Christmas Conference
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The Christmas Conference was an historic founding conference of the newly independent
Background of Methodism in the U.S
Prior to the revolution, American Methodism consisted of itinerant
Before the war, the Methodist itinerant preachers were appointed to form societies, but they were expected by Wesley to work within the
Asbury had come to America in 1771. Under his leadership, conferences were formed and American preachers appointed, but this did not solve the problem of the administration of the sacraments.
During the war, the societies continued to grow, albeit more slowly due to all the disruptions. Following the war, there was a move to locally ordain the preachers, but Asbury counselled patience until Wesley gave direction.
Wesley's instructions
In England, at the Methodist Conference in
Invitations and conference
Meeting with Asbury on November 14, 1784, Coke explained Wesley's intentions and proposed to ordain him. Asbury, catching the spirit of democracy in the new country, refrained from accepting the ordination until approved by the American connexion. Messengers were sent, calling the American itinerants to Baltimore on December 24. Eighty one preachers were entitled to membership; nearly sixty of them were able to arrive for the conference.[1] During the six weeks while waiting for the conference, Coke and Asbury went on a preaching tour (on horseback) that covered at least 900 miles.[2]
With the Christmas Conference's unanimous approval, Asbury was ordained and appointed as co-superintendent. He was ordained deacon on Christmas Day by laying on of hands; elder on the next day; and superintendent the next. Asbury's friend Philip William Otterbein, pastor of the German Reformed Church of Baltimore, also laid hands on Asbury to assist in the ordination.[3]
Coke later said of Asbury, "In the presence of Mr. Asbury, I feel myself a child. He is in my estimation, the most apostolic man I ever saw, except Mr. Wesley." Coke preached Asbury's ordination sermon, which was later published and caused some stir in England because he emphasized the need to ordain only godly men, and pointed to England for an example of immoral and unconverted men to orders.
Results and legacy
This conference, which became known as the first General Conference of the new church, abridged the 39 Articles of Religion of the Anglican Church into 24, added one additional article regarding
John Dickins a pastor in New York proposed the name of the fledgeling church: the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The conference also ordained 12 preachers to orders, setting a precedent for the American church that ordinations were to be approved by the conference.
Immediately after the ten-day conference, Asbury set out circuit riding as he had before the war. His first destination was Charleston, South Carolina which he deemed the city most in need of spiritual enlightenment.
The American church held another General Conference in 1792 and every four years after.
See also
- Richard Allen, later bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of two non-voting black attendees at the conference
- "Black Harry" Hosier, the other
Notes
- ^ James E. Kirby, Russell E. Richey, and Kenneth E. Rowe, The Methodists (Greenwood Press, 1996), 7. [1]
- ^ Richard P. Heizenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995), 291.
- ^ James E. Kirby, Russell E. Richey, and Kenneth E. Rowe, The Methodists (Greenwood Press, 1996), 7. [2]
- ^ Thomas C. Oden, Doctrinal Standards in the Methodist Tradition, Revised Edition (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 31.
External links
- The Asbury Triptych Series: book series on Francis Asbury and the Methodist movement. Christmas conference is found in 'Ordination, book three of the series.
