History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

infrequently erroneous numbers from the printed minutes, minify the decrease largely. Lee, and in
this he is followed by others, gives the O'Kelly secession as the prime cause; the occasion of it, and
the principal fact is not revealed: the arrogation of ecclesiastical power by Asbury and his coadjutors.
The one phenomenal fact about it is that the ministry during this period continued to increase in a
way altogether incommensurate with the loss of members. Taking the minutes, as Lee does not
furnish the data here, the preachers were, in 1791, 250, and in 1796, 293, an increase of nearly
one-sixth, while the membership declined about one-fifth. It is a curious study, and there is no way
of accounting for the strange contrasts but on the human theory that the environment attracted
rule-loving men into the ministry, but repelled liberty-loving Christians from the membership, a
heavy percentage by actual loss and a heavier one by standing aloof from the organization.
Asbury had for his traveling companions during these years up to the General Conferences of
1800-04, Lee, Whatcoat, Snethen, Hutchinson, or McCaine. Allusion has been made to that immense
circuit of the continent after the Wilbraham Conference with Lee as companion. He had about given
up seeing Coke return, but this ecclesiastical magician thought nothing of taking ship from Europe
or America and crossing the ocean, with a sudden appearance among his friends like an apparition.
While Asbury and Lee were returning northward from Charleston in November, 1797, they stopped
for a night with John Ellis, who lived ten miles from Bellamy's chapel in Virginia. Asbury records,
"We rose early to go on our way, and behold who should meet us but Bishop Coke with a borrowed
horse, and a large white boy riding behind him on the same horse!" He had come to America by way
of Charleston without notice, and remained about six months traveling and preaching, but he kept
no journal of it. You must look beneath the surface to find the method and meaning of these
alternations between England and America. His abilities were freely recognized on both sides the
ocean, while his liberality and zealous labors were without stint. Asbury wanted him and the British
brethren wanted him — he was their missionary propagandist. It would be interesting to traverse all
the negotiations carried on over him, and which Coke stimulated and prolonged by playing coy —
a sort of hide-and-seek between his brethren but space forbids indulgence. Coke was politic enough
to keep both parties bidding for him. When in America his letters to England intimated that he would
never be back. When in England his letters to America intimated that he would remain at home. The
abundant direct and collateral evidence is that the one overmastering weakness of Dr. Coke was his
ambition to be an ecclesiastic coequal with Wesley or Asbury. Deeply pious, consecrated, gifted,
versatile, his heart took in the world in its love of souls, but, running parallel with all his endeavors,
and the spring of much of his unwonted activity, was this aspiration which he would not let die.
It seems opportune to exhaust this phase of his character before dismissing him finally from these
pages. Drew, his biographer, has summed it up with a charitable pen as to his benefactor. "The
general conference, after viewing with due deliberation the peculiar ground on which he stood, and
weighing the solicitation which the English conference had made for his return, instead of enforcing
those claims which his promise had enabled them to urge, manifested a willingness to follow the
example which the preceding letter (Asbury's from the Virginia Conference to the British brethren)
had set before them. They were willing to suspend their demands, but not to renounce their rights.
The utmost, therefore, to which they would submit was, that Dr. Coke should remain in England and
act under the direction of the British conference so long as his presence in America was not
essentially necessary. But in case they thought it needful to call him to the continent, his promise was
still to be considered obligatory, and he was to obey the summons. Such was the final determination