Getting Coke Out of Asbury's Shadow: His Legacy for American Methodists United Methodist Church Heritage Sunday 2014 General Commission on ...
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Getting Coke Out of Asbury’s Shadow:
His Legacy for American Methodists
United Methodist Church Heritage Sunday 2014
General Commission on Archives and History
England in the Time of Thomas Coke
Five Major Areas that Shape
Coke’s Life and Ministry
Wars and Uprisings are
Common Occurrences
Slave Trade
No Interest in Christian
Missions
English Churches’ Malaise
Towards the Needs
of the People
The Enlightenment
Coke’s Life, Education, Marriages
and Meeting John Wesley
• Thomas Coke is born on September 28,
1747, in Brecon, Wales.
• Coke earns both a B.A (1767) and M.A.
(1770) at Jesus College, Oxford
University. He later earns a D.C.L. in
1775.
• Anglican Church ordains Coke a deacon
(1770) and priest (1772) and begins his
career at South Petherton (1771).
• Coke meets John Wesley for the first
time on August 13, 1776. Thus begins a
close relationship until Wesley’s death.
• He will twice marry later in life. First to
Penelope Goulding Smith (1805) and then
to Anne Loxdale (1811). Coke outlives
both spouses.
• Coke dies on May 14, 1814 while sailing
to India in order to establish a Methodist
Jesus College Chapel, mission.
Oxford University - 1814
Coke and Wesley
• Coke becomes the elder Wesley’s
favored helper in administrating the
church.
• Coke helps to draft the Deed of
Declaration which made the British
Methodist Conference heir to Wesley’s
authority upon his death. He is
instrumental in shaping the Deed of Trust
as well. Coke made sure both
documents go into effect.
• The 1784 Plan for the Society for the
Establishment of Missions among the
Heathens is finally approved by Wesley
in 1786 which opens up mission fields in
American colonies, West Indies and West
Africa.
First Original John Wesley
Portrait Brought to the American Colonies
Artist Unknown - 1771
The Doctor’s Concerns for the Church
• A strong advocate to end slavery in the
American and West Indies.
• Revivalism, open air preaching and
support of camp meetings to keep God
and Methodism relevant to the
populace and spiritually empowered.
• Missions, missions and more
missions!
Letter Expressing the
Desire for Foreign Missions Work
January 6, 1782Thomas Coke and His American Experience
• Wesley sends him to ordain Methodist ministers
in order for the church have full access to proper
leadership and sacraments.
• Thomas Coke will make a total of nine trips to the
American church. During this time his role as
bishop diminishes.
• Coke pushes for the idea and establishment of a
General Conference despite Asbury’s early
misgivings.
• Education becomes an important priority. Coke
is the mover and shaker behind Cokesbury
College.
• Anti-slavery sermons often put him at odds with
many Americans.
Coke’s Letter of Introduction to
• Coke prepares a new Discipline in 1792 which
grants regulatory practices for the denomination American Methodists from
to General Conference. John Wesley - 1784Asbury Ordination and Controversy
• Coke arrives in New York on November 3,
1784, with Whatcoat and Vasey. He will
meet Asbury eleven days later.
• During the 1784 Christmas Conference at
Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore, Coke
will ordain Asbury on successive days
deacon, elder and superintendent as
voted and directed by the ministers in
attendance.
• A resolution for the emancipation of
slaves is accepted.
• Charles and John Wesley take issues
with both the act and title of bishop.
Charles with the former and John with
the latter.Coke and Asbury
• Their relationship is complicated due to their
respective personalities and events. What
starts out as a friendly working relationship
ends with coldness and isolation for Coke.
• They are almost the same age, but other than
that they have little in common.
• Asbury gives Coke a warm greeting during
their first meeting at Barrett’s Chapel.
• They will jointly visit George Washington,
publish the first edition of the Arminian
Magazine, create the Chartered Fund and
establish Cokesbury College.
• What starts out as a joint superintendency in
1784 ends up leaving Coke with no power or
influence whatsoever by 1808. Asbury is the
driving force behind this action.“Lending” Coke to English Methodists
• The 1804 General Conference grants
Coke leave to go back to Europe but is
on stand-by if three annual
conferences need him. Coke is to
return for the next General Conference
• The 1808 General Conference marks
the end for Coke’s direct supervision
over American Methodism. The
conference strongly recommends that
he continue his current role in Europe.
Nor is Coke allowed to come back to
the American church unless recalled
by General Conference or by all the
Partial Letter to Ezekiel Cooper dated annual conferences. Neither options
March 6, 1802. Coke desires to attend are used by the American Methodists.
the 1804 General Conference.Coke as Leader, Scholar, and Methodist Missionary
• Coke was Oxford University trained,
became a Chief Magistrate (Mayor),
ordained Anglican priest, Wesley’s
confidant and early leader of Methodism.
• Presided over both the Irish and British
Conferences.
• Becomes the first Superintendent/Bishop
in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
• Authors a set of Biblical commentaries
and a History of the West Indies.
• Primary force behind the founding of
Cokesbury College.
• Establishes missions in West Indies and
America and eventually West Africa.
Coke dies on the way to India to do set
up mission work.
Ordination of West Indies Missionary - 1796Coke’s Enduring Legacy
• Zealously interested in overseas
missionary work in America, West Indies,
Africa and India.
• First Superintendent/Bishop in the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
• Leading role in preparing and put in
effect the Deed of Declaration, Deed of
Trust, Chartered Fund, 1792 Book of
Discipline and Arminian Magazine.
• The force behind establishing the
importance of higher education for
American Methodists – Cokesbury
College.
• Generous in spirit, finances and time to
the cause of Methodism on both sides of
the Atlantic Ocean and beyond.
Plan to Establish Foreign Missions Letter
January 6, 1782Selected Bibliography
• Coke, Thomas. To the Benevolent Subscribers for the Support of the Missions: Carried on by Voluntary
Contributions in the British Islands, in the West-Indies, for the Benefit of the Negros and Caribbs.
London: 1789.
• ___________. The Substance of a Sermon Preached as Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, on the 27th of
December, 1784, as the Ordination of the Re, Francis Asbury, to the Office of a Superintendent. Baltimore:
Goddard and Langworthy, 1785
• ___________. A Commentary on the Holy Bible. London: 1801-1807.
• ___________. The Doctrine and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. Philadelphia: Solomon
W. Conrad, 1801.
• ___________ and Francis Asbury. An Address to the Annual Subscribers for the Support of Cokesbury College, and
to the Members of the Methodist Society: to Which are Added, the Rules and Regulations of the College.
New York: W. Ross, 1787.
• __________________________. The Doctrine and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in America /
with Explanatory Notes. Philadelphia: Henry Tuckniss, 1798
• Daniels, W. H. The Illustrated History of Methodism. New York: Phillips and Hunt, 1880.
• Simpson, Matthew, editor. “Coke, Thomas, LL.D.,” Cyclopedia of Methodism. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Louis
H. Everts, 1882.
• Smith, Warren Thomas. Thomas Coke: The Foreign Minister of Methodism, 3rd Printing. Lake Junaluska:
Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church, 1976.
• Spellman, Norman W. “Thomas Coke and American Methodism,” Encyclopedia of World Methodism. Vol.
1. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1974.
• Thomas Coke Papers. Drew University Methodist Collection. Madison, New Jersey.
• Vickers, John A. “Coke, Thomas (1747-1814),” Encyclopedia of World Methodism. Vol. 1. Nashville: The
United Methodist Publishing House, 1974.
• ____________. The Journals of Dr. Thomas Coke. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 2005.
• ____________. The Letters of Dr. Thomas Coke. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 2013.
• ____________. Thomas Coke Revisted. Evesham: Wesley Historical Society, 2009.You can also read
