Francis Asbury (1745-1816)

Francis was born in Hamstead Bridge, Staffordshire, England. He became the the first bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the USA.

After limited schooling - aged 12 he worked as a blacksmith’s apprentice. By the age of 14 he had been ‘awakened’ in he Christian faith.

He attended Methodist meetings where he soon began to preach and soon became a licensed as a preacher. Aged just 21 he was admitted to the Wesleyan Conference.He served 4 years in England as an itinerant preacher.

In 1771 John Wesley asked,* Our brethren in America call aloud for help. Who is willing to go over and help them?* Francis stepped forward. October 1771 John landed in Philadelphia. On landing he hit the road so hard he became ill.

For the NEXT 45 years he suffered illnesses - colds, coughs ,fevers ,headaches , ulcers and eventually chronic rheumatism.Yet he continued to preach. He covered something like 8,000 km, each year, for 45 years on horseback - in later years he used a carriage. He crossed the Alleghenies mountain range - part of the Appalachian system 60 times.

Ezra Tipple, his biographer summed up Francis’ style of sermons with these words Under the rush of his utterances, people sprang to their feet as if summoned to the judgment bar of God.

During the Revolutionary war -the War of American Independence (1775-83) he stayed silent.

After the war Wesley ordained Thomas Coke as his American Superintendent.
The famous Baltimore 'Christmas Conference of 1784 gave birth to the American Methodist Episcopal Church. Coke ordained Francis as deacon, then elder. On December 27th, elected by his peers, he was consecrated as superintendent. Francis in 1785 used the term ‘bishop’. Coke 6 months later returned to England.

Francis now held the reins of American Methodism. Francis was very good at organizing. He created districts which would be served by circuit riders- preachers who travelled from church to church to preach and minister. In the late 1700s 95% of Americans lived in places with less than 2,500 inhabitants.

Besides preaching and administration he was also against slavery. He petitioned George Washington to enact antislavery legislation. He launched 5 schools and promoted Sunday schools.

On his arrival there were 3 meeting places and 300 communicants The growth of the church was largely the result of his strenuous efforts. By the time of his death there were 412 Methodist churches with a membership of 214,235.

His efforts did much to assure the continuance of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the USA.

For his lasting Legacy and Honours read enclosed sheet.

In 1958 his Journal and Letters were published in 3 volumes

Sources
Christianity Today
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
SMU Bridwell Library Perkins School of Theology