October 4, 1798 — to Ezekiel Cooper

The news of the death of John Dickins reached Asbury several days late while he was traveling in New Jersey. On October 9 he was in Baltimore, and Asbury Dickins was with him. He records in his Journal on that day, “I had John Dickins’ son with me: we sketched out a few traits of his father’s life. For piety, probity, profitable preaching, holy living, Christian education of his children, secret, closet prayer, I doubt whether his superior is to be found either in Europe or America.”

GERMANTOWN, PA.

October 4, 1798

[TO EZEKIEL COOPER]¹

My very dear Brother:

What I have greatly feared for years hath now taken place. Dickins,² the generous, the just, the faithful, skillful Dickins, is dead! I have had but one day to deliberate; duty, necessity, calleth me to be precipitant. You will anticipate what I am going to write. It is to you, and you only, I can look at present, in the recess of the Philadelphia Conference, to assist Asbury Dickins in the conducting our work as heretofore. You will correct the press? You will superintend the state and entries of the various accounts, that the connection and the family suffer no material injury? The Magazine must be continued; five or ten thousand hymn-books will be wanting immediately, and sundry other books. Brother Lee³ will, if he is furnished with proper papers, collect what money can be obtained southward. We have done what we could eastward.

My dear brother, I need say but little; you will now have it in your power to render the connection and family such extension service as your heart, I hope, desires. I can only appoint at present, that the cause and family may not suffer. What the Philadelphia Conference will do, is with them. I hope to be at Isaac Hersay’s upon Friday evening; at North East Maryland on Sabbath-day. My horse is worn down. My health is greatly repaired, but ah! what is life? We have had great prospects eastward. As soon as the city is accessible you will go in. We shall send the Minutes for the present year. My long-lost manuscript journal I left with Betsy Dickins;⁴ I must read it over before anything can be done. I am afraid to have it sent but by a sure hand, by land. I feel resolved, if the Conference pleaseth, to publish my scraps of journals as my all to the connection, and answer to those that trouble me. In this sickly state of things I must make haste. Some letters written by Mr. O’Kelly, are now in Philadelphia to Mr. Wesley and the Doctor. I want to confront that wonderful man. Brother Lee and some others, with myself, premeditate to attend the Republican Conference⁵ to demand the author of the book entitled Christicola, and controvert the charges as false.

I am, as ever, thine,

FRANCIS ASBURY

Garrett Biblical Institute Library