The origin of American Methodists

November 5, 4:33 PMMethodist ExaminerJames-Michael Smith

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Methodist Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

For Wesley, Methodism's spread to America was a result
of necessity rather than ambition

The Methodist denominations in America are among the most widespread and historically influential group of Christians in this country.  But where did they come from?  How did the revivalist movement begun by John and Charles Wesley in England give rise to such a large group of Christian traditions across the Atlantic? 

Full accounts of Methodist history and development are available by a number of excellent authors and historians.  Rather than recount their contents, let us look at a letter that John Wesley himself wrote shortly before his death on how American Methodism came to be:

LETTER TO DR. COKE, MR. ASBURY, AND OUR BRETHREN IN NORTH AMERlCA
———
Bristol, September 10,1784.

1. By a very uncommon train of providences, many of the provinces of North America are totally disjoined from their mother-country, and erected into independent States. The English Government has no authority over them, either civil or ecclesiastical, any more than over the States of Holland. A civil authority is exercised over them, partly by the Congress, partly by the provincial Assemblies. But no one either exercises or claims any ecclesiastical authority at all. In this peculiar situation some thousands of the inhabitants of these States desire my advice; and in compliance with their desire, I have drawn up a little sketch.

2. Lord King’s "Account of the Primitive Church" convinced me many years ago, that Bishops and Presbyters are the same order, and consequently have the same right to ordain. For many years I have been importuned, from time to time, to exercise this right, by ordaining part of our Traveling Preachers. But I have still refused, not only for peace’ sake, but because I was determined as little as possible to violate the established order of the national Church to which I belonged.

3. But the case is widely different between England and North America. Here there are Bishops who have a legal jurisdiction: In America there are none, neither any parish Ministers. So that for some hundred miles together, there is none, either to baptize, or to administer the Lord’s supper. Here, therefore, my scruples are at an end; and I conceive myself at full liberty, as I violate no order, and invade no man’s right, by appointing and sending laborers into the harvest.

4. I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francis Asbury to be joint Superintendents over our brethren in North America; as also Richard What not and Thomas Vasey to act as elders among them, by baptizing and administering the Lord’s supper. And I have prepared a Liturgy, little differing from that of the Church of England, (I think, the best constituted national Church in the world,) which I advise all the Traveling Preachers to use on the Lord’s day, in all the congregations, reading the Litany only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and praying extempore on all other days. I also advise the Elders to administer the supper of the Lord on every Lord’s day.

5. If any one will point out a more rational and scriptural way of feeding and guiding those poor sheep in the wilderness, I will gladly embrace it. At present, I cannot see any better method than that I have taken.

6. It has, indeed, been proposed to desire the English Bishops to ordain part of our Preachers for America. But to this I object,
(1.) I desired the Bishop of London to ordain only one; but could not prevail.
(2.) If they consented, we know the slowness of their proceedings; but the matter admits of no delay.
(3.) If they would ordain them now, they would likewise expect to govern them. And how grievously would this entangle us!
(4.) As our American brethren are now totally disentangled both from the State, and from the English hierarchy, we dare not entangle them again, either with the one or the other.

They are now at full liberty, simply to follow the Scriptures and the primitive church. And we judge it best that they should stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has so strangely made them free.

John Wesley

[From: The Works of John Wesley : Addresses, Essays, and Letters (electronic ed.; Albany, OR: Ages Software, 2000).]

It's fascinating to see the mind of one of history's greatest preachers wrestling with how to best fulfill the faithful calling of making Disciples and Pastoring the community of faith in what was, at the time, a new frontier of ministry.  More than anything, one can see Wesley's desire for the American churches to be as free from beauracratic entanglements as possible. 

Oh how far we've drifted from such a vision...