January 6, 1801 — to Stith Mead
CAMDEN, S.C.
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 238
Stith Mead was a Virginian who had been transferred to Georgia. He became one of Asbury’s chief supporters. Here he is being assigned to the Georgia District.
CAMDEN, S.C.
January 6, 1801
[TO STITH MEAD]1
My very dear Mead:
We have enjoyed great health consolation, peace, and union in the sitting of this conference. Three2 have located, three are gone over into other conferences. We are weak handed. We have done the best we can, and all we can do for poor Georgia. You are appointed presiding elder in the Georgia District; John Garvin to Augusta, but you will spend all the time you can there. Brother Samuel Cowles will manage Oconee if you cannot reach that circuit. Washington, Richmond, and Burke,3 you may visit by riding 60 miles or one hundred. At the quarter meeting you should be present if possible. I wish you late in the spring, or late in the fall to visit St. Mary’s, and take Savannah in your way. The book business must be wholly under your direction, they may be sent to you to your order, to Brother Cooper,4 to Charleston, or Savannah. The reply to Christicola5 is in Charleston. If it should be in your power to make me any remittance for a horse and chaise I bought of him,6 before next January you may do it to Brother Cooper, if not when I come. I am with great respect as ever thine
FRANCIS ASBURY
P.S. From all the districts we have good news from the presiding elders or others, good prospects, the northern frozen state began to melt and shout. [Amen.]7
My very dear Brother:8
My desire is that God may give you health, peace, long life and multitudes of spiritual children. Surely the Lord will comfort Zion, after we are tried we shall come forth as gold, meet for the Master’s use. He that believeth shall not make haste. The Lord sitteth on the water floods. Thine as ever, R. Whatcoat
Drew University Library
Notes (8)
- Stith Mead was presiding elder on the Georgia District, succeeding Benjamin Blanton. In 1800 Mead was pastor with William Avant on the Burke and Augusta Circuit. ↩
- Blanton, Cole, and Evans. (See Journal.) ↩
- Appointments in Georgia. ↩
- Book Agent in Philadelphia. ↩
- Christicola was the pen name of James O’Kelly. In 1798 or 1799 O’Kelly published his Apology. In the Apology there is a letter called “Letter of Address to the Methodist Christians.” He signs his name Christicola. In 1800 he published Divine Oracles Consulted: Christicola. (See The Life of Reverend James O’Kelly, written by himself, 178, 208-12.) ↩
- Ezekiel Cooper. ↩
- Torn off. ↩
- Frequently at the bottom or otherwise attached to an Asbury letter is a short note from Richard Whatcoat. This is a sample. As a rule the Whatcoat letters are more in the nature of blessings than added information. ↩