REV. BISHOP ASBURY
Francis Asbury, the subject of the following sketch was born in the parish of Harrodsworth, about four miles from Birmingham, England, on the 20th or 21st of August, 1745. His parents, though belonging to the humbler class of English society, were honest and industrious, and were able to procure a comfortable maintenance for themselves and family. They had but two children, a son and daughter, and as the latter died while in infancy, Francis was left as the only child of his parents. At an early age, be was sent to school, where he remained till about thirteen years of age. Having received rather rough treatment from his teacher, he at the above age, preferred leaving school and learning a trade, at which be continued till he was nearly twenty years of age.
Soon after his apprenticeship commenced, he was awakened to a sense of his sinfulness by nature, through the conversation and prayers of a pious man, with whom he became associated. The effect of such awakening, was, that he immediately began to pray morning and evening, and not relishing the cold formal sermons of his own parish minister, he visited other parish churches for the purpose of listening to men who were more evangelical and zealous in the cause of Jesus Christ. Shortly after his awakening, he heard of the Methodists, and on inquiring of his mother, who, where, and what they were, she directed him to a person, who would take him to Wednesbury to see them. On repairing thither, he found that the Methodists were not "the Church," but to him something better.
The people seemed devout, — men and women kneeling down and saying: "Amen!" Then singing hymns! And stranger still the preacher had no prayer book, and yet prayed wonderfully! He took his text, and preached, and yet had no sermon-book! This was all new and wonderful to Francis, who never had seen it in this fashion before. The preacher talked about confidence, assurance, &c. &c., to all of which Francis was a stranger, and led him still further to see his lost condition while out of Christ, and prompted him to seek earnestly for pardon at the hand of God.
Shortly after this, while engaged with a companion in praying, in his father's barn, the Lord pardoned his sins, and justified his soul. He soon felt it to be his duty, young as he was, in age and experience, to hold meetings for reading and prayer. He also ventured occasionally to exhort the people to repentance, and some professed to find peace in believing through his instrumentality. He subsequently became a local preacher in the Wesleyan connection, which relation to sustained nearly five years, when, at the age of twenty-one, he gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry under the direction of Mr. Wesley. After officiating about five years more as a traveling preacher in England, when a call having been made by Mr. Wesley, at the Bristol Conference in August, 1771, for laborers to volunteer for tine American continent, Mr. Asbury at once offered himself for the work, and was accepted. At the close of Conference he hastened home to inform his parents of his design, and although he had one of the most tender mothers, she interposed no obstacles in his way, but freely gave him up to the cause of God and of universal Methodism.
Having formed, while a local and traveling preacher, an extensive acquaintance among the good people of Staffordshire Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire, had felt it his duty also to visit them before his departure. Many of these friends wondered at the moral heroism of the young man, who could thus consent to leave his "happy home and happy country, far in distant lands to dwell," but none opposed him in his undertaking, no doubt believing that it was a call of Providence. Having thus made a flying visit to different parts of England, he returned to Bristol in the latter part of August, where he found Mr. Richard Wright — who had also been appointed to America — awaiting his arrival, that they might sail together. So very little money had Mr. Asbury laid up during his ministerial labors in England, that when he arrived in Bristol he had not a penny of money in his pocket; but the Lord soon opened the hearts of his friends, who supplied him with comfortable clothing, and ten pounds in money.
On the 2d day of September, Mr. Asbury and his colleague, Mr. Wright, set sail from a port near Bristol, and after finding himself on the wide expansive ocean, the former began strictly to examine his motives in going to America. He inquires: "Whither am I going? To the new world. What to do?
To gain honor? No; if I know my own heart. To get money? No, I am going to live to God, and bring others so to do. In America, there has been a work of God: some moving first among the Friends, but in time it declined: likewise by the Presbyterians, but among them also it declined. The people God owns in England are the Methodists. The doctrines they preach, and the discipline they enforce are, I believe, the purest of any people now in the world. The Lord has greatly blessed these doctrines and this discipline in the three kingdoms; they must, therefore, be pleasing to him. If God does not acknowledge me in America, I will soon return to England. I know my views are upright now — may they never be otherwise!"
After a pleasant voyage of five weeks, the two missionaries landed in Philadelphia, and were cordially received by the people, as also by Mr. Pilmore, who was then stationed in that city. After spending a few days with them, Mr. Asbury left for the city of New York, where he arrived on the 12th of November, and on the next day preached in John-street church, from the text, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." In New York he found Mr.
Boardman, the colleague of Mr. Pilmore, and was as kindly received by the former as by the latter.
Hitherto, the labors of Messrs. Pilmore and Boardman who, previously to the arrival of Mr.
Asbury, were the only Methodist missionaries in America — had been confined almost exclusively to the cities of New York and Philadelphia. The number of Methodists in New York at this time, was three hundred; in Philadelphia, two hundred and fifty; and a few in Maryland, gathered under the labors of Mr. Robert Strawbridge, a local preacher, the, whole amounting to about six hundred souls.
Mr. Asbury resolved, however, not to confine his labors to the city, but to make excursions into the country places, for the purpose of preaching Christ to the inhabitants. Accordingly, he soon after made excursions to West Farms and Westchester, as also to Rye, New Rochelle, and Staten Island, and in all these places he was hailed as the messenger of God, and had great success among the people, although sometimes called to suffer persecution among the rabble.
In December, 1772, Mr. Asbury went into Kent County, in Maryland. On one occasion, before preaching, a minister of the English Church came to him, desiring to know who he was, and whether he was licensed. Mr. A. told him his name, and that he was regularly licensed as a Methodist
preacher. The minister began to speak great swelling words, and said he had authority over the people, and was charged with the care of their souls. He said also, that Mr. Asbury could not, and should not preach: and if he attempted it, he should proceed against him, according to law. Mr. A.
gave him to understand that he had come to Maryland for the express purpose of preaching, and preach he would; he further asked the reverend gentleman if he had authority to bind the consciences of the people, or if he was a justice of the peace? The clergyman replied, by accusing him of making a schism Mr. A. retorted by saying, that he did not draw people from the church. The minister said that he kept people from their work. Mr. A. inquired if fairs and horse-races did not hinder them from their work? and informed the gentleman that he had come to help, instead of to hinder him from doing good to the people." I did not hire you for an assistant, nor do I want your help," replied the clergyman Mr. A. rejoined by saying, that if there were no swearers or other sinners, he was sufficient." But what do you come for?" asked the minister. "To turn sinners to God," said Mr. A.
"But cannot I do that, as well as you?" Mr. A. replied, by stating that he, Mr. A., had authority from God to preach the gospel. The clergyman laughed him in the face, and said, "You are a fine fellow, indeed!" Mr. Asbury, not to be intimidated by such clerical insolence, began to preach, and call on the people to repent, and turn from all their transgressions, so that iniquity should not prove their ruin. The poor parson could only give vent to his rage, by cautioning the people against coming to hear Mr. Asbury. But in spite of all such treatment, the people came out to hear the word, and many of them received it into good and honest hearts.
From the above circumstance, the reader can perceive the manner in which Mr. Asbury and his colleagues in the missionary work, were received by those who would monopolize the cure of souls, and who claimed to be, by divine right, in the succession from the apostles; but all these things moved not Mr. Asbury, who in the midst of opposition kept steadily onward in the pursuance of his great work of saving souls.'
In October, 1772, Mr. Asbury received a letter from Mr. Wesley, appointing him as the General Assistant, or Superintendent of all the preachers and Societies in America, and requiring a strict attention to all the rules of the Society, both as it regarded preachers and people. As yet, no annual Conference had been held, but the interchange of preachers appears to have been determined upon by mutual consent, at the quarterly meeting conferences, which at that time were but three or four in number. At one of these meetings, held in Maryland, Dec. 23d, 1772, the preachers were regularly assigned their respective fields of labor, by Mr. Asbury, himself remaining in Baltimore, and occasionally extending his visits to the regions round about, everywhere being received as the messenger of God, and everywhere "making full proof of his ministry."
In June, 1773, Messrs. Rankin and Shadford arrived in Philadelphia, from England, having been sent over by Mr. Wesley to reinforce the small number of preachers in America. As Mr. Rankin was Mr. Asbury's senior, both in ago and ministerial standing, it seemed good to Mr. Wesley to appoint the former in the place of Mr. Asbury, to the office of General Assistant, and giving him power also to call the preachers together in an annual Conference. Accordingly, on the 4th day of July, 1773, the first regular Conference ever held in America met in the city of Philadelphia. It was composed of ten preachers, and the number in the Societies are reported to have been 1160. At this Conference, Mr. Asbury was re-appointed to Baltimore, where he labored efficiently, extending as opportunity offered, his travels into other portions of Maryland. During this year, he assisted in the erection of
a Methodist church in Baltimore, since known by the name of Light-street Church. In 1774, Mr.
Asbury was appointed to New York and Philadelphia cities, in connection with Mr. Rankin, each of them being required to change alternately, once in three months. It appears, however, from Mr.
Asbury's journal, that he was not confined to those two places during this year, but that he traveled extensively in all the region of country around those cities, preaching the Gospel and raising Societies in different parts of the wide field. His labors, in fact, were so extensive, that he seriously injured his health, and was for a length of time confined to his bed. In 1775, he was appointed to Norfolk, Va., where he found about thirty persons only in Society, without any place of worship, except an old shattered playhouse. He, however, persuaded the "feeble few" to attempt the erection of a church, which they finally succeeded in doing.
It appears by reference to Asbury's journal, that a difference of opinion obtained between him and Mr. Rankin, in relation to the proper administration of discipline. The latter gentleman was not only a strict, but a severe disciplinarian, so much so, that his appointment by Mr. Wesley, as General Superintendent, did not give very great satisfaction to either the preachers or people. Mr. Asbury was also a strict enforcer of the rules of discipline, but without that severity which characterized the administration of Mr. Rankin. Hence these gentlemen had their particular friends and adherents, and although Mr. Asbury does not appear to have interfered with the proper administration of discipline by Mr. Rankin, the latter could not but perceive that the affections of the preachers and people were placed more fully on Mr. Asbury than on himself. The knowledge of this fact led Mr. Rankin to suppose that Mr. A. might have used undue means to supplant him in the affections of the people, if not to remove him from his official position as General Assistant. In accordance, therefore, with these surmisings — and they were nothing more, having no other foundation than jealousy to build upon — Mr. Rankin wrote to Mr. Wesley, and in some manner not precisely known, misrepresented Mr. Asbury's conduct and motives, to the father of Methodism. These misrepresentations appear, for the time being, to have had the desired effect on Mr. Wesley's mind; so much so, as to lead him to desire Mr. Asbury's return to England, and in reference to his expected return, he writes to Mr. R., saying: "I doubt not but brother Asbury and you will part friends. I shall hope to see him at Conference (in England). He is quite an upright man. I apprehend he will go through his work more cheerfully when he is within a little distance from me." From this, it appears that Mr. A. had been desired to return immediately, as the letter is dated May 19th, 1775, and the English Conference would assemble in about two months thereafter, at which time Mr. Wesley hoped to see him. Mr.
Asbury, however, did not return, and we find Mr. Wesley, in a letter dated July 28, 1775, "rejoicing over honest Francis Asbury, and hoping he will no more enter into temptation."
Shortly after this correspondence, the ever memorable war of, the Revolution began, which rendered the situation of some of the leading preachers unpleasant in the extreme. This was particularly the case with Messrs. Rankin and Asbury, the former of whom, soon after the issuing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4,1776, resolved to return to England. He, however, deferred his departure until September, 1777. Mr. Asbury resolved, however, to remain true to the cause of American Methodism, and "not to depart from the work on any consideration." In thus resolving, Mr. Asbury placed himself in imminent peril, arising from the fact that one of the preachers — an Englishman by the name of Rodda — had so far forgotten his calling as a minister of the Gospel, as to become a warm partisan and friend of royalty, and was even detected in reading the King's proclamation while discharging his duties on his circuit. This one circumstance was
sufficient to awaken jealousy in regard to the political integrity of other Methodist preachers, and particularly of those from England: hence they were not even permitted to preach in many places, and Mr. Asbury, who was always exceedingly guarded in reference to his expressions of, political preference, was, at the beginning of hostilities, fined five pounds at or near Baltimore, for no other crime than preaching the Gospel. Still, however, be kept on discharging his duty as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.
At this time, it was enacted by the several State Legislative Assemblies, that the oath of allegiance to the State authorities should be taken by all the inhabitants residing within their respective jurisdictions. Mr. Asbury had no objection to the oath of allegiance, but had conscientious scruples about taking the one prescribed, by the State of Maryland, in which State he was then residing. In consequence of this refusal, Mr. Asbury was threatened with imprisonment as a "tory," and was obliged to retire into the State of Delaware, where he found a quiet and pleasant asylum at the residence of Judge White, a man of great influence in that State, and where he remained in a state of partial concealment for nearly a year, until the height of the political tempest had passed away.
But even here Mr. Asbury did not pass his time in idleness; for although he could not with propriety address a public congregation on the Sabbath, yet he would visit from house to house, and was probably instrumental in doing as much good as he possibly could have done by more public labors.
While in this state of seclusion, the Conference of 1779 met at the house of Judge White, and as Mr.
Rankin had left for England, and no successor had been appointed as yet by Mr. Wesley, the Conference, by vote, chose Mr. Asbury as the General Assistant, which station he afterward filled by the appointment of Mr. Wesley himself, in 1782. During the next year (1783), peace was declared between Great Britain and her hitherto rebellious colonies in America; and after a long and severe struggle, the independence of these United States was secured, and acknowledged and strange as, it may appear to many, the cause of Methodism, instead of having become defunct during the din and confusion of war, and by the departure of some of the preachers and the imprisonment of others, the Society had increased during the struggle, from 3,148 members, to 14,986. The number of preachers had also increased, so that in 1783, there were no less than eighty-three appointed by Mr. Asbury, to different fields of labor.
The year 1784, forms a new era in the history of American Methodism. Hitherto the Methodists had been regarded as members of the Church of England, but ,now it became necessary to acquire an organization of their own, especially as the Church of England had lost its ecclesiastical jurisdiction over its churches in America, and these latter had not as yet acquired an independent existence. The consequence was, that there were very few ordained Episcopal clergymen in America, and the majority of those who were, ordained, were by no means qualified, either by grace or morality, to administer the ordinances of the Church — even if they had been willing to do so — to the Methodists. Besides, not a single Methodist preacher in America had been ordained, and thus the fifteen thousand members, and the fifty or sixty thousand adherents of Methodism, with their families, were deprived of the administration of the ordinances of the Church, particularly Christian baptism. True, a few of the preachers in the more southern portions of the United States had, without ordination, ventured in view of the seeming necessities of the case, to administer the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper; but these administrations, by Mr. Asbury, Mr. Wesley, and the great body of the American preachers, were held to be irregular, and were consequently abandoned.
Meanwhile, constant applications were being made for relief, to Mr. Wesley, as the acknowledged
