History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

and then this old volitional force made it possible for them to succeed fidelity always means
will-power. Illustrations of its mal-exercise will be developed even among Reformers in the course
of this History. Asbury's will-power was steadily exercised to establish an Episcopacy, for he had
put his conscience in it, and to make himself its Primate for his autocratic nature could not divide
authority with another. He knew by intuition, and discreetly employed his knowledge, that in
managing strong men but two courses are open: you must either crush them into subjection or
promote them into cooperation. He did both in his marvelous and successful career. In the spring of
1782 he managed to cross the path of O'Kelly, recusant and without a regular appointment, but
commanding in his influence over the people who knew him. He also met with Philip Bruce, a strong
man, now on New Hope circuit, but of O'Kelly's way of thinking. It does not seem maternal to a
casual reader of his Journal that he makes this note, "Sunday, April 17, 1782 — I obtained the
promise of brothers Bruce and O'Kelly to join heartily in our connection." It was the day before the
assembling of a Conference he had appointed near by, at Ellis' preaching-house, in Sussex County,
Va. O'Kelly had great warmth of friendship and was by nature extremely impulsive. He was not
converted to Asbury's opinions, but he agreed to a truce. Asbury left him a presiding elder for some
years beyond the limit of such appointments. As in the case of Strawbridge, he knew how to make
exceptions when the preacher was of such influence with the people, and of such personal assertion
as to make it unsafe to use the rod.
The next day the Conference opened. The evangelical Jarratt labored in this neighborhood, and
Asbury secured his presence and services. He preached every day, the first text being from Hosea
xiv. 5-7. "It afforded him," Stevens says, "topics of warning respecting the late controversy." Jarratt,
as an uncompromising Churchman, aided Asbury with his arguments and persuasions. It can easily
be imagined what a power these two men were. Never did the strategy of Asbury show itself to
greater advantage. The Presbyterian drift of the preachers and people must be arrested. To turn a
current upstream is no easy task, but it was accomplished. Asbury, not content with verbal adhesion
to the "old plan," as it was called, prepared a paper, and the crucial test was applied of signing it.
Asbury records in his Journal: "This instrument was signed by the greater part of the preachers
without hesitation. Next morning I preached on Phil. ii. 1-5. I had liberty and it pleased God to set
it home. One of the preachers, James Haw, who had his difficulties, was delivered from them all and
with the exception of one, all the signatures of the preachers present were obtained." Who was the
recusant? Not an annalist tells — it is safe to assume that it was O'Kelly. It was a signal triumph for
Asbury. Jarratt administered the Lord's Supper to preachers and people. He looked upon all of them
as Episcopalians, and hence it was no violation of the Church canons. A love-feast was held. Asbury
says, "The power of God was manifested in a most extraordinary manner preachers and people wept,
believed, loved, and obeyed," — and nothing pleased him more than the last feature.
And now comes a revelation from Jesse Lee, who was present as a licentiate — he was received
on trial at the next Conference. "The work had so increased and spread that it was now found
necessary to have a Conference in the South every year, continuing the Conference in the North as
usual. Yet as the Conference in the North was of the longest standing, and withal composed of the
oldest preachers, it was allowed greater privileges than that in the South; especially in making rules
and forming regulations for the societies. Accordingly, when anything was agreed to in the Virginia
Conference, and afterward disapproved of in the Baltimore Conference, it was dropped. But if any
rule was fixed and determined upon at the Baltimore Conference, the preachers of the South were