History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

Wesley, otherwise I shall despair of success; for though my influence among the Methodists in these
States as well as in Europe is, I doubt not, increasing, yet Mr. Asbury, whose influence is very
capital, will not easily comply: nay, I know he will be exceedingly averse to it." The implication
from these italicized words is clear that he had cursorily named the subject hypothetically to Asbury,
so as not to excite his suspicions; and he received no encouragement. It is about the only instance
wherein Asbury was successfully hoodwinked by Coke, but his physical and mental enervation at
this time will be remembered. The letter asks for "a private interview in Philadelphia," and names
"Tuesday, the 17th of May. If this be agreeable," he begs that the Bishop will "signify it in a note
directed to Jacob Baker's, Market Street, Philadelphia," or, "if you please, by a few lines sent me by
the return of the post at Philip Rogers', Esq., in Baltimore, from yourself or Dr. Magaw. We can then
enlarge on the subjects." If he had been content to leave it until he reached Philadelphia, and had not
been prompted by his clandestine zeal to get an opinion "by return of the post," Bishop White's letter
in reply would not have fallen into the hands of Asbury, and so exposed the plot. Again he reminds
the bishop that he had ventured all upon his honor and candor. The three ensuing paragraphs are
expressions of the most obsequious apology, in which he literally fawns upon the bishop. In the
concluding paragraph he says: "I will intrude no longer at present. One thing only I will claim of your
candor: that if you have no thought of improving this proposal, you will burn this letter and take no
more notice of it," etc. The subscription to it has already been quoted. From these words the reader
can judge for himself of the Christian confidence existing between Coke and Asbury at this time.
How did this letter become public? Bishop White kept the secret letter of Coke's in confidence,
as throughout he proved himself the Christian gentleman. But in the summer of 1806, fifteen years
afterward, a controversy arose on the Eastern Shore of Maryland between the Methodists and certain
clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in which the existence of such a letter was affirmed
and denied with equal positiveness, and he was requested to settle it, which he did by two letters; one
to Rev. Simon Wilmer of the Episcopal Church and one to Rev. Mr. McCloskey of the Methodist
Church. Bishop White gave the information, and also confided an exact copy of it to Rev. Dr. Kemp
of Maryland, under date of October 30, 1806. It was published by Kewley in the appendix to his
pamphlet of 1807, already referred to under its full title, and from this copy in my possession all
other citations from it are made. Twenty years afterward Alexander McCaine, in his "Defense of the
Truth," a refutation of Emory's "Defense of Our Fathers," to settle the question between them as to
whether or not Coke knew of the decease of Wesley at the time he wrote the letter to White, to make
assurance doubly sure that he did not, wrote to Bishop White in Philadelphia, and McCaine on his
return to Baltimore thought it best to have him commit to writing the result of his verbal interview,
and made such a request of him. The Bishop answered under date "Philadelphia, August 4, 1828."
In this letter the Bishop says: "When Dr. Coke addressed me the letter to which you refer, he could
not have known of the death of Mr. Wesley, which was an event of too signal a character not to be
discoursed of immediately on the arrival of the tidings of it. I am persuaded there was no knowledge
of it in Philadelphia when I wrote my answer to the aforesaid letter. Dr. Coke was informed of it
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between the date of his letter and the arrival of mine." Occasion for reference to this letter as to
another paragraph in it will present itself shortly.
Dismissing this letter for the time, it will be well to take up the thread of the narrative with Asbury
and Coke at Port Royal, Va., where they heard of the decease of Wesley, April 29, 1791. Asbury in
his Journal says, "The solemn news reached our ears that the public papers had announced the death