September 1, 1811 — to Jacob Gruber
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 565
Martyrdom is one of the subjects of Asbury’s writing, and here is a good example. The camp meetings are much upon his mind. He shows his concern because of the criticisms leveled against the episcopacy.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
September 1, 1811
[TO JACOB GRUBER]1
My dear wrestling Jacob:
Oh what manner of men we ought to be in labor, in patience, in courage, 6000 miles a year to ride, we to meet 8 conferences, you to hold camp-meetings, quarter-meetings, give me the number, and nomination, number of people upon probability that attended, preachers present; and guess at the number connected. I rejoice that camp-meetings still prevail more or less, in all the states, provinces of Upper Canada, Tennessee, New York, Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Brother Boehm2 may tell you. The minutes are out, increase 10,000 members, preachers 669, weights, cyphers, drones, free men to go where they please, whilst some are chained like slaves to the gallies of labor.
We must prepare for martrydom, in office, in life, if some do but little we must do the more, the work of God must not be slight. Witness the poor lame man for 800 miles in inexpressible pain, feet and bowels, yet travel on in company with the strong, but the lame must labour. We must guard against covetousness. We must watch against the sin of old Moses treating the people with hard language or ill temper. Oh what we have to suffer, from false brethren, and true. In families we shall be always preaching to children, to parents privately, plainly. Oh for the deep work of God upon our own souls. We have general prospects, in the union, houses, congregations.
Doubtless, if the state and provinces hold 12 million, we congregate annually 3 if not 4 million in campmeetings! Campmeetings! The battle ax and weapon of war, it will break down walls of wickedness, part of hell, superstition, false doctrine, persecution ceased without but will rise within, of our own selves. Will men arise to change and cripple the administration, men that want to be great without labor, and martyrdom in the glorious cause. Write Camden, South Carolina, December next. I am all in haste, but great love.
F. ASBURY
P.S. We should most carefully examine the characters and qualifications of our local preachers and exhorters, leaders and stewards, Woe! Woe! to us if the Sanctuary is corrupted, we should have class books written or printed, and it would be well if every class leader was to present his class book for inspection at every quarter meeting or at least once a year to the presiding elder in quarter meeting. You will mind well the general fast October 4; most sacred humiliation, our country, our church calleth for it. This has been a year of plenty from one end of the continent to the other, but excessive heat. In 7 months we have traveled upwards of 3000 miles on horse back, in taverns oft our expenses out of 200 dollars, $90 for a horse, $50 expenses besides, gifts in charity no account. Our constitutional income will never find us 2 horses and bear all the expenses of 2 men, 4 dollars for a ferry, 6 dollars for a lake, 6 to 8 dollars a week for travelling expenses. But these are our secrets. I shall have to draw from a few funded legacies to keep me when I grow old, these must go to help me on annually. I shall have to gig it 3000 miles east and north to attend the Genesee Conference in Niagara. I am determined to keep close to the Connection. They may do without me, I cannot do without them, or leave them near the helm or before the mast. I will not leave the ship. I will spend my all, my life, by grace.
Next month, my 40 years will be out, in this wilderness. Children may with more ease cast off a Father, than we fathers can cast off our children. I never knew how well I loved the Americans, when out on the other side of the St. Lawrence, in sight of the opposite shore. I never knew how well I loved the Canadians3 till present with them. I find indeed we overseers, voices, pens and eyes, out to be as much as possible, in every part of our charge, once a year.
F.A.
P.S. I hope you will continue to run well and long. You have dear Bishop McKendree. His advice you have taken in any cases of doubt. In my weakness I went to Morgantown. I was nearly come over 70 miles out of my way, had joint campmeeting been near the Great road, I would have tried it with you. It is my folly if I go from Conference, instead of one, I go 300 miles, instead of 300 I go 600—but I do not lament going to Canada, which has been the cause of my late affliction.
I purpose if I live many years and see matters loved prosper, I will not spare any part of the continent where souls are there. I can communicate knowledge. My greatest grief is if I grieve at any thing we are obliged to ride from Monday to Saturday, seldom find time or opportunity to preach only on Lord’s days. My love to all my friends. Stir them up, all my children to pray for me that I may finish well. I should write more correct but in fact I have not time from house to house, tavern to tavern we read, we pray, go on, this is our way. If [you are] a friend and brother, house me a favor indeed or one a night.
Methodist Historical Society of the Baltimore Conference
(Lovely Lane Museum)
Notes (3)
- Presiding elder on the Monongahela District, Baltimore Conference. ↩
- Henry Boehm was Asbury’s traveling companion. He was a German and especially helpful because he could preach in the German language. ↩
- Asbury went over from the New England Conference to Canada. Since the Christmas Conference of 1784 appointed Freeborn Garrettson and James O. Cromwell to Nova Scotia, there had been some Methodists in Canada who were connected with American Methodism. In 1811 there were about three thousand Methodists across the border in Upper and Lower Canada. There was already prospect of the War of 1812. The American preachers could hardly remain in Canada. The societies and congregations could scarcely get along without pastors. Congress passed a declaration of war on June 17, 1812. The General Conference met in New York on May 1, 1812. There was no preacher from Canada present. The New York Conference gave over the Lower Canada circuits to the Genesee Conference, retaining only the Dunham Circuit. The New England Conference retained Stanstead. All the work in Canada along the St. Lawrence River was in the Genesee Conference except the two circuits. The conference met on July 23, a month after President Madison’s declaration of war. The Canadian preachers were not present. However, the appointments were made for Upper and Lower Canada. The preachers of British and Canadian birth were to remain in the provinces. Nathan Bangs and Thomas Burch were sent from the United States, Bangs to be presiding elder on the Lower Canada District and Thomas Burch to be pastor at Quebec. Nathan Bangs relinquished his charge by the consent of the bishops. Burch went to his appointment. When Canada declared war, the Americans had to leave. The war went on for three years with disastrous effects, as is always the case. The Genesee Conference met at Lyons on June 29, 1815. It was resolved to go ahead with the work in Canada, and American appointments were made for Upper and Lower Canada. The English Conference had preachers in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Quebec; and the membership was 1,759. American responsibility for Canada continued until the General Conference of 1828. There were five preachers from the Canada Conference present. “The separation of the Methodist connection in Canada came before the meeting, and was duly considered and finally settled.” (George F. Playter, The History of Methodism in Canada, 103-315.) ↩