History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

feet in length and 40 feet in breadth, located on the summit of six acres of land. It had, when in
operation, a regular college curriculum and was well officered. It continued in fairly successful
operation until December 7, 1795, when it was destroyed by fire, of probable incendiary origin.
Asbury was in Charleston, S. C., at the time, and makes record: "We have now a second and
confirmed account that Cokesbury College is consumed to ashes, a sacrifice of about 10,000 in about
ten years. If any man should give me 10,000 per year to do and suffer again what I have done for that
house I would not do it. The Lord called not Mr. Whitefield nor the Methodists to build colleges. I
wished only for schools — Dr. Coke wanted a college. I feel distressed at the loss of the library." In
this Asbury does not exhibit either his usual prescience or wisdom. Can it be that a man of his
volitional temperament was fretted as much that the collapsed institution was not his own creation
as the absolute loss materially? It was monumental, however, as a preintimation, both of the
liberality of the laity and the colossal character of the future educational plants of the newly
organized Church. Millions have since been contributed for buildings and endowments. [1]
Leaving the corner-stone ceremonies he enters upon his travels, through Maryland, up into
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, down the Eastern Shore of Maryland, back to Baltimore, on to Annapolis;
buys a "wagon" to ride in; exchanges it for a second-hand sulky; pushes on; sick several times with
his old complaint, the quinsy; exposed to all kinds of weather; down into Virginia; undertakes a
revision of the Discipline — it is not to his liking; gets to Winston, N. C.; takes to horseback again
as he cannot get on with the sulky; and turns his head homeward, if Baltimore and Harry Gough's
can be called home to a man who was always moving and had but little patience with preachers who
were not always moving also. "April 15, 1786 — Read our form of Discipline in manuscript which
brother Dickins has been preparing for the press." Arrived in Baltimore on the 26th; employs himself
"inspecting the accounts of the Book Concern." "Monday, May 8, our Conference began at
Abingdon, where love, candor, and precision marked our deliberations." That is all of it. He makes
no mention whatever of the Conferences appointed at Salisbury, N. C., February 21, and at Lane's
chapel, Virginia, April 10. The preachers in all that section were watched and discounted in the
matter of church legislation. What they did, if not confirmed by the Baltimore Conference, was null
and void. What Baltimore did was referred to them, and they were expected to acquiesce. Asbury's
personal influence with the Baltimore preachers was paramount — he could depend upon them to
register his will. Jesse Lee says that the North Carolina and Virginia Conferences were held at the
times appointed.
The minutes from 1786 to 1787 were titled "Minutes of the General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church." Those of 1786 furnish but little information. It may be well to note that the initial
question is, "Who are the Superintendents of our church? Answer, Thomas Coke, Francis Asbury."
The number of members is 15,791, with 1890 blacks. The previous year 18,000 were reported in
round numbers without discrimination of color. Conferences were ordered for North Carolina, May
17, 1787, Virginia, June 19, and Abingdon, Md., July 24. Thus it will be seen that the net increase
was less than eight hundred for 1785-86. There must have been an adequate cause for it. The old
doctrines had lost none of their saving power. There are not wanting hints that the minds of the
preachers were distracted by the new Church order. They saw the Episcopal bud, a very innocent
thing it seemed to be at the Christmas Conference, bloom out into full flower under Asbury, the
Sunday Service, the canonicals donned by the leading preachers, and the presiding Eldership
virtually introduced from 1755. Lee says — "The form of the minutes was changed this year, and