Subject:  American Minute - Aug. 20 - Francis Asbury , circuit riding preacher
Date:  Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:13:57 -0500
American Minute with Bill Federer

August 20

  300,000 miles on horseback, from the Atlantic to the Appalachians,
from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, for forty-five years, he spread the
gospel.

This was Francis Asbury, Methodist Circuit riding preacher who was
born AUGUST 20, 1745.

When the Revolution started, he refused to return to England:

"I can by no means agree to leave such a field for gathering souls to
Christ as we have in America."

He befriended Richard Bassett, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, who
converted, freed his slaves and paid them as hired labor.

Francis Asbury dedicated the first African Methodist Episcopal Church
and met personally with George Washington, congratulating him on his
election.

By the time he died, the Methodist Church in America had grown from
300 members to over 200,000.

Unveiling the Equestrian Statue of Francis Asbury in Washington,
D.C., 1924, President Calvin Coolidge stated:

"Our government rests upon religion It is from that source that we
derive our reverence for truth and justice, for equality and
liberty...

This circuit rider spent his life making stronger the foundation on
which our government rests."

Coolidge concluded:

"Francis Asbury is entitled to rank as one of the builders of our
nation."



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