May 18, 1806 — to Daniel Hitt

NEW YORK

May 18, 1806

[TO DANIEL HITT]

My Very Dear Brother:

Grace, grace, great grace be with Thee: thine came to hand; what is may be aright, Br. Snethen is Located. I embrace an interval from the house of God to write. I had resolved to go to the Genessee, and partially promise the Philadelphia Conference to visit that district; but providence changes, & I change. I find Br. Crawford is not very willing to take another trip round the Continent; I fear the stability of his health; and not only so, the call for laborers is great in this Conference. I mean to give him a station here, after we shall go about 100 miles east. I intend to sell the waggon, and purchase a neat single carriage in York, and come on to Baltimore as soon as possible; I judge two wheels will go better and cheaper than four. I have thoughts of taking two horses, Thomas Budd or any other that will volunteer for a year, they may drive the carriage in times and places of danger, I can ride upon horseback. The pomp of a waggon is too great for me, and the danger; perhaps not one in five hundred could drive to please me, this would make me more dependant than I would wish to be; the jollies of age and sallies of youth do not always fit. Bro. Crawford, is one of the best young men in the world; but his life was greatly exposed, and health in going with me. If you should go to the Western Conference, I will depend upon you till Br. Budd can attend me, as he has volunteered himself, I am inclined to try him; you may write to Br. Ward if you please. I have asked the estimate for a low neat strong single Carriage. We have had a great Campmeeting, 2 or 300 Souls blest. We have opened our Conference, progressed for two days in great peace & some power. Possibly, if I can, I will be in Baltimore by the middle of July, nothing will stop me, but debility, or sickness.

Your letter to the Doctor has been censured for its severity; but not its plainess & sincerity; it is asserted as an opinion that the Doctor will be at the next General Conference. What if the terms are unmade? how will that fit. I am seriously earnestly disposed to urge this, and all the Conferences to nominate a contingent General Conference to guard against my death, debility, apostacy, Location, or desertion: why not? I am not more than man, my mental powers may fail, I may marry 30,000 pounds & a coach & 4 horses, I may run off to some other land, as to the west, & sit down, or go to Canada, and write to you, that I will not come unless you will give me such a part of the work, or make me an Arch-Bishop. I mean in short, at my death or debility or otherwise, there should be men that should come as a convention and appoint some General Superintendency that the order be not broken immediately upon my failures. I am the man to move this, I consider the safety of the Connection, of more consequence ten thousand times over than my little honor, or place, & dignity: the case of the Doctor and myself is like Solomon’s mother: enough my brother, keep it safe, Honorable I hope. I am.

F. ASBURY

Letters to Daniel Hitt, Ohio Wesleyan University Library