December 14, 1807 — to Elijah Hedding

Again Asbury is writing to a key man who would probably be in the General Conference. He is much concerned over the idea of the general superintendency which he had tried to establish. Again he brings in comparisons with British membership.

REMBERT HALL, S.C.¹

December 14, 1807

[TO ELIJAH HEDDING]²

My very dear Sir:

Great grace attend thee. I received thy letter at a time I was seriously afflicted with an inflamation in my breast; for near six weeks, I was not well able to read, write or preach. How shall I regain my health I am not able to say: if I meet six Conferences in 4 months, and ride on horseback 2000 miles, by the 6th of May. Let my good God be my guide, I shall do it lame, sick, or in health: as I have ridden 4000 since the last, or latter end of March.

I rejoice to hear you are not cast down in your important station but have help, hope, and success. You have felt the weight of a circuit, a district! Now what eyes are upon thee, what need have you to see, to be, to do in every part like your Lord, the eyes of all wait on you. Harmony, order, prosperity are the inscriptions of the seal of your presiding eldership! You will see and feel more than ever the propriety of a General Superintendency, like a trinity in unity, coequal; rapidly moving to every conference in the Union, and every capital of the seventeen United States, yea all the continent if possible and practicable.

Now is the time, see if the Americans that have served the connection twenty or thirty years are not worthy the election of their brethren, to take the charge, and shoulder the important task. The men that feel and see as they ought, say no partial superintendency over an Annual Conference! No arch superintendency of one over the whole! No abolition of the general apostolical Wesleyan superintendency! No abolition of what was practiced by the General Assistants till the year 1784, and ever since, in well qualified order, say the men of minds ministers will walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing — —.³ Words to the wise will be sufficient. Mark well. I have either seen, or heard, directly, or indirectly, from most of the 35 districts, but some great official letters, are not come to hand. But from what I have collected, campmeetings are as common now, as quarter meetings were 20 years back, in many districts, happy hundreds have been converted; in others happy thousands! Glory! Glory! Glory! Reputable report says, in the east of Maryland, last August, campmeeting 10 days, 2500 or 3000 converted. Oh my brother doubt not, the good news you bring, will come to be general, and not only general but universal, only look over the State of [New] York; see what was the state of things there 10 years back, and what it is now? Before you close the year, you will have better news, if I live you can meet me with a letter at any of the cities, by the order of conference.

Now I must commend you to God and the word of his grace, as a Christian, and minister. Oh Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust. I only shall add that Methodism in Europe has been in operation about 77 years among 30 million of people; taking the three kingdoms and Islands, a people close together. In America, 37. We are come up within about 6000 members, 40 ministers. God is the first cause of good, he hath blest the itinerancy, campmeeting, presiding eldership and general superintendency! And ever since it has fallen in the Father⁴ of the connection in Europe, I fear the work has declined in about 4 million, to operate among near 3000 miles in length, one thousand breadth. In Europe, only 1000 we double the number with the British every year. Possibly we shall minute 600 traveling preachers next year. Say son, can any man doubt it is time to regulate the General Conference or we may not only have in time 600 but on 1000 brethren at once in conference. I will venture to guess, that the interior conferences, Virginia, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, will seat 100 members in the next General Conference, and if the four exterior conferences, will seat 28 which is far more than ever they have done (except New York), the Western Conference had predetermined before, and elected in Conference, 7 of the best men they had, leaving it for those that pleased to go, possibly the South may do the same.

Most heartily thine,

FR. ASBURY

Methodist Historical Society of the Baltimore Conference

(Lovely Lane Museum)