July 28, 1803 — to Thomas Coke

A shortened form of this letter was published in Briggs, Bishop Asbury: a Biographical Study. Coke was in England, and Asbury is giving him a yearly report of the work in America.

NEAR LITTLE YORK, PENNSYLVANIA

July 28, 1803

[TO THOMAS COKE]¹

My very dear Brother:

To whom I wish grace, mercy, and peace, in life and death. This will probably be the last letter I shall write you till the General Conference. Brother Whatcoat² and myself, since April, have had a tour of 1800 miles from Baltimore thro’ Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, [New] Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Northamptonshire, and Vermont. I am now, after three days recess, setting out on a new route to the new state of Ohio, and to Kentucky. I purpose then to recross the Allegheny mountains to the south, that I may be at the Conference in Augusta, January 1, 1804. Our seven conferences are so appointed, and it will require between 4 and 5000 miles riding to attend them all; and the journies must be completed in less than ten months.

You will see by our returns that our number is increased above 17,000 this year; and, considering that many have died, and removed, we have certainly added above 20,000. As to the northern and eastern churches, I fear they are as lukewarm as any churches in the whole world, a few ministers and people, however, are roused from their lethargy: and our prospects become more pleasing daily in those parts. We have sent three choice young men as missionaries into Lower Canada.³ In many parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, it seems as if there would never be a cessation of the work of God; but that we should spread and grow continually as in days past. In the heat and haste, I cannot write largely. I am, with the same friendship as ever, your’s,

FRANCIS ASBURY

P.S. Brother Whatcoat is under a serious affliction thro’ the gravel. I shall leave him to rest in Maryland, till the General Conference. I go on, sick or well, lame or blind, sometimes not able to mount or remount, without help in my rheumatic complaints. But we must be at home every where, if it be under a tree, and prepared to meet death at any place with pleasure, thro’ grace. I thought once, should I live to see preaching established in all the states, and one hundred in society in each of them, I should be satisfied. Now, I want millions where millions are. Farewell! farewell! My love to all you please to mention my name to in Great-Britain, by word or letter.⁴ The Methodist Magazine, 1803, 47