Thomas Core, the first bishop of the Methodist 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 commoner at Jesus college in that university. After 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. C. L. Soon afterward he entered the ministry of the established church, and obtained a curacy at South Peth-erton. His preaching was thought too evangelical, and he was finally excluded from the pulpit. Sympathizing strongly with the Methodists, he sought an interview with Wesley, which resulted in his joining the Wesleyan 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 settlement of the Methodist chapels in the connection, 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 conference in 1782. The American revolution having resulted in dissolving not only the political 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 reached 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 accredited 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 entire connection. Thenceforth he devoted himself to missionary work. The first mission which he established was among the blacks in the West Indies, in 1786, whence, after visiting the several islands, he went to South Carolina, travelled through the states, and embarked for England in 1787. Soon after the session 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 missionaries 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 provision for the wants of the churches under their care, he returned to England. Again in 1790 we find him among the West India islands, 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 England, where he was chosen secretary of the conference. The revolution in France opening a field for Protestant missionaries, he set out for that country; but as he could not obtain 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 Holland; and on his return in 1794, he devoted himself to his commentary and to soliciting subscriptions for his missions. In 1795 he projected 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 session of the English conference he again turned his course to America, where he arrived plundered of everything but his books, the vessel having been taken by a privateer. Again in England in 1798, he devised a plan of domestic missions for Ireland, and also established a mission in Wales. Before leaving once more for America, he published parts of his commentary, 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 history 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 missionaries were sent out.

In 1813 he opened a correspondence with the Rev. Claudius Buchanan in regard to India, which resulted in a determination 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 in 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 Moor© (1792); "A Commentary on the Holy Scrip-tares" (6 vols. 4to, 1807); "History of the West Indies" (3 vols., 1808-'11); "History of the Bible," and "Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and the Witness of the Holy Spirit".