History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

will determine sufficient in a man not entirely lost to all self-respect. The course of its events as
framed by Asbury was closely observed by both Coke and Wesley, and correspondents were not
wanting to keep them posted, often no doubt with some exaggerations of Asbury's career of
undisputed leadership and autocratic domination.
Other missionaries were appointed to the West Indies, to which Coke again turned his attention,
and soon after the English Conference of 1788 they set sail for Barbados. Dr. Coke, with Hammett
as his leading man, whose abilities were of the most pronounced type and his piety stamped with
fervor and zeal, continued his labors among these islands until late in January, 1789. Coke afterward
published a volume covering this period. It will not be concluded that alienation between Wesley,
Coke, and Asbury had reached the pitch of estrangement of worldly men. As Christians they
maintained relations by letter exchange. Asbury courted if it was politic to do so under a sincere
admiration for both of his contemporaries, now that he was securely fixed in his Primacy. There are
not wanting, however, evidences of the triangular movements of the three on the ecclesiastical
chessboard, Asbury to retain, and Wesley and Coke to recover, lost prestige and position in America.
Drew, Coke's biographer, states that Coke, with Hammett, arrived at Port Royal in Jamaica, January
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19, 1790, and "once more sailed for the continent. He reached Charleston, S. C., on the 24th of
February, 1789, at which place he expected to meet Mr. Asbury, who was to come thither for that
purpose by previous appointment. But as their voyage had exceeded the time of their respective
calculations, Mr. Asbury had left the place a few days prior to his arrival, and proceeded on his way
to Georgia, that he might be present at the approaching Conference. Dr. Coke instantly followed,
and, by making extraordinary exertions, overtook him on the road, and became his companion
through the remaining part of the journey."
Asbury, when he parted with Dr. Coke, May 22, 1787, retired to the country on Long Island, N.
Y. Here he repaired his spiritual estate, for his deep religious experience of the things of God he
never suffered to lapse. His personal acceptance through Christ in a clear assurance he valued first,
then the conversion of souls, and then the "care of all the churches" under a persuasion that he was
called of God to oversee them all and direct the preachers scattered over a continent according to his
"godly judgment," and would brook no interference with what he regarded as an apostolic authority.
The whole structure of his character led him into this groove, utterly blind to his own assumptions
and to the baleful consequences of such unamenable executive power. When they cropped out it
never occurred to him to modify himself as a remedy, but he put it down to the weakness, jealousy,
pride, ambition, or the want of religion in the obstructionists. He turns his horse southward again.
June 28, came to York, Pa., and says: "I found it necessary to stop brother Hickson from going to
Nova Scotia." The next day, "I was in prayer until midnight. O Lord, make me all life and love and
patience and resignation under the troubles of the Church, and disappointments of its ministers." The
General Superintendency and the itinerant plan were the very apple of Asbury's eye, in fact the
gospel itself. Snethen says pertinently: "All men do not, cannot, judge alike of their own sincerity
and impartiality. Whenever Mr. Asbury was accused of partiality, his standing reply was, 'I am set
for the defense of the gospel,' meaning the traveling plan; but it so happened that this defense was
identical with the defense of the unlimited power which he held for life. He was personally interested
in every case of this kind." And, mayhap, he was meeting, step by step, other troubles. Lee, who was
in full accord with the doings of the Christmas Conference, at least until after his own defeat for the
bishopric by Whatcoat, gives some hints: "This step of receding from the above engagement [with