August 19, 1803 — to George Roberts

The preceding letter to George Roberts was written before Asbury came to the camp meeting. Now he is reporting on the camp meeting. This letter was not finished on the nineteenth. He also reports for the twentieth and twenty-second. This letter and the preceding letter are written together as if one letter.

PITTSBURGH, PA. [?]¹

August 19, 1803

[TO GEORGE ROBERTS]²

This day I came to camp a very feeble man. The camp is upon a most agreeable mount under a noble lofty shade—2000 hearers at the sound of the trumpet came to the big stand to hear the little preacher Francis. Several have been stricken, 6 hopefully brought through, oh that there may be hundreds this night. General Fleming with many others will lodge in the camp. No Presbyterians have appeared of the ministerial lines as yet. I hope we shall have 2 if not 3000 tomorrow. I am very unwell. I mean to go and fire a gun each day and retreat. I wish that the city of Philadelphia had a 4 days seige of preaching day and night with a new preacher every other time, 2 sermons and exhortations in the morning and the same in the afternoon or night. And they keep at it till something would be done in the Academy and St. George’s.

Oh what a foolish child of old age I am. Just as if the citizens would be such fools as the backwoods people. Be assured we had great order and great attention. Oh to see old men and old women dwelling in tents, their wagons and horses put away, not a trifler upon the ground this day, but many fainting and falling and crying for mercy. I will stop now, 20th of August. Sabbath Day 21 I preached at the camp, Isaiah 55:6-7. Monday 22 I preached again, 1 Corinthians 15:58. It was an open season. The exercise continued the greater part of the night, many powerfully stricken, we guessed at near one hundred, how many converted we know not. Several sermons and exhortations by night and day, about 15 travelling and local preachers and people from one to two thousand every day. Great order was observed. We had watchmen by day and night to guard the camp. A poor Roman brought whiskey to give away, but some of the guards seized his bottle.

Tuesday the provisions of many families failed and they had been 6 or 7 days from home. They struck their tents and moved their waggons, but as we were coming away many were coming and I desired Thornton Fleming³ and James Quinn⁴ to go and preach to the people. What the end will be I cannot say or when! Brother Renshaw was a strict observer and took notes. I will desire him to write to some of you some correct accounts. I am very weak with the heat and the state of body I am in, but I am greatly comforted to see the zeal of our brethren. I hope the preachers in the city live in great love. I cannot write you all but you are welcome to my letters in communion.

My love to all you please to present it to,

F. ASBURY

P.S. I must ask your pardon for writing so bad but I have had so little rest and hardly a place or home for anything and my lameness and affliction presseth me down.

Methodist Historical Society of the Baltimore Conference (Lovely Lane Museum)