General Conference. ↩
- Richard Whatcoat had been appointed by Wesley to stay on in America. ↩