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| Francis Asbury |
Francis Asbury, one of the first bishops of the American Methodist Church, died on this date in 1816. This blog covers some details of his life recently. You can find that post here. This gives me a chance to tell one of my favorite
stories. It is about Asbury. As observed earlier, Asbury rode an estimated
quarter of a million miles on horseback or in carriages (later in life due to
failing health). He preached in all
sorts of places, both densely inhabited and sparsely-populated. In most of the locales in which he stopped
there was no inn or other form of commercial hospitality. So, he would stay with layfolk who would put
him up for a night or two. When he came
to a settlement and was looking for a place to stay, he didn’t ask, “Who has
the biggest, most comfortable house in town?” or “Where might I find the
softest bed?” or “Who is the best cook in these parts?”
His inquiry instead was always the same: “Are there any
praying people here?” Finding an answer
in the affirmative, he would solicit shelter with these folks, no matter what
their financial state might be.
I think that is a delightful way to remember a man of faith
on the anniversary of his death. I draw
no other moral or comment.
Thank you, Rick for this post. If you haven't done so already, please visit the website for the book series, The Asbury Triptych, at www.francisasburytriptych.com. Enjoy the podcast, My Work is Done, a dramatic production of the last week that the bishop was alive.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll look into it.
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