Friday, July 26, 1805 — to Ezekiel Cooper

Though Ezekiel Cooper had been moved from Philadelphia, he was still Book Editor. Here Asbury is giving instructions for Cooper and Wilson in regard to publications. He is still disturbed because some brethren had gone out from among them.

NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK

Friday, July 26, 1805

[TO EZEKIEL COOPER]¹

My very dear Brother:

I have ridden rapidly two hundred and thirty miles in six days to redeem a day to write. I think that you might, with the assistance of Brother Wilson,² attend five conferences out of the seven every year. You could take Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Reasons for this, the critical state of the bills and banks; and that the preachers can be brought to a settlement better at conference than at any other time.

Brother Crawford³ is appointed to ride with me. If he can render you any service at the Western or Southern Conferences you will give orders. I should be exceedingly glad to see Mr. Wesley’s Sermons published up to the ninth and last volume this year. Then I should be pleased to see a complete set of his Journals published in America, and a set of his Appeals. It’s time, after thirty-five years—it is time these were done. I have had a thought of buying a light Jersey wagon, that I may go at the rate of the mail-stage, and visit all the towns and cities in the winter, and go to the westward in the fall; but the greatness of the expense is one difficulty, the badness of the roads another.

I give up Dr. Coke, according to his own letter, unless he should come for good. I have no unjustifiable partiality for men of any nation under heaven; I love all; they have nothing to gain or lose from me.

I have no more to do with the Book Concern than another preacher, nor so much as some of them. If I was to keep a little stage⁴ the person in company, Brother Crawford, or some other, would carry a choice selection of the books of the connection.

When any one leaveth our connection he leaves the conference, not me; I would not have it thought I am any thing in the business. I am pleased to feel that we are not taught to look upon it as a calamity when any one leaves us, only we grieve they should lose their first love, and give the world cause to say the Methodist preachers may be bought with money as well as others. For my part, I am glad they are gone, and so the judicious part, preachers and people, will say: let them go, and welcome. Had we not been shorn, we might have added near an hundred this year. Perhaps it has been a trial to your mind that Conference made the additional provision for Brother Wilson.⁵ They thought themselves justifiable; they did not think it right to require Brother Cooper to give up a part of his, yet they must know that to have a family in New York must make a difference. But then it is not known how soon you may have one. Honor! Honor! Honorable men we are; but I conclude we have sunk in insolvency in the seven conferences, according to General Conference appropriation, about $15,000, if not $20,000; yet I never saw the Connection more united and cheerful, and determined to go on while liberty, equality, and order prevails; and the work of God goeth on with increasing rapidity in every conference, district, and circuit more or less. I should be pleased with your company to Second River on Monday, at the new church near Newark. You can write me what you think the dividend will be; as the Western Conference and South [Conference], also, will go on for the next year, but will meet within this. You can write me, south, any commands you have for me as your organ, and the president of the conferences.

I am, as ever, thy friend,

F. ASBURY

Garrett Biblical Institute Library