May 27, 1808 — to Thomas Roberts
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 488
FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1808
THROUGH 1810
May 27, 1808 - September —, 1810
CHAPTER 11
Thomas Roberts was an old friend of Asbury’s. The letter is really a report to his friend in England of some of Methodism’ s progress in America.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
May 27, 1808
[TO THOMAS ROBERTS]1
My very dear Friend and Brother:
May great grace be multiplied to you and yours, in our Lord Jesus Christ! I have heard of and from you. I thankfully accept your letter, and love. Our American letters to the British Conference,2 and Bishop Coke, you will see; and by them you will know our state. We in the United States, have had great liberty, peace, and plenty. It is a wonder we are not worse; and our shame, we are not better. We have upwards of one hundred and fifty thousand members; and possibly between two and three thousand official men, in our church; and no small number, gone to glory. Yet, may we not fear that, in our membership of multitude, we have unawakened, half-awakened, or hypocritical, or formal, or backsliding souls! In our ministry, are we all free from the love of honour, ease, or interest? We rejoice, with trembling; notwithstanding, the seventeen states are open to us, and our spiritual prospects are great and good. I have nothing of consequence to send you; but my love and good wishes, and frequent prayers, are engaged for the Methodists in Europe. The superintendents did not sign the letters to the venerable Conference: we felt modest, lest we should applaud our own praises. Assure them, we bear great good-will to the Conference. We have, as we think, established a moderate Wesleyan Episcopacy; perpetuated, in words, the good old Methodist doctrine, and discipline; with a representation of one,3 for five members in every yearly conference, to meet once in four years the General Conference. Except our orders, in the ministers, and church-form, and members, we keep as close as we can to the first rules and principles of old Methodism. To the God of all grace I commend you. My love to all the holy brethren and sisters in Jesus. I am your’s in Jesus,
FRANCIS ASBURY
P.S. Please to inform any or all the brethren, that their letters will be acknowledged by me, with any books or pamphlets. We ought to increase in knowledge. Farewell. Let us meet in glory. I am now in the sixty-third year of my age, and forty-sixth of my labours, travelling and locally. Time is short! May we be always ready!
The Arminian Magazine, XXXII, 131-32.
Transcribed by Frank Baker
Notes (3)
- A preacher in England. He married Coke. Probably at his and others’ request Asbury sat for his picture. (See Journal.) ↩
- Those letters were not received by the conference. (Editor’s note in the magazine. ↩
- Asbury is reporting the decision of the General Conference of 1808, which established the delegated system of representation. ↩