December 24, 1791 — to Edward Dromgoole
LANE’S, VIRGINIA
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 139
W. Glendinning, The Life of William Glendinning,
Preacher of the Gospel, 65-66
Edward Dromgoole was an old friend of Asbury. One of his sons, Thomas, was now at Cokesbury College and was later to become a local preacher. Reference was made to Glendinning and Jarratt, with whom Asbury had disagreed. Asbury makes some comment on British Methodism and on Bishop Coke.
LANE’S, VIRGINIA1
December 24, 1791
[TO EDWARD DROMGOOLE]2
My very dear Brother:
I am now sitting in a crowded conference, men and business. As to your son and Cokesbury, we are about one thousand pounds indebted, five hundred pounds on charity, all sources cut off, only from Maryland, and I promised some to quit begging shortly. The determination of the trustees had nearly been to send the charity boys home; however, at last they resolved I had better cease begging, and admit no more wholly on charity. Our board is twenty pounds in College, seven pounds education Maryland Currency.3 I will board your son at 15 pounds Maryland and give him his education. We have 4 excellent teachers, a society of proud lads in the house and some youths of great talents.
As to Glendinning,4 I believe Satan is in him and will never come out. I expect he would come too and act like himself, go where he pleased, and be subject to no authority. As to Mr. Jarratt,5 he is like himself, and I would not lose sight of my work a minute to speak write or think about him in controversy. A little while ago he wrote against Pottels, [?] now he has done the same.
I have received three letters from Doctor Coke. There has been great commotion. They6 are settled, in my opinion, as a Presbyterian Synod, have divided England into 18 districts who govern in the recess of conference, 7 men form a committee for stationing the preachers. Thompson,7 President, Doctor Coke, secretary and visitor in England, and Ireland, the West Indies; Also the Doctor8 has made most humiliating concessions for his conduct at Charleston, Petersburg, and Baltimore, and promises nothing but peace, if he comes here.
All is peace with us from east to west, north and south. I am in peace with all mankind and as far as I know they love and are united to me. To conclude, if in a future day our collegiate circumstances are better we will do more for your child. We have vast openings eastward, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts Bay, Hampshire. Province of Maine is waiting for us. Quebec will be our field here after. I am as ever thine F. ASBURY
Added to letter dated December 24, 1791:
“Letter of direction or recommendation from an Elder will give admittance to College or you may write to me or meet me at Carolina Conference.’’ Edward Dromgoole Papers, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Library
Notes (8)
- Lane’s Chapel, Sussex County, one of the first preaching places in Virginia. Early conferences were held there. ↩
- Edward Dromgoole was a local preacher on the Greensville Circuit, Virginia. He was a traveling preacher from 1774 to 1780 and from 1783 to 1786. ↩
- The early states had their own currency. ↩
- William Glendinning. One of the preachers who sided with O’Kelly but who desisted from the traveling ministry in 1786. (See Minutes, 1786, and letters December 23, 1791, and November —, 1792.) ↩
- Rev. Devereux Jarratt, the Episcopal clergyman of Virginia. After 1784 Jarratt felt aggrieved that Asbury had led the Methodists out of the Established Church. ↩
- British Methodists. ↩
- Thompson was unknown. The conference passed over Coke and others ordained by Wesley and elected Thompson. Probably this was their reaction to one-man rule. ↩
- Bishop Coke. Reference is evidently to Bishop White’s letter. (See letter, April 24, 1791, and Summer, 1791.) Coke fraternized with Hammett at Charleston. In Petersburg they separated and did not stay together. In Baltimore, Coke saw Bishop White. ↩