May 7, 1805 — to the Onancock, Virginia, Quarterly Conference

There are several copies of this principal address extant. It was prepared for the South Carolina Conference. However, it seems to have been used as a basis for the addresses from the Virginia and Philadelphia conferences, probably others. Part of this address is the same as that to the Virginia Conference, March 8, 1805. However, there are differences.

Address to Quarterly Conferences on Delaware District¹ CHESTERTOWN, MD.

May 7, 1805

[TO THE ONANCOCK, VIRGINIA, QUARTERLY

CONFERENCE]

Dearly beloved in the Lord:

Grace be unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. It is scarcely possible for you, in your local situation, to have correct views of what our God hath done for us as a people in the space of thirty-five years. We think it a duty we owe to you to make the following statement. The Gospel, by our ministry, has made a glorious progress through the seventeen United States, the territorial settlements, and Canadian provinces, as may be seen by our Annual Minutes. Should we compute the distance from St. Mary’s in Georgia, to Montreal, in Canada, it would be found to be seventeen or eighteen hundred miles; and from the extremities of the district of Maine to the Natchez, two thousand miles.

What but a traveling ministry, and a very rapid one too, could so extensively propagate the Gospel in the midst of so much opposition. There are now more than one hundred thousand souls in fellowship with us, and perhaps six times that number who look up to us for ministerial services, and to hear the word of life, which you know by happy experience to be the power of God unto salvation, as well as many thousands of happy souls whom we doubt not have already gone to glory. We have upward of four hundred traveling preachers, besides about two thousand local preachers and exhorters, a source from whence we can draw supplies to strengthen and replenish our traveling connection.

We unanimously express our high regard for our local brethren, many of whom have long traveled, labored, and suffered with us in the vineyard of the Lord, and others who would have traveled but for secular affairs. Dear brethren, we acknowledge your great usefulness. You cheerfully labor with us when we are present, preserve the union of the societies, keep up the congregations and prayer meetings when we are absent, and your influence can and does do much in raising class collections for our support. Our apparent increase (in the Philadelphia Conference) this year is small, owing in part to migrations to new settlements, and the uncommon sickness and mortality of last autumn. But when we bring into view the great wastage among twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and twelve, and the number necessary to repair that wastage, we shall see that the number received must have been very considerable to give us an addition of six hundred and twenty four.

Our finances for the present year are better than they were last, owing in part to the Albany district (where the deficiencies were usually great) being attached to the New York Conference, and yet many of the preachers were deficient more than twenty-three per cent., though they received nothing for their children. The circuits which have given liberally will please accept our thanks. We have received eight preachers upon trial, and discontinued—from their probation, and are exceedingly sorry to add that some of their cases were truly humiliating and distressing; nevertheless the Lord hath in great mercy blessed us with unusual moderation and peace, through the whole of our critical decisions.

Dear brethren, we have labored and suffered with you and for you, and are willing and determined so to do. We have confidence that you will endeavor to walk worthy of your vocation, and unite with us in all laudable endeavors to promote the Redeemer’s kingdom. Let us in love continue to watch over and pray for each other, keeping the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace until we are come to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ, that may finally rest with him forever. F. ASBURY

Signed in and by order of the Conference

WILLIAM P. CHANDLER, Sect.²

Quarterly Conference Minutes, Onancock Methodist Church, Virginia