January 29, 1804 — to Bennet Kendrick

It seems as if Kendrick was restless in Charleston, and Asbury is urging him to settle down. In the letter Asbury tells about other appointments and men. He shows his concern for what he calls at the time his “beloved” Charleston. In the letter he shows his sensitiveness to the criticisms of his administration. He gives his reasons for appointing Nicholas Watters to Charleston with Kendrick rather than Isaac Cook.

GEORGETOWN, S.C.

January 29, 1804

[TO BENNET KENDRICK]¹

My very dear Brother:

Grace and peace be multiplied to thee from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. As brother M’Caine² will fill up the after service of the day, I will sit down and talk with you upon paper. I am seriously sensible of the difficulties of your charge, and I should not wonder if you confer with flesh and blood, if you should wish to quit your station: but you will remember what God has done for you, and what He may do by you, if faithful: I had my reasons for not sending brother Cook,³ and equal reasons for appointing brother Watters.⁴ Our young men have fallen sacrifices to towns, brother Ormand lately.⁵

I feared brother Cook had not stability enough: not that alone, but he is very active in the country; he is stationed with a married preacher, that has halted the last year, and may fail this, and leave a growing circuit, (Oconee, Ga.,) for six weeks, chiefly with only one preacher. I aim to make present and future provision in the circuits for the year. Brother Watters is an aged man, a good preacher, and has travelled over a great part of the continent, and has preached above thirty years. I hope his life will be spared. I hope we shall have better security both for his soul and body than for any younger man. He failed in the circuit (Broad River, Ga.) by bad health last year; and will not be able to supply one this. Brother Daugharty⁶ came from Conference with a murmur, and appears by Dr. Coke’s letter, to continue so, you may let him see this letter and welcome. Brother Daugharty wished brother Hill,⁷ a young man of slender habits of body: that station might hazard his life or soul. He is now upon a very consequential station (Broad River, Ga.): both the preachers failed in supplies last year, not for want of piety, but health: perhaps he will have 4000 hearers. I cannot give them a preacher and take him away, as to McDean,⁸ you have known his difficulties; added to this the highest expectation of the people is fixed upon him in Camden; and the circuit, as the colleagues with both these named men, are not so very promising in great acceptance. I cannot disappoint the people, and change the stations of the preachers upon such slight ground. We must be men and not children.

I had rather brother Daugharty had written many letters to me, than have influenced one that could not judge by reason of his want of information of men and things. I feel for Charleston! I do most earnestly entreat you if possibly you can to keep your station. I will look out. I know there ought to be three preachers, if you occupy three churches. If I find a man I can spare, and trust, I will send one between this and the General Conference. But what is it? We have about forty travelling preachers in the South Conference; and we want fifty, we have about forty in the Virginia Conference, and we want sixty, Georgetown wants one wholly, so does Camden, and you want three in Charleston; Columbia goeth without, but I hope brother Evans⁹ will set out again. Poor Wilmington! I have sent a preacher there from the South Carolina Conference.

My dear soul, go on, God will reward you; give this year’s labours, I am in peculiar circumstances. Two of the preachers have located, that I had hoped would have travelled. The preachers that travel appear to be too much afraid of employing married preachers, but it must, it will be done. Brother M’Caine leaked it out that you wanted three preachers, that I also know, but I cannot, I dare not take either of the preachers from their present stations.

The urgent letter I received from Dr. Coke has hurt my mind, that the friends should think I could pursue such a course toward the preachers, to make a breach in two districts and circuits to serve two hundred people in Charleston. The Georgians are very — —¹⁰ you know, that adverse part that say “Pope” and what not. To give the people a preacher and snatch him away. The presiding elders are afraid of moving a preacher, and yet urge me to turn them over like a ball among nine-pins. I do not station the preachers among the people as if they were school-boys, and the people our servants or slaves. I do not trifle with my office in that manner, this is not the way to magnify it, we must hold the confidence of the preachers and people very sacred.

Yours as ever,

F.A.

Southern Christian Advocate. Transcribed by Albert D. Betts