January 20, 1801 — to Stith Mead

This is the third letter to Stith Mead in January, 1801. It seems that some injustice had been done in appointing Stith Mead in 1800. Asbury apologizes. The letter emphasizes Asbury’s desire for proper reports.

RICHMOND COUNTY, N. CAROLINA

January 20, 1801

[TO STITH MEAD]¹

My very dear Brother:

Grace, mercy and peace attend thee now and ever. I thought it needful to write as others had observed the arrangements of thy name in the last minutes, I feared some bad use might be made of it; and that thy mind —— I acknowledge it was improper; but I was led into it by your writing of your necessity to go to Virginia; I thought if you were oblidged there, if you found it needful to stay, and watch your business; I might give you a station there. At the General Conference I concluded I should know definitely and only placed your name at Augusta that I might not forget you altogether; but I totally forgot to put your name right, which I hope you will pardon. I am watched with a jealous eye, and the smallest slip of the pen, tongue, or memory may be marked, magnified, and sent several hundred miles across the continent.

I have received great news from Vermont, of a work of God equal to that in Cumberland. Good appearances in Massachusetts, and in the State of [New] York, in Philadelphia and Baltimore, Maryland, Delaware, and some places in poor, rich, dry, barren, formal, Pennsylvania. In the Pitt Settlement; onward to Chanango, in the Northwest Territory, God hath given us hundreds in 1800, why not thousands in 1801, yea, why not a million if we had faith. “Lord increase our faith.” I wish the most perfect union to subsist between the Episcopacy, and the presiding eldership, and at least a circumstantial account by letter, every half year; that they may be eyes, ears, and mouth, and pens, from the Episcopacy, to the preachers, and people; and the same from the preachers and people, to the Episcopacy, giving an account of the work, for the press if need be; as also to lay before the yearly conference the great things God is doing in our land, and then by the press, before the whole world. You will send me a letter to Philadelphia by the time of conference there, to Brother Cooper’s.²

I am as ever, thine in Jesus,

FRANCIS ASBURY

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