July 3, 1813 — to Jonathan Lyons
WESTMINSTER
ASB_VOL3.PDF, PDF page 589
Jonathan Lyons and Francis Ward for some reason had been changed by Freeborn Garrettson, the presiding elder. Asbury here puts his approval on what has been done. He urges Lyons to additional consecration.
WESTMINSTER1
July 3, 1813
[TO JONATHAN LYONS]2
My dear Jonathan:
Great grace attend us, for indeed to bear one another’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ, given twice in the 13th and 15th of John’s Gospel. Ah what changes, in health, in life and friends. Brother Garrettson3 informed me of the change between you and Brother Ward.4 I wish it may be for the best and I am satisfied. The general union in the New England and Genesee is great. Now the world is at war, the church is at peace. You will watch and pray, believe and love, preach and meet the classes and societies, instruct the children and visit from house to house. We have had to ride 700 miles since New York, steady and shall [carry] on our work in sickness and heat and pain, but in faith and prayer we must out preach and pray and live our former selves and all others. Let them build houses, we must build churches and build up souls in holiness whilst others are contenting their minds with 4 hours work once in 7 days. Let us preach every day, from morning to evening, every day in the week, let us have souls for our hire, God for our portion, heaven for our home. We live upon God and feel answers to the prayers of God’s people and we are invulnerable, Immortal till our master’s work is done. With respect to thee and thine.
In our Saviour, as ever
F. ASBURY
Drew University Library
Notes (4)
- This letter is a copy of the original which Jonathan Lyons made on February 14, 1841, at New York. A check of the Journal indicates that Asbury was at Rensselaerville, New York, on July 3, 1813. Either the date and place are incorrect or the place changed names. ↩
- Pastor, Jamaica, New York. (See Minutes, 1813.) ↩
- Freeborn Garrettson, presiding elder on the New York District. ↩
- Francis Ward was pastor on the Suffolk Charge, New York District. ↩