Francis Asbury (1745–1816)

Francis Asbury was a Methodist itinerant preacher who refused to abandon the young American work when the Revolutionary War made ministry costly. While many leaders returned to England, Asbury stayed, accepting isolation, slander, and real danger so that scattered believers would not be left as sheep without a shepherd. His calling was marked by prayer, Scripture, discipline, and a plain insistence on holiness of heart and life.

January 12, 1779: “Who or what can hinder?”

On January 12, 1779, Asbury recorded these steadying words: “If the Lord is pleased to work, who or what can hinder?” The sentence reads like a quiet defiance of fear. It was not optimism in politics or safety, but confidence that God can revive and sustain His people when human strength fails. “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

Itinerancy Under Suspicion

Wartime travel exposed ministers to interrogations, closed roads, and accusations of disloyalty. Asbury’s refusal to flatter either side, and his commitment to the gospel above party, often increased suspicion. Yet he continued to meet believers where he could—sometimes in homes, sometimes in small societies spread along the Mid-Atlantic and Southern routes, often in places where public preaching could draw unwanted attention. His heroism was not the noisy kind; it was the steady courage of showing up, opening the Word, praying with families, and urging repentance, faith, and obedient living.

Strengthening the Societies

Asbury labored to hold together scattered Methodist societies when communication was difficult and morale could easily collapse. He encouraged class meetings, mutual accountability, and earnest pursuit of sanctification. He reminded weary Christians that God’s work is not finally stopped by rulers, rumors, or hardship: “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:39)

Enduring Legacy

The January 1779 entry captures a pattern: trust, obedience, and perseverance. Asbury’s ministry during upheaval stands as a testimony that faithfulness in small gatherings and dangerous roads can shape a nation’s spiritual history, because God delights to work through humble servants who will not quit.