History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

METHODIST REFORM
Edward J. Drinkhouse, M.D., D.D.
Volume I
CHAPTER 37
The General Conference of 1800 — Asbury's resignations; comments of Lee and Snethen — A
new Bishop again proposed; the contest between Lee and Whatcoat, and the close election of the
latter — A plan for the support of the Bishops — Preachers' salaries — The presiding eldership
question brought forward; Reformers still working at it — Coke and Wells attempt to limit the
powers of the Episcopacy, but failed — The quadrennium of 1800-04 the most remarkable for
revivals; campmeetings introduced; statistics — McCaine, Snethen, and McKendree, traveling
companions to Asbury; and his comment on his Episcopal power — The General Conference of
1804 — Snethen and a delegated Conference — Restless Reformers and the sticklers for old forms
clash — Two Disciplines issued, one for the South, omitting the stringent regulations on slavery, and
one for the North including them — Death of Whatcoat — Abortive Convention called; defeated by
Lee.
The manuscript Journal of the General Conference of 1800 contains no list of members, but as
all the deacons and elders were entitled to membership, the printed minutes of that year furnish the
list, except absentees. It met in Baltimore at the new Light Street church. This city was the cradle of
Methodism, and all the previous General Conferences, as well as a number after 1800, met here,
Asbury gives but fifteen lines to it, and some of these have ready been cited. He says there were 116
members present. It held from the 6th to the 20th of May. The salient events were few but material.
From the defeat of Asbury's assistant bishop plan of 1797, he struggled along in declining health, and
the chroniclers say seriously meditated resigning his Bishopric. He virtually did so at this
Conference. It is not meant to impeach his integrity and sincerity when the statement is made that
he did it with a salvo. Lee gives us a candid account of it, and this is probably among the things
Asbury excepted to ten years after in Lee's "History." Boehm was with him when he read the first
copy that came into his hands, and he says, "it made the Bishop nervous." His own record of it is:
"It is better than I expected. He has not always presented me under the most honorable aspect. We
are all liable to mistakes, and I am unmoved by his." Lee, after stating that Asbury had written to a
number of the leading preachers during 1799 intimating his resignation, declares that he had it
actually written for presentation. It came up as the first business of the Conference, and the body
resolved: "This Conference do earnestly entreat Mr. Asbury for a continuation of his services as one
of the general superintendents of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as far as his strength will permit."
It is noteworthy that he is addressed as Mr. Asbury and as a general superintendent. Asbury's salvo
is revealed by Lee: "Mr. Asbury told the conference that he was still feeble both in body and mind,
but was much better than he had been for some time before; and, notwithstanding he had been
inclined to resign his office, he was now willing to do anything he could to serve the connection, and
that the conference might require of him." Nicholas Snethen was a member of this Conference and
of subsequent ones, and witnessed other feints of resignation by the Bishop, resulting in virtual
reelections by the Conference. Sincerely as he loved and honored him, as these pages witness, these
tentations led him to write in 1822: "When Mr. Asbury used to contrive to get the votes of the
General Conferences to request him to continue to serve the connection other four years, that