History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

"I cannot come to you as a 'mere' preacher — Am I to come to you in any sense as a bishop, and
in what sense? I don't want to yet, if I come, but in perfect subordination to the General Conference,
but yet still as a Bishop, and having a right to give my judgment in all episcopal matters, unless I
render myself unworthy of the office. Do write me as soon as you have considered this letter. Send
me duplicates, etc. In this case I believe I shall hear from you before the next British Conference,
which I particularly desire to do, etc.
'T. Coke.' '' [7]
There is no mistaking his meaning now: "I cannot come to you as a 'mere' preacher," the italic is
his own. Resolve that you will receive me as the coequal of Asbury and as I came to you from Mr.
Wesley, and I will finally break away from England and spend my days among you. Asbury, as is
seen from his letters to McCaine, anticipated his purpose, and held him under deserved suspicion.
The scheming and counter-scheming among the leaders reached a height from 1800 to 1808 never
before attained. There were a number of aspirants to the Episcopacy, and the factions kept
themselves in correspondence with Coke, while they were secretly united in deprecating his return
in the capacity he wished, and so matters continued until the General Conference of 1808. Coke kept
himself busy with his missionary plans in Europe, but did not venture to return to America. The
Bishop White letter had been published, as found in 1807, and brought upon his head severe
criticisms. It is doubtful if his letter to the Baltimore Annual Conference intrusted to McCaine,
Cooper, and Wilson, was ever officially presented. He was evidently kept well informed of the
course of events by his friends in America, so that as the Conference of 1808 approached he
exercises his diplomacy by inditing a long and carefully worded letter to it, which can be found in
full in Bangs' "History," Vol. II. pp. 207-210, in which he traverses the American Conferences from
1784 downward, devoting the body of the letter to an apology and explanation of the Bishop White
letter which is ingenious and by his friends esteemed ingenuous. The Conference carefully
considered it, and with quite as much diplomacy made answer in substance, that they would retain
his name among the Bishops, but he was relieved of any further service in America unless "recalled
by the General Conference or the unanimous request of all the annual Conferences." A fraternal
address was also received from the British Conference covering the same subject and this was also
answered with many kindly phrases but to the same purport. All these may be found in full in Bangs'
"History," Vol. II.
Alas for the discrowned hero. Lee makes no mention of his name after 1803. Bangs dismisses him
from his pages after 1808, and Stevens also. After 1804, Asbury makes fitful mention of him. March,
1806, he says: " An answer was given to Dr. Coke's letter, I fear in a manner that will not please him.
An order was passed that the answer should be presented to all the annual conferences." It was done
accordingly, and he makes several notes of it in Philadelphia and New York. August, 1806, in
Virginia "Report says that a copy of Dr. Coke's letter was taken by stealth: the British are irritated,
and the Americans are not pleased." A glint this of Methodist Episcopal esoterics. November, 1806
"I wrote a letter to Dr. Coke giving a general statement of the work of God upon our continent." It
is the last mention until June, 1815 "By vote of conference I preached the funeral sermon of Dr.
Coke — of blessed mind and soul — of the third branch of Oxonian Methodists — a gentleman, and
a scholar, and a bishop to us — and as a minister of Christ in zeal, in labors, and in services, the
greatest man in the last century." It was less than a year to his own death. His memory is mellow and