November, 1792 — to William Glendinning
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 145
Judging from this letter, William Glendinning applied to the General Conference for some kind of readmission to the ministry or for permission to carry on his “extraordinary mission.” It is clear that the Conference still thought of him as mentally unbalanced.
November, 1792
[TO WILLIAM GLENDINNING]1
Your letter to the General Conference was read and considered. You consider yourself as having an extraordinary mission and therefore do not choose to submit, as another preacher, to our government. It was concluded from the contents of your letter, that you did not desire to come under our direction any farther, than, 1st, For you to have sanction from us for your proceedings; and 2d, To be answerable to us for your moral conduct. After mature deliberation, it was concluded, 1st, That you cannot be considered as one of us, unless you come under the discipline of our Church; 2d, That you are not to expect the use of our houses for public worship; and 3d, That our preachers are not to make your appointments, nor countenance your proceedings, while you pursue your present plan. Francis Asbury2
Pemberton Smith
Jesse Lee
Nicholas Snethen
Benja. Barnes
Wm. Spencer
Ira Ellis
Jas. Meacham
Jesse Buxton
John Baldwin
Danl. Southall
Danl. Stringer
Josiah Askew
Wm. Moss
Benja. Blanton
Ch. Mosing
Jn. West
Jas. Rogers
Thos. Anderson
Jn. N. Jones
John Ellis
W. Glendinning,
The Life of William Glendinning, Preacher of the Gospel, 68-76
Notes (2)
- See note to letter of December 23, 1791. William Glendinning published an autobiography, The Life of William Glendinning. ↩
- It is interesting to note that, though in the letter to Glendinning of December 23 James O’Kelly headed the list of preachers, he is omitted from this list. Asbury records at the conference, “Mr. O’Kelly, being disappointed in not getting over appeal from any station made by me, withdrew from the connexion and went off.” (See Journal, November 8, 1792.) Glendinning says in his comments following this letter that he had no intention of going off with any who were “breaking off” from Asbury. However, he joined the new movement according to MacClenny, The Life of the Rev. James O’Kelly, 128-29. ↩