History of the M.E. Church, Vol. IV - Media Sabda Org

exceedingly enlarged by that junction. If it be granted that my plan of union with the old Episcopal
Church was desirable, (which now, I think, was not so, though I most sincerely believed it to be so
at that time) then if the plan could not have been accomplished without a repetition of the imposition
of hands for the same office, I did believe, and do now believe, and have no doubt that the repetition
of the imposition of hands would have been perfectly justifiable for the enlargment of the field of
action, etc., and would not, by any means, have invalidated the former consecration or imposition
of hands. Therefore I have no doubt but my consecration of Bishop Asbury was perfectly valid, and
would have been so even if he had been reconsecrated. I never did apply to the general convention
or any other convention for reconsecration. I never intended that either Bishop Asbury or myself
should give up our episcopal office if the junction were to take place; but I should have had no
scruple then, nor should I now, if the junction were desirable, to have submitted to, or to submit to
a reimposition of hands in order to accomplish a great object; but I do say again, I do to now believe
such a junction desirable." [7]
Both the characteristic rashness and the admirable catholicity of Coke are manifest in this affair,
and the whole correspondence does more credit to his heart than discredit to his head. The
Conference, in its official letter to him, after thoroughly investigating the case, properly said, "You
may be assured the we feel an affectionate regard for you; that we gratefully remember your repeated
labors of love toward us; and that we sensibly feel our obligations for the services you have rendered
us. We hope that no circumstance will ever alienate our Christian affection from you, or yours from
us."
The ecclesiastical system of the Church had been so thoroughly developed and established, by this
time, that the further proceedings the Conference present little more an the enactment of
administrative details. A hearty letter from the British Conference said that "respecting our union,
dear brethren, we think of no separation from you, except the great Atlantic." The American
Conference responded, "Respecting our union, brethren, we can say with you, we know no separation
save the Atlantic." They devoutly congratulate one another on their late success and greater
prospects. By the death of Whatcoat the aged Asbury was left alone in the episcopate. McClaskey
and Cooper moved that it should be reinforced by the consecration of seven men, proposing a
[8]
modified diocesan episcopacy, there being seven Conferences at this time. Ostrander and Soule
proposed two, Roszell and Pitts one. On the 12th of May McKendree was elected to the office by
ninety-five votes out of a hundred and twenty-eight, and consecrated in Light Street Church on the
17th. Ezekiel Cooper and Jesse Lee were the other candidates. Ezekiel Cooper resigned the Book
Agency, and John Wilson and Daniel Hitt were elected to that office. It was enacted that, in order
to ordination to deacon's orders, local preachers must be recommended by a quarterly meeting, and
be approved, after examination, by the annual Conference. A change was made in the rule on the trial
of Church members, for debt and other disputes, allowing a legal process in cases judged to require
it. A thousand dollars were appropriated from the Book Concern to the printing of religious tracts
to be given away; Asbury and his traveling companion usually scattered them over their routes. The
question of slavery, which had never failed to come up in the sessions or the General Conference,
was again brought up by Roszell. McClaskey and Budd were defeated in motion to strike out "the
whole section in the Discipline on the subject." Roszell and Ware carried a resolution to "retain the
first two paragraphs of the section," and to authorize the annual Conferences to "form their own
regulations relative to buying and selling slaves." It was ordered that "a thousand forms of Discipline