Richard Whatcoat
Encyclopedia
Richard Whatcoat was the third Bishop
of the American
Methodist Episcopal Church
.
, England
and, although reared in the Church of England
, became a Methodist
at age 22. He was a devoted lay
Methodist for nine years.
In July of 1769, Whatcoat became a minister, quickly earning a strong reputation as a problem-solver. John Wesley
and Thomas Coke ordained him an Elder in 1784, then Wesley sent Whatcoat and Coke to the United States
as missionaries.
Whatcoat became influential among the Methodists in America, known as an effective preacher. His contemporaries attributed his strength chiefly to his devotion. In the year 1800 he was elected bishop, joining Coke and Francis Asbury
as the leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church
. After several years of infirmity, he died in Dover, Delaware
from dysentery
.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
.
History
Whatcoat was born in GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and, although reared in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, became a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
at age 22. He was a devoted lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
Methodist for nine years.
In July of 1769, Whatcoat became a minister, quickly earning a strong reputation as a problem-solver. John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
and Thomas Coke ordained him an Elder in 1784, then Wesley sent Whatcoat and Coke to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as missionaries.
Whatcoat became influential among the Methodists in America, known as an effective preacher. His contemporaries attributed his strength chiefly to his devotion. In the year 1800 he was elected bishop, joining Coke and Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
as the leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
. After several years of infirmity, he died in Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
from dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
.