This week in Christian history: Francis Asbury leaves for America, St. Aidan dies, ‘September Massacres’

Francis Asbury leaves for America – Sept. 4, 1771

This week marks the anniversary of when prominent 18th century Methodist leader Francis Asbury left his native England to serve as a preacher in colonial America.

Asbury was 26 when he came to America, initially arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then, from there, serving as a Methodist circuit rider.   

During his decades-long ministry in what became the United States, Asbury reportedly traveled around 300,000 miles, preached over 16,000 sermons and ordained around 4,000 clergy.

“Asbury would be the only Methodist missionary to stay in America during the Revolutionary War. He remained in hiding during the war, as Methodists were suspected of being Tory sympathizers,” explained the Association of Religion Data Archives.

“After the war ended, he became the leader of American Methodism, and John Wesley appointed him and Thomas Coke as superintendents of the independent United States.”