Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume V.djvu/43

 COKE COKE, Thomas, the first bishop of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, born at Brecon, South Wales, Sept. 9, 1747, died at sea, May 2, 1814. At the age of 16 he was sent to Oxford, and the succeeding year entered as gentleman com- moner at Jesus college in that university. Af- ter graduating he returned to Brecon, of which place he was elected mayor at the age of 25. Meanwhile he pursued his studies, and in 1775 received the degree of D. 0. L. Soon after- ward he entered the ministry of the established church, and obtained a curacy at South Peth- erton. His preaching was thought too evan- gelical, and he was finally excluded from the pulpit. Sympathizing strongly with the Meth- odists, he sought an interview with Wesley, which resulted in his joining the Wesley an society, and being appointed to London, where his zeal and talents soon brought him into notice. He rendered valuable assistance to Wesley in procuring what was called the deed of declaration, which provided for the settle- ment of the Methodist chapels hi the connec- tion, and restricted the conference to 100 of the preachers, and their successors. So fully had he gained the confidence of Wesley, that he was appointed president of the Irish con- ference in 1782. The American revolution having resulted in dissolving not only the po- litical but the ecclesiastical relation between England and the former colonies, Wesley in 1784 ordained Coke as bishop of the Methodist church in America. In the same year he reach- ed New York, and sought an interview with Francis Asbury, to whom he communicated the object of his mission. The authority of Coke was fully recognized, and he ordained Asbury as bishop, and both were duly accred- ited as the joint superintendents of the church in America. In company with Asbury he travelled through the different conferences until June, 1785, when he returned to England, and visited Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Subsequently he went again to America, and attended the conferences throughout the en- tire connection. Thenceforth he devoted him- self to missionary work. The first mission which he established was among the blacks in the West Indies, in 1786, whence, after visit- ing the several islands, he went to South Caro- lina, travelled through the states, and embark- ed for England in 1787. Soon after the ses- sion of the English conference, he went with Wesley to the Channel isles, and having spent some time there returned to England. The conference having appointed three mission- aries for the West Indies, Coke accompanied them in 1788 ; and having passed through the islands he sailed for the continent, and arrived at Charleston in 1789. After visiting all the conferences, and with Asbury making pro- vision for the wants of the churches under their care, he returned to England. Again in 1790 we find him among the West India isl- ands, whence he proceeded to the continent and made the round of the conferences. While in Virginia he heard of the death of Wesley, and resolved on returning immediately to Eng- land, where he was chosen secretary of the conference. The revolution in France open- ing a field for Protestant missionaries, he set out for that country ; but as he could not ob- tain a congregation in Paris, he returned to England, and devoted his time to soliciting aid for missions, and to preparing with Mr. Moore, who, with himself and Dr. Whitehead, had been designated by Wesley as his biographers, a life of that distinguished man. The conference this year engaged him to make a commentary on the Scriptures, and he made preparation for entering upon that work, which he prosecuted at intervals during another visit to the West Indies and the United States, ending in 1793. With a view of settling some difficulties which had arisen in the West Indies, he visited Hol- land; and on his return in 1794, he devoted himself to his commentary and to soliciting subscriptions for his missions. In 1795 he pro- jected a mission among the Foolahs in Africa, and sent out a company of mechanics, but it proved a failure. In 1796 he again embarked for America, where he continued fulfilling his duties as bishop till 1797, when he went to Scotland and thence to Ireland. After the ses- sion of the English conference he again turned his course to America, where he arrived plun- dered of everything but his books, the vessel having been taken by a privateer. Again in England in 1798, he devised a plan of domes- tic missions for Ireland, and also established a mission in Wales. Before leaving once more for America, he published parts of his com- mentary, comprising the Old Testament ; the remainder was not completed till 1807. The years 1802-'3 were mostly occupied in this work, so that he did not make his ninth and last visit to America till 1803. When his labors here were finished, he returned, and established a mission in Gibraltar. From this time till 1808 he was engaged in travelling in aid of the missionary cause. Meanwhile he had finished his commentary, made preparations for a his- tory of the West Indies and a history of the Bible, and had compiled a system of philosophy. Through his influence a mission was established in 1811 at Sierra Leone, and several mission- aries were sent out. In 1813 he opened a cor- respondence with the Rev. Claudius Buchanan in regard to India, which resulted in a determi- nation on his part to establish a mission on the island of Ceylon. At the conference this year five preachers volunteered to go with him ; and such was his zeal that when the conference hesitated on account of the expense that would be incurred, he furnished 6,000 from his own private fortune. The missionaries embarked Dec. 30, and after having been out four months, Coke was found dead hi his cabin, and was buried at sea. He was a voluminous writer. Besides numerous addresses and letters to the church, he published " Life of John Wesley," written in conjunction with Henry Moore