A History Of The Rise Of Methodism In America - Media Sabda Org

If we suppose that he was out of the track of duty, by hiding from his foes, it accounts for the
extraordinary inward conflicts and temptations that he passed through, during this season, and, that
too, when surrounded with every comfort that was needful for his body.
Some Methodist historians have unfairly represented Mr. Asbury as being almost totally inactive
during the years 1778 and 1779. The truth of the whole matter is, that he was only five weeks closely
confined; and but eleven weeks in which he did not travel and preach. It is true, that he kept himself
mostly in the state of Delaware for two years in succession; but, with the above exception, he was
traveling and preaching in New Castle, Kent, Sussex, and Somerset counties; and this part of his
public life differed from other portions of it in this, that his labors were restricted to four counties,
instead of being distributed through as many states.
Some parts of this chapter were composed at different times; the reader will please excuse the
repetition of facts and language found in it. As it presents the crisis of Mr. Asbury's life in this
country, we regard it as highly interesting and important.
In the latter end of May, Mr. Asbury began to itinerate again. The first appointment he filled was
at Reynear Williams', in Mispillion. In July he went into Sussex and preached at Mr. Charles
Twyford's. In August he went further into North West Fork and preached at Mr. Ross' and at Mr.
Robert Layton's; also, at Mr. White Brown's, who was the nephew of Judge White; and, in
November, he was in Somerset county for the first time, and preached in Broad Creek and Quantico
-- ground that Mr. Garrettson had just before broken up. His circuit reached from Slaughter Neck to
Quantico, a distance of about sixty miles, a very small circuit for that time, when they were in some
instances five hundred miles in circuit. It lay in three counties, Kent and Sussex, in Delaware, and
Somerset, in Maryland. Contained about twenty appointments, of which the principle ones were at
Messrs. Shockley's and Rickard's, Reynear Williams', James Layton's, Widow Jump's, Charles
Twyford's, Mr. Ross', Robert Layton's, White Brown's, at Broad Creek, and at Quantico; while Mr.
White's was the center. As he was permitted to exercise his ministry during these perilous times in
the state of Delaware, he expressed a hope that it would become a garden of the Lord, filled with
plants of his own planting; and, it came to pass; for, in the beginning of the present century, not only
Delaware but the whole peninsula was the garden of the Lord, set with plants of His planting.
The true minister of God finds his greatest pleasure in seeing souls coming to Christ. Mr. Asbury
saw this almost daily. A young woman who had been awakened under Captain Webb some years
before, and, who thought she could never be happy unless among the Methodists, was brought to
God about this time, in the region of Mr. White, by the instrumentality of Mr. Asbury; also, Mrs.
Peterkin, a relative of Judge White, was born again at the age of seventy, and died in the full triumph
of faith in 1780. Her aged companion also experienced a blessed change and soon followed her to
eternity -- they are buried alongside of Mr. And Mrs. White. About this time Joshua Barwick of
Punch Hall, now Burrville, was converted and became a Methodist. After a faithful life of ten years
he went to his reward. His family have generally gone with the Methodists; and some of his
descendants have been Methodist preachers. The Hardisty family was also brought in. Mr. Asbury
preached the funeral of Father Hardisty in 1779. His son William was a traveling preacher in the
Philadelphia Conference for several years.