1789 FRANCIS ASBURY & THOMAS COKE. Scarce First Year of American "Arminian Magazine" in Deer Skin Binding with Superb Provenance.

A wonderful piece of Methodist Americana. This the true first edition of the first year of the Arminian Magazine, edited by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury specifically for the American Methodists. Very rare and desirable on the market.

Even better, it bears the signatures of Colonel John Pyle, James Pyle, and Moses Pyle, influential early Methodists of North Carolina. Both Col. John Pyle and James Pyle are listed as Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Orange Co, North Carolina. Elihu Pyle founded the church under the leadership of Francis Asbury.

And Colonel John Pyle Jr [1746-1818] was quite the figure, he and his father being important defectors from the Tory / Royalist Army and providing invaluable military information to then-General, George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. They both practiced medicine and both were, as many North Carolinians, at first loyal to the Crown during the American Revolution. 

Here is a wonderful little account:

"Born on April 8, 1723, John was the first child of Samuel Pyle and the grandson of Nicholas Pyle, who came from England with William Penn. The practice at the time was to send the first-born child back to England for Schooling. Samuel sent his son to medical school in Oxfordshire and John returned around the year 1744. He married Sarah Baldwin, daughter of John and Hannah Baldwin of Oxfordshire, England at Wilmington, Delaware.

The first of 11 children, John Jr., born in 1746 went to school to become a doctor and after his parents migrated to Chatham County, North Carolina in 1767, he assisted his father in a medical practice. 

The Pyles were loyal Englishmen and devout Quakers, though their participation in the War moved the out of Quaker circles and they became influential early American Methodists. The Doctor was a man of deep convictions and loyal to his King and his country, having lived all his life under English rule.

Northern Chatham County was an area of turmoil and far from England's supervision, allowing the people to develop an independent attitude. English, Scotch-Irish and German settled along the colonial frontier contributing to the separation of the citizens into different camps. Complaints ranged from excessive taxes, dishonest sheriffs and extortionist's fees.

The people were ready to revolt and a group desiring to run their own lives formed the Regulators. The Pyles were loyal Englishmen and not Tories and were trying to preserve law and order against those that were trying to destroy England.

In the spring of 1775, King George instructed the Governor of North Carolina to grant commissions to leaders in the state. Granted a commission to Colonel in the British army and given authority to grant commissions, John Pyle began raising an army. He was not a military man by training, but proved a valiant Tory and a leader during the Revolutionary war. He and his son [our John Jun., also a Colonel] constantly engaged in battle while leading the Royalists.

Lieutenant Henry (Light Horse) Lee ambushed the Royalists at the Haw River in North Carolina. The Royalists, savagely beaten and lead by Colonel Pyle separated. Pyle severely wounded saved himself by submerging in a pond. The pool in which he hid became known as "Pyle's Pond" and The Battle of Haw River, North Carolina later called "Pyle's Hacking Match." In the battle, Doctor John lost three fingers and the use of an eye.

Returning to duty after the battle at the Haw River, John was unable to ride a horse because of his injuries, so he went back to war as an Adjutant in the headquarters of General Cornwallis, leaving charge to his son.

Wishing to compensate for his injuries, he asked Cornwallis for a promotion to Brigadier General. When refused, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Colonel Pyle met General Washington at a party in Pennsylvania and they had a conversation in which he concluded that he may be on the wrong side.

When he returned to work at headquarters, he had access to all the battle plans and paperwork of the British army. He memorized these secrets and carried them to Washington. When Washington's army defeated Cornwallis at Yorktown, many people in England blamed the loss on Colonel John Pyle and King George the 3rd offered 5000 pounds for his capture.

In September of 1781 he surrendered himself and his son to Captain William O'Neal of Washington's army. Both doctors devoted their time to treating the injured of both armies. After Cornwallis surrendered, Colonel Pyle and his son returned to Alamance County, North Carolina. Doctor John died there in 1804 at the age of 81.
Because of his service to Washington, Colonel John's descendants are welcome to join the national patriotic organizations in the United States.

Additionally, it is bound in a wonderfully unique bespoke Americana buckskin binding, tension stitched across boards as shown. 

Coke, Thomas. Francis Asbury [eds]. The Arminian Magazine: Consisting of Extracts and Original Treatises on General Redemption. Volume I. For the Year 1789. Printed in Philadelphia, by Richard & Hall, in Market Street, and Sold by John Dickins, in Fourth Street (East Side) Near the Corner of Race Street. 1789. 600pp.

Contents include:

A Letter to the Subscribers by Asbury and Coke; A Sketch of the Life of Arminius; An Account of the Synod of Dort; An Original Sermon of John Wesley on I Timothy 6.9; Hymns [Salvation Depends Not on Absolute Decrees; On Universal Redemption; Religious Discourse; The Potter and His Clay]; A Short Account of the Life and Death of William Adams of Virginia, Drawn up by a Friend, Personally Acquainted with the Deceased; Hymns [Jesus Christ the Saviour of all Men; The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength; An Epitaph on Edward Hearne; A Short Hymn; etc.]; On the Right Method of Meeting Classes and Bands in the Methodist Societies by Charles Perronet; On the Nature of Free Grace and the Claim of Merit for the Performance of Good Works by Dr. Byron; The Journal of Francis Asbury from August 7th, 1771 to February 27, 1771; An Account of Sebastian Castellio and Michael Servetus; The Journal of Thomas Coke from September 18th, 1784 to June 3, 1785 [Series]; An Address of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church to the President of the United States [George Washington] by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury; Letter to the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church by President George Washington; The 104th Psalm Paraphrased; An Appeal to the Gospel for the True Doctrine of Divine Predestination, Concorded with the Orthodox Doctrine of God's Free-Grace, and Man's Free-Will by John Plaifere; Address to the Calvinists; God's Love to Mankind Manifested by Disproving his Absolute Decree for their Damnation; Thoughts on Absolute Predestination; A Letter on Preaching Christ by John Wesley; etc. etc. 

Original bespoke buckskin over-binding. Some stains and handling as shown, but solid, clean, and well-preserved. A wonderful volume that just kind of has it all.