January 2, 1795 — to Ezekiel Cooper

The conference started in Charleston on January 1 and ran through January 7. Asbury as usual was not well. He was met in the city by bad news of the loss of three friends. In this letter he discloses some of his ascetic views as to eating and drinking— views which were so characteristic of his life.

CHARLESTON, S.C.

January 2, 1795

[TO EZEKIEL COOPER]¹

My dear Brother:

I am, by the good and always kind providence of God, brought safe to this city in peace, but a little unwell by hard traveling and changes. Serious things have taken place here. Brother Hughes is dead, Captain Darrall and William Adams drowned. We creep along, with an increase of hearers and members. Some wandering stars appear and shine a little in the new Trinity. We pay our debts, and go on fair and easy. I must say, every time I visit Charleston my feelings are better, and I hope there is some fruit of my toil.

I should be much obliged to you to favor me with your former kindness in letters, any thing that is of moment for me to know, especially from the eastward, that comes to your knowledge. Charleston, Holston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston or Hartford, are good points to meet me with letters.

I am in hopes that something valuable will take place in [New] York in the year 1795. Your attention ought to be paid to Discipline, and visiting from house to house, but not to eat and drink. I am pointedly against that. You have a house to eat in; you need not go to feast with the Church of God. We ought to visit as doctors, or as persons to plead the cause of their souls; not as guests, to eat and drink, but as divines for souls. I am convinced it is and will be an evil.

We have had few city preachers but what have been spoiled for a poor man’s preachers. That is a truth we can awfully substantiate. What persons and times are past and gone, let them go. I trust your soul is more engaged with God than ever, and you will send me good news of the spiritual affairs of the society; as to the temporal matters, Cokesbury² is out of blast, and let it go; we were great too soon. My ten years’ dread is over; I shall leave the world and my charge shortly. Excuse my not writing a longer letter. I have many to write.

I am as ever,

F. ASBURY

Garrett Biblical Institute Library