Francis Asbury
1745-1816
The founding father of American Methodism. Francis Asbury was
born in England. He was converted to Christ at the age of 13,
and soon began to hold meetings. Wesley licensed him at the
age of 18 as a local preacher. As he grew into maturity, he
became so concerned for the colonists in America, that in
1771 John Wesley sent him across the Atlantic to minister to
the 316 members of the Society who had emigrated to the New
World, and also to extend the frontiers of the Methodist
movement.
        Asbury’s efforts to convert people to Christ pros-
pered, and quickly Wesleyan societies spread up along the At-
lantic Seaboard. After the Revolutionary War, Asbury led in
the establishment of the movement in the wild, new settle-
ments of the frontier. Annually, he rode 6,000 miles and
preached from 300 to 500 sermons. He was ordained a deacon,
then an elder, then a superintendent, and later a bishop.
        A man of tremendous vitality and executive ability,
he was a tireless worker. During his years on the circuit, he
amassed a total of 270,000 miles, perhaps the greatest mile-
age ever compiled by a horseman. His last entry in his jour-
nal reads, “My consolations are great. I live in God from mo-
ment to moment.”