May 12, 1811 — to Thomas Coke
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 560
Coke married Penelope Goulding Smith in 1805. Asbury had
received a report that she had died. He is sending his sympathy. He also is admonishing Coke against altercations with Adam Clarke. Asbury informs Coke of what is being done about the proposed history.
[NEW] JERSEY1
May 12, 1811
[TO THOMAS COKE]
My dearly beloved in [the] Lord:
The God of all, and all sufficient grace, after we have suffered awhile, may He make us perfect in, and through suffering. If report is true, thou hast sustained the greatest earthly loss2 in life, thy beloved wife; of this, having never tasted the sweets, I can not judge of the bitters of domestick life. Dear sister, Ah! the female parts of human nature, are not in constitution formed for the perpetual motion of constant travelling; or to bear a long absence, of another self. This is an apology for me. I am most seriously sorry, that there should be anything between you and Dr. Clark in print; I hope your hearts are one in love.3 I more regret it ever appeared on our side the water, you! know, I love you.
Dr. Clark I respect as a most indefatigable man, in mind, and labours. But your (fill the blank)4 crossing the Atlantic is not out of sight. We respect you, preachers and people respect you, hundreds thousands. My health is better, visiting 8 conferences, 5000 miles per year, preaching every day, and sometimes twice; but in long rides, wildernesses, and mountains, often times, once in a week. I saw a letter of mine in the magazine, it might seem among the marvellous, 10,000 at a campmeeting. I explain. I suppose that a meeting continues 6 days, that there shall be that number from first to last and perhaps not above 2 or 3 at one time, but coming and going day after day till the close of the day, daily hearers not in the encampment on nights. As to my authorship, I have neither the benefit, the blush, the blessing, or the blame, my Journal is safe in reviewed manuscript, in the hands of Dr. Wilkins;5 my children say let it be as archives and memoirs of primitive Methodism. The conferences have devised an American History of Methodism by letters written by the presiding elders, of the rise and progress of the work in each district, from the first circuit in the district,6 say congregations, meeting houses, numbers, description of the face of the country, deaths, revivals, eminent persons, preachers and members that have died. In a line or two I can inform you the Virginia Conference sat in the State house at Raleigh, North Carolina, (where you once preached.) At conference there was a great time, citizens rich, and poor, attended, day after day, night after night. Possibly 100 souls, subjects of awakening or converting grace, publick as well as private houses, all devotion and solemnity, rich and poor.
Other denominations are ready to cede Maryland, Virginia, Carolinas and Georgia to the Methodists. Oh that we could but dispossess Satan, and sin. The conferences in our large cities do not answer our wishes, notwithstanding we preach, and pray, almost night, and day, in St. Georges, Philadelphia, and Light Street Baltimore and preaching to 6 or 7 congregations, every evening. Ah. Brother we must fast, pray, love, suffer and obey, and remember the poor, the widows, the fatherless, and poor of all descriptions. I greatly doubt if you have received my letters, I have been better than good and contract, I have written every quarter. I feel it natural, acquired, and gracious, I hope not to be stopped from boasting. 25 dollars from each of the 8 conferences, to find 2 horses, travelling expenses, quarterage for me and my aid7 and my aid feels independent also, that if there is a deficiency it will come out of our own pockets. Our congregational numbers immensely large, on ordinary, and extraordinary seasons, infidelity hides its head. Our boasting as to increase &c. may cease as we come abreast of the Mother connection, for total numbers. Our annual increase will possibly be as small, among the mass of a few millions, while you have many more millions in mass for operations; Present me to the few aged men of God, and the young men [of] conference, on whom under God… the work will prosper. I am your very dear praying Brother that divine love may support you, everlasting strength hold you. I am,
FR. ASBURY
Lamplough Collection, British Conference. Transcribed by Frank Baker
Notes (7)
- The Journal shows that Asbury was in Sussex County. On the twelfth he preached at Union Chapel and stayed at Albertson’s. ↩
- Mrs. Coke died in London on January 25, 1811, and was buried near Coke’s parents in the Priory Church at Brecon. (Frank Baker.) ↩
- On February 16, 1810, Coke tried to promote the sale of his own commentary by a circular letter to British Methodism, as one invited by conference to prepare a Commentary, and added: “I have now about two hundred sets of my commentary on the New Testament. I have therefore, I think, a claim to your indulgence, and to your assistance for the sale of the remainder of my edition, prior to that of any other person whatever.” Coke and Adam Clarke, the commentarian, were not the warmest of friends —indeed, Clarke had stepped in to prevent Coke having too great an ascendancy in his native Ireland immediately after the death of Wesley—but there seems no evidence of an open breach between them. (Frank Baker.) ↩
- Asbury’s words about “fill the blank” are puzzling. Does he mean put in “possible,’’ “probable,” “speedy,” according to when Coke expects to revisit the United States? (Frank Baker.) ↩
- See note on Wilkins, preface to Wesley’s Physic, 1814. ↩
- See letter of February 24, 1811, in which he says, “I have stricken out a plan for a complete letter-history of Methodism.” This history was never written. ↩
- Henry Boehm, who added a postscript. ↩