March 30, 1808 — to Thomas Coke

Coke is in England, and Asbury is bringing him up to date. Here Asbury’ s comments are prompted by Coke’s marriage.

NEW YORK, N.Y.¹

March 30, 1808

[TO THOMAS COKE]²

My dear Coke:

Great grace, great peace, great usefulness attend you and your dear wife! God is gloriously visiting our continent, very generally but not universally. We have had, in the course of last year, more than common sickness, and mortality. The multitudes of our people are removing from the ancient, to the new and extreme parts of our country. Our prospects are great. We visit almost every part within, and over the lines of the United States. We have, after your example, sent out missionaries into the interior and exterior of Pennsylvania, New York, and Jersey. We have gained three new circuits, and 100 members with the enlargement of an ancient circuit. In our towns and cities the work revives greatly.

You need not wonder that I am remiss in writing, since I have to ride on horseback 5000 miles in eight months, and to meet seven conferences, that comprehend near 600 preachers. Often I am at the other end of the continent when your letters land at this.

Oh my brother, I hope you are plain and pointed upon justification, and the witness of the Spirit, and on sanctification. I mark with pleasure the resolution of our elder brethren, concerning the pure, primitive doctrines of the Gospel and Methodism. It is not possible for us or you to calculate the good the Lord doth by us, in those that live and those that die daily in the Lord, and multitudes that never come into close fellowship with us; but will be found in the day of eternity.

My dear friend, I have received your many loving letters, and feel my obligations to you. If I write you one circumstantial letter in a year, well: my eyes, my time, my powers fail. Think how many hours I must be on horseback, when I only ride 3, or, at most, 4 miles in an hour. In many places we have only solitary woods for retirement. In towns and cities I always stay in my lodgings, viz. a day in Baltimore, or Philadelphia, or New-York, unless in time of conference. I visit only the houses of God, and my friends that are sick. I do not go from house to house to talk, and eat, and drink.

I have one good thing to tell you, that amid all our peace, liberty, and plenty, our travelling connexion is kept poor. We have almost 600 preachers on the minutes and our funds and collections yield us possibly 6 or 7000 dollars a year. We have never attempted to raise any thing but the quarterage, 80 dollars, you know, to single, and the same for married preachers, and the same for their wives. Nevertheless, every conference in the Union is insolvent. Last year our New-England Conference was deficient 3000 dollars. We have to thrust out several of our preachers into the extremities, and some preachers and their wives have to draw, almost their whole salary from the conferences. Last year we had to send six missionaries 900 miles, through the help of a voluntary collection from the Western Conference. We gave only ten dollars to each of the missionaries, who had 5 or 600 miles to travel through the Indian Country. My dividend is 25 dollars from each of the seven conferences, to meet my quarterage and all my expenses. So that, amidst all our prosperity, we are poor. I hope I shall be pardoned by all good men, and women, and by my Lord; that I have not followed rather, Peter than Paul.³

What I fail in this line, I make up in preaching, and Christian counsel, to that part of the Redeemer’s family. I was told that a worthy sister desired her lord to lengthen his letters to me: she might have done, as some of the preachers’ wives have done, filled the other side herself. Everlasting love embrace you! My dear Brother Coke, the past is gone with me, the present and future are in sight. We must mind little what men speak of us. Men will break out upon me, by word and deed, and ofttimes I never know it, and if I do I pass it by pleasantly; we must go through evil and good report. God knoweth the purity of our intentions.

I am, Yours,

FRANCIS ASBURY

The Arminian Magazine, XXXI, 573-74.

Transcribed by Frank Baker