Thursday, 8th November, 1792 — to the General Conference

At the General Conference of 1792 Asbury refused to preside. Coke presided in his place. O’Kelly had split the church. The split really occurred over the powers of the episcopacy to which Asbury refers here. The appointment of the preachers was the point at issue. The General Conference sustained the position of Asbury. It was in 1792 that O’Kelly and his group left the church¹ and founded the Republican Methodist Church, later called the Christian Church.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

Thursday, 8th November, 1792

[TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE]²

My dear Brethren:

Let my absence give you no pain—Dr. Coke presides. I am happily excused from assisting to make laws by which myself am to be governed; I have only to obey and execute. I am happy in the consideration that I never stationed a preacher through enmity, or as a punishment. I have acted for the glory of God, the good of the people, and to promote the usefulness of the preachers. Are you sure, that, if you please yourselves, the people will be as fully satisfied? They often say, “Let us have such a preacher;” and sometimes, “we will not have such a preacher—we will sooner pay him to stay at home.” Perhaps I must say, “his appeal forced him upon you.” I am one, ye are many. I am as willing to serve you as ever. I want not to sit in any man’s way. I scorn to solicit votes. I am a very trembling, poor creature to hear praise or dispraise. Speak your minds freely; but remember, you are only making laws for the present time. It may be that as in some other things, so in this, a future day may give you further light. I am yours, &c.

FRANCIS ASBURY

Asbury’s Journal, November 8, 1792