October 29, 1793 — to William Watters

This is the only letter extant to William Watters. He was the first native American preacher and was one of Asbury’s best men. He had located when he married. Asbury is trying to get Watters to go back into the traveling ministry.

STAFFORD COURT HOUSE, VIRGINIA

October 29, 1793

[TO WILLIAM WATTERS]¹

My dear Brother:

I cannot have the pleasure of seeing you but must salute you upon paper. It appears to me some awful clouds hang over this once favoured continent. The inhabitants of Philadelphia were faithfully warned that God would punish them. If not with war, nor famine, yet he might [have] sent the pestilence. Oh! awful days when the people die by hundreds in a day!—Our book concern will be hurt by this calamity. Oh! if the Lord will spare the valuable life of John Dickins.²

The restless division spirit that prevails among our people and preachers below is a serious subject. I am now going³ where you, Brother Garrettson and myself went 13 or 14 years ago.

I should be well pleased if your wife was in some town where she would be safe, and you could enter again, and die in the good cause. It would please me if you would superintend Lancaster, Stafford, and Fairfax⁴ as a presiding elder, next year. I want some older heads in our ministry. The Lord works westward and more northward, and eastward. We have great prospects about Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island. I have been affected with a disease of the throat, and feel but through mercy able to keep along. It has followed me that the Lord will send a consumption upon this land. His hand is lifted up.

Various nations are in distress—we shall not be wholly unpunished. I think Christians should do more than at other times, and suffer greatly, and deny ourselves rigidly. My soul, I trust is more than ever given to God and his work. We have had a good conference, with about 50 preachers. We had to sit a whole week. God has given us a few thousands this year. Some sanctified souls in [New] Jersey. I shall be much obliged to you to supply as often as you can in Alexandria this year. I shall command a supply, but the young man is weak in body and not as strong as some in faith and love. If you would attend every Sabbath day, at least every other Sabbath. I am as ever thine in the bowels of our dear Lord.

FRANCIS ASBURY

Drew University Library