March 24, 1810 — to Lewis Myers
SMYRNA, DELAWARE
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 536
The reports in the conferences on additions to membership seem to have been poor. Asbury thinks that the preachers and people are resting on their lees. He calls for special days of fasting and prayer.
SMYRNA, DELAWARE
March 24, 1810
[TO LEWIS MYERS]1
My dear Lewis:
God be gracious unto thee, my son. Nothing but official duty and the glory of God, and good of the church moves me to write. Our Baltimore conference has addressed a most serious epistle, to the people, their charge, failing, they are upon their lees, a small increase in numbers June, first Friday, and November, Friday first, as days of most serious fasting, and prayer, solemn worship, and service of God. If you will write to all the presiding elders, for as many of the preachers and people as find liberty to join with us. Our country, our church, will call loudly upon us to cry mightily to God. I fear both the Virginia, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York [conferences] in part are on their lees. In the New England conference God the Lord is breaking out in the uncovering of the arm of his power. Bishop McKendree in good spirits, on the Chesapeake while I am on the Delaware District, 1200 miles since we left dear Charleston. G. Pickering2 present, (begging) from house to house, and congregation to congregation for Boston Chapel, we must collect 8000 dollars or our credit will fail. Mark it well, we do not command, only recommend these days of fasting. I was well pleased that our brethren in the Baltimore conference were prompt in duty. The address or epistle is exceedingly close to the point, prints to be read in our quarter readings by presiding elders, in the societies by the preachers. We began and ended the Virginia and Baltimore conferences in great harmony, humiliation, abstinence and prayer, perhaps we might have about 20 souls converted in each. Brother Boehm3 is greatly taken up with his friends, his horses, and temporal burdens. Love to thyself, and all my brethren and joy in Jesus. F. AY.
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