Francis Asbury (1745-1816) was born in England and brought Methodism
to North America during forty-five years of ministry. Methodists grew
in number from six hundred when Asbury started to over two hundred
thousand people in the movement by the time of his death. As he worked
with total dedication to reform the nation and spread scriptural,
personal, and social holiness throughout the land, he preached,
petitioned to abolish slavery, and promoted Sunday schools to teach
children reading and mathematics.
As a key founder of the American Methodist movement, Asbury observed
that it took only a few years for division to emerge among the most
passionate and zealous followers of the Wesleyan way. So he repurposed
and abridged two earlier works to create
The Causes, Evils and Cures of Heart and Church Divisions.This book was recommended for study to early Methodists as a
spiritual cure for the human tendency to love self and ideas more than
we love others: our colleagues, our neighbors, and our enemies. The
study questions found throughout this book are suitable for cultivating
spiritual formation within individuals and among a community. As you
read about these causes and evils that divide our hearts from each
other, nearly every individual will recognize the need for personal
improvement in thoughts, words, and deeds.
Includes study questions for group study.
