History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

1 Lee's "History," pp. 194, 195.
ENDNOTES
2 A "copy" of a letter addressed to Bishop Asbury, August 6, 1798, by Simon Sommers, a layman
of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Fairfax circuit, Va., in answer to a copy of the Discipline of
1796-97 with Notes, sent to him by the Bishop as a token of friendship. He resided, after his active
career in the United States Army, at his plantation, "Sommerville," about three miles from
Georgetown, D. C., in Fairfax, or Alexandria County, Va. He held his membership at the old "Brick
Chapel," near by his residence, and was a trustee. He withdrew from the old Church long years
before the Reform controversy of 1827-30 was inaugurated, thus proving that there were not wanting
intelligent laymen who discerned and protested against the arbitrary methods of the Episcopal regime
long before that period. That their voice was stifled goes for the saying, only an opportunity like this
was not allowed to pass without Christian protestation. Sommers lived to a great age, and was
associated with the Reformed Methodists of 1820-36. This copy was presented to the writer by Miss
Elizabeth M. Minor (whose mother was a daughter of Simon Sommers, and married Smith Minor
of Fairfax County, Va.) some ten years ago. Subsequently a second copy, in a different chirography,
but a transliteration of the first, was presented to the writer by the same granddaughter. This is in
evidence that Sommers and his reform friends multiplied copies of it in writing for circulation. Both
are in a good state of preservation. A letter from this granddaughter under date March 22, 1898, says:
"Grandfather was always a strong advocate of Mutual Rights, and took the paper from its first
publication. My mother told me that Bishop Asbury made my grandfather's his home when on his
visiting tour from North to South, and they had many long controversies on church government,
sometimes sitting until a late hour discussing the matter."
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