A Tale of Perseverance, Integrity, and Faith

Not long ago, a Methodist pastor friend suggested I check out this bio. by John Wigger.  Having now finished it, I consider it the best Christian biography I’ve read since George Marsden’s Jonathan Edwards (Note: Marsden served as a proofreader for this work).

Though Jonathan Edwards’ story is familiar to many evangelicals, Asbury’s remains a mystery to the masses.  This is unfortunate.  Though Asbury did not leave a literary or preaching legacy as Edwards had, we can learn much from the former.  For example, Asbury was a gifted administrator and people person.  The Methodist leader didn’t stay in one general area for long periods either, and was even known to travel at least 6000 miles a year.  This exposed him (and his horses) to a wide variety of conditions and situations unknown to many of his peers from the northeastern US.

Perhaps Francis Asbury’s greatest legacy entails his laying a firm foundation for American Methodism.  John Wesley, and even Thomas Coke, did not understand a more democratic approach to leadership, and it took a fully integrated American immigrant to successfully integrate the faith in a new land.  Asbury’s ability to work with prickly, demanding personalities, including some who sought to break off from the Methodist body, was a part of this as was his keen insight into placing the most suitable individuals for particular preaching stations.  Also, his piety inspired a number of young men to submit everything to the Lord.  Further, Asbury lived a life of simplicity (not even seeking salary hikes) and diligence, which made challenges to his leadership relatively rare. 

During his later years, Asbury experienced frequent illnesses.  The “cures” of his time, quite crude by contemporary standards, sometimes worsened his condition.  Yet, in spite of the challenges, Asbury plodded on with the calling God had placed on his heart.

Thank you, Dr. Wigger, for making Francis Asbury a real figure who’s more than just the namesake for a statue in DC or a college in Kentucky.  Your text shows readers that Asbury, though not perfect, was an individual whose example persistently followed the model set forth in Philippians 1:27.  I found your use of original sources, especially letters and official denominational records, particularly helpful in understanding how Asbury and colleagues responded to a plethora of situations that led to the establishment of the American Methodist church.   It is my hope that your work will be read and examined for generations to come.