September, 1810 — to Christopher Frye

It can be seen from this letter that the presiding eldership was still under attack. The General Conference of 1812 was the first delegated General Conference. Asbury considered an attack upon the presiding eldership to be an attack upon the episcopacy. Here he asserts the fact that he had been appointed a general superintendent before the first General Conference of 1784. He is referring to Wesley’s appointment of him.

September, 1810

[TO CHRISTOPHER FRYE]¹

Perhaps there may be a struggle in the next General Conference, whether the government shall be Presbyterian and local, or Episcopal in its small remains. If the poison of electioneering obtains, woe to presiding elders. They are the Bishops’ men; keep them back. But it will remain to know what powers are recorded, what the General Conference ceded to the delegated Conference—and if in dismembering the Episcopacy they will not dissolve themselves and violate the constitution. Bishop McKendree may say, “They made me; let them unmake me.” I cannot say so altogether; if I was made at all by the hand of the Lord and good men, I was made before they were; before some forward children were born or born again. I cannot cast them off. I cannot do without them, if they can do without me. I must continue in the ship, storm or calm, near the helm, or before the mast. As long as I can, I will be with them.

[FRANCIS ASBURY]

William W. Bennett, Memorials of Methodism in Virginia, 583