Preaching pioneer

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, November 4th. You’re listening to WORLD Radio. Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Coming next on The World and Everything in It: a story of perseverance and devotion.

250 years ago, a young preacher from England arrived in Philadelphia. His name: Francis Asbury.

BROWN: What began as a reform movement within the colonies became one of the largest denominations in America—the Methodist church.

WORLD’s Paul Butler combed through Asbury’s journals. He pieced together a few selections to tell the story.

PAUL BUTLER, REPORTER: The first entry in Asbury’s journal begins with his account of volunteering to go to America. On August 7th, 1771, Asbury writes that he feels compelled to go—a call that had been growing for a year and half while ministering as a circuit rider in England.

John Wesley commissions the 26 year old who then heads home to inform his family and friends. According to Asbury: “none opened their mouths against it, hoping it was from God.”

So less than a month later, Asbury sets out for America with 10 pounds in his pocket—a gift from his friends. After a few days of horrible sea-sickness, Asbury pulls out his pen and writes this entry on September 12th, 1771:

JOURNAL: I will set down a few things that lie on my mind. Whither am I going? To the New World. What to do? To gain honour ? To get money? No: I am going to live to God, and to bring others so to do...

Throughout the seven and a half week trip he preaches frequently to the crew and fellow passengers to little effect. Toward the end of the voyage, he writes how this is good preparation for what awaits him:

JOURNAL: October 13, 1771: Many have been my trials in the course of this voyage; from the want of a proper bed, and proper provisions, from sickness, and from being surrounded with men and women ignorant of God, and very wicked. But all this is nothing. If I cannot bear this, what have I learned?

Two weeks later, Asbury arrives in America.

JOURNAL: October 27, 1771: This day we landed in Philadelphia...When I came near the American shore, my very heart melted within me, to think from whence I came, where I was going, and what I was going about. But I felt my mind open to the people, and my tongue loosed to speak. I feel that God is here…

Asbury immediately jumps in with both feet. His preaching was inspired by John Wesley.

RITTER: You know, one thing that Asbury noted when he looked at other preaching and preachers around him was a lack of evangelism in their preaching.

Christopher Ritter is pastor of First Methodist Church in Geneseo, Illinois. He says that Asbury’s doctrinal distinctives were also a key part of his preaching.

RITTER: The first Great Awakening had a very Calvinistic bent to it, you know, through Jonathan Edwards and others. And I think the Methodist voice in that was one of free grace. All must be saved, all can be saved, all can know that they're saved and all can be saved to the uttermost...That's a very Methodist distinctive.

His journal includes his many sermon texts, and an extensive catalog of his preaching appointments—often multiple times a day. And not just on Sundays. Everyday of the week. Oftentimes at 5 in the morning or late in the evening so that the gatherings won’t interfere with people’s daily schedules. He preaches in courthouses, taverns, schools, barns, and the open air. His early ministry is fruitful, but not everyone is enthusiastic.

JOURNAL: Friday, Dec. 11, 1772: Before preaching...a church minister, came to me and charged me with making a schism. I told him that I had authority from God. He then laughed at me. After preaching, the parson went out, and told the people they did wrong in coming to hear me...

The young horseback evangelist records many of his physical and spiritual battles in the pages of his journal. He struggles with frequent headaches, health problems due to exposure, and at times dread and depression.

JOURNAL: August 5, 1773: My mind has lately been much tortured with temptations; but the Lord has stood by and delivered me...

Over the three volumes of Asbury’s journals, readers glimpse the gradual maturing of the preacher, as well as the growth of Methodism from a reform movement to its own denomination. Again, Christopher Ritter:

RITTER: When a lot of English clergy went home during the American Revolution, he stayed, and he traveled many, many miles. And you know, he was not the golden throated orator. But he became someone highly recognizable, some say more recognizable than George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. Because he traveled so much, people knew who he was. He preached the gospel, he started churches, he extended the work. And so I think his legacy is someone who worked against the grain of his culture to bring the gospel in new ways.

Asbury was often ill during the last two years of his life. Near the end, on November 19th, 1815, he writes:

JOURNAL: I die daily—am made perfect by labour and suffering, and fill up still what is behind. There is no time or opportunity to take medicine in the daytime, I must do it at night. I am wasting away with a constant dysentery and cough.

Asbury’s journal ends just a page later with an insignificant entry: “We met a storm and stopped at William Baker’s.” It’s a fitting end to the journal. No final reflection. Just faithful service to the very end. He dies a few months later, after preaching from his deathbed to a small gathering.

Pastor Ritter reflects on what today’s Methodist church might relearn from their early American founder.

RITTER: In today's Methodism, we're really concerned about institution and position and credentials. And really, Asbury started his ministry without any of that. Basically it was a man and a horse and a Bible and a willingness to go. He was somebody that didn't lean on his credentials. He didn't lean on the institution. He just leaned on the gospel. And I think that's something we could all stand to get back to.

A final word from Asbury’s journal in 1773:

JOURNAL: My God! When will my trials end? At death. Lord, be ever with me and save me, or my soul must perish at last. But my trust is still in God, that he will ever help me to conquer all my foes.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Paul Butler.

Journal entries voiced by Kim Rasmussen

For a more detailed biography of Francis Asbury, listen to this 2015 story on his life.

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