December 6, 1808 — to Whom?
CHARLESTON, S.C.
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 500
This is an unaddressed letter and is very much like the preceding letter to Elijah Hedding. Asbury is reporting on the growth of the church.
CHARLESTON, S.C.
December 6, 1808
[TO WHOM?]1
My dear Son:
Peace be with thy spirit. If my children all love me as I love them; and would take as great a pleasure in hearing of the work of God as I do, they would stand in need of my rule of discipline to order them to write to the Bishop, an account of the work of God, yearly. In the west, increase, two new districts, 3437 members, stationed 84 preachers in the western Empire. Possibly 2000 miles in length, 600 miles in width, only the [length] of 20 years. What hath God wrought. In travelling west through Maryland, from Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, high, low and middle lands, town and country, the work of God is visible and glorious. Conference, campmeetings, quarter meeting, campmeeting every district, circuit, more or less, two upon one ground in a year. We shall prevail, we do prevail, God is with us, better and better, order everywhere.
The Lord has been pleased to humble me under such prosperity and affliction of the people, by putting me out of the use of my knees, and feet, yet then I did not fail to preach, and pray and carry my crutches as the sentry conquered fields of spiritual victory. Oh brother, wisdom, moderation, energy, order, union, love, fervent prayers, fervent exhortation, unremitting diligence, frugality! Temperance, charity to the poor. Our poor preachers in the east now are, and will be in the most distressing cases, not receiving at quarter meetings more than their travelling expenses. We must help them or they will sink beneath their burden. The superintendency must bestir themselves. We have collected for them already in the city. The Philadelphia Conference ought to give up both dividends to the north and east, indeed, it seems as if the Book Concern would be done if we are not very careful. I am ever thine, my love to all the preachers and people in the Lord.
FRANCIS ASBURY
Drew University Library
Notes (1)
- There is no evidence as to whom it was addressed. Since it seems to be to a presiding elder, and since Philadelphia and the Book Concern are mentioned, it could have been to William P. Chandler, presiding elder of the Chesapeake District which included the city of Philadelphia. ↩