History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

next day, Sabbath, he reached, with Whatcoat, Barratt's chapel. Asbury is also in the immediate
neighborhood, but did not make himself known. Coke took the pulpit and, in his full canonicals,
preached to a "noble congregation," he says, "in the midst of a forest." Asbury was an auditor. It gave
him time to look the stranger over, and he must have been pleased with him. Let Coke tell what
happened:
"After the sermon a plain, robust man came up to me in the pulpit and kissed me. I thought it
could be no other than Mr. Asbury, and I was not deceived. I administered the sacrament after
preaching to five or six hundred communicants, and held a love-feast. It was the best season I ever
knew except at Charlemont in Ireland. After dinner Mr. Asbury and I had a private conversation on
the future management of our affairs in America. He informed me that he had received some
intimations of my arrival on the continent and had collected a considerable number of the preachers
to form a council, and if they were of opinion that it would be expedient immediately to call a
Conference it should be done. They were accordingly sent for, and, after debate, were unanimously
of that opinion. We therefore sent off Freeborn Garrettson, like an arrow, from north to south,
directing him to send messengers to the right and left, and to gather all the preachers together at
Baltimore on Christmas Eve." Garrettson, long years after in his semi-centennial sermon, gives about
the same account of it. Asbury says of it: "Sunday, 14th — I came to Barratt's chapel: here to my
great joy I met these dear men of God, Dr. Coke and Richard Whatcoat; we were greatly comforted
together. The Doctor preached on "Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption." Having had no opportunity of conversing with them before service, I was greatly
surprised to see brother Whatcoat assist by taking the cup in the administration of the Lord's Supper.
I was shocked when first informed of the intention of these, my brethren, in coming to this country:
it may be of God. My answer then was, if the preachers unanimously choose me, I shall not act in
the capacity I have heretofore done by Mr. Wesley's appointment. The design of organizing the
Methodists into an Independent Episcopal Church was opened to the preachers present, and it was
agreed to call a General Conference to meet at Baltimore the ensuing Christmas." The implications
of this statement contain the gist of the whole matter. It makes it plain how it all came about. He
adds, "My soul is deeply engaged with God to know His will in this new business." Not a doubt need
be entertained of it. All his reading, all his prepossessions, all his conscience, all his purposes, were
in the plan. He cemented it with his prayers. There is a tradition that at the quarterly meeting, which
was called for Barratt's, ten of the preachers who had come at Asbury's call were privately informed
of his plan for organizing a Methodist Episcopal Church. After hearing him six of them, it is said,
dissented, and four concurred. Some five more afterward came in, and these fifteen, with Coke to
assist, were "labored with," the plan being again opened to the preachers present, and it was agreed
[2]
to — not the plan — "but to call a General Conference." What had become of Thomas Vasey,
Coke's and Whatcoat's companion? He had made a detour, being more intent upon preaching than
scheming, in the surrounding country. Asbury came up with him, two days after the Barratt chapel
interview, at Bohemia Manor.
It is no loss, perhaps, to the religious world that no minutes were ever made, much less published,
of the conversations between Coke and Asbury in that after-dinner talk at Barratt's home, a private
conversation on the management of our affairs in America." What Wesley directed them to do and
what they afterward did were so incongruous, and so questionable, that it is well that no man knows
to this day. Asbury discloses a single feature, and it is pregnant of consequences, "My answer then