August 12, 1815 — to David Young

David Young was in that part of the country where the camp meetings were going strong. Asbury had just come into his district and was writing to him defending the Methodists in their

ordination of preachers. This was very much on Asbury’s mind at this time. It seems that there was more to the letter; but if so, it has been lost.

MUSKINGUM, OHIO

August 12, 1815

[TO DAVID YOUNG]¹

My dear David:

Oh what rich supplies of grace we need for penitence, in such degenerate and desperate sinners, oh justifying grace, yet more sanctifying grace always and always pure. But to the ministers of the Gospel of penitence, pardon, and purity, to such characters and cases, we have to do with. Oh the things impossible with men. Surely our sufficiency is, has been and shall be from God. I am now about writing my valedictory to you among 52 of the order of presiding elders. Oh when I scan the spot of earth, from the north and northeast, and south and southwest, and due west, I say 3000 miles length 1000 to 1500 width. And this to be laid out and oversighted by 10 or 12 conferences and superintendents, dividing the work. Oh when I consider the sections of the work in districts from 52 to 62 presiding elders quarterly superintendency, oh what men of steel they ought to be in their bodies. Oh what men of God, they ought to be, each in charge of from 12 to 15 travelling, 150 locally official men, holding perhaps 220,000 members in the church of God. I presume to congregate 2 million annually, taking our charge by weeks, months, years, in families, classes, societies, quarter and campmeetings and conferences. We have a slender body of 700 travelling preachers, some old drones, some pert ignorant boys like partridges with the shell. It helps not to say we ourselves were boys, but not such as some of these that will possibly never be men of God, blessed by God, for a more invisible able body, 3000 local men. As to our Apostolic order, you are as well satisfied as the pure oracles can make you. First that the great apostle of our profession ordained the 12 and 70 which were not only disciples but apostles, that cried out (Lord increase our faith) see Mark 3:14; Luke 10:1; John 15:16. That these chief men that the Germans call bischoffs, our translators often put in a German, or French, word and this is the dreadful name, that has been butchered by so many who have borne it in the Latin, Greek and English Church. You are perfectly convinced of three orders in the Apostolic Church deacons, elders, apostles from Acts 6:6. Men expressly nominated deacons (by Paul), full of the Holy Ghost and great preachers at the time of their ordination. You are well satisfied from Acts 14:23 as also Titus 1:5 expressly named ordained elders; and as is presumed, that Paul and Barnabas, not having received apostolic orders from the great head of the Church; that at the grand Antiochian Conference for the opening the Gospel to the heathen world Paul and Barnabas were ordained. See Acts 13:3 with a clear statement of that conference, chief men present the election of the holy. Let no man come to quibble and say were these deacons elders by gradation. Were these elders ordained afterward, chief men apostolic? The sacred history is silent. What Church has been so minute as to publish all their acts and orders. If I give names, acts and orders deacons, elders, apostles, chief men, take my testimony or deny the gospel ordination altogether.

It is acknowledged this country is the capital of Presbyterianism, being supplied from different nations, and orders from the Baptist independents as are the Eastern churches. As to the Episcopacy of the Latin church, we totally disavow it. As to the Episcopacy of the English church, their local Episcopacy, deacon and elders, we equally disavow it. Its introduction would locate and disorganize. What a surprizing case it is, our Presbyterian brethren in connection are desperate against Calvinism,² and yet contend for their government. Oh locality,³ love of ease, let us fleece the people; let them pay us a great price for one seventh of our labour, let us choose our stations and the people choose their ministry, let us take something for little or no services. They might see in Philadelphia, in New York Conference that God is and will depart from them.

In fine how will the travelling plan be supported without apostolic order exercised by Paul, a prisoner by Epistles, authoritative sent from Rome into Greece by truly apostolic men, Timothy and Titus, one to Crete, the other Ephesus. These holy men could show their letters of orders to the churches from a man they well knew. And what must we do to gratify our brethren? Confess we have been out of gospel and order? candidly; confess we have appointed 3 orders and there is but one? not yet. Perhaps we have ordained 4000 deacons, 4000 elders and 4 bishops all wrong? John Wesley was ordained but twice, first deacon then elder, 40 years exercizing apostolic powers but some say he was ordained by —— a Greek bishop. Some of his preachers were ordained I know but I have never fully believed the testimony. John Wesley was called upon to ordain for America by all the people and preachers.

As one man called I told you my knowledge of Presbyterianism was small having forgotten their history. I doubt of the existence of that order of things to have been more than three or 400 years, and till that it was not contended for one order and the government of the church by elders altogether. This order of things must have grown out of the dissensions from the Latin, and English Church, the bishops not dissenting with the elders.

I believe that the Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists stagger too in faith to this day, or why ruling ordained elders in the Presbyterian Church that take so great a part in the Discipline of the church, and the Lord’s Supper? Why deacons so honorable in the Independent and Baptist Churches? How can we support a travelling ministry without apostolic order? it is next to impossible? You will ask how do our people do in England by committee? bad enough, Dr. Coke was Bishop of the missions, he chose men and found money. So must we, one doctrine? one discipline? one quarterage?

I presume the [English] committee sit; making cobweb hangings, building ropes of sand. I am told they begin to read, off Staffordshire, if stationed. You please to stopt sir, he cannot go, it will not do, and so on they go. Oh said one, that we had been under the order of Methodists in the United States, thats the plan, Brother Asbury can do better and preachers formed, graduated in time, the superintendents are here and everywhere, and there. It is not so, but some brethren, hence I believe some of the dear aged men died broken hearted, overrun with boys and want of good order. Oh, say their power, usefulness and order of presiding elders, numerous and well regulated quarterly meetings, but [they] have so few official members can attend. Their families⁴ wont starve⁵ —— ——.

[FRANCIS ASBURY]

Methodist Historical Collection, Ohio Wesleyan University Library