,,fletcher ,,of ,,madeley4 ,,men ,,worth ,,remembering3 ,price ,half-a-,crown each4 #a4 ,henry ,martyn4 ,by the ,rev4 ,canon ,c4 ,d4 ,,bell1 ,d4,d4 #b4 ,william ,wilberforce4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,john ,,stoughton1 ,d4,d4 #c4 ,philip ,doddridge4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,charles ,,stanford1 ,d4,d4 #d4 ,stephen ,grellet4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,william ,,guest1 ,f4,g4,s4 #e4 ,robert ,hall4 ,by the ,rev4 ,e4 ,,paxton ,,hood4 #f4 ,thomas ,chalmers1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,donald ,,fraser1 ,d4,d4 #g4 ,william ,carey4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,james ,,culross1 ,d4,d4 #h4 ,andrew ,fuller4 ,by his ,son1 ,a4 ,g4 ,,fuller4 #i4 ,alexander ,duff1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,by ,,thomas ,,smith1 ,d4,d4 #aj4 ,richard ,baxter4 ,by the ,very ,rev4 ,g4 ,d4 ,,boyle1 ,m4,a41 ,dean of ,salisbury4 #aa4 ,samuel ,rutherford4 ,by the ,rev4 ,,andrew ,,thomson1 ,d4,d4 #ab4 ,john ,knox4 ,by ,,wm4 ,m4 ,,taylor1 ,,ll4,d4 #ac4 ,fletcher of ,madeley4 ,by the ,rev4 ,f4 ,w4 ,,macdonald4 ,,london3 ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton1 #bg1 ,paternoster ,row4 ,,fletcher ,,of ,,madeley4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,frederic ,w4 ,,macdonald1 ,theological ,tutor1 ,handsworth ,college1 ,birmingham4 ,london3 ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton1 #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row4 ,,mdccclxxxv4 ,butler ,tanner1 ,the ,selwood ,printing ,works1 ,frome1 and ,london4 ,,preface4 ,i have to express my obligations to the ,rev4 ,l4 ,tyerman for the help ,i have received in writing this little book from his life of ,fletcher1 published two years ago under the title of ,wesley's ,designated ,successor4 ,mr4 ,tyerman's labours in the sphere of ,methodist history and biography are too well known to require any word of commendation from me4 ,it may be enough to say that he has made it impossible for any one to study the history of the great movement with which the names of ,wesley1 ,whitefield1 and ,fletcher are associated1 without having recourse to his volumes4 ,there may be differences of opinion respecting ,mr4 ,tyerman's judgments upon men and things2 there can be none whatever as to his patient1 laborious research1 and perfect honesty in the use of his ample materials4 ,i am also much indebted to my friends the ,rev4 ,george ,mather1 now of ,falmouth1 and ,mr4 ,george ,stampe1 of ,great ,grimsby1 for the opportunity of examining a considerable number of ,fletcher's manuscripts1 hitherto unpublished4 ,it was not to be expected that fresh light could be thrown on ,fletcher's character1 but these papers have enabled me to supply some links1 and add a few details to the story of his life4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introductory #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,early ,,life #aj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,settles ,,in ,,england4--,,his ,,connexion ,,with ,,wesley ,,and ,,the ,,methodists #ai ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,spiritual ,,discipline #cd ,,chapter ,v4 ,,enters ,,the ,,ministry #dd ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,first ,,years ,,at ,,madeley4--,,difficulties ,,and ,,discouragements #ef ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,controversy ,,and ,,correspondence #gc ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,trevecca ,,college4--,,the ,,calvinist ,,controversy #ie ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,wesley',s ,,proposal4--,,failing ,,health #aai ,,chapter ,x4 ,,residence ,,in ,,switzerland #aca ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,return ,,to ,,england4--,,marriage #aed ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,last ,,years #afh ,,appendix #aic ,,chapter ,i4 ,,introductory4 ,there is reason to think that the interest felt in the ,evangelical ,revival of the last century1 after declining for awhile1 is again steadily increasing4 ,it may be said that this quickened interest is but part of a larger intellectual movement1 of a reaction1 in which we have passed from undue disparagement of the eighteenth century to an exaggerated estimate of its importance and value4 ,nor is it likely1 when eighteenth century forms of literature1 philosophy1 and social life are being studied with so much sympathy1 that the most prominent event in its religious history would escape attention4 ,there is some truth in this1 but it is not the whole account of the matter4 ,the fact is1 and we are continually being reminded of it1 the consequences of the ,revival are by no means exhausted4 ,we are not yet at the end of its manifestations2 and though some of its later forms have new and striking features of their own1 their relation to the original movement is attested both by historic descent and by inward resemblances and affinities4 ,so long as this is the case1 and the ,revival1 or ,reformation1 of a century and a half ago is still amongst the living forces that influence society1 the interest with which its rise and progress are regarded will continue4 ,active ,christian spirits will seek to understand and respond to its newer developments2 and others1 whether in sympathy with those developments or not1 will be obliged to take account of them1 and assign them1 as far as possible1 to their true succession and order4 ,in addition to its direct1 historical consequences1 moreover1 time is continually discovering or suggesting remoter and more complicated results of the ,evangelical ,revival1 thus rendering the study of the whole question at once more difficult and more attractive4 ,what were its real relations1 if any1 to the teaching of ,coleridge1 the points of agreement and divergence1 of attraction and repulsion between it and that original and influential mind1 to which so many1 who in their turn have influenced the course of religious thought in ,england1 have confessed themselves supremely indebted8 ,what is the connexion1 revealed both by resemblances and by contrasts1 between the ,evangelical ,revival of the eighteenth century and the ,tractarian or ,anglo-,catholic movement of the nineteenth1 between the ,oxford of ,john and ,charles ,wesley and the ,oxford of ,keble and ,pusey and ,newman8 ,what has the ,revival contributed to the gradual but unmistakable change that has come over the theology of the ,calvinistic ,churches2 and1 again1 to the progress of democracy in ,church and ,state8 ,as regards some at least of these questions1 it is too soon to look for precise and final answers2 but their relevance will be admitted1 and the evidence by which they must be determined accumulates from year to year4 ,while the interest in the ,evangelical movement is thus reinforced from various quarters1 time1 in the exercise of its kindliest office1 has removed a principal hindrance to a fair appreciation of it4 ,justice is now generally done to the character of its leaders1 and the existing differences of opinion as to the value of their work are1 for the most part1 differences of which there is no need to be ashamed4 ,it is no longer necessary to vindicate their memory from ignoble charges of fanaticism1 hypocrisy1 or ambition4 ,to slander ,wesley1 or to ridicule ,whitefield1 has ceased to bring profit or to give pleasure to any one4 ,hardly a month passes but a monument is erected1 a eulogy pronounced1 a tribute paid to one or other of the men who1 a hundred and fifty years ago1 brought new life to the ,english ,church and nation4 ,their reputation is not now a charge upon the loyalty of particular bodies of ,christians1 at once doing battle for themselves and for the character of their fathers and founders2 they belong to the ,churches1 which are many1 to the ,church1 which is ,one1 and their names are in the keeping of the general company of ,christians far and near4 ,and this change from the strife and bitterness of former days has come about1 as such changes are wont to come1 not so much by valiant advocacy or successful disputation1 as by the sure working of ,god upon the hearts of men1 enabling them to discern between the righteous and the wicked1 between him that serveth ,god and him that serveth ,him not4 ,sooner or later this discernment comes1 stealing through a thousand channels of conviction into the heart and conscience of a people1 no one knows precisely when or how2 and far more weighty than any formal acts of canonization are the verdicts by which the conscience of after ages names its benefactors and heroes1 often to the reversal of the passionate judgments of earlier times4 ,the monument of the ,wesleys is in ,westminster ,abbey2 ,whitefield's grave is in ,america2 ,fletcher's ashes lie in ,madeley churchyard4 ,each has his record in a fitting inscription2 but their common epitaph1 as men once persecuted for righteousness' sake1 but now to be had in everlasting remembrance1 was written long before3 ,this was he whom we had sometimes in derision1 and a proverb of reproach2 we fools accounted his life madness1 and his end to be without honour3 how is he to be numbered among the children of ,god1 and his lot is among the saints6444 ,the righteous live for evermore2 their reward also is with the ,lord1 and the care of them is with the ,most ,high4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the minutes of the ,methodist ,conference which met at ,bristol1 in ,july1 #aghf1 the following entry occurs3 ,q4 ,who has died this year8 ,a4 ,john ,fletcher1 a pattern of all holiness1 scarce to be paralleled in a century4 ,such is the brief record that marks the passing away of a man whose place in the love and veneration of ,wesley and of the ,methodists was unique4 ,second only to the great leader himself in his influence1 and in the special character of that influence leaving even ,wesley behind1 ,fletcher's loss was the greatest sustained by the ,revival from the death of ,whitefield1 in #aggj1 to that of ,wesley1 in #agia4 ,one word in the short obituary notice reveals the secret of his power2 it was holiness4 ,the term saint1 in the ,new ,testament extended to all the members of ,christ1 is often used colloquially to describe any one who1 in comparison with worldly men or mere formal ,christians1 is conspicuous for reality and earnestness of spiritual life2 but it may be applied to ,fletcher in that last and highest sense1 which makes it so rare a designation even of the best men4 ,he possessed in an exceptional degree the qualities that constitute saintliness3 deep humility and transparent purity1 absolute unworldliness1 with love unfailing1 and patience that had its perfect work4 ,the impression that he made upon those with whom he came in contact has been renewed upon biographers and historians4 ,fletcher was a saint1 is the testimony of earlier and later witnesses4 ,to none of his associates in the great ,revival1 the goodliest company of ,christian men the age possessed1 is this testimony borne in the same sense and with the same entire agreement4 ,he was excelled by them in one respect and another2 he could not1 for example1 sustain comparison for a moment with ,wesley in the commanding powers1 intellectual and moral1 that have placed him among the greatest leaders of the ,church ,catholic2 but for seraphic piety1 for sanctity that had no perceptible spot or flaw1 ,fletcher of ,madeley stood alone4 ,this is the deliberate judgment of those who knew him best4 ,of these ,wesley was the chief4 ,in the funeral sermon which he preached soon after ,fletcher's death he said3 ,i was intimately acquainted with him for above thirty years4 ,i conversed with him morning1 noon1 and night1 without the least reserve1 during a journey of many hundred miles4 ,and in all that time ,i never heard him speak an improper word1 or saw him do an improper action4 ,to conclude3 ,many exemplary men have ,i known1 holy in heart and life1 within fourscore years2 but one equal to him ,i have not known1 one so inwardly and outwardly devoted to ,god4 ,so unblamable a character in every respect ,i have not found either in ,europe or ,america1 and ,i scarce expect to find another such on this side eternity4 ,benson1 for many years the intimate friend of ,fletcher1 wrote to ,wesley as follows3 ,i have often thought the testimony that ,bishop ,burnet bears of ,archbishop ,leighton might be borne of him with equal propriety3 ',after an intimate acquaintance of many years1 and after being with him by night and by day1 at home and abroad1 in public and in private1 444 ,i must say1 ,i never heard an idle word drop from his lips1 or any conversation which was not to the use of edifying4 ,i never saw him in any temper in which ,i myself would not have wished to be found at death4' ,any one who has been intimately acquainted with ,mr4 ,fletcher will say the same of him1 and they who knew him best will say it with the most assurance4 ,all other contemporary notices of ,fletcher are in the same strain4 ,so with the historians and biographers of subsequent times4 ,fletcher in any communion would have been a saint1 says ,southey4 ,he was a saint1 wrote ,isaac ,taylor1 as unearthly a being as could tread the earth at all4 ,fletcher1 says ,robert ,hall1 is a seraph who burns with the ardour of ,divine love4 ,spurning the fetters of mortality1 he almost habitually seems to have anticipated the rapture of the beatific vision4 ,these testimonies may be closed1 though they are not exhausted1 by a passage from one of the most recent and valuable works on the religious life of the last century3#a ,if ,john ,wesley was the great leader and organiser1 ,charles ,wesley the great poet1 and ,george ,whitefield the great preacher of ,methodism1 the highest type of saintliness which it produced was unquestionably ,john ,fletcher4 ,never perhaps since the rise of ,christianity has the mind which was in ,christ ,jesus been more faithfully copied than it was in the ,vicar of ,madeley4 ,to say that he was a good ,christian is saying too little4 ,he was more than ,christian1 he was ,christlike4 99 99 99 99 99 ,fletcher's first biographer was ,john ,wesley4 ,in the preface to the funeral sermon preached in ,london on ,november #fth1 #aghe1 he says3 ,i hastily put together some memorials of this great man1 intending1 if ,god permit1 when ,i have more leisure and more materials1 to write a fuller account of his life4 ,twelve months later1 being then in the eighty-fourth year of his age1 the following entry appears in his ,journal3 ,oct4 #beth1 #aghf4 ,i now applied myself in earnest to the writing of ,mr4 ,fletcher's life1 having procured the best materials ,i could4 ,to this ,i dedicated all the time ,i could spare till ,november1 from five in the morning till eight at night4 ,these are my studying hours2 ,i cannot write longer in a day without hurting my eyes4 ,the labour of love was soon completed1 and ,wesley published ,a ,short ,account of the ,life and ,death of the ,rev4 ,john ,fletcher1 with the motto1 ,sequor1 non passibus aequis4 ,that was no conventional eulogy--,wesley did not deal in them1--but1 as we have seen1 his heart's tribute to the holiest man he had ever known4 ,and if the venerable ,wesley counted himself but as one who followed1 and that at a distance1 the saintly ,vicar of ,madeley1 he would be a hardy writer who could set himself to portray such a life and character unvisited by misgivings and unchastened by the responsibility that comes from the study of high examples of ,christian holiness4 ,but for the reader also1 if his heart is as the writer's1 there will be a share alike in the humiliation and in the hopes which the study of a holy life may well afford4 ,this brief memoir of ,fletcher of ,madeley is attempted because no lapse of time or change of circumstances can make it unseasonable to contemplate a character like his4 ,such men do not die3 ----a sweet and virtuous soul1 ,like seasoned timber1 never gives2 ,but though the whole world turn to coal1 ,then chiefly lives4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,early ,,life4 7#agbi-agej47 ,john ,fletcher was a ,swiss by birth and education4 ,his name was properly ,jean ,guillaume de la ,flechere4 ,the origin of the anglicized form that he afterwards adopted is thus explained by himself3 ,soon after ,i came to ,england my ,english friends1 complaining of the length of my ,swiss name1 began to contract it by dropping the ,french syllables of it4 ,so they called me ,fletcher1 and by that name ,i have been known among the ,english ever since4 ,he came of an old and respectable family1 not without distinguished connexions4 ,his father had1 in early life1 held a commission in the ,french army1 but1 retiring from the service in order to marry1 had returned to his native country1 where he became a colonel in the militia1 and ,assesseur ,baillival1 or assistant judge1 of ,nyon4 ,here he resided in a fine old house in the outskirts of the town1 not rich1 but possessing a modest fortune and considerable local influence2 and here ,john ,fletcher1 the youngest of eight children1 was born on ,september #abth1 #agbi4 ,nyon is an old town dating from ,roman times4 ,it is about fifteen miles from ,geneva1 on the northern shore of the lake1 picturesquely placed at the water's edge1 with the ,jura ,mountains rising in the distance behind1 and the mountains of ,savoy magnificently visible across the lake in front4 ,the passion for ,swiss scenery had not then become common and conventional4 ,some fifty years later ,gibbon mentions it as of recent origin1 counting it a misfortune rather than a merit that the situation and beauty of the ,pays de ,vaud 444 and the fashion of viewing the mountains and glaciers have opened us on all sides to the incursions of foreigners4 ,fletcher was not before his time with regard to this most modern of sentiments or susceptibilities4 ,there is little trace of impressions made on him either by the grandeur or the loveliness of his native scenery4 ,in a letter written when1 at fifty years of age1 he was revisiting ,nyon1 he invites a friend to come to this delightful country1 and share a pleasant apartment1 and one of the finest prospects in the world in the house where ,i was born4444 ,we have a fine1 shady wood near the lake1 where ,i can ride in the cool all the day1 and enjoy the singing of a multitude of birds4 ,and then he adds1 ,but this1 though sweet1 does not come up to the singing of my dear friends in ,england4 ,fletcher received his early education at a school in ,nyon1 and was then sent1 with his two brothers1 to the ,academy1 now the ,university1 of ,geneva1 where he spent seven years in diligent and successful study4 ,on leaving ,geneva he spent some time at ,lenzburg1 chiefly for the sake of learning ,german4 ,in the scanty records of his youth there is a remarkable succession of perils and hairbreadth escapes4 ,fletcher was a bold and skilful swimmer1 and on at least two occasions his adventurousness nearly cost him his life4 ,once he swam with a companion to a small1 rocky island1 about five miles from the shore of the lake4 ,they found it so steep and smooth that they could not land1 and it was not until they were completely exhausted by swimming round it that they came upon a place where they could crawl ashore1 and whence they were rescued by a passing boat4 ,the other adventure was still more perilous4 ,he was swimming in the ,rhine1 and was drawn unawares into the mid-stream1 where1 he says1 the water was extremely rough1 and poured along like a galloping horse4 ,after a long and desperate struggle with the current1 he was carried into a mill-race1 and hurled among the piles on which the mill stood4 ,a blow on the breast made him senseless1 and he knew nothing more till he rose on the other side of the mill1 after being among the piles for twenty minutes1 to find himself five miles from the place where he had started4 ,another time1 when he and his brother were fencing with swords blunted with a kind of button fixed upon the point1 the button on his brother's weapon broke1 and ,fletcher received a desperate thrust in the side that had well-nigh killed him4 ,these incidents have often been referred to as illustrations of the ,providence that directed his life2 but they reveal in addition elements of character that should not be overlooked4 ,there was nothing effeminate in him4 ,on this point a mistake may be made4 ,it is possible to misinterpret the delicate features1 with their rapt expression1 the almost excessive modesty1 the language fuller charged with emotion than is quite our ,english wont4 ,but there was strength1 not weakness1 beneath these often misread indications of character4 ,the natural man in ,john ,fletcher was a soldier and an athlete1 and these qualities of manhood remained with him to the end1 though turned to higher issues and manifest in other forms than in these early years4 ,from childhood ,fletcher had a tender conscience and a devout spirit1 and was exceptionally free from fault4 ,he says1 ,i think it was when ,i was seven years of age that ,i first began to feel the love of ,god shed abroad in my heart1 and that ,i resolved to give myself up to ,him1 and to the service of ,his ,church1 if ever ,i should be fit for it4 ,years afterwards there came for him a time of spiritual conflict1 of heart-searching1 and deep repentance1 from which he passed into the clear light of reconciliation with ,god through faith in ,christ2 but his conversion had this in common with ,wesley's1 that it crowned and completed the piety of his youth4 ,in both cases conversion was a momentous1 unmistakable epoch2 but not by reason of any change from reckless and ungodly living4 ,it was one of those supreme events in the history of the soul that has its foundations and beginnings long before4 ,its relation to the past is not1 outwardly at least1 one of contrast1 and inwardly it is not wholly so4 ,the continuity of the spiritual life is not broken1 but rather a stage is reached where the discipline and endeavours of previous years1 having served their end1 pass into a larger liberty and a more abundant life4 ,it pleased ,god to reveal ,his ,son in me1 is the true account1 not only of sudden conversions1 properly so called1 but of that last act of grace which brings devout and serious youth to the full knowledge of ,him whom they have long sought1 and served while yet seeking4 ,fletcher's student life seems to have been wholly free from the vices which1 both then and now1 are too generally counted venial1 or even natural and reasonable1 in youth4 ,his subsequent self-upbraidings were deep enough1 but they must not be misunderstood4 ,when he says1 in a letter written to his brother in his #bfth year1 ,my infancy was vicious1 and my youth still more so1 the reference is not to open1 actual sins1 but to that ignorance of the true ,christian life which1 apprehended in its full significance1 appears to the regenerate conscience as the one root-evil4 ,his confessions have little in common with those of ,augustine1 or ,bunyan1 or ,john ,newton4 ,the most particular allusion they contain is the following3 ,i formed an acquaintance with some deists1 at first with the design of converting them1 and afterwards with the pretence of thoroughly examining their sentiments4 ,but my heart1 like that of ,balaam1 was not right with ,god4 ,he abandoned me1 and ,i enrolled myself in their party4 ,a considerable change took place in my deportment4 ,before1 ,i had a form of religion1 and now ,i lost it2 but as to the state of my heart1 it was precisely the same4 ,i did not remain many weeks in this state2 the ,good ,shepherd sought after me1 a wandering sheep4 ,again ,i became professedly a ,christian2 that is1 ,i resumed a regular attendance at church and the communion1 and offered up frequent prayers in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,there were also in my heart some sparks of true love to ,god1 and some germs of genuine faith2 but a connexion with worldly characters1 and an undue anxiety to promote my secular interests1 prevented the growth of these ,christian graces4 ,it had been ,fletcher's desire as a child to become a ,christian minister4 ,this object was still kept in view during his studies at ,geneva1 and appears to have been approved by his family2 but as he entered his twentieth year his views underwent a considerable change1 the notion of entering the ministry was abandoned1 and he sought a military career instead4 ,one or two reasons may be assigned for this change4 ,he feared he was unfit for the ministry4 ,though outwardly of blameless life1 he felt1 as the time for ordination drew near1 his need of true faith in ,christ and love to ,god1 and shrank from an office for which these were the first requisites4 ,further1 a doctrinal difficulty disclosed itself4 ,i was disgusted by the necessity ,i should be under to subscribe the doctrine of predestination2 and while thus religiously and doctrinally disturbed1 the influence of certain friends combined with his own inclination to suggest that frequent resource of the more adventurous youth of ,switzerland1 military service in some foreign army4 ,fletcher's father had served the king of ,france1 why should not he take service under the king of ,portugal1 who was about to send troops to ,brazil8 ,accordingly1 disregarding his father's remonstrances1 but following his example1 he made his way to ,lisbon1 raised a company of his countrymen1 doubtless by the method embodied in the proverb1 ,pas d'argent1 pas de ,suisse1 and received a captain's commission in the ,portuguese service4 ,this kind of professional soldiership1 for which no patriotism or devotion to a noble cause could be pleaded1 did not shock the general conscience in ,fletcher's day4 ,it presented no difficulty to his own4 ,that such a vocation is in our own day generally condemned1 being barely tolerated under the most extenuating circumstances1 is an illustration of progress in morals and religion1--one of many that may be set over against some discouraging aspects of the times4 ,meanwhile ,fletcher is waiting in ,lisbon for a remittance from home which does not arrive4 ,his parents disapprove of this ,portuguese-,brazilian venture1 and refuse to send him money4 ,but his mind is made up1 and with or without money he will go4 ,an unlooked for hindrance1 however1 prevents4 ,a servant waiting upon him at breakfast let fall a kettle of hot water1 and so scalded his leg as to lay him helpless in bed4 ,in the meantime the ship sailed for ,brazil without him1 and was never heard of again4 ,on his recovery he returned to ,switzerland1 there being no further prospect of employment in the ,portuguese service4 ,but his desire for military life was unabated4 ,his uncle and eldest brother were in the ,dutch service1 and in a little while he received word that his uncle had procured a commission for him4 ,he at once set out for ,flanders1 but before he could join the army the ,peace of ,aix-la-,chapelle1 in ,october1 #agdh1 entirely altered the situation4 ,troops were disbanded or sent home1 and the uncle on whom his hopes depended left the service1 and died soon afterwards4 ,with his death ,fletcher's hopes were entirely destroyed1 and he abandoned all thoughts of becoming a soldier4 ,the first well-marked stage of his history was now completed4 ,he had reached manhood4 ,he had received the best education that his age and his country afforded4 ,in temperament he was active and ardent1 in spirit serious and devout2 and though he had declined from his early piety1 he was entirely free from the follies and vices so easily learnt1 and so readily condoned1 at college and in camp4 ,it was impossible to say how a life with such preparations would open out4 ,that its promise was fair1 and even noble1 might well be judged2 but that it should find at once the supply of its own deepest want1 and the sphere for the employment of its powers1 in a foreign country1 and in connexion with a religious movement wholly unknown in ,switzerland1 and unsanctioned either by ,church or society in ,england1 was among the things that could not possibly be foreseen4 ,lives like ,fletcher's1 when they lie complete before us1 are luminous in the linked succession of divinely directed steps2 the overruling ,providence is so manifest that nothing which takes place surprises us2 but1 followed in their natural order1 the determining events are unforeseen1 they come in unlikely forms and from quarters whence they could not be expected4 ,from ,swiss ,moderatism ,fletcher was to pass into the bosom of ,english ,methodism4 ,the student reared in the school of ,calvin and ,beza was to be the apologist of ,evangelical ,arminianism4 ,he was to become1 not ,captain1 or colonel1 or knight-in-arms in ,portugal1 ,brazil1 or ,flanders1 but ,vicar of ,madeley4 ,but of all this he knew nothing2--how could he8 ,i know that the way of man is not in himself3 ,it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps4 99 99 99 99 99 ,keep ,thou my feet2 ,i do not ask to see ,the distant scene2 one step enough for me4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,settles ,,in ,,england4--,,his ,,connexion ,,with ,,wesley ,,and ,,the ,,methodists4 7#agej-agee47 ,being now without occupation1 or any definite prospect of it1 ,fletcher determined to visit ,england4 ,it does not appear that he had any motive for doing so beyond a desire to travel and to acquire the ,english language4 ,accordingly1 some time in #agdi or #agej--;it is impossible to fix the date more precisely--he came to ,london1 well supplied apparently with money1 but with the slenderest stock of ,english4 ,at the custom house he and his companions seem to have been somewhat roughly treated1 and their letters of introduction were taken from them on the ground that all letters must be sent by the post4 ,his first adventure in ,london bade fair to be of the sort that ,london has often provided for newly arrived and trustful youth4 ,he handed over his purse1 containing some ,l#ij1 to a stranger1 a ,jew1 who offered to get his money changed for him4 ,to the honour of this unknown ,jew1 let it be recorded that ,fletcher's simplicity was not abused4 ,he returned in due time1 and brought the full amount in ,english coin4 ,the first eighteen months of his residence in ,england ,fletcher spent in the house of a ,mr4 ,burchell1 who kept a school near ,hatfield4 ,here he acquired a good knowledge of ,english1 beside continuing his general studies4 ,on leaving ,mr4 ,burchell1 in the year #ageb1 he received the appointment of tutor to the two sons of ,mr4 ,thomas ,hill1 of ,tern ,hall1 in ,shropshire4 ,this position he retained for nearly seven years1 dividing his time between ,shropshire and ,london1 according as ,mr4 ,hill's family accompanied him to town for the sitting of ,parliament1 or remained in the country4 ,through all this time there is no sign of any wish on ,fletcher's part to return to ,switzerland2 and it is at first sight a little perplexing that his visit to ,england should have developed into something very like a permanent residence1 when as yet he had no definite calling1 and the powerful influences of a great spiritual change had not come into existence4 ,but there is a reasonable explanation to be found in the state of things in his native country1 where a gentleman's younger son1 disinclined for the ministry and disappointed of a commission in the army1 had no great choice of a career4 ,on this matter we have the testimony of an exceptionally keen and competent observer4 ,the early years of ,fletcher's residence in ,england correspond very closely with those of ,gibbon's first period of residence in ,switzerland4 ,from #agec to #ageh1 years spent by ,fletcher in the family of ,mr4 ,hill1 the youthful ,gibbon was living under the roof of ,m4 ,pavilliard1 a ,calvinist minister at ,lausanne4 ,it was about the close of this period that he wrote1 for the benefit of a ,swiss friend1 a short paper upon political and social life in ,switzerland1 an essay that is doubly worth reading1 for its own sake1 and as exhibiting the powers and the promise in early manhood of the future historian4 ,an extract or two will show some aspects of the society that ,fletcher had so lately left1 and to which he never really returned1 and will suggest the explanation of that readiness to forget his own people and his father's house1 which has perplexed some of his critics and biographers3 ,even to the present day1 a secret inquisition still reigns at ,lausanne1 where the names of ,arminian and ,socinian are often mentioned in the letters written by very honest people to their patrons of ,berne2 and offices are often given or withheld according to the reports made of the religious tenets of the candidates4444 ,in aristocratical republics the citizens of one town are not contented with being sovereigns collectively1 unless they individually appropriate all offices of honour or emolument4 ,in the canton of ,berne talents and information are not of the smallest use to any one who is not born in the capital2 and in another sense they are useless to those born there1 because they must make their way without them4 ,their subjects in the ,pays de ,vaud are condemned1 by the circumstances of their birth1 to a condition of shameful obscurity4 ,they naturally become therefore a prey to despair1 and neglecting to cultivate talents which they can never enjoy an opportunity to display1 those who had capacities for becoming great men are contented with making themselves agreeable companions4 ,should ,i propose that the subjects obtained a right to hold the lucrative employments of baillis1 or governors of districts1 the aristocratical families of ,berne would think me guilty of a crime little less than sacrilege4 ',the emoluments of these offices form the patrimony of the ,state2 and we are the ,state4' ,it is true that you in the ,pays de ,vaud may be deputies to the baillis2 but the advantages belonging to that subordinate magistracy are obtained on certain conditions1 which1 unless the holder of the office lives a certain number of years1 renders his bargain a very bad one for his family4 ,what encouragement is then left for the gentlemen of the ,pays de ,vaud8 ,that of foreign service4 ,but to them even this road to preferment is extremely difficult1 and to attain the higher ranks is impossible4444 ,in his own district every bailli is at the head of religion1 of the law1 the army1 and the finances4 ,as judge1 he decides without appeal all causes to the amount of a hundred francs--a sum of little importance to a gentleman1 but which often makes the whole fortune of a peasant2 and he decides alone1 for the voices of his assessors have not any weight in the scale4 ,he confers1 or rather he sells1 all the employments in his district4 ,it is unnecessary further to multiply extracts from this letter4 ,the relevancy to ,fletcher's personal history of those just cited will be obvious4 ,he belonged1 not to the aristocracy of ,berne1 but to the subordinate gentry of the ,pays de ,vaud4 ,the office held by his father was not that of bailli1 with its great emoluments and privileges1 but the very inferior office of assesseur4 ,fletcher was one of those to whom little remained but foreign service1 and we have seen how eagerly he sought it1 and by what circumstances his hopes were frustrated4 ,and so it was1 we take it1 that1 having come to ,england1 he scarcely knew why1 the quiet life of a scholar and tutor satisfied him till such time as1 in the possession of a new religious life and an absorbing vocation1 he found foreign service in the highest and holiest warfare4 ,it was while living in ,mr4 ,hill's family that ,fletcher came under the influences which determined his whole future course4 ,he now first became acquainted with the ,methodists4 ,some fifteen years had elapsed since ,wesley formed the first ,methodist society1 and ,whitefield1 shut out from the churches1 had begun to preach the gospel to the wondering crowds on ,kingswood ,hill and ,kennington ,common4 ,wesley's own ungarnished account fixes the exact date of one of the most significant events in modern ,church history4 ,it is as follows3 ,in the latter end of the year #agci eight or ten persons came to me in ,london1 who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin1 and earnestly groaning for redemption4 ,they desired ,i would spend some time with them in prayer1 and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come4 ,that we might have more time for this great work1 ,i appointed a day when they might all come together1 which from thenceforward they did every ,thursday in the evening4 ,to these1 and as many more as desired to join with them 7for the number increased daily71 ,i gave those advices from time to time which ,i judged most needful for them2 and we always concluded our meeting with prayer suited to their several necessities4 ,this was the rise of the ,united ,society1 first in ,london1 and then in other places4 ,it was not however to the members of this society that the name of ,methodist was first applied1 still less was it a designation adopted by the society itself4 ,it originated1 some years earlier1 in ,oxford1 as a nickname for the ,wesleys and a few other university men1 who used to meet together to read the ,scriptures1 and endeavoured generally to order their lives with a religious precision rare enough in the ,oxford of those days4 ,to quote ,wesley's words again3 ,the exact regularity of their lives1 as well as studies1 occasioned a young gentleman of ,christ ,church to say1 ',here is a new set of ,methodists sprung up1' alluding to some ancient physicians who were so called4 ,the name was new and quaint1 so it took immediately1 and the ,methodists were known all over the university4 ,but this first1 or ,oxford1 ,methodism was now a thing of the past4 ,the ,methodism that ,fletcher found in ,england was really another and very different thing1 though called by the same name4 ,it was separated from the former1 not only by a score or so of years1 but by spiritual changes and developments of the most important character4 ,the first ,methodists were1 above all things1 students and ,churchmen4 ,they revived the observance of long neglected canons and rubrics2 they moulded their lives on ascetic models1 fasting on ,wednesdays and ,fridays1 and eating no flesh during ,lent except on ,saturdays and ,sundays4 ,they thought and spoke much of ,christian antiquity1 and1 like the ,oxford leaders of a century later1 sought in that venerable past a rule and an authority co-ordinate with ,scripture4 ,they read ,thomas a ,kempis and ,bishop ,taylor and the great ,high ,church mystic of their own day1 ,william ,law4 ,this ,oxford ,methodism1 with its almost monastic rigours1 its living by rule1 its canonical hours of prayer1 is a fair and noble phase of the many-sided life of the ,church of ,england1 and1 with all its defects and limitations1 claims our deep respect4 ,but it was not the instrument by which the ,church and nation were to be revived2 it had no message for the world1 no secret of power with which to move and quicken the masses4 ,to do this it must become other than it was4 ,it must die1 in order to bring forth much fruit4 ,and this death and rising again were accomplished in the spiritual change wrought in ,john ,wesley1 the leader of the earlier and of the later ,methodism4 ,what was that change8 ,in the year #agch1 on his return from ,georgia1 ,wesley writes3 ,it is now two years and almost four months since ,i left my native country1 in order to teach the ,georgian ,indians the nature of ,christianity4 ,but what have ,i learned myself meantime8 ,why1 what ,i the least of all suspected3 that ,i1 who went to ,america to convert others1 was never myself converted to ,god4 ,now it may be urged1 with some show of reason1 as indeed his own language in later life implies1 that ,wesley was not1 in the full sense of the term1 an unconverted man during the whole of his ,oxford life and of his residence in ,georgia4 ,but nothing is more certain than the reality and importance of the change through which he now passed4 ,his apprehension of salvation by faith in ,christ had been hitherto obscure and imperfect4 ,he found no rest for his soul4 ,he longed to be at peace with ,god4 ,the faith which ,i want is a sure trust and confidence in ,god that1 through the merits of ,christ1 my sins are forgiven1 and ,i reconciled to the favour of ,god1 444 that faith which enables every one that hath it to cry out1 ',i live not1 but ,christ liveth in me2 and the life which ,i now live1 ,i live by faith in the ,son of ,god1 who loved me1 and gave ,himself for me4' ,it is not necessary to repeat here the oft-told story of ,wesley's acquaintance with the ,moravians1 and more particularly with ,peter ,boehler1 by whose teaching and testimony he was convinced that the one thing wanting to him was a living faith in ,christ1 together with that assurance of forgiveness and power over sin that are its fruits4 ,how much had to be surrendered before a man of ,wesley's training and attainments could submit himself to the conception of saving faith that was now presented to him1 may be learnt from his own statements4 ,it is enough to say that he found that way of faith in ,christ which is the open secret of the gospel1 at once hidden from the wise and prudent1 and revealed unto babes4 ,he received the reconciliation and rejoiced in ,god4 ,i felt ,i did trust in ,christ1 ,christ alone1 for salvation2 and an assurance was given me that ,he had taken away my sins1 even mine1 and saved me from the law of sin and death4 ,this was ,wesley's conversion4 ,whether rightly so called or not1 there is no doubt as to the change itself1 and its results4 ,henceforth he was a new man1 ready for a new work4 ,instead of directing the religious life of a handful of devout university men1 he traversed the land in every direction1 preaching to the multitudes and organizing societies for ,christian fellowship4 ,religion was no longer a painful quest1 a high endeavour1 a discipline1 but a life bright with the ,divine favour and filled with unspeakable blessings1 offered to all men through faith in ,christ4 ,peace with ,god1 the witness and fruit of the ,spirit1 the blessings of sonship and sanctification1--these were not the rewards of fidelity and endurance1 the privilege of the few2 they were included in the common salvation4 ,every sinner might seek them1 every believer would find them4 ,there is no mistaking the difference between this gospel1 soon to be preached in every town and village of ,england1 and the teaching that nourished the austere piety of the ,oxford ,methodists4 ,as an able writer has put it1 ,the birthday of a ,christian was shifted from his baptism to his conversion1 and in that change the partition line of two great systems is crossed4 ,some will reckon this change a grave error1 and all that came of it to be but a falling away from a high beginning4 ,they will find in the ascetic1 churchly pietists of the earlier time their true ,wesley and their ideal ,methodism2 but time and history have borne a testimony from which there is1 practically1 no appeal4 ,the ,methodism that revived the ,church and awakened the nation was not that of the ,holy ,club at ,oxford4 ,it differed from it as ,wesley after conversion differed from his former self4 ,its spirit1 its methods1 its watchwords were altered4 ,something may have been lost when ,methodism moved from its academic birthplace into the work-day world1 but more was gained4 ,it had found what it had long sought4 ,it knew now what salvation meant4 ,i waited patiently for the ,lord2 and ,he inclined unto me1 and heard my cry4 ,he 444 set my feet upon a rock1 and established my goings4 ,and ,he hath put a new song in my mouth1 even praise unto our ,god3 many shall see it1 and fear1 and shall trust in the ,lord4 ,by the time that ,fletcher became acquainted with ,methodism it had passed through some important stages of its history4 ,it had reached its highest point in the favour of a small section of the aristocracy1 and had encountered its strongest opposition among the people4 ,never in subsequent years were so many persons of rank associated with ,methodism as in its first two or three decades2 and never in later times have its followers endured afflictions like those which the first ,methodists suffered in ,staffordshire1 in ,yorkshire1 and in ,cornwall4 ,it had now secured something like peace for its persecuted people2 its travelling preachers crossed and recrossed the entire country2 its societies contained many thousands of members1 won for the most part from ignorance and irreligion2 and with restless yet disciplined activity it was appreciably influencing the national life4 ,religion1 which had seemed to stand on tiptoe in our land1 turned again to its ancient seats1 and to the home it had well-nigh forsaken4 ,there was hope for ,christianity among us yet4 ,it was during one of ,fletcher's journeys to ,london with ,mr4 ,hill's family that he first met with the people called ,methodists4 ,the story is told by ,wesley3 ,while they stopped at ,st4 ,albans1 he walked out into the town1 and did not return till they were set out for ,london4 ,a horse being left for him1 he rode after1 and overtook them in the evening4 ,mr4 ,hill asked him why he stayed behind4 ,he said1 ',as ,i was walking ,i met with a poor old woman1 who talked so sweetly of ,jesus ,christ1 that ,i knew not how the time passed away4' ',i shall wonder1' said ,mrs4 ,hill1 'if our tutor does not turn ,methodist by-and-by4' ',methodist1 madam1' said he2 'pray1 what is that8' ,she replied1 ',why1 the ,methodists are a people that do nothing but pray2 they are praying all day and all night4' ',are they8' said he2 'then1 by the help of ,god1 ,i will find them out1 if they be above ground4' ,he did find them out not long after1 and was admitted into the society4 ,amongst the ,methodists ,fletcher learnt what ,wesley had learnt from the ,moravians1 that there was something in religion to which he was yet a stranger4 ,like so many others of fine moral nature and virtuous habits1 he was much perplexed as to the nature of saving faith4 ,is it possible1 he writes1 that ,i1 who have always been accounted so religious1 who have made divinity my study1 and received the ,premiums of ,piety 7so called7 from the university for my writings on ,divine subjects1--is it possible that ,i should yet be so ignorant as not to know what faith is8 ,he came to the conclusion that this was so4 ,his past life1 so free from outward sin1 appeared to him to be sinful beyond expression4 ,it had no foundation in ,christ4 ,he had lived to himself4 ,his righteousness was self-righteousness1 it was as filthy rags4 ,he now heard sermons1 but was only the more convinced that he was an unbeliever2 he wrote out a confession of his sins1 misery1 and helplessness1 but had no heart to finish it4 ,he feared he did not even yet mourn enough for his sins2 but ,i found relief in ,mr4 ,wesley's ',journal1' where ,i learned that we should not build on what we feel1 but that we should go to ,christ with all our sins and hardness of heart4 ,deliverance however was at hand4 ,the salvation that he longed for drew near4 ,he trusted in ,christ1 and found rest to his soul4 ,his bonds were broken4 ,he was filled with joy and peace through believing4 ,henceforth1 the life that he lived in the flesh1 he lived by the faith of the ,son of ,god4 ,it is surely worthy of remark that the chief leaders of the ,evangelical ,revival were converted in mature life1 not after a wild and reckless1 but after a more than commonly religious youth4 ,among the associates soon to be gathered around them a very different type of spiritual history may be discerned4 ,many of these had been notoriously sinful1 and their conversion had all the dramatic completeness which belongs to a sudden transformation of conduct and character4 ,but of the ,wesleys and ,whitefield at ,oxford1 and subsequently of ,fletcher1 it might be said that they were touching the righteousness which is in the law1 blameless4 ,they fasted and prayed1 and frequented the sacrament2 they read religious books2 they visited the sick and taught the ignorant2 they eschewed all self-indulgence1 were scrupulous in respect of duty1 and consistently devout in spirit and manner4 ,and yet the change wrought in them when they obtained a saving faith in ,christ could not have been really greater if there had been a previous life of sin and folly to escape from4 ,when a man passes from a righteousness of his own which is of the law1 to that which is through faith in ,christ1 it is as truly a birth from above as when he is turned from sin to righteousness4 ,the inner power and significance of conversion are the same in both cases4 ,but this is widely misunderstood4 ,that the wicked should be1 if possible1 converted1 is generally held to be desirable4 ,society1 even when most cynical and worldly1 does1 in a manner1 hold that it behoves evil doers1 especially among the lower orders1 to repent of their sins and mend their ways2 but that good people should call themselves sinners1 that scholars and gentlemen of excellent character--whose only fault indeed was that of being righteous overmuch--should be anxious about their souls1 and make other respectable people as uneasy as themselves1 caused much irritation and perplexity4 ,it was1 however1 not the least of ,god's mercies to the ,church and nation that the ,revival began as it did with the conversion of good men1 that its first witnesses and workers were not reclaimed profligates1 but representatives of all that was best in the existing social order4 ,if the gospel was to awaken the conviction of sin in such men as these1 if it was to disclose to them deep spiritual needs1 and set them asking what they must do to be saved1 then society had misunderstood the whole matter1--which indeed was pretty nearly the case4 ,society's discernment of evil when it takes the form of crime is sufficiently acute2 concerning vice also it has convictions more or less emphatic3 but of sin1 as sin1 its notions are feeble and confused4 ,and that confusion and inadequacy of view are shared by the ,church when men's need of ,christ and ,his salvation is measured by the more or less of their outward good behaviour2 as though conversion were necessary for wicked and worthless members of the community1 while those of a better sort can see the kingdom of ,god without being born from above4 ,the history and experience of its leaders1 humanly speaking1 preserved the ,revival from this error1 and from the first guarded the doctrine of the new birth from one of its most common and practical perversions4 ,the notion that while there are some people too bad to be converted there are others too good to require it1 was doubly disproved4 ,the early ,methodist preachers moved joyously and confidently through the land1 proclaiming a salvation which the worst might obtain1 and which the best must not refuse or neglect4 ,from the time of his conversion to the close of his life ,fletcher was a ,methodist4 ,the exact date when he joined the society cannot be determined1 but in the year #agef he was a member of a class in ,london1 of which a ,mr4 ,richard ,edwards was the leader4 ,his class ticket1 bearing the name ,john ,fletcher1 and the date ,feb41 #ageg1 lies before us as we write4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,spiritual ,,discipline4 ,it was in the beginning of the year #agee1 when ,fletcher was in the twenty-sixth year of his age1 that he passed through the great change described in the last chapter4 ,for nearly five years he continued to live in ,mr4 ,hill's family1 dividing his time1 as before1 between ,shropshire and ,london4 ,towards the close of that period1 however1 new duties and engagements were opening out before him1 and in #agfj1 when his pupils entered the ,university of ,cambridge1 ,fletcher's tutorship was at an end4 ,his residence at ,tern ,hall was in many respects a happy one for ,fletcher4 ,his duties were comparatively light1 and his situation was favourable to that life of meditation1 prayer1 study1 and self-discipline to which he was so powerfully drawn4 ,on ,sundays he attended the parish church of ,atcham1 a village near ,shrewsbury4 ,when the service was over he usually walked home alone by the ,severn side4 ,after a while these walks were shared by a pious man named ,vaughan1 then in ,mr4 ,hill's service1 who1 in after years1 gave the following account of them to ,mr4 ,wesley3 ,it was our ordinary custom1 when the church service was over1 to retire into the most lonely fields or meadows1 where we frequently either kneeled down or prostrated ourselves on the ground4 ,at those happy seasons ,i was a witness of such pleadings and wrestlings with ,god1 such exercises of faith and love1 as ,i have not known in any one ever since4 ,the consolations which we then received from ,god induced us to appoint two or three nights in a week1 when we duly met1 after his pupils were asleep4 ,we met also constantly on ,sunday between four and five in the morning4 ,sometimes ,i stepped into his study on other days4 ,i rarely saw any book before him1 besides the ,bible and the ',christian ,pattern4' ,another1 who knew him at that time1 says that when there was company to dinner at ,mr4 ,hill's1 ,fletcher would often get himself excused from being present1 and retire into the garden1 to dine on a piece of bread and a little fruit4 ,there are many testimonies to his lifelong abstemiousness1 but at this period it reached a point of asceticism1 concerning which ,wesley has recorded his judgment3 ,none can doubt if these austerities were well intended2 but it seems they were not well judged4 ,it is probable they gave the first wound to an excellent constitution1 and laid the foundation of many infirmities1 which nothing but death could cure4 ,again1 referring to his manner of life at ,madeley1 several years after1 ,wesley says3 ,he did not allow himself such food as was necessary to sustain nature4 ,he seldom took any regular meals except he had company2 otherwise1 twice or thrice in four-and-twenty hours he ate some bread and cheese1 or fruit4 ,instead of this he sometimes took a draught of milk1 and then wrote on again4 ,that all this was unwise1 and brought its own punishment1 will be readily admitted2 but it is well to note that ,fletcher's ascetic practice was not the result of an ascetic theology4 ,beyond most holy men ,fletcher apprehended and rejoiced in the freedom of the children of ,god4 ,the last touch of the spirit of bondage disappeared at his conversion1 and henceforth he was no more a servant but a son1 walking in the clearest light1 and possessing the strongest witness to his adoption4 ,his rigid self-denial1 his almost unearthly indifference to the common comforts and recreations of human life1 his carefully ordered devotions1 were not the travail of a soul going about to establish its own righteousness1 nor the half-expiatory sacrifices of one who seeks to pacify his conscience or appease his restless longings4 ,beneath his ascetic practice was evangelical doctrine1 and a living faith4 ,he did not fast1 and give whole days to study and whole nights to prayer1 because he was in doubt or distress concerning his soul1 but from his very joy in ,god1 and delight in all that lifted him from things beneath to things above4 ,his was the asceticism of love1 and not of bondage or of fear4 ,by the help of manuscripts carefully preserved1 though not hitherto made public1 it is possible to draw very near to the devotional life of ,fletcher at this period of his history4 ,a document which affords pathetic insight into the depth and thoroughness of his consecration of himself to ,god now lies before us4 ,it is a solemn covenant1 drawn up in ,latin1 and covers the two sides of a parchment some nine inches by five in size4 ,it is exquisitely written in a round1 legible hand4 ,the opening sentence1 which is in ,greek1 reads thus3 ,in the name of ,god1 the ,creator of heaven and earth1 ,amen4 ,o most high ,jehovah1 only ,god1 ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 ,i1 the vilest of the vile1 worst of the sons of ,adam1 an apostate spirit1 a man utterly undone1 444 resolve to consecrate myself to ,thee1 my ,creator ,redeemer1 ,sanctifier4 ,in the humblest strain of penitential confession1 he proceeds to offer and present himself to ,god through the merits of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the recurring phrase of consecration is1 ,do1 reddo1 dico1 dedico 7,i give1 restore1 devote1 dedicate72 and all that he has1 or is1 or may be1 is brought within this form of dedication4 ,the formula of supplication is1 ,peto1 rogo1 posco1 flagito 7,i ask1 entreat1 implore1 importune72 and in these terms he prays for pardon1 grace1 guidance1 and final deliverance4 ,there is reason to think that the signature1 now almost illegible1 was written with his own blood4 ,after the manner of the earlier nonconformists1 among whom the practice of drawing up solemn forms of covenant with ,god prevailed1 ,fletcher kept by him through life this sign and memorial of deliberate consecration to ,god1 and renewed from time to time both its general vow and its detailed promises4 ,it is dated ,august #bdth1 #aged4 ,some two years later he prepared for his own use a little manual of devotions1 which is perhaps the most vital of all the ,fletcher relics still preserved1 as revealing more directly than any other his interior life1 and the spirit and method of his daily devotions4 ,it is a small1 square book1 strongly bound in leather1 containing about two hundred closely written pages4 ,more than half of its contents are passages from the ,greek ,testament1 carefully arranged under various headings1 ,faith1 ,promises1 ,the ,heavenly ,life4 ,to these are added selections from ,charles ,wesley's hymns1 then recently published1 now1 and for a long time past1 known and prized by the devout of every communion4 ,but the most personal and characteristic portions of the book are ,fletcher's own meditations1 resolutions1 and precepts4 ,they are written1 for the most part1 in ,latin and in ,french4 ,some specimens of these will be found in the appendix to this volume4 ,here it must suffice to translate a few of the rules by which he disciplined his daily life4 ,under the date ,january #aeth1 #ageg1 is written1 in ,french1-- ,pray on my knees as often as possible4 ,sing frequently penitential hymns4 ,eat slowly1 and upon my knees1 three times a day only1 and never more4 ,always speak gently4 ,neglect no outward duty4 ,beware of a fire that thou kindlest thyself4 ,the fire that ,god kindles is bright1 mild1 constant1 and burns night and day4 ,think always of death1 and the ,cross1 the hardness of thy heart and the blood of ,christ4 ,beware of relaxing1 and of impatience2 ,god is faithful1 but ,he owes thee nothing4 ,speak only when necessary4 ,do not surrender thyself to any joy4 ,rise in the morning without yielding to sloth4 ,follow always thy first motion4 ,be a true son of affliction4 ,write down every evening whether thou hast kept these rules4 ,among the ,latin meditations is one headed ,deus mihi amandus est quid3 ,god is to be loved because-- ,and then follow various grounds for gratitude and love3 ,because ,he created me1 ,of sound body and mind1 ,in a middle station of life1 and in the bosom of ,his ,church2 ,preserves me alive and well2 ,has not given me over to the power of the devil2 ,gives all things necessary for life2 ,in various ways1 and wonderfully1 has delivered me from death2 ,raised up for me good parents1 teachers1 friends2 ,gives me food1 shelter1 books1 good health1 clothing1 friends1 and a not dishonourable name2 ,has mercifully withheld hurtful things when ,i asked them2 ,before the foundations of the world determined to give ,his ,son for me1 ,and gave ,him in time to flesh1 infirmities1 scorn1 sorrows1 poverty1 and death2 ,imparts ,him to me in the word1 and in the holy supper4 ,among the rules for a holy life1 written in ,english1 the following may be quoted3 ,mortify thy five senses till crucified with ,christ2 ,sit at ,christ's feet2 cast away thy own will2 consult ,his at every word1 morsel1 motion2 ask ,his leave even in lawful actions4 ,renounce thyself in all that can hinder thy union with ,god4 ,desire nought but ,his love4 ,mortify all affection toward inward1 sensible1 spiritual delights in grace2 they rather please and comfort than sanctify4 ,the life of ,god consists not in high knowledge1 but profound meekness1 holy simplicity1 and ardent love to ,god4 ,receive afflictions as the best guides to perfection4 ,remember always the presence of ,god4 ,rejoice always in the will of ,god4 ,direct all to the glory of ,god4 ,the little book from which these extracts are taken was ,fletcher's companion in his hours of private prayer and communion with ,god4 ,it was written1 not for others1 but for himself4 ,for a century past it has been in safe and reverent keeping1 and is now as he left it4 ,its pages are worn by his touch4 ,with these hymns and meditations he nourished his soul in secret4 ,with these rules he loved to bind his free ,christian spirit4 ,like other saintly men1 he found that the impulses1 even of the regenerate life1 may not be left to themselves with entire confidence in their sufficient working4 ,he sought to strengthen them by meditation1 to sustain them by spiritual exercises and discipline2 he furnished them with tests and standards1 and made self-examination definite and precise4 ,he sought perfection at once in supreme love to ,god1 and in the minutest details of character and conduct4 ,let this be borne in mind in connexion with the fact that ,fletcher was a leader of the ,evangelical ,revival1 and a founder and father of ,methodism4 ,evangelical religion has been charged with indifference to painstaking spiritual culture4 ,its doctrine of salvation by faith has been thought to carry with it self-confidence1 familiar ways with ,god1 and easy dealing with one's own soul4 ,it is supposed to compensate for its insistence upon conversion1 by sanctioning subsequent laxity in the matter of prayer and fasting4 ,it is charged with spiritual shallowness1 and asked why1 with all its innumerable activities1 it fails to produce the deeper and more disciplined devoutness of which ,thomas a ,kempis in the ,roman1 and ,andrewes and ,keble in the ,anglican1 communities are great examples4 ,a proper discussion of this question would require1 amongst other things1 an examination of the terms in which it is stated4 ,they would be found to contain1 with some truth1 assumptions utterly false and misleading4 ,amongst these is the assumption that sanctity is not such1 unless it have a certain form1 diverging not too widely from an accepted type4 ,the ,roman controversialist objects to the ,church of ,england that it does not exhibit notes of sanctity1 that it has no saints4 ,as ,dr4 ,mozley has said1 ,he refuses1 in a certain case1 to see and recognise the ,christian type1 because it does not come before him in the ,latin shape1 and with the accompaniments of intellectual grace and refinement1 which it has incorporated on its ,european area4#b ,by a very slight alteration in the wording of this sentence1 it would describe with equal accuracy the attitude of those who cannot recognise sanctity which does not come before them in the ,anglican shape2 and by a second and a third alteration1 it would describe the inability1 here and there existing1 to discern any sanctity but that of an accepted type or favoured school4 ,much of the disparagement of ,evangelical piety is plainly of this kind2 and the truth needs to be spoken with regard to all these narrow and sectarian gauges of ,christian character4 ,amid the diversities of ministrations and diversities of workings1 there is no essential distinction as to the so called note of sanctity2 ,eastern or ,western1 ,anglican or ,puritan1 holiness is always and essentially the same1 rebuking every attempt to fasten it to a particular type1 or ignore it apart from a particular succession4 ,fletcher was an ,evangelical of ,evangelicals1 teaching conversion1 the witness of the ,spirit1 and the entire sanctification of believers4 ,he profoundly influenced the theology and general religious spirit and character of ,methodism4 ,what then is the bearing of his spiritual life and the influence of his example upon these latter8 ,it is this3 that while holiness is1 in its truest1 deepest aspect1 the gift of ,god1--it is ,god who sanctifies as surely as it is ,god who justifies1--yet1 alike in the pursuit and possession of holiness1 the ,christian is called to work together with ,god1 in watchfulness and prayer1 in self-examination and self-denial1 in reading and meditation1 exercising himself unto godliness in the many ways which ,scripture enjoins and which insight and experience will suggest4 ,if at any time the ,methodists1 or ,evangelical ,christians generally1 should let slip either of these truths2 if holiness be thought of1 on the one hand1 as a human attainment and not a ,divine gift1 or1 on the other1 as a gift of ,god having no relation to personal discipline and culture1--they will at least be breaking with their best traditions1 and have against them both the teaching and the example of their fathers4 ,this little manual of devotion1 written by his own hand1 and worn by long and frequent use1 reveals much of the way in which ,fletcher's inmost life was cultivated4 ,knowing that life as it was manifested in his character and conduct1 we regard with deep interest the means by which it was nurtured in secret4 ,the lovely growth of goodness had at the root of it the patient discipline here portrayed4 ,we might have guessed as much1 but here we see that it was so4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,enters ,,the ,,ministry4 ,from this brief glance at ,fletcher's habits of devotion we return to the history of his life4 ,he was not destined to be a religious recluse1 cultivating in quiet places a fugitive and cloistered virtue4 ,his thirst for communion with ,god was equalled by his passion for winning souls4 ,if the one drove him to retirement1 the other thrust him into society4 ,he longed for others to possess the salvation that he had found4 ,on such a matter he could not be silent1 and he became a preacher almost before he knew it4 ,both in personal intercourse and in addressing assemblies1 his foreign accent and a certain winning simplicity of manner proved very attractive2 but the hours spent alone with ,god and his own soul were the secret of a power to appeal and persuade that was well-nigh irresistible4 ,naturally it was taken for granted that his proper vocation was the ministry4 ,he was pressed by one and another1 and particularly by ,mr4 ,hill1 to enter holy orders2 but his mind was not yet made up4 ,his former shrinking from an office for which he felt himself unfit was not wholly removed4 ,he thought it might be better to serve ,god in a private and less responsible way of life2 and yet1 from time to time1 the work of the ministry attracted and exercised his thoughts in a manner that might be taken to indicate ,god's will4 ,in his perplexity he sought counsel from ,wesley4 ,it is not known when1 or under what circumstances1 he had become personally known to him1 but the letter in which he asks his advice is probably the first he ever wrote to ,wesley1 and the tone of it suggests that personal acquaintance1 if it had begun1 was as yet very slight4 ,,tern1 ,nov4 #bdth1 #agef4 ,,rev4 ,,sir1-- ,as ,i look upon you as my spiritual guide1 and cannot doubt of your patience to hear1 and your experience to answer1 a serious question proposed by any of your people1 ,i freely lay my case before you4 ,after giving an account of his early history1 and more recent experience1 he tells ,wesley that he had been offered a title to orders1 and asks1-- ,now1 sir1 the question which ,i beg you to decide is1 whether ,i must and can make use of that title to get into orders4 ,for1 with respect to the living1 were it vacant1 ,i have no mind to it1 because ,i think ,i could preach with more fruit in my own country and in my own tongue4 ,i am in suspense4 ,on one side my heart tells me ,i must try1 and it tells me so whenever ,i feel any degree of the love of ,god and man2 but on the other1 when ,i examine whether ,i am fit for it1 ,i so plainly see my want of gifts1 and especially of that soul of all the labours of a minister of the gospel1 love1 continual1 universal1 flaming love1 that my confidence disappears1 ,i accuse myself of pride to dare to entertain the desire of supporting the ark of the ,lord4 ,as ,i am in both these frames successively1 ,i must own1 sir1 ,i do not see plainly which of the two ways before me ,i can take with safety1 and ,i shall be glad to be ruled by you4444 ,i know how precious is your time2 ,i desire no long answer2 persist or forbear will satisfy and influence1 sir1 ,your unworthy servant1 ,j4 ,,fletcher4 ,no reply to this letter has been preserved1 but there can be no doubt as to the nature of ,wesley's advice4 ,he recommended ,fletcher's being ordained2 he probably dissuaded him from returning to ,switzerland1 and he discouraged the notion of his settling in a parish4 ,he greatly desired to see ,fletcher in the itinerant work in which he himself was engaged1 the more so as his brother ,charles was now withdrawing from it4 ,on ,sunday1 ,march #fth1 #ageg1 ,fletcher received deacon's orders from the ,bishop of ,hereford1 and on the following ,sunday he was ordained priest by the ,bishop of ,bangor1 at the request of the ,bishop of ,hereford4 ,the day after receiving priest's orders he was licensed to perform the office of curate in the parish church of ,madeley1 in the county of ,salop1 and a yearly salary of twenty-five pounds1 to be paid quarterly1 for serving the same1 was assigned to him4 ,this license to the curacy must not be confounded with his appointment1 more than three years afterwards1 to the vicarage of ,madeley4 ,fletcher has no history as curate of ,madeley4 ,the appointment was in fact a nominal one1 for it is tolerably certain that he exercised no spiritual function whatever in ,madeley for at least two years after his ordination4 ,the title to orders was probably given to him by the ,rev4 ,rowland ,chambre1 then ,vicar of ,madeley1 at ,mr4 ,hill's request1 with the understanding that the curacy should be only nominal4 ,the position of chaplain and tutor in ,mr4 ,hill's family1 though not furnishing a legal title to orders1 would be considered equivalent to a cure of souls4 ,the fact that he was ordained deacon and priest on two consecutive ,sundays1 the customary interval of a year being dispensed with1 may be ascribed either to the influence of ,mr4 ,hill1 or of ,wesley himself2 or it may be taken as proof that his character was admittedly high1 and that in his examination or interviews with the bishop1 he had shown himself exceptionally well qualified1 both intellectually and morally4 ,his connexion with ,mr4 ,hill's family drew to its close4 ,it did not afford him the sphere for ,christian work that he desired1 ind involved him in occasional embarrassments and difficulties4 ,mr4 ,hill was uniformly kind1 but he feared that the scandal of ,methodism attaching to his tutor would injure him at the next election4 ,the neighbouring clergy for the most part fought shy of ,fletcher1 so that he had few opportunities of preaching in their churches4 ,but the one compensation for these restrictions was found in the devout retirement he loved so well4 ,he writes to ,wesley3 ,the will of ,god be done3 ,i am in ,his hands2 and if ,he does not call me to so much public duty1 ,i have the more time for study1 prayer1 and praise4 ,he seems to have been conscious that it was a time of discipline and preparation with him1 and until the indications of ,god's will were plain1 he would not seek release from a position where the providence of ,god had placed him4 ,meanwhile1 as his tutorship became less and less satisfactory as a vocation1 his connexion with the ,methodists opened up to him new labours and new friendships4 ,immediately upon his ordination ,fletcher was drawn into the full stream of the ,revival1 and brought into active association with its leaders4 ,his very first ministerial act1 on the day that he was ordained priest1 was to assist ,wesley in the administration of the ,lord's supper at ,snowsfields chapel2 and from that time he frequently read prayers and preached in the ,methodist chapels in ,london4 ,he made the acquaintance of ,charles ,wesley and ,whitefield1 of the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 of ,berridge1 ,vicar of ,everton1 of ,thomas ,walsh1 and of some of the devout women who were not least among the glories of early ,methodism1 including ,mary ,bosanquet1 who1 many years afterwards1 became his wife4 ,by these and others ,fletcher was received with no common welcome4 ,wesley himself wrote in his ,journal1 ,when my bodily strength failed1 and none in ,england were able and willing to assist me1 ,he sent me help from the mountains of ,switzerland1 and a helpmeet for me in every respect2 where could ,i find such another8 ,a little later the ,countess of ,huntingdon wrote to a friend3 ,i have seen ,mr4 ,fletcher1 and was both pleased and refreshed by the interview4 ,he was accompanied by ,mr4 ,wesley1 who had frequently mentioned him in terms of high commendation1 as had ,mr4 ,whitefield1 ,mr4 ,charles ,wesley1 and others1 so that ,i was anxious to become acquainted with one so devoted1 and who appears to glory in nothing1 save in the ,cross of our ,divine ,lord and ,master4 ,another testimony referring to this time1 though written many years later1 is that of a ,mrs4 ,crosby1 well-known amongst the first ,methodists3 ,i heard this heavenly-minded servant of the ,lord preach his first sermon in ,west ,street chapel4 ,i think his text was1 ',repent3 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand4' ,his spirit appeared in his whole attitude and action4 ,he could not well find words in the ,english language to express himself1 but he supplied that defect by offering up prayers1 tears1 and sighs4 ,of all those with whom ,fletcher was now brought into close and happy relations1 ,charles ,wesley seems to have most completely won his heart4 ,towards the elder ,wesley he showed affectionate reverence1 and a loyalty that had its trials1 and gave its proofs in many ways4 ,he undoubtedly looked upon him as the chief of living men4 ,of ,thomas ,walsh1 whose life1 ,southey says1 might almost convince a ,catholic that saints are to be found in other communions1 as well as in the ,church of ,rome1--of ,walsh1 ,fletcher1 impressed with his deep1 stern1 mystic sanctity1 wrote1 ,i wish ,i could attend him everywhere1 as ,elisha attended ,elijah4 ,but it was in ,charles ,wesley that he found his dearest and most intimate friend1 to whom for years he turned for solace1 for counsel1 and for confidential intercourse4 ,we have seen the terms in which ,lady ,huntingdon speaks of ,fletcher after her first interview with him4 ,on his part1 ,fletcher was profoundly impressed with the countess's manifold excellences1 and wrote to ,charles ,wesley that he had passed three hours with a modern prodigy--a humble and pious countess4 ,lady ,huntingdon has perhaps suffered in the modern estimate of her character and work from the overstrained and even fulsome language concerning her which it was the custom of many of her friends and followers to employ4 ,appreciation of her ladyship's rank so mingled with esteem for her piety as to produce an unhappy effect upon the phraseology of her admirers4 ,the countess's biographer continues1 in a later age1 a style which1 barely endurable when a century old1 is intolerable when repeated and renewed4 ,he speaks of the elegant and pious persons to whom ,mr4 ,fletcher was invited to preach and administer the sacrament6 ,but we must not allow the effusive language of her contemporaries1 or the fine writing of her biographer1 to conceal from us the true worth of a very able and most devoted ,christian woman4 ,if that language seem to us occasionally wanting in manliness1 in proper self-respect1 and in ,christian simplicity1 it bears witness to the ascendency exercised by a remarkable character over all but the very strongest of those who came under its influence2 and if it was dangerous to be the subject of so much eulogy1 it should be remembered that ,lady ,huntingdon never shrank from running counter to the prejudices of the class to which she belonged1 and endured1 for the sake of ,christ and ,his cause1 ridicule from those of her own order1 which most people would find harder to bear than actual persecution4 ,fletcher was added to the number of ,lady ,huntingdon's chaplains4 ,it is almost unnecessary to say that this was not an appointment in the strict sense of the word1 but that he preached from time to time to the fashionable congregations that assembled at ,lady ,huntingdon's house at ,chelsea4 ,these assemblies have often been described4 ,they included the most distinguished men and women of the day4 ,chesterfield1 ,bolingbroke1 ,horace ,walpole and others1 bear witness to the fashion which prevailed4 ,to listen to ,whitefield in ,lady ,huntingdon's drawing-room became a recognised diversion for society1 and the most cynical and worldly were found side by side with the serious and devout4 ,undoubtedly some who came to scoff remained to pray4 ,amongst the women of rank who heard the gospel in this way several were converted1 and became earnest and faithful witnesses for ,christ2 but the hindrances to deep and lasting results were very great1 and we are inclined to think that this particular phase of the ,evangelical ,revival was by no means among its most fruitful or important developments4 ,the ignorance and brutality of the crowds to whom ,wesley and ,whitefield preached1 presented no such resistance to the gospel as the vanity and finished worldliness of the drawing-room congregations4 ,an instance will suffice4 ,a lady who had been invited by ,lady ,huntingdon replied in the following terms3 ,i thank your ladyship for the information concerning the ,methodist preachers4 ,their doctrines are most repulsive1 and strongly tinctured with impertinence and disrespect towards their superiors1 in perpetually endeavouring to level all ranks and do away with all distinctions4 ,it is monstrous to be told you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl on the earth4 ,this is highly offensive and insulting1 and ,i cannot but wonder that your ladyship should relish any sentiments so much at variance with high rank and good breeding4#c ,there is no record of the impression made by ,fletcher upon these fashionable congregations4 ,meanwhile he was engaged in a work probably more congenial to him1 viz4 preaching to the ,french prisoners1 a number of whom were settled at ,tunbridge4 ,after a few months this came to an end2 he was forbidden by the ,bishop of ,london to continue his ministrations4 ,there was something irregular in them1 it would appear4 ,wesley wrote afterwards1 ,if ,i had known this at the time1 ,king ,george should have known it2 and ,i believe he would have given the bishop little thanks4 ,the following extracts from his letters belong to this period3 ,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,charles ,,wesley4 ,mar4 #bbnd1 #agei4 ,since your departure ,i have lived more than ever like a hermit4 ,it seems to me that ,i am an unprofitable weight upon the earth4 ,i want to hide myself from all4 ,i tremble when the ,lord favours me with a sight of myself4 ,i tremble to think of preaching only to dishonour ,god4 ,to-morrow ,i preach at ,west ,street1 with all the feelings of ,jonah4 ,oh6 would to ,god ,i might be attended with success6 ,if the ,lord shall in any degree sustain my weakness1 ,i shall consider myself as indebted to your prayers4 ,a proposal has lately been made to me to accompany ,mr4 ,nathanael ,gilbert to the ,west ,indies4 ,i have weighed the matter2 but1 on the one hand1 ,i feel that ,i have neither zeal nor grace nor talents to expose myself to the temptations and labours of a mission to the ,west ,indies2 and1 on the other1 ,i believe that if ,god call me thither the time is not yet come4444 ,pray let me know what you think of this business2 if you condemn me to put the sea between us1 the command would be a hard one1 but ,i might possibly prevail on myself to give you that proof of the deference ,i pay to your judicious advice4 ,give me some account of ,mrs4 ,wesley1 and of the godfather she designs for your little ,charles2 and1 that she may not labour under a deception1 tell her how greatly ,i want wisdom1 and add that ,i have no more grace than wisdom4 ,if1 after all1 she will not reject so unworthy a sponsor1 remember that ,i have taken you for a father and adviser1 and that the charge will in the end devolve upon you4 ,adieu6 ,,to ,,the ,,same4 ,april1 #agei4 ,i have lately seen so much weakness in my heart1 both as a minister and a ,christian1 that ,i know not which is most to be pitied1 the man1 the believer1 or the preacher4 ,could ,i at last be truly humbled1 and continue so always1 ,i should esteem myself happy in making this discovery4 ,i preach merely to keep the chapel open until ,god shall send a workman after ,his own heart4 ,nos numeri sumus--this is almost all ,i can say of myself4 ,,to ,,the ,,same4 ,nov4 #aeth1 #agei4 ,the countess proposed to me something of what you hinted to me in your garden1 namely1 to celebrate the ,communion sometimes at her house in a morning1 and to preach when occasion offered2 in such a manner however as not to restrain my liberty1 nor to prevent my assisting you1 or preaching to the ,french refugees2 and that only till ,providence should clearly point out the path in which ,i should go4 ,charity1 politeness1 and reason accompanied her offer1 and ,i confess1 in spite of the resolution which ,i had almost absolutely formed1 to fly the houses of the great1 without even the exception of the countess's1 ,i found myself so greatly changed that ,i should have accepted on the spot a proposal which ,i should have declined from any other mouth2 but my engagement with you withheld me1 and1 thanking the countess1 ,i told her1 when ,i had reflected on her obliging offer1 ,i would do myself the honour of waiting upon her again4 ,nevertheless1 two difficulties stand in my way4 ,will it be consistent with that poverty of spirit which ,i seek8 ,can ,i accept an office for which ,i have such small talents8 ,and shall ,i not dishonour the cause of ,god by stammering out the mysteries of the gospel in a place where the most approved ministers of the ,lord have preached with so much power and so much success8 ,i suspect that my own vanity gives more weight to this second objection than it deserves to have3 what think you8 ,you are an indulgent father to me1 and the name of son suits me better than that of brother4#d ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,first ,,years ,,at ,,madeley4--,,difficulties ,,and ,,discouragements4 7#agfj-agfg47 ,fletcher had now completed his thirty-first year1 and had been three years and a half in orders4 ,ten years had elapsed since his coming to ,england1 and he had no thought of returning to ,switzerland4 ,the anglicised form of his name was significant of the change that had taken place in his sentiments and sympathies4 ,in these he had become an ,englishman1 although--and it is necessary to mark the distinction--his temperament was never naturalised1 but remained that of a foreigner to the last4 ,the yearning for his native land1 which is supposed to characterise the ,swiss1 was wholly wanting in him4 ,spiritual affections and aspirations seemed to leave little room for love of country1 and1 for a time at least1 to dissolve the ties of family and home4 ,on this subject ,charles ,wesley1 as we gather from a letter of ,fletcher's1 administered a mild reproof1 to which he replies1 with the utmost simplicity1 that he had often thought that the particular fault of the ,swiss is to be without natural affection4 ,it should be added that later years showed that he had no need to seek shelter under any such doubtful generalization1 or charge himself with so grievous a moral deficiency4 ,meanwhile1 his position needed defining to himself1 and to others4 ,he was not adequately or satisfactorily employed4 ,his labours in connexion with the ,wesleys and ,lady ,huntingdon1 broken off and resumed from time to time1 according as he lived in ,london or in ,shropshire1 were but preparatory to some more definite and continuous vocation4 ,what that should be he knew not4 ,it was however soon to be determined4 ,his friend ,mr4 ,hill1 desirous of doing something for the tutor of his sons1 offered him the living of ,dunham1 in ,cheshire4 ,the parish1 said he1 is small1 the duty light1 the income good 7,l#djj per annum71 and it is situated in a fine1 healthy1 sporting country4 ,alas6 replied ,fletcher1 ,dunham will not suit me2 there is too much money and too little labour4 ,all that ,mr4 ,hill could say to this unexpected difficulty was1 ,few clergymen make such objections1 and to tell him that it was a pity to decline such a living1 as he did not know where he could find him another4 ,what was to be done8 ,mr4 ,hill suggested ,madeley2 ,would you like that8 ,that1 sir1 said ,fletcher1 would be the very place for me4 ,my object1 answered ,mr4 ,hill1 is to make you comfortable in your own way4 ,if you prefer ,madeley1 ,i shall find no difficulty in persuading ,mr4 ,chambre to exchange it for ,dunham1 which is worth more than twice as much as ,madeley4 ,a nephew of ,mr4 ,hill was patron of ,madeley1 and the uncle and nephew meeting soon after at ,shrewsbury races1 the exchange of livings was negotiated then and there1 and the result communicated to ,fletcher4 ,on his part there were still a few doubts and heart-searchings1 and one powerful influence was opposed to his accepting this or any other living3 ,wesley wanted him for itinerant work1 and told him1 ,others may do well in a living2 you cannot1 it is not your calling4 ,i tell him1 says ,fletcher1 ,i readily own that ,i am not fit to plant or water any part of the ,lord's vineyard2 but that if ,i am called at all1 ,i am called to preach at ,madeley1 where ,i was first sent into the ministry1 and where a chain of providences ,i could not break has again fastened me4 ,with these convictions the matter was soon settled4 ,his induction to the vicarage of the parish church of ,madeley was signed by the ,bishop of ,hereford1 on ,october #dth1 #agfj4 ,henceforth ,fletcher is ,vicar of ,madeley4 ,he has found the sphere of labour where he was to spend the remainder of his days1 and received the designation by which he will ever be remembered4#e ,among the country parishes of ,england are many whose remoteness from toil and din1 and tranquil beauty of church and parsonage1 of hall and cottage1 have made them meet homes for gentle-spirited men4 ,george ,herbert at ,bemerton1 ,augustus ,hare at ,alton1 ,john ,keble at ,hursley1 represent an element in the historic ,church of ,england1 which is to its more imposing aspects what the pastoral scenery amid which they lived1 is to the mountains of ,westmorland or ,wales4 ,had the providence which shaped ,fletcher's course guided him to some such retirement1 and made him shepherd of a simple1 docile flock1 no man would have trodden with greater meekness and fidelity the quiet ways of the country parson2 but he was called to another and more arduous service4 ,few scenes of labour could be less attractive1 considered in itself1 than that upon which he was now entering4 ,the parish of ,madeley1 including ,coalbrookdale and ,madeley ,wood1 was large and populous4 ,the inhabitants were principally colliers and ironworkers1 ignorant1 rough1 and brutal4 ,their condition is not to be wondered at4 ,little or nothing had been done to raise and improve them4 ,the well-organized1 well-worked parish of modern times1 was not yet in existence4 ,the non-residence of the clergy1 which lasted throughout the century1 as may be seen by the language of ,bishop ,burnet at its beginning and of ,bishop ,horsley at its close1 was a fruitful source of many evils1 and a chief hindrance in the way of a higher standard of parochial duty4 ,another twenty years was to elapse before any serious attempt was made to establish ,sunday schools4 ,public catechizing had fallen into disuse4 ,day schools were few and inefficient4 ,voluntary associations for ,christian work were all but unknown4 ,the district visitor1 the tract distributer1 the ,bible-woman1 the home missionary1 the many organizations of ,christian piety and zeal with which the land is now covered1 had not yet arisen4 ,the ,revival was to produce them in due course1 but meanwhile the mass of the people was untouched by any effectual ,christian influences1 save where the ,methodist clergy1 or ,wesley's itinerants1 brought the gospel home to them4 ,what could be expected of a rough collier population but hard drinking1 profane swearing1 and cruel sports8 ,these were common practices everywhere1 and were not likely to be found in their mildest forms among the people of ,madeley and the neighbouring villages4 ,in his letters to ,charles ,wesley and the ,countess of ,huntingdon1 ,fletcher gives some particulars respecting his parish and the work he had undertaken4 ,oct4 #bhth1 #agfj4 ,i preached last ,sunday for the first time in my church1 and shall continue to do so1 though ,i propose staying with ,mr4 ,hill till he leaves the country1 which will be1 ,i suppose1 in a fortnight1 partly to comply with him to the last1 partly to avoid falling out with my predecessor1 who is still at ,madeley1 but who will remove about the same time4 ,nov4 #aith1 #agfj4 ,i have hitherto wrote my sermons1 but am carried so far beyond my notes when in the pulpit that ,i purpose preaching with only my sermon-case in my hand next ,friday1 when ,i shall venture on an evening lecture for the first time4 ,i question whether ,i shall have above half a dozen hearers1 as the god of a busy world is doubly the god of this part of the world1 but ,i am resolved to try4 ,the weather and the roads are so bad that the way to the church is almost impracticable2 nevertheless all the seats were full last ,sunday4 ,i cannot yet discern any deep work1 or indeed anything but what will always attend the crying down man's righteousness1 and insisting upon ,christ's1--,i mean a general liking among the poor1 and offence1 ridicule1 and opposition among the 'reputable' and 'wise' people4 ,should the ,lord vouchsafe to plant the gospel in this country1 my parish seems to be the best spot for the centre of a work1 as it lies just among the most populous1 profane1 and ignorant4 ,jan4 #fth1 #agfa4 ,as to my parish1 all that ,i see hitherto in it is nothing but what one may expect from speaking plainly and with some degree of earnestness3 a crying out1 ',he's a ,methodist1 a downright ,methodist'2 while some of the poorer sort say1 'nay1 but he speaketh the truth4' ,some of the best farmers and most respectable tradesmen talk often among themselves 7as ,i am told7 about turning me out of my living as a ,methodist or a ,baptist4444 ,my ,friday lecture took better than ,i expected1 and ,i propose to continue it till the congregation desert me4444 ,the number of communicants is increased from thirty to above a hundred2 and a few seem to seek grace in the means4 ,april #bgth1 #agfa4 ,last ,sunday ,i had the pleasure of seeing some in the churchyard who could not get into the church4 ,i began a few ,sundays ago to preach in the afternoon1 after catechising the children1 but ,i do not preach my own sermons4 ,twice ,i read a sermon of ,archbishop ,ussher1 and last ,sunday one of the homilies1 taking the liberty to make some observations on such passages as confirmed what ,i advanced in the morning2 and by this means ,i stopped the mouths of many adversaries4444 ,you will do well to engage your colliers at ,kingswood to pray for their poor brethren at ,madeley4 ,may those at ,madeley one day equal them in faith1 as they now do in that wickedness for which they 7the ,kingswood colliers7 were famous before you went among them4 ,aug4 #abth1 #agfa4 ,i know not what to say to you of the state of my soul4 ,i daily struggle in the ,slough of ,despond1 and ,i endeavour every day to climb the hill ,difficulty4 ,i need wisdom1 mildness1 and courage3 and no man has less of them than ,i4 ,o ,jesus1 my ,saviour1 draw me strongly to ,him who giveth wisdom to all who ask it1 and upbraideth them not6 ,as to the state of my parish1 the prospect is yet discouraging4 ,new scandals succeed those that wear away4 ,but offences must come4 ,happy shall ,i be if the offence cometh not by me6 ,my churchwardens speak of hindering strangers from coming to the church1 and of repelling them from the ,lord's table2 but on these points ,i am determined to make head against them4 ,a club of eighty workmen in a neighbouring parish1 being offended at their minister1 determined to come in procession to my church1 and requested me to preach a sermon for them2 but ,i thought proper to decline it1 and have thereby a little regained the good graces of the minister1 at least for a time4 ,oct4 #abth1 #agfa4 ,discouragements follow one after another with very little intermission4 ,those which are of an inward nature are sufficiently known to you2 but some others are peculiar to myself1 especially those ,i have had for eight days past1 during ,madeley wake4 ,seeing that ,i could not suppress these bacchanals1 ,i did all in my power to moderate their madness2 but my endeavours have had little or no effect4 ,you cannot well imagine how much the animosity of my parishioners is heightened1 and with what boldness it discovers itself against me1 because ,i preached against drunkenness1 shows1 and bull-baiting4 ,the publicans and maltmen will not forgive me2 they think that to preach against drunkenness and to cut their purse is the same thing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,fletcher's difficulties during these earlier years at ,madeley were1 indeed1 very numerous4 ,in his letters he passes lightly over the violence of the more ignorant and brutal of his flock4 ,though from time to time dangerous enough1 it did not daunt or distress him so much as some other kinds of opposition4 ,while fearlessly reproving their vices1 he was full of tenderness and pity for the poor sinful wretches who cursed and insulted him to his face4 ,he sought them separately1 literally pursuing those who tried to hide themselves from him1 and entreated them to turn from their sins4 ,he would break in upon their assemblies1 where drunkenness and obscenity had scarcely any limits1 and reprove them with an earnestness that touched the consciences of some1 while it roused others to resentment and revenge4 ,on one occasion at least he had a narrow escape for his life4 ,one ,sunday evening when he was expected at ,madeley ,wood1 a number of colliers1 who were baiting a bull1 maddened with drink and excitement1 agreed to bait the parson4 ,some of them undertook to pull him off his horse as soon as he appeared1 while the rest were to set the dogs upon him4 ,but the providence of ,god prevented this crime1 and protected the faithful minister4 ,just as he was about to set out for ,madeley ,wood he was unexpectedly sent for to bury a child1 and so was detained until it was too late to go to the ,wood2 and the drunken colliers1 who were cursing their ill luck1 had nothing for it but to return to the public-house and solace themselves after their manner4 ,from among the very worst of these despisers of his ministry some1 however1 were converted to ,god1 and became his joy and consolation4 ,on a certain ,sunday1 after reading prayers at ,madeley1 he says that his mind became so confused that he could not recollect his text or any part of his sermon4 ,under these circumstances he began to explain and apply the first lesson1 which was the third chapter of the ,book of ,daniel1 containing the account of ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego being cast into the fiery furnace4 ,the remainder of the story may be told in ,fletcher's own words4 ,i found in doing this such extraordinary assistance from ,god1 and such a peculiar enlargement of heart1 that ,i supposed there must be some peculiar cause for it4 ,i therefore desired1 if any of the congregation found anything particular1 they would acquaint me with it in the ensuing week4 ,in consequence of this1 the ,wednesday after a woman came and gave the following account3 ',i have been for some time much concerned about my soul4 ,i have attended church at all opportunities1 and have spent much time in private prayer4 ,at this my husband1 who is a butcher1 has been exceedingly enraged1 and has threatened me severely as to what he would do to me if ,i did not leave off going to ,john ,fletcher's church2 yea1 if ,i dared to go again to any religious meetings whatever4 ,when ,i told him ,i could not in conscience refrain from going1 at least to the parish church1 he became outrageous1 and swore dreadfully1 and said if ,i went again he would cut my throat as soon as ,i came back4 ,this made me cry to ,god that ,he would support me2 and though ,i did not feel any great degree of comfort1 yet1 having a sure confidence in ,god1 ,i determined to do my duty1 and leave the event to ,him4 ,last ,sunday1 after many struggles with the devil and my own heart1 ,i came downstairs ready for church4 ,my husband said he should not cut my throat1 as he had intended1 but he would heat the oven1 and throw me into it the moment ,i came home4 ,notwithstanding this threat1 which he enforced with many bitter oaths1 ,i went to church1 praying all the way that ,god would strengthen me to suffer whatever might befall me4 ,while you were speaking of the three children whom ,nebuchadnezzar cast into the burning1 fiery furnace1 ,i found all you said belonged to me4 ,god applied every word to my heart2 and when the sermon was ended ,i thought if ,i had a thousand lives ,i could lay them all down for ,him4 ,i felt so filled with ,his love that ,i hastened home1 fully determined to give myself to whatsoever ,god pleased1 nothing doubting that ,he either would take me to heaven1 if ,he suffered me to be burnt to death1 or that ,he would in some way deliver me1 as ,he did ,his three servants that trusted in ,him4 ,when ,i got to my own door ,i saw flames issuing from the oven1 and ,i expected to be thrown into it immediately4 ,i felt my heart rejoice that if it were so the will of the ,lord would be done4 ,i opened the door1 and to my astonishment saw my husband upon his knees1 praying for the forgiveness of his sins4 ,he caught me in his arms1 earnestly begged my pardon1 and has continued diligently seeking ,god ever since4' ,but there was opposition1 as has been said1 that weighed more heavily upon ,fletcher's spirit than that of the poor and ignorant1 who knew not what they did4 ,now it was a new convert1 whom the devil had by fifty visions set on the pinnacle of the temple4 ,i have had more trouble with her visions than with her unbelief4 ,then he writes3 ,a daughter of one of my most substantial parishioners1 giving place to ,satan by pride and impatience1 is driven in her conviction into a kind of madness4 ,judge how our adversaries rejoiced6 ,another incident caused him almost to despair of any good4 ,a constable was sent to his house upon information that a cry of murder had been heard there on ,christmas ,day4 ,the report arose from the cries from a young woman1 who used to fall into convulsions1 sometimes in the church and sometimes in the private meetings4 ,he writes3 ,her constitution is considerably weakened as well as her understanding4 ,what to do in this case ,i know not2 for those who are tempted in this manner pay as little regard to reason as the miserable people in ,bedlam4 ,he adds1 ,and for my part ,i was tempted to forsake my ministry and take to my heels4 ,a further affliction was the ill-will of the neighbouring clergy and gentry4 ,at the archdeacon's visitation a sermon was preached against what were called the doctrines of ,methodism1 and after the sermon ,fletcher was triumphantly asked what answer he could make4 ,a young clergyman1 living in ,madeley ,wood1 fastened a paper to the door of the parish church charging him with rebellion1 schism1 and being a disturber of the public peace4 ,he had opened a room for religious services in a small house built upon the rock in ,madeley ,wood4 ,hence it was known as the ,rock ,church4 ,it was determined to put the ,conventicle ,act in force against him4 ,a poor widow who lived in the house1 ,mary ,matthews by name1 and a young man who used to take part in the services held there1 were arrested and taken before the justice4 ,mary ,matthews was fined ,l#bj1 and the justice proposed to grant a warrant for the apprehension of ,fletcher4 ,the other justices thinking it a matter beyond their jurisdiction1 the warrant was not issued4 ,his churchwardens talked loudly of putting him in the spiritual court for holding meetings in houses1 and1 ,fletcher adds1 what is worse than all1 three false witnesses offer to prove upon oath that ,i am a liar2 and some of 'my followers' 7as they are called7 have dishonoured their profession1 to the great joy of our adversaries4 ,no wonder he was from time to time greatly cast down4 ,his health was delicate1 he lived alone1 and1 between deliberate fasting and unconscious neglect of himself1 his body suffered and his spirits were depressed4 ,he writes to ,charles ,wesley3 ,i preach1 ,i exhort1 ,i pray1 etc41 but as yet ,i seem to have cast the net on the wrong side of the ship4 ,lord ,jesus1 come ,thyself and furnish me with a ,divine commission6 ,for some months past ,i have laboured under an insufferable drowsiness4 ,i could sleep day and night1 and the hours which ,i ought to employ with ,christ on the mountain ,i spend like ,peter in the garden4 ,the drowsiness of which he complains was probably connected with what ,wesley says was his invariable rule2 viz4 to sit up two whole nights in a week1 and devote the time to reading1 meditation1 and prayer4 ,we have seen that ,wesley disapproved these austerities as well intended but not well judged4 ,it would be easy1 but ungracious1 to expand into censure what ,wesley so gently touched upon4 ,it will be pleasanter to look for a moment upon the solitary vicar at his frugal meal1 as portrayed by one who never forgot her girlish visit to the vicarage4 ,mr4 ,fletcher sometimes visited a boarding school at ,madeley4 ,one morning he came in just as the girls had sat down to breakfast4 ,he said but little while the meal lasted1 but when it was finished he spoke to each girl separately1 and concluded by saying to the whole1 ',i have waited some time on you this morning1 that ,i might see you eat your breakfast2 and ,i hope you will visit me to-morrow morning and see how ,i eat mine4' ,he told them his breakfast hour was seven o'clock1 and obtained a promise that they would visit him4 ,next morning they went at the time appointed1 and seated themselves in the kitchen4 ,mr4 ,fletcher came in1 quite rejoiced to see them4 ,on the table stood a small basin of milk and sops of bread4 ,mr4 ,fletcher took the basin across the kitchen1 and sat down on an old bench4 ,he then took out his watch1 laid it before him1 and said3 ',my dear girls1 yesterday morning ,i waited on you a full hour while you were at breakfast4 ,i shall take as much time this morning in eating my breakfast as ,i usually do1 if not rather more4 ,look at my watch6 and he immediately began to eat and continued in conversation with them4 ,when he had finished he asked them how long he had been at breakfast4 ,they said1 ',just a minute and a half1 sir4' ',now1 my dear girls1' said he1 'we have fifty-eight minutes of the hour left'2 and he began to sing-- ',our life is a dream2 ,our time as a stream ,glides swiftly away1 ,and the fugitive moment refuses to stay4' ,after this he gave them a lecture on the value of time1 and the worth of the soul4 ,they then all knelt down in prayer1 after which he dismissed them with impressions on the mind the narrator never ceased to remember4#f ,in following ,fletcher through the earlier years of his ministry at ,madeley the thought will present itself to most persons that a good wife would have been an incalculable blessing to him4 ,in a letter to ,mr4 ,perronet1 written in ,november1 #agfe1 he says1 ,i live alone in my house1 having neither wife1 child1 nor servant4 ,surely this is a somewhat forlorn view of the ,vicar of ,madeley1 which not all his gentle cheerfulness can effectually brighten4 ,a wife's ministering would have been as good for his health and comfort as her sympathy and counsel would have been helpful in the peculiar difficulties of his pastorate4 ,george ,herbert1 in his ,country ,parson1 though he shows a sufficient leaning towards the celibacy of the clergy1 yet qualifies his verdict3 ,the country parson1 considering that virginity is a higher state than matrimony1 and that the ministry requires the best and highest thing1 is rather unmarried than married4 ,but yet1 444 as the temper of his parish may be1 where he may have occasion to converse with women1 and that amongst suspicious men1 and other like circumstances considered1 he is rather married than unmarried4 ,fletcher was never suspected of levity or indiscretion4 ,it was hardly within the power1 either of the foolish or the malicious1 to fasten scandal upon one so transparently pure in spirit and demeanour4 ,but1 as it has been seen1 the religious fears and fancies1 and morbid or fanatical conditions of certain women caused him much trouble1 and almost made him despair of his work4 ,in these matters the aid of such a wife as ,fletcher would have married--as many years afterwards he did marry--would have been invaluable4 ,it is the more to be regretted that he did not marry1 as it appears that his heart was already drawn towards ,miss ,bosanquet1 his future wife4 ,but her fortune he regarded as an almost insuperable obstacle4 ,juvenal's sarcasm1 ,veniunt a dote sagittae1 recurred to him1 and he shrank from the notion of becoming the suitor of a wealthy woman4 ,charles ,wesley thought it would be better for him to marry2 but he repelled the suggestion1 and wrote him several reasons against matrimony1 which1 to say the truth1 are a very laboured piece of writing1 and are never likely to convince any human being whose mind is not already made up4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,controversy ,,and ,,correspondence4 ,almost from the beginning of his ministry ,fletcher's pen was active in the service of religion4 ,from various causes much1 if not the greater part1 of his writings was controversial1 and to this fact may be assigned1 in part at least1 their immediate popularity and subsequent neglect4 ,but the spirit of controversy never got the better of the spirit of devotion4 ,whatever view may be taken of the ,calvinist controversy1 in which he took a leading part1 few will dissent from ,southey's judgment3 ,if ever true ,christian charity was manifested in polemical writing1 it was by ,fletcher of ,madeley4 ,even theological controversy never in the slightest degree irritated his heavenly temper4 ,some extracts from his earlier writings will show the spirit in which he entered upon this part of his labours4 ,in reply to the visitation sermon attacking the doctrines of ,methodism1 he wrote1 in ,july1 #agfa1 a short ,defence of ,experimental ,religion1 which may be classed amongst the best apologies of the period4 ,he had now acquired an easy1 pleasant ,english style1 tending somewhat to the florid and diffuse1 but generally stopping short of excess1 and often forcible and persuasive in a high degree4 ,he had no difficulty in showing that to represent virtue and morality as the way to salvation is neither agreeable to the ,scripture nor to the doctrine of the ,church of ,england4 ,the true nature of justification1 and of the faith that justifies1 he illustrates from the ,articles and ,homilies4 ,the necessity of ,god's grace to turn the will1 as against the superficial notion that a man is as free to do good as to do evil1 is shown from ,article ,x41 from the baptismal office1 and the collect for ,ash ,wednesday4 ,it was inevitable in the state of religion in ,england1 and considering the chief intellectual influences then in the ascendant1 that to preach salvation as a present blessing to be possessed and enjoyed1 was to incur the charge of enthusiasm4 ,the high and moderate clergy never felt surer of themselves than when exposing the folly and presumption of feelings and experiences in religion4 ,fletcher distinguishes between what is true and what is false on this subject3 ,to set up impulses as the standard of our faith or rule of our conduct2 to take the thrilling of weak nerves1 sinking of the animal spirits1 or flights of a heated imagination1 for the workings of ,god's ,spirit2 to pretend to miraculous gifts1 and those fruits of the ,spirit which are not offered and promised to believers in all ages1 or to boast of the graces which that ,spirit produces in the heart of every child of ,god1 when the fruits of the flesh appear in our life--this is downright enthusiasm3 ,i detest it as well as you1 sir1 and ,i heartily wish you good luck whenever you shall attack such monstrous delusions4 ,but is it consistent with the doctrines of our ,church to condemn and set aside all feelings in religion1 and rank them with unaccountable impulses8 ,give me leave1 sir1 to tell you that either you or the compilers of our ,liturgy1 ,articles1 and ,homilies must be mistaken1 if ,i did not mistake you4444 ,they bid us pray 7office for the sick7 that every sick person may know and feel that there is no saving name or power but that of ,jesus ,christ4 ,in the seventeenth of our ,articles they speak of godly persons1 and such as feel in themselves the workings of ,god's ,spirit4 ,and in the third part of the homily for rogation week1 they declare that when after contrition we feel our consciences at peace with ,god through the remission of our sin1 it is ,god that worketh this miracle in us4 7,compare this with ,rom4 v4 #a47 ,they are so far therefore from attributing such feelings to the weakness of good people's nerves1 or to a spirit of pride and delusion1 that they affirm it is ,god that worketh them in their hearts4444 ,you seemed1 sir1 to discountenance feelings as not agreeable to sober1 rational worship2 but1 if ,i am not mistaken1 reason by no means clashes with feelings of various sorts in religion4 ,i am willing to let any man of reason judge whether feeling sorrow for sin1 hunger and thirst after righteousness1 peace of conscience1 serenity of mind1 consolation in prayer1 thankfulness at the ,lord's table1 hatred of sin1 zeal for ,god1 love to ,jesus and all men1 compassion for the distressed1 etc41 or feeling nothing at all of this1 is matter of mere indifference3 yea1 sir1 take for a judge a heathen poet1 if you please1 and you will hear him say of a young man who1 by his blushes1 betrayed the shame he felt for having told an untruth1--,erubuit1 salva res est4444 ,if a man may feel sorrow when he sees himself stript of all1 and left naked upon a desert coast1 why should not a penitent sinner1 whom ,god has delivered from blindness of heart1 be allowed to feel sorrow upon seeing himself robbed of his title to heaven1 and left in the wilderness of this world destitute of original righteousness8 ,again1 if it is not absurd to say that a rebel1 condemned to death1 feels joy upon his being reprieved and received into his prince's favour1 why should it be thought absurd to affirm that a ,christian1 who1 being justified by faith1 has peace with ,god1 and rejoices in hope of the glory to come1 feels joy and happiness in his inmost soul on that account8 ,on the contrary1 sir1 to affirm that such a one feels nothing 7if ,i am not mistaken7 is no less repugnant to reason than to religion4444 ,but if1 because your text was taken out of ,st4 ,paul's epistle1 you choose1 sir1 to let him decide whether feelings ought to have place in sound religion1 or not1 ,i am willing to stand at the bar before so great a judge1 and promise to find no fault with his sentence4444 ,where does he exclaim against feeling the power of ,god1 or the powerful operations of ,his ,spirit on the heart8 ,is it where he says that the kingdom of ,god is 'not in word1 but in power'2 that this kingdom within us 7if we are believers71 this true1 inward religion consists in peace1 righteousness1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost2 that ,christians rejoice in tribulation1 because the love of ,god is shed abroad in their hearts by the ,holy ,ghost given unto them8 ,is it where he says1 he is 'not ashamed of the gospel of ,christ1 because it is the power of ,god to the salvation of every one that believeth'2 that he desired to 'know nothing but ,jesus and the power of ,his resurrection'8 7#b ,cor4 ii4 #bd47 ,or is it when he calls the exerting of this power in him his life2 saying1 ',i live not1 but ,christ lives in me2 and the life that ,i now live in the flesh1 ,i live by the faith of the ,son of ,god1 who loved me and gave ,himself for me'8 ,can we suppose that he discountenances feelings in religion1 when he prays that 'the ,god of hope' would fill the ,romans 7xv4 #ac7 'with all joy and peace in believing1 that they might abound in hope through the power of the ,holy ,ghost'2 when he says that 'they had not received again the spirit of bondage to fear1 but the spirit of adoption1 crying1 ,abba1 ,father1 and witnessing to their spirits that they were the children of ,god1' agreeable to that of ,st4 ,john1 ',he that believeth hath the witness in himself'8 ,one more argument on this subject1 and ,i shall conclude the whole4 ,if good nature1 affability1 and morality1 with a round of outward duties1 will fit a man for heaven1 without any feeling of the workings of the ,spirit of ,god in the heart1 or without peace1 righteousness1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost2 if such a professor of godliness is really in that narrow way to the kingdom which few people find1 why did our ,lord puzzle honest ,nicodemus with the strange doctrine of a new birth8444 why did ,he trouble the religious centurion with sending for ,peter1 that the ,holy ,ghost might fall upon him and all that heard the word1 while the apostle preached to them remission of sins1 through faith in ,jesus8 ,but1 above all1 if inward feelings are nothing in sound religion1 if they rather border upon enthusiasm1 why did not our ,lord caution the woman who came behind him in ,simon's house1 who wept at his feet1 and kissed and wiped them with her hair8 ,why did ,he not take this opportunity to preach her and us a lecture on enthusiasm8 ,why did ,he not advise her to take something to help the weakness of her nerves1 and prevent the ferment of her spirits8 ,why did ,he not tell her she went too far1 she would run mad in the end8 ,why did ,he not bid her 7as people do in our days7 go into company a little1 and divert her melancholy8 ,nay1 more2 why did ,he prefer her with all her behaviour to good-natured1 virtuous1 religious1 undisturbed ,simon8 444 ,however1 do not mistake me1 sir2 ,i am far from supposing that the sincerity of people's devotion must be judged of by the emotion they feel in their bodies4444 ,but as ,i read that ,god will have the heart or nothing1 so ,i know that when ,he has the heart1 ,he has the affections1 of course4 ,fear and hope1 sorrow and joy1 desire and love act upon their proper objects1 ,god's attributes4 ,they often launch out1 and1 as it were1 lose themselves in ,his immensity1 and1 at times1 several of these passions acting together in the soul1 the noble disorder they cause cannot but affect the animal spirits1 and communicate itself more or less to the body4 ,hence came the floods of tears shed by ,david1 ,jeremiah1 ,mary1 ,peter1 ,paul1 etc42 hence came the sighs1 tears1 strong cries1 and groans unutterable of our ,saviour ,himself4 ,the ,defence1 from which these extracts are made1 fairly exhibits the mind of early ,methodism1 and of the ,evangelical ,revival generally1 upon the questions discussed4 ,the discrimination between religious feeling arising from the quickened apprehension of ,divine truth1 and that which is little more than natural emotion unnaturally stimulated1 is not peculiar to ,fletcher4 ,he did but share it with the other leaders of the new reformation4 ,the teaching of ,wesley1 the master mind of the whole movement1 is1 as regards this matter1 as much marked by strong sense as by ,evangelical fervour4 ,the comment1 perhaps1 of most readers of this ,defence of ,experimental ,religion will be that the points contended for are obvious and indisputable1 that they would be so readily admitted as to render much of the argument superfluous4 ,that this should appear so is one of the many illustrations of the extent to which the results of the great ,revival have passed into the religious life of the nation1 and become a common heritage4 ,the private letters written at this period of ,fletcher's life contain very little biographic material1 and indeed record few incidents of any kind4 ,written1 for the most part1 to persons like-minded with himself1 they consist mainly of the outpourings of praise and holy aspiration1 mingled with exhortations and counsels4 ,to the spiritually-minded who may read them they will continue to interpret and justify themselves1 but it must be admitted that they do not belong to the rare and precious class of writings that rank among the permanent treasures of the ,christian ,church4 ,the distinction between that which is for an age1 and that which is for all time1 is nowhere more marked than in religious literature4 ,fletcher's letters nourished the spiritual life of his friends and correspondents1 and were much read by ,methodists for a generation or two2 but they have failed to win a place among the books that do not grow old1 those companions of the spiritual life whose ministry is from generation to generation4 ,so few indeed are the books of this class that there is no need to apologise for ,fletcher because he has not added to their number4#g ,a few extracts from his correspondence may be given4 ,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,charles ,,wesley4 ,sept4 #bjth1 #agfb4 ,the 'crede quod habes et habes' is not very different from those words of ,christ1 ',what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4' ,the humble reason of the believer and the irrational presumption of the enthusiast draw this doctrine to the right hand or to the left4 ,but to split the hair1 here lies the difficulty4444 ,truly you are a pleasant casuist4 ,what6 ',it hath pleased ,thee to regenerate this infant with ,thy ,holy ,spirit1 to receive him for ,thine own child by adoption1 and to incorporate him into ,thy holy ,church'--does all this signify nothing more than 'being taken into the visible ,church'8 ,how came you to think of my going to leave ,madeley8 ,i have indeed had my scruples about the above passage1 and some in the burial service2 but you may dismiss your fears1 and be assured ,i will neither marry nor leave my ,church without advising you4 ,,to ,,miss ,,hatton4 ,nov4 #ast1 #agfb4 ,that there is a seal of pardon and an earnest of our inheritance above1 to which you are as yet a stranger1 seems clear from the tenor of your letter2 but had ,i been in the place of the gentleman you name1 ,i would have endeavoured to lay it before you as 'the fruit of faith1' and a most glorious privilege1 rather than as 'the root of faith1' and a thing absolutely necessary to the being of it4444 ,hold fast your confidence1 but do not trust nor rest in it2 trust in ,christ1 and remember ,he says1 ',i am the way'2 not for you to stop1 but to run on in ,him4 ,rejoice to hear that there is a full assurance of faith to be obtained by the seal of ,god's ,spirit1 and go on from faith to faith until you are possessed of it4 ,but remember this1 and let this double advice prevent your straying to the right or left3 first1 that you will have reason to suspect the sincerity of your zeal if you lie down easy without the seal of your pardon1 and the full assurance of your faith2 secondly1 while you wait for that seal in all the means of grace1 beware of being unthankful for the least degree of faith and confidence in ,jesus1 beware of burying one talent1 because you have not five1 beware of despising the grain of mustard seed because it is not yet a tree4 ,with respect to myself3 in many conflicts and troubles of soul ,i have consulted many masters of the spiritual life2 but ,divine mercy did not1 does not1 suffer me to rest upon the word of a fellow creature4 ,the best advices have often increased my perplexities2 and the end was to make me cease from human dependence1 and wait upon ,god from the dust of self-despair4 ,to ,him therefore ,i desire to point you and myself1 in the person of ,jesus ,christ4 ,this incarnate ,god receives weary1 perplexed sinners still1 and gives them solid rest4 ,he teaches as no man ever taught2 ,his words have spirit and life2 nor can ,he possibly mistake our case4 99 99 99 99 99 ,fletcher's correspondence with ,miss ,hatton continued1 at intervals1 for some years4 ,she was much afflicted in body1 and1 as it would seem1 harassed and burdened in spirit1 and his letters afforded her consolation and guidance until the close of her life1 to which he thus refers3 ,poor ,miss ,hatton died last ,sunday fortnight full of serenity1 faith1 and love4 ,the four last hours of her life were better than all her sickness4 ,when the pangs of death were upon her1 the comforts of the ,almighty bore her triumphantly through1 and some of her last words were3 ,grieve not at my happiness4444 ,i wish ,i could tell you half of what ,i feel and see4 ,i am going to keep an everlasting sabbath4444 ,thanks be to ,god1 who giveth me the victory6 ,his care for his people found expression in many ways that watchful love suggested1 or their necessities seemed to call for4 ,during his occasional absences from home he addressed pastoral letters to his flock filled with ,christian exhortations and counsels4 ,the following are extracts3 ,oct41 #agfe4 ,i beg you will not neglect the assembling of yourselves together1 and when you meet in society1 be neither backward nor forward to speak4 ,let every one esteem himself the meanest in the company1 and be glad to sit at the feet of the lowest4444 ,i had not time to finish this letter yesterday1 being called upon to preach in a market town in the neighbourhood4444 ,a gentleman churchwarden would hinder my getting into the pulpit1 and1 in order to do this1 cursed and swore1 and took another gentleman by the collar in the middle of the church4 ,notwithstanding his rage1 ,i preached4 ,may the ,lord raise in power what was sown in weakness6 ,sept41 #agff4 ,when ,i was in ,london ,i endeavoured to make the most of my time1 that is to say1 to hear1 receive1 and practise the word4 ,accordingly ,i went to ,mr4 ,whitefield's tabernacle1 and heard him give his society a most excellent exhortation upon love4 ,he began by observing1 that 'when ,st4 ,john was old1 and past walking and preaching1 he would not forsake the assembling himself with the brethren1 as the manner of too many is1 upon little or no pretence at all4 ,on the contrary1 he got himself carried to their meeting1 and1 with his last thread of voice1 preached to them his final sermon1 consisting of this one sentence1 ,my little children1 love one another4' ,i wish1 ,i pray1 ,i earnestly beseech you to follow that evangelical1 apostolical advice4444 ,bear with one another's infirmities1 and do not easily cast off any one2 no1 not for sin1 except it be obstinately persisted in4 ,from unpublished manuscripts of ,fletcher we find that in the latter part of the year #agfd he was engaged in a somewhat remarkable controversy within his own parish4 ,his opponent was a ,mrs4 ,anne ,darby1 a member of the ,society of ,friends1 and the subjects discussed included the ,athanasian ,creed1 the doctrine of the ,trinity1 the ,sacraments1 and the ,christian ,ministry4 ,his account of its origin is as follows3 ,on ,thursday1 ,november #bbnd1 #agfd1 ,mrs4 ,darby1 a female teacher among the people called ,quakers1 came into a house where the ,vicar of ,madeley was instructing his parishioners4 ,he had given previous notice of his design to answer the objections made by dissenters and infidels against the ,church of ,england2 and he happened at her coming to defend the doctrine of the blessed ,trinity1 as contained in ,athanasius's ,creed4 ,it was not long before the lady began the attack1 and having given us a scriptural account of the ,trinity1 she blamed us for two things3 #ast4 ,for dwelling upon that point rather than enforcing practical duties4 #bnd4 ,for admitting ,st4 ,athanasius's ,creed1 as in her opinion it is full of gross misrepresentations of the ,godhead4 ,a verbal discussion followed1 which is carefully recorded4 ,mrs4 ,darby afterwards brought the six following questions1 and put them to the vicar1 who1 in turn1 furnishes a written reply4 #ast ,query4 ,dost thou believe that thy ,church1 or as it is called1 the ,church of ,england1 is the ,church of ,christ8 #bnd ,query4 ,dost thou believe that thou art a minister of ,christ8 #crd ,query4 ,but ,christ's ministers had all their trade4 ,was not ,paul a tentmaker8 ,and is thy maintenance such as suits a minister of the gospel8 #dth ,query4 ,the ministers of ,christ preach the gospel freely4 ',freely ye have received1 freely give1' says ,christ4 ,dost thou do so8 #eth ,query4 ,is the baptism thou baptizest with1 the baptism of ,him who baptized with the ,holy ,ghost8 #fth ,query4 ,dost thou believe that the supper thou celebratest is the supper of which ,christ said1 ',i stand at the door1 and knock3 if any man hear ,my voice1 and open1 ,i will come in1 and sup with him1 and he with ,me'8 ,in discussing these queries ,fletcher took great pains4 ,he deals with no less than fifteen objections under one of them4 ,instead of asserting his authority1 or that of the ,church1 he set himself to answer every reasonable question1 including some that would hardly be considered such1 to give satisfaction1 if possible1 to his opponents1 and protect his people from what appeared to him serious perversions of truth4 ,the labour involved would have sufficed to produce a book1 but he had no literary aim in the matter4 ,his manuscript was submitted to ,mrs4 ,darby1 and then1 bound in a stout leathern cover1 circulated among his parishioners4 ,as we have quoted its opening passage1 we will give an extract from its close1 in which the ,vicar of ,madeley and ,mrs4 ,darby take leave of one another4 ,i hope the reader by this time laments with me the bad use that ,mrs4 ,darby makes of a good understanding4 ,how much better were it for her1 and us all1 if1 instead of quibbling and wresting the ,scriptures1 as these sheets show she hath done1 she would second the endeavours of the vicar in promoting a reformation of essentials in the parish with respect to principles and manners6 ,but if she is still moved by the spirit of contention to make fresh assaults upon us1 and to obtrude ,george ,fox's peculiar tenets1 to the disparagement of ,st4 ,paul's doctrines1 we cannot but wish she may have a better memory to remember our answers1 and more candour to do our arguments justice4 ,in the meantime if the ,vicar hath avoided the force of any of her objections1 or omitted answering any1 and if he has mistaken her in anything1 he is ready to acknowledge it1 as soon as she hath made it appear2 and he hopes that if she acts by him as he hath assured her by words of mouth he would do by her1 she will recall the copies of her partial manuscript1 and correct them1 according to the mistakes ,i have pointed out therein1 before she makes them circulate any further4 ,to this is appended in ,mrs4 ,darby's writing3 ,being called upon for this manuscript before ,i had considered it all over properly1 ,i therefore have got it copied2 and after examination 7if worth notice7 shall communicate my sentiments hereupon to ,john ,fletcher and sober people4 ,a4 ,darby4 ,what further came of this controversy1 whether anything further came of it1 we cannot tell4 ,with ,mrs4 ,darby's postscript before us it would not be safe to conclude that the last word had been spoken4 ,among the labours belonging to this period was the organization of a ,society of ,ministers of the ,gospel1 for which ,fletcher drew up rules and regulations4 ,although1 as we have seen1 at the beginning of his work in ,madeley he had met with a good deal of opposition from neighbouring clergy1 he found it possible a few years later to form a clerical association for the promotion of spiritual life and ministerial efficiency4 ,the society was to meet at ,worcester1 in the private house of some reputable person1 twice in the year1 on the ,tuesday and ,wednesday next before the full of the moon1 in the months of ,may and ,september4 ,the meeting was to begin at ten o'clock1 dinner at two2 the expense to be defrayed by an equal contribution of the whole society1 absentees not excepted4 ,the topics for conversation and inquiry are set forth in considerable detail4 ,they include public preaching1 the case of religious societies1 the catechizing of children and instruction of youth1 the case of personal inspection and personal visiting of the flock1 the case of ruling their own houses well1 the case of visiting the sick1 the case of their own particular experiences and personal conduct4 ,every member of the society was recommended to take down brief minutes of the business transacted by the society1 for his future recollection of it and meditation upon it4 ,the following are ,fletcher's notes of the meeting held on ,may #abth1 #agfg3 #a4 ,how far is it proper to preach against particular sins1 and to enforce particular duties1 and how to do this in a gospel-like manner4 ,answer4 ,very proper to stated congregations4 ,many convinced of sin by it2 many kept decent by it4 ,believers themselves made watchful4 ,preach so as not to encourage pharisees4 #b4 ,whether we are to preach the law1 and morality1 and why8 ,answer4 ,yes3 three reasons4 7#a7 ,to inform believers2 7#b7 ,to convince false moralists2 7#c7 ,to stop the mouth of the adversaries1 and confound antinomians4 #c4 ,how far is it proper to mention and improve particular cases1 and the experience of particular people1 in funeral sermons and other discourses1 to try to awaken the careless8 ,answer4 ,extraordinary cases known to all may be improved--with tenderness1 wisdom1 avoiding the appearance of sentencing any one1 and saying what we say of them in ,scripture words1 and with suppositions4 #d4 7,digression47 ,whether charity and duty oblige us to say over all the dead1 'we hope they rest in ,christ4' 7,settled47 7,a hardship7 and may be omitted because not insisted on as absolutely indispensable4 #f4 ,what's the proper length of a sermon for hearers and speaker8 ,answer4 ,a stranger may be heard for an hour2 a stated minister from #cj to #ej minutes4 #g4 ,what to do to keep within these bounds8 ,answer4 ,pray1 digest the point1 have few heads1 be not long upon them4 ,if you have been too full upon the first1 be less so upon the last4 #h4 ,when a minister hath studied a subject with design to preach on it1 and is shut up in his heart and clouded in his mind at preaching time1 and another text presents itself1 and liberty is offered to speak from it1 is it enthusiasm to do it8 ,answer4 ,trial may be made1 and if the preacher finds freedom and the people edification1 the matter was from above4 #i4 ,whether we may allegorize ,scripture1 and how far8 ,answer4 ,so far as the ,holy ,ghost hath allegorized we may safely do the same2 but we must be very sparing of anything that exceeds ,scripture warrant4 ,avoid taking historical allegorical texts to raise doctrines upon4 ,such texts may be brought by way of comparison or illustration of some other weighty passages which contain the doctrine plainly4 #aj4 ,societies4 ,disadvantages4 ,they raise a jealousy in those who do not belong to them1 increase their prejudice1 make them think the minister partial1 and watch over the society for evil4 ,advantages4 ,they are scriptural1 comfortable1 profitable1 the only means of keeping up some discipline4 ,such were the questions discussed1 and the opinions expressed in the ,society of ,ministers of the ,gospel1 organized1 and probably founded1 by ,fletcher4 ,the society was one of those innumerable results of the ,revival1 by which its spirit and principles were widely diffused through the ,church4 ,a generation later such associations were common amongst the ,evangelical clergy4 ,of these the ,eclectic ,society1 founded by ,john ,newton and ,richard ,cecil in #aghc1 is well-known to us through the ,notes1 extending from #agih to #ahad1 published by ,archdeacon ,pratt4#h ,at the close of his first seven years at ,madeley1 ,fletcher's chief difficulties had either disappeared1 or were greatly diminished4 ,though he still lamented the comparative unfruitfulness of his labours1 he had1 in truth1 much to rejoice over4 ,many of the ungodly had been converted through his ministry1 some of whom were now walking worthy of ,christ1 while others had died in the ,lord4 ,he was now generally esteemed1 and by the better part of his flock greatly beloved4 ,he had gained experience in the administration of his parish and the direction of souls4 ,in preaching1 catechizing1 visiting1 and holding religious meetings he was indefatigable1 and spared no pains to guard his people from doctrinal error or spiritual decline4 ,the organization that gradually rose under his hand was not of the modern parochial type1 but well suited to the circumstances of the people and of the time4 ,he established regular preaching-places1 not only in his own parish1 but eight1 ten1 or more miles away1 and formed societies for ,christian instruction and fellowship4 ,from time to time his hands were strengthened and his heart encouraged by visits from his friends and fellow labourers4 ,wesley's first visit was in ,july1 #agfd1 and is thus referred to in his ,journal3 ,i rode to ,bilbrook1 near ,wolverhampton1 and preached at between two and three4 ,thence we went on to ,madeley1 an exceedingly pleasant village1 encompassed with trees and hills4 ,it was a great comfort to me to converse once more with a ,methodist of the old type1 denying himself1 taking up his cross1 and resolved to be altogether a ,christian4 ,sunday1 ,july #bbnd4 ,at ten ,mr4 ,fletcher read prayers1 and ,i preached on those words in the gospel1 ',i am the ,good ,shepherd3 the ,good ,shepherd layeth down ,his life for the sheep4' ,the church would nothing near contain the congregation2 but a window near the pulpit being taken down1 those who could not come in stood in the churchyard1 and ,i believe all could hear4 ,the congregation1 they said1 used to be much smaller in the afternoon than in the morning2 but ,i could not discern the least difference1 either in number or seriousness4 ,i found employment enough for the intermediate hours in praying with the various companies who hung about the house1 insatiably hungering and thirsting after the good word4 ,mr4 ,grimshaw1 at his first coming to ,haworth1 had not such a prospect as this4 ,there are many adversaries indeed1 but yet they cannot shut the open and effectual door4 ,wesley's itinerant preachers were welcomed by ,fletcher when their rounds brought them to his parish4 ,to ,alexander ,mather1 a brave and devoted ,methodist preacher1 he wrote to say that an occasional exhortation from him or his colleague to the societies he had formed would be esteemed a favour1 and expressed at the same time a willingness1 if it were not deemed an encroachment1 to go1 as ,providence might direct1 to any of ,mr4 ,mather's preaching-places4 ,and as ,fletcher rejoiced in the evangelistic labours of others in his own neighbourhood1 so he willingly engaged in similar labours himself in various parts of the country4 ,in the year #agfe we find him exchanging pulpits for a while with ,mr4 ,sellon1 curate of ,breedon1 in ,leicestershire1 and preaching to the crowds who filled the church1 and clambered to the windows to see and hear4 ,two years later1 having secured the services of an acceptable curate to serve the parish in his absence1 he spent some weeks in ,yorkshire with the ,countess of ,huntingdon and ,mr4 ,venn1 the ,vicar of ,huddersfield4 ,they were joined by a number of earnest clergy from different parts of the country1 ,mr4 ,madan from ,london1 ,dr4 ,conyers1 ,rector of ,helmsley1 ,mr4 ,burnet1 ,vicar of ,elland1 and several others1 by whom the gospel was preached to multitudes in town and country4 ,in such companionship and in such labours ,fletcher rejoiced greatly1 and returned to his parish with renewed strength4 ,the sense of loneliness was relieved4 ,the difficulties of his work at ,madeley seemed no longer exceptional4 ,cheered by the success vouchsafed to his labours and those of his friends1 he came back to his people in the fulness of the blessing of ,christ4 ,modern experience has shown how a parish or a congregation may be benefited by the coming of a mission preacher1 and how a minister may be enlarged in heart and utterance by special labours away from his own flock4 ,missions based upon the recognition of these truths are now familiar to us all2 but in this matter1 as in so much of the quickened life of the ,church1 the men of the ,revival led the way4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,trevecca ,,college4--,,the ,,calvinist ,,controversy4 ,in the summer of #agfh ,fletcher undertook an office which greatly increased his labours and responsibilities4 ,the religious movement directed by the ,countess of ,huntingdon continuing to develop1 a considerable number of chapels had1 by this time1 been built or hired in various parts of the country4 ,the pulpits were generally supplied by clergymen of the ,established ,church1 procured by the countess's personal influence4 ,but such arrangements became increasingly difficult to make4 ,their 'irregularity' was disapproved in high quarters4 ,lady ,huntingdon's chaplains were1 in fact1 as 'irregular' in their labours as ,wesley's itinerant preachers4 ,the system that found no place for the one could not long sanction the other2 whilst her ladyship's ecclesiastical authority was a still greater anomaly than that of ,wesley4 ,it became necessary therefore to meet the demand for earnest1 evangelical preachers in some other way than by the services of the regular clergy4 ,meanwhile1 the expulsion of six students from the ,university of ,oxford for being attached to the sect called ,methodists1 and holding their doctrines1 showed that the university was hardly likely to be the nursing mother of such men as were required4 ,in these circumstances the countess resolved to found a school or college for the training of godly young men for the work of the ministry4 ,she proposed to admit such as were truly converted to ,god and gave evidence of being called to preach the gospel1 and to give them the advantage of three years' residence and instruction1 at the close of which they might enter the ministry1 either in the ,church of ,england1 or among ,protestants of any other denomination4 ,after taking counsel with ,whitefield1 ,romaine1 ,venn1 ,fletcher1 and others1 ,lady ,huntingdon established the institution on which her heart was set4 ,fletcher appears to have been in thorough sympathy with the countess's aims from the first4 ,being consulted as to the selection of books for the college1 he writes3 ,having studied abroad1 and used rather foreign than ,english books with my pupils1 ,i am not acquainted with the books ,great ,britain affords well enough to select the best and most concise4 ,besides1 a plan of studies must be fixed upon first1 before proper books can be chosen4 ,grammar1 logic1 rhetoric1 with ecclesiastical history1 and a little natural philosophy1 and geography1 with a great deal of practical divinity1 will be enough for those who do not care to dive into languages4 ,mr4 ,townsend and ,charles ,wesley might1 by spending an hour together1 make a proper choice2 and ,i would recommend them not to forget ,watts's ',logic1' and his ',history of the ,bible by ,questions and ,answers1' which seem to me excellent books of the kind for clearness and order4 ,mr4 ,wesley's ',natural ,philosophy' contains as much as is wanted1 or more4 ,mason's ',essay on ,pronunciation' will be worth their attention4 ,henry and ,gill on the ,bible1 with four volumes of ,baxter's ',practical ,works1' ,keach's ',metaphors1' ,taylor on the ,types1 ,gurnal's ',christian ,armour1' ,edwards on ,preaching1 ,johnson's ,english dictionary1 and ,mr4 ,wesley's ,christian ,library1 may make part of the little library4 ,the book of ,baxter ,i mention ,i shall take care to send to ,trevecca1 as a mite towards the collection1 together with ,usher's ',body of ,divinity1' ,scapula's ,greek lexicon1 and ,lyttleton's ,latin dictionary4 ,but while ,lady ,huntingdon received counsel and assistance from many quarters1 and from ,fletcher amongst the rest1 there was one service for which she looked to him alone4 ,would ,fletcher allow himself to be placed at the head of her college8 ,would he accept the presidency1 visiting ,trevecca as often as he conveniently could1 to direct the studies and discipline of the place1 and test the character and qualifications of the students8 ,from his profound esteem for the countess1 and in the hope of assisting in the good work of raising up an earnest ministry1 ,fletcher accepted the office1 and1 without fee or reward of any kind1 threw himself heartily into its duties4 ,an old mansion1 known as ,trevecca ,house1 in the parish of ,talgarth1 ,south ,wales1 was altered and adapted to the requirements of a college2 tutors were procured1 and the house was soon filled with students1 the first of whom was a young man from ,madeley1 converted under ,fletcher's ministry4 ,lady ,huntingdon herself took up her residence there1 and by her presence stimulated the zeal of the household4 ,much of the time of the students was employed in evangelistic work4 ,on foot or on horseback they visited the towns and villages for twenty or thirty miles round1 preaching in chapels and houses1 in field and market-places1 as opportunity allowed4 ,the pious founder soon saw a revival and extension of the work of ,god which filled her heart with joy1 and assured her that the undertaking1 concerning which some of her best friends had their misgivings1 was approved by ,god4 ,at the dedication of the college and chapel1 on ,august #bdth1 #agfh1 ,lady ,huntingdon's birthday1 ,whitefield was the preacher1 and large numbers of people came together from all parts of the country4 ,the following year1 the anniversary was the occasion of a still more remarkable gathering1 and of a series of religious services marked by great manifestations of spiritual power4 ,the most eminent ministers that ,lady ,huntingdon's summons could assemble were present4 ,the congregations1 too large for the chapel1 assembled in the court4 ,day by day1 and almost all day long1 for a week together1 vast crowds were moved to tears1 to rapture1 and to awe under the preaching of the gospel4 ,howel ,harris1 ,howel ,davies1 and ,daniel ,rowlands1 men whose names are household words in ,wales to-day1 preached in ,welsh2 and ,wesley1 ,fletcher1 and ,shirley in ,english4 ,thousands of voices rose in hymns of praise1 and joined in fervent responses and cries of prayer4 ,on the ,saturday and ,sunday1 and again on the following ,thursday1 the ,lord's supper was administered1 and ,fletcher addressed the communicants with an earnestness and pathos that it seemed impossible to withstand4 ,many were awakened and converted4 ,truly ,god was in the midst of us1 said ,lady ,huntingdon1 and many felt ,him eminently nigh4 ,the gracious influences of ,his ,spirit seemed to rest on every soul4444 ,words fail to describe the holy triumph with which the great congregation sang-- ',captain of ,thine enlisted host1 ,display ,thy glorious banner high4' ,after a week of never to be forgotten blessings1 the great crowds slowly dispersed1 and the tireless evangelists took horse and rode away1 each to his work1 with strength renewed1 and spirit refreshed as from the presence of the ,lord4 ,although ,fletcher did not reside at the college1 his connexion with it was by no means a nominal one4 ,his journeys to ,trevecca were frequent1 involving fatigue and privations1 which his feeble frame could ill endure1 though he counted them less than nothing4 ,as to the character of his visits1 and the influence that accompanied him1 the testimony of ,mr4 ,benson1 the headmaster1 himself a man of exceptional intelligence and sanctity1 is well known1 but is too important to be omitted here3 ,mr4 ,fletcher visited them frequently1 and was received as an angel of ,god4 ,it is not possible for me to describe the veneration in which we all held him4 ,like ,elijah in the schools of the prophets1 he was revered1 he was loved1 he was almost adored2 and that1 not only by every student1 but by every member of the family4 ,and indeed he was worthy4 ,the reader will pardon me if he think ,i exceed4 ,my heart kindles while ,i write4 ,here it was that ,i saw1 shall ,i say an angel in human flesh8 ,i should not far exceed the truth if ,i said so4 ,but here ,i saw a descendant of fallen ,adam so fully raised above the ruins of the fall1 that though by the body he was tied down to earth1 yet was his whole conversation in heaven1 yet was his life1 from day to day1 hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,prayer1 praise1 love1 and zeal1 all ardent1 elevated above what one would think attainable in this state of frailty1 were the element in which he continually lived4 ,and as to others1 his one employment was to call1 entreat1 and urge them to ascend with him to the glorious ,source of being and blessedness4 ,he had leisure comparatively for nothing else4 ,languages1 arts1 sciences1 grammar1 rhetoric1 logic1 even divinity itself1 as it is called1 were all laid aside when he appeared in the schoolroom among the students4 ,his full heart would not suffer him to be silent4 ,he must speak1 and they were readier to hearken to this servant and minister of ,jesus ,christ than to attend to ,sallust1 ,virgil1 ,cicero1 or any ,latin or ,greek historian1 poet1 or philosopher1 they had been engaged in reading4 ,and they seldom hearkened long before they were all in tears1 and every heart catched fire from the flame which burned in his soul4 ,these seasons generally terminated in this4 ,being convinced that to be filled with the ,holy ,ghost was a better qualification for the ministry of the gospel than any classical learning 7although that too be useful in its place71 after speaking awhile in the schoolroom1 he used frequently to say1 ',as many of you as are athirst for this fulness of the ,spirit1 follow me into my room4' ,on this many of us have instantly followed him1 and there continued for two or three hours1 wrestling like ,jacob for the blessing1 praying one after another1 till we could bear to kneel no longer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,such was the ordinary employment of this man of ,god while he remained at ,trevecca4 ,he preached the word of life to the students and family1 and as many of the neighbours as desired to be present4 ,he was 'instant in season1 and out of season'2 he 'reproved1 rebuked1 exhorted1 with all longsuffering4' ,he was always employed1 either in illustrating some important truth1 or exhorting to some neglected duty1 or administering some needful comfort1 or relating some useful anecdote1 or making some profitable remark or observation upon some occurrence4 ,and his devout soul1 always burning with love and zeal1 led him to intermingle prayer with all he uttered4 ,meanwhile his manner was so solemn1 and at the same time so mild and insinuating1 that it was hardly possible for any one who had the happiness of being in his company not to be struck with awe and charmed with love1 as if in the presence of an angel or departed spirit4 ,indeed1 ,i frequently thought1 while attending to his heavenly discourse and ,divine spirit1 that he was so different from1 and superior to1 the generality of mankind1 as to look more like ,moses or ,elijah1 or some prophet or apostle1 come again from the dead1 than a mortal man1 dwelling in a house of clay4 ,it is true1 his weak and long-afflicted body proclaimed him to be human2 but the graces which so eminently filled and adorned his soul manifested him to be ,divine3 and long before his happy spirit returned to ,god who gave it1 that which was human seemed in a great measure to be 'swallowed up of life4' ,benson was not alone in the impressions he received of ,fletcher's character1 and of the influence he exercised at ,trevecca4 ,the references of others are in the same strain2 and although his connexion with the college came to an abrupt end1 and was followed by a period of painful controversy1 we hear no disparagement of his piety1 or suggestion of anything unworthy of his reputation for ,christian meekness and purity4 ,but why did ,fletcher so soon withdraw from the presidency of the college8 ,to use the words of ,mr4 ,benson3 ,why did he give up an office for which he was perfectly well qualified1 which he executed so entirely to the satisfaction of all the parties concerned1 and in which it pleased ,god to give so manifest a blessing to his labours8 ,the answer is1 that it was one of the first results of a controversy which1 for intensity1 for duration1 and for the strifes and divisions to which it gave rise1 is unhappily memorable in the history of the ,revival4 ,its very name--the ,calvinistic controversy--will suggest to the experienced reader the range of questions involved1 and the improbability of agreement being arrived at1 however prolonged might be the discussion4 ,it should be borne in mind that1 from its very beginning1 the ,revival had advanced along two different lines1 in connexion with certain well-marked doctrinal distinctions4 ,whilst the work and the workers in the two spheres were1 in the best and deepest sense1 one1 they were divided upon those questions concerning predestination and free will1 which1 since the time of ,augustine1 have given rise to two distinct types of doctrine1 each susceptible of modifications and developments of its own4 ,this difference was represented1 first in the little band of ,oxford ,methodists1 and then in the more evangelical and expansive ,methodism that succeeded it4 ,wesley was an ,arminian1 and ,whitefield a ,calvinist4 ,harmonious co-operation between them was at times difficult2 but mutual love and largeness of heart prevailed upon the whole4 ,under ,wesley's leadership1 ,arminian ,methodism developed in organic form1 and is still found in all parts of the world in visible1 organized ,churches4 ,calvinistic ,methodism spread with similar1 if not equal1 rapidity1 but without unity of administration1 and failed to develop any principles of ,church life4 ,it revived the ,calvinistic nonconformity of ,england1 and may almost be said to have taken possession of ,wales2 but the main current of its strength flowed into the ,church of ,england1 and is to be traced in the rise and progress of the ,evangelical or ,low ,church party4 ,there may be difference of opinion as to which development has been on the whole of greater service to the ,christian ,church1 but few persons will deny to either a high place in the order of ,providence4 ,at the period we have now reached in ,fletcher's history1 a certain uneasiness may be discovered in the relations of ,arminian and ,calvinistic ,methodism1 not incompatible however with such union and brotherliness as were seen at the great gathering at ,trevecca4 ,but ,wesley was observing with concern the spread of a practical antinomianism1 which on every possible ground he hated and feared4 ,the openly wicked were hopeful and comparatively harmless compared with persons who talked fluently of being justified and sanctified1 while they were guilty of drunkenness1 uncleanness1 and dishonesty4 ,this state of things he could not and would not endure1 if it was to be prevented by plainness of doctrine or rigour of discipline4 ,he knew that while such abuses were not the necessary accompaniment of the ,scriptural doctrine of faith1 they arose from a perversion to which that doctrine will always be exposed1 and against which it will be needful to guard1 as long as human nature is what it is4 ,any language therefore that tended to weaken the sense of moral responsibility1 or lower the standard of ,christian duty1 was doubly dangerous in presence of a tendency to dwell upon the ,divine sovereignty in redemption1 to the neglect of the ,divine requirements1 as they are revealed to man in the gospel4 ,in ,wesley's judgment1 his preachers were in danger of encouraging1 or at least giving opportunity to1 antinomian error by using expressions that had received a kind of general sanction1 and refraining from certain others which were thought too legal and unevangelic4 ,but what had this to do with ,calvinism8 ,some writers1 more jealous for the character of ,wesley's societies than he was1 will have it that the abuses referred to were mainly or entirely to be found amongst the ,calvinists4 ,but that is not the case4 ,as ,mr4 ,watson has well said3 ,to show however that antinomianism can graft itself upon other stocks besides that of the ,calvinistic decrees1 it was found also among the ,moravians1 and the ,methodists did not escape4444 ,in fact1 there is no such exclusive connexion between the more sober ,calvinistic theories of predestination and this great error1 as some have supposed4 ,with this statement ,wesley would1 we think1 have agreed2 but he undoubtedly held that antinomianism was a much more natural and likely result of ,calvinistic than of ,arminian principles4 ,in the one case the principles must be violated1 in the other they had only to be developed and applied to produce the evils referred to4 ,moreover ,calvinism1 as popularly understood1 had lost what safeguards it possessed1 and had little in common with that of ,owen1 and ,leighton1 and ,matthew ,henry4 ,spiritual pride and carnal indulgence flourished along with a crude and coarse belief in unconditional election and imputed righteousness4 ,with ,calvinism in its purely theological and philosophical aspects ,wesley felt no call to deal4 ,it was wholly a practical question with him4 ,he saw1 or thought he saw1 that its principles were doing actual mischief1 and that1 amongst other things1 the every-day language of religion was being corrupted by phrases and catchwords that encouraged serious error4 ,a quarter of a century ago1 at the first ,methodist ,conference1 the question was asked1 ,have we not unawares leaned too much to ,calvinism8 ,answer3 ,we are afraid we have4 ,might it not be time to ask this question again1 and answer it in a less uncertain manner8 ,wesley judged it was4 ,accordingly1 the ,minutes of ,conference for #aggj contain the following statement3 ,we said1 in #agdd1 ',we have leaned too much toward ,calvinism4' ,wherein8 #a4 ,with regard to man's faithfulness4 ,our ,lord ,himself taught us to use the expression4 ,and we ought never to be ashamed of it4 ,we ought steadily to assert1 on ,his authority1 that if a man is not 'faithful in the unrighteous mammon1' ,god will not give him 'the true riches4' #b4 ,with regard to working for life4 ,this also our ,lord has expressly commanded us4 ',labour 7,greek3 ergazesthe1 literally1 'work'7 for the meat that endureth to everlasting life4' ,and1 in fact1 every believer1 till he comes to glory1 works for as well as from life4 #c4 ,we have received it as a maxim that 'a man is to do nothing in order to justification4' ,nothing can be more false4 ,whoever desires to find favour with ,god1 should 'cease from evil1 and learn to do well4' ,whoever repents should do 'works meet for repentance4' ,and if this is not in order to find favour1 what does he do them for8 ,review the whole affair4 #a4 ,who of us is now accepted of ,god8 ,he that now believes in ,christ1 with a loving and obedient heart4 #b4 ,but who among those that never heard of ,christ8 ,he that feareth ,god1 and worketh righteousness1 according to the light he has4 #c4 ,is this the same with 'he that is sincere'8 ,nearly1 if not quite4 #d4 ,is not this 'salvation by works'8 ,not by the merit of works1 but by works as a condition4 #e4 ,what have we then been disputing about for these thirty years8 ,i am afraid1 about words4 #f4 ,as to merit itself1 of which we have been so dreadfully afraid3 we are rewarded 'according to our works1' yea1 'because of our works4' ,how does this differ from for the sake of our works8 ,and how differs this from secundum merita operum8 ,as our works deserve4 ,can you split this hair8 ,i doubt ,i cannot4#i ,the reader1 who has1 it may be1 glanced rapidly over the preceding paragraphs1 without perceiving in them anything very portentous1 will be surprised to learn that their publication gave rise to the longest and sharpest controversy in the history of ,methodism4 ,an ancient controversy has this in common with an extinct volcano1 that after generations may walk all unconscious over the cold ashes of what was once a glowing lava torrent4 ,to ,wesley's contemporaries these ,minutes were full of meaning2 every allusion was recognised1 every phrase touched some active belief or disbelief4 ,amongst the ,calvinists generally1 and more particularly in ,lady ,huntingdon's circle1 they caused the utmost indignation and alarm4 ,wesley was denounced as a heretic1 an apostate1 a papist unmasked4 ,lady ,huntingdon wept over them1 called them horrible and abominable1 and declared that whosoever did not fully1 and without any evasion1 disavow them should not stay in her college4 ,lady ,glenorchy must bear her feeble testimony against the sentiments contained in them4444 ,she has always countenanced ,mr4 ,wesley's preachers1 but now she finds this cannot be done by her any longer4 ,mr4 ,shirley pronounced them dreadful heresy1 injurious to the very fundamental principles of ,christianity1 and said publicly that he deemed peace in such a case a shameful indolence1 and silence no less than treachery4 ,active measures were taken for the vindication of outraged orthodoxy4 ,every ,arminian must quit the college4 ,mr4 ,benson1 the headmaster1 declined to disavow the sentiments of the ,minutes1 and was consequently dismissed4 ,fletcher felt compelled to write3 ,mr4 ,benson made a very just defence when he said he held with me the possibility of salvation for all men2 that mercy is offered to all1 and yet may be received or rejected4 ,if this be what your ladyship calls ,mr4 ,wesley's opinion1 free-will1 and ,arminianism1 and if 'every ,arminian must quit the college1' ,i am actually discharged also4 ,in the hope of mediating between ,wesley and the countess1 ,fletcher went to ,trevecca4 ,he tried to soften matters1 but in vain4 ,he then absolutely resigned his office1 advised ,lady ,huntingdon to choose a moderate ,calvinist in his place1 and recommended ,rowland ,hill4 ,his letter to ,wesley 7first published by ,mr4 ,tyerman#aj71 giving an account of his interview with ,lady ,huntingdon1 and beseeching his venerated friend to believe that the college and its foundress mean well1 and give them all the satisfaction you can1 is in his finest vein of good sense1 elevated and illumined by ,christian feeling4 ,but1 unhappily1 no private and friendly understanding was arrived at4 ,as the time for ,wesley's next ,conference drew near1 a circular letter1 signed ,walter ,shirley1 was sent round among the friends of the ,evangelical movement1 proposing that those who disapproved the obnoxious minutes should go in a body to the said ,conference1 and insist upon a formal recantation of the said minutes1 and in case of a refusal sign and publish their protest against them4 ,this proposed demonstration however1 from various causes1 dwindled down to a small deputation1 which presented itself1 meekly enough1 at the ,conference at ,bristol1 and was received by ,wesley and the preachers in a friendly manner4 ,the spirit of conciliation was in the ascendant4 ,wesley and all his preachers present1 except one1 signed a declaration admitting that the minutes were not sufficiently guarded in the way they were expressed1 and repudiating the meaning which had been put upon them1 viz4 that of justification by works4 ,mr4 ,shirley1 in return1 wrote a memorandum to the effect that the declaration agreed to in ,conference1 ,august #hth1 #agga1 had convinced him that he had mistaken the meaning of the doctrinal points in the ',minutes of the ,conference1 held in ,london1 ,august #gth1 #aggj'2 and he hereby wished to testify the full satisfaction he had in the said declaration1 and his hearty concurrence and agreement with the same4 ,why did not the matter end here8 ,might not such explanations and concessions have secured peace8 ,was a seven years war absolutely necessary8 ,to this question we have met with no really satisfactory reply4 ,but it must now be mentioned that1 prior to the assembling of the ,conference at ,bristol1 ,fletcher had written a ,vindication of the much discussed minutes in the form of ,five ,letters to ,mr4 ,shirley4 ,the manuscript of this ,vindication was in ,wesley's hands1 and was1 in fact1 being set up in type at the very time that ,shirley and his friends were having their interview with ,wesley and the ,conference4 ,the question is1 whether the publication should have been proceeded with in the turn that things had taken4 ,shirley1 hearing that ,fletcher's ,letters were in the press1 not unnaturally requested that the issue might be stopped4 ,fletcher himself wrote to his friend ,mr4 ,ireland3 ,i feel for poor dear ,mr4 ,shirley1 whom ,i have 7considering the present circumstances7 treated too severely in my ',vindication of the ,minutes4' ,my dear sir1 what must be done8 ,i am ready to defray1 by selling to my last shirt1 the expense of the printing of my ',vindication1' and suppress it4 ,direct me1 dear sir4 ,consult with ,mr4 ,shirley and ,mr4 ,wesley about the matter4 ,be persuaded ,i am ready to do everything that will be brotherly in this unhappy affair4 ,but in ,wesley's judgment nothing that had taken place required the suppression of so admirable a tract for the times1 and accordingly it was published4 ,opinions will be divided as to the wisdom and propriety of the step4 ,it may be said3 ,the merely personal aspect of the question was now disposed of4 ,but the evils which had led to the recording of the 'minutes' were real evils1 and were not to be got rid of by an interchange of courtesies between ,wesley and the ,conference on the one hand1 and ,lady ,huntingdon and ,mr4 ,shirley on the other4 ,circumstances1 or rather ,providence1 had discovered--nay1 raised up--in ,fletcher the very man for the present need4 ,what could be better1 in the interest of true religion1 than to send forth broadcast1 not merely a ',vindication of the ,minutes1' and of ,wesley's action1 but a powerful defence of the gospel itself against the chief and most dangerous error of the day8 ,there could be no mistake as to the value of what ,fletcher had written4 ,his argument was clear in outline1 and convincing in detail4 ,the gospel way of salvation was defended on the right hand and on the left4 ,popular errors were exposed1 paradoxes explained1 and misunderstanding removed1 with a knowledge of the ,scriptures and a skill in reasoning that astonished every one4 ,the meek ,vicar of ,madeley was a master of controversy4 ,he had learning and logic for scholars1 with imagination1 wit1 and pathos to charm the common people4 ,the style was genial and easy1 abounding in lively comparisons and illustrations1 while a gentle vein of humour1 stopping short of bitterness on the one hand1 and burlesque on the other1 mingled1 not unbecomingly1 with passages of the most exalted devotion4 ,those letters1 wrote ,wesley1 could not be suppressed1 without betraying the honour of our ,lord4 ,this decided his action4 ,of course ,fletcher's letters had their reply from ,mr4 ,shirley1 and that1 in turn1 required to be answered4 ,then ,richard ,hill entered the field1 and him also ,fletcher encountered1 and as the controversy grew it spread out over the wide area of questions speculative and practical which the term ,calvinism covers or suggests1 and called fresh combatants into the field4 ,we have no heart to pursue the details of this history4 ,it is complicated and unremunerative in the last degree4 ,it deepened into bitterness and scurrility1 till its baser literature becomes unreadable for very shame2 it separated brethren2 it turned allies into adversaries2 it offered to a sceptical and ungodly age the spectacle of good men smiting one another unfriendly1 and consumed time and strength that were wanted1 and more than wanted1 for the ,christianising of the country4 ,through all this strife and confusion we can at least follow ,fletcher without shame1 if not without regret4 ,we have already quoted ,southey's eulogy on him4 ,it is not excessive4 ,he kept his temper through seven years of trying controversy4 ,he lived and wrote as ever in his great ,taskmaster's eye4 ,love to ,god is manifest in every page1 and only second to it is love for those with whom he must needs contend1 a veritable longing after them in the bowels of ,jesus ,christ4 ,fletcher's ,checks were the best thing born of the controversy4 ,they did not1--need it be said8--finally dispose of the problems respecting ,god's foreknowledge and sovereignty1 and the free agency and responsibility of man4 ,these problems are perhaps much where they were when first confronted4 ,if they are less discussed in our own day than formerly1 it is not that the difficulties they present have been solved1 but that a juster estimate of the limits of our powers1 together with a deeper sense of the antinomies of ,divine law1 has in a great measure withdrawn the ,christian mind from these questions to more remunerative ones4 ,that the doctrines commonly called ,calvinistic logically lead either to presumption or despair1 may perhaps fairly be urged2 that they do so as matter of fact1 and on any wide scale1 would be difficult to prove4 ,but whether the vulgar antinomianism of ,fletcher's day had or had not its roots in ,calvinistic doctrine1 his handling of it as a practical matter is vigorous and effective in the highest degree4 ,he pursues it in all its forms4 ,he exposes and refutes those one-sided reasonings which make for unrighteousness2 he sets forth law in gospel1 and gospel in law1 with admirable balance and proportion2 he exhibits ,christian holiness as the sum of duty and the crown of privilege1 and breathes throughout a heavenly spirit1 which the warmth of controversy seldom1 if ever1 disturbs4 ,may we say then1 as some one has said1 it was worth while to have the ,calvinistic controversy1 if it were only for the sake of ,fletcher's contribution to it8 ,our answer is1 most emphatically1 ,no4 ,we have too deep a sense of the evils of a long and embittered strife between good men to pass any such judgment4 ,nor can we suppose that such a controversy furnished the only1 or even the most favourable1 conditions for the exercise of ,fletcher's gifts4 ,we should have preferred for him--can we doubt that he would have preferred for himself8--the opportunity of writing books touching the ,king without the necessity for splitting hairs with ,shirley1 and for winnowing the coarse abuse of ,toplady1 and the extravagances of ,rowland and ,richard ,hill4 ,but while we regard the controversy as both an error and an evil1 we are far from denying that it had its compensations1 for which we are indebted almost exclusively to ,fletcher4 ,his writings undoubtedly served to fasten deep discredit upon that imperfect gospel--another gospel1 which is not another1--which permits its followers to continue in sin that grace may abound4 ,without lowering or lessening the doctrine of justification by faith1 ,fletcher gave new emphasis and clearer setting to the doctrine of ,christian holiness1 and rescued ,christian ethics from disparagement and neglect4 ,without taking away from the virtue of the atonement in its relation to the whole standing of the believer1 he enforced that great practical end of redemption1 the righteousness of the law1 fulfilled in men walking not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit4 ,towards the close of the year #aggd ,wesley wrote1 ,if we could once bring all our preachers1 itinerant and local1 uniformly and steadily to insist on those two points1 ',christ dying for us1' and ',christ reigning in us1' we should shake the trembling gates of hell4 ,i think most of them are now exceeding clear herein1 and the rest come nearer1 especially since they have read ,mr4 ,fletcher's ',checks1' which have removed many difficulties out of the way4 ,fletcher's ,checks to ,antinomianism at once took a foremost place in the literature of ,methodism4 ,wesley recommended them to his followers with all the weight of his authority4 ,the interest awakened by the controversy1 the popular style in which they were written1 and the elevation and fervour of piety manifest throughout1 carried them into every ,methodist household4 ,they were studied by the preachers1 and read for spiritual edification by all the more earnest members of the ,society4 ,they did much to nourish the spiritual life of such men and women as ,bramwell1 and ,carvosso1 and ,hester ,ann ,rogers1 names that adorn and interpret the ,methodist doctrine of ,entire ,sanctification4 ,it is not too much to say that for many years they were not least among the instruments employed in connexion with the ever-extending ,revival1 for the perfecting of the saints1 444 for the edifying of the body of ,christ4 ,in more recent times the influence of this1 ,fletcher's principal work1 is indirect rather than direct4 ,it fills the atmosphere of the ,methodist ,churches with a kind of after-glow4 ,its light and heat linger in the air1 and are reflected from the regions where its first full strength was felt4 ,should these writings come1 in course of time1 to be entirely neglected1 that influence would still be felt1 for it has passed beyond recall into the theology and devotional literature of ,methodism all the world over4 ,two of the most competent historians of ,methodism1 ,dr4 ,stevens and ,mr4 ,tyerman1 give it as their opinion that ,fletcher's ,checks are as much read to-day as they were a hundred years ago4 ,from this opinion we are constrained to dissent1 and should be content to refer the matter to the ,methodist publishing houses for decision4 ,we believe1 on the contrary1 that they are very little read2 but none the less are we persuaded that the results of ,fletcher's controversial labours are1 in many respects1 permanent2 and1 in addition to those that have been referred to1 we would instance the fact that ,calvinistic doctrine has come to be better guarded against the perversions of antinomianism1 and that disputes arising out of it have become less frequent and more moderate1 to the great advantage of the ,christian ,church4 ,in passing from this subject we cannot refrain from quoting a few paragraphs from his ,first ,check1 in which ,fletcher reveals his love and reverence for ,wesley3 ,a gray-headed minister of ,christ1 an old general in the armies of ,emmanuel1 a father who has children capable of instructing even masters in ,israel2 and one whom ,god made the first and principal instrument of the late ,revival of internal religion in our ,church4444 ,one word more about ,mr4 ,wesley1 and ,i have done4 ,of the two greatest and most useful ministers ,i ever knew1 one is no more4 ,the other1 after amazing labours1 flies still with unwearied diligence through the three kingdoms1 calling sinners to repentance1 and to the healing fountain of ,jesus' blood4 ,though oppressed with the weight of near seventy years and the care of near #cj1jjj souls1 he shames still1 by his unabated zeal and immense labours1 all the young ministers in ,england1 perhaps in ,christendom4 ,he has generally blown the gospel trump1 and rode twenty miles1 before most of the professors who despise his labours have left their downy pillow4 ,as he begins the day1 the week1 the year1 so he concludes them1 still intent upon extensive services for the glory of the ,redeemer and the good of souls4 ,and shall we lightly lift up our pens1 our tongues1 our hands against him8 ,no2 let them rather forget their cunning6 ,if we will quarrel1 can we find nobody to fall out with1 but the minister upon whom ,god puts the greatest honour8 ,our ,elijah has lately been translated to heaven4#aa ,gray-headed ,elisha is yet awhile continued upon earth4 ,and shall we make a hurry and noise1 to bring in railing accusations against him with more success8444 ,shall the sons of the prophets1 shall even children in grace and knowledge1 openly traduce the venerable seer1 and his abundant labours8 ,this description of ,wesley may serve to introduce an incident showing ,wesley's opinion of ,fletcher4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,wesley',s ,,proposal4--,,failing ,,health4 ,wesley's estimate of ,fletcher's character and abilities had been1 from the first1 uniformly high1 but the circumstances connected with the ,calvinist controversy raised it still higher4 ,every one knew of ,fletcher's gentleness and simplicity1 but no one was prepared for the strength1 the firmness1 the mental vigour and versatility that he now exhibited4 ,if this was something of a surprise to ,wesley1 it was matter of unfeigned rejoicing4 ,he saw1 or thought he saw1 in ,fletcher a man fitted for a greater work than that of being ,vicar of ,madeley4 ,it was natural perhaps that ,wesley should never quite appreciate the position of a parochial minister4 ,his belief in itinerancy had its roots in his temperament1 as well as in his judgment4 ,he said of himself1 that if he were confined to one spot1 he should preach himself and his whole congregation to sleep in a twelvemonth4 ,he always grudged ,fletcher to his obscure parish1 and the feeling grew with every fresh manifestation of ,fletcher's powers4 ,the conviction began to take shape in his mind that ,fletcher was the proper man to succeed him in the direction of the ,methodist preachers and societies4 ,he was now nearly seventy years of age1 and his health was apparently failing4 ,in the course of things he must shortly lay down his work4 ,who was there to take it up8 ,it could not be that ,god would suffer it to fall to pieces for want of one to control and guide it2 and who was there that could compare in fitness with ,fletcher8 ,wesley determined therefore not to leave this matter to the last1 but to communicate with him while there was yet time4 ,accordingly1 in ,january1 #aggc1 he wrote to him as follows3 ,,dear ,,sir1-- ,what an amazing work has ,god wrought in these kingdoms in less than forty years6 ,and it not only continues1 but increases1 throughout ,england1 ,scotland1 and ,ireland2 nay1 it has lately spread into ,new ,york1 ,pennsylvania1 ,virginia1 ,maryland1 and ,carolina4 ,but the wise men of the world say1 ',when ,mr4 ,wesley drops1 then all this is at an end6' ,and so it surely will1 unless1 before ,god calls him hence1 one is found to stand in his place4 ,i see more and more1 unless there be one ,greek3 proestos1 the work can never be carried on4 ,the body of the preachers are not united1 nor will any part of them submit to the rest2 so that either there must be one to preside over all1 or the work will indeed come to an end4 ,but who is sufficient for these things8 qualified to preside both over the preachers and people8 ,he must be a man of faith and love1 and one that has a single eye to the advancement of the kingdom of ,god4 ,he must have a clear understanding2 a knowledge of men and things1 particularly of the ,methodist doctrine and discipline2 a ready utterance2 diligence and activity1 with a tolerable share of health4 ,there must be added to these favour with the people1 with the ,methodists in general2 for1 unless ,god turn their eyes and their hearts towards him1 he will be quite incapable of the work4 ,he must likewise have some degree of learning1 because there are many adversaries1 learned as well as unlearned1 whose mouths must be stopped4 ,but this cannot be done unless he be able to meet them on their own ground4 ,but has ,god provided one so qualified8 ,who is he8 ,thou art the man6 ,god has given you a measure of loving faith1 and a single eye to ,his glory4 ,he has given you some knowledge of men and things1 particularly of the old plan of ,methodism4 ,you are blessed with some health1 activity1 and diligence1 together with a degree of learning4 ,and to these ,he has lately added1 by a way none could have foreseen1 favour both with the preachers and the whole people4 ,come out in the name of ,god6 ,come to the help of the ,lord against the mighty6 ,come while ,i am alive and capable of labour2 ',dum superest ,lachesi quod torqueat1 et pedibus me ,porto meis1 nullo dextram subeunte bacillo4' ,come while ,i am able1 ,god assisting1 to build you up in faith1 to ripen your gifts1 and to introduce you to the people4 ,nil tanti4 ,what possible employment can you have1 which is of so great importance8 ,when ,wesley wrote this letter it was far from his thoughts that he had yet eighteen years of work before him1 and would survive ,fletcher by six years4 ,in his reply ,fletcher says3 ,should ,providence call you first1 ,i shall do my best1 by the ,lord's assistance1 to help your brother to gather the wreck1 and keep together those who are not absolutely bent to throw away the ,methodist doctrine and discipline4444 ,in the meantime you sometimes need an assistant to serve tables1 and occasionally to fill up a gap4 ,providence visibly appointed me to that office many years ago4 ,and though it no less evidently called me hither1 yet have ,i not been without doubt1 especially for some years past1 whether it would not be expedient that ,i should resume my office as your deacon2 not with any view of presiding over the ,methodists after you1 but to ease you in your old age1 and to be in the way of recovery1 and perhaps doing more good4444 ,nevertheless1 ,i would not leave this place1 without a fuller persuasion that the time is quite come4 ,nothing further appears to have been said on the subject1 and before long the increasing feebleness of ,fletcher's health put the matter beyond discussion4 ,two and a half years later ,wesley was taken seriously ill while travelling in ,ireland4 ,his friends in ,london were hourly expecting to hear of his death4 ,charles ,wesley1 full of distress1 wrote to ,fletcher1 apparently requesting him to come to ,london4 ,this ,fletcher gently but decidedly declined to do3 ,should your brother fail on earth1 you are called1 not only to bear up under the loss of so near a relative1 but1 for the sake of your common children in the ,lord1 you should endeavour to fill up the gap according to your strength4 ,the ,methodists will not expect from you your brother's labours2 but they have1 ,i think1 a right to expect that you will preside over them while ,god spares you in the land of the living4444 ,and if at any time you should want my mite of assistance1 ,i hope ,i shall throw it into the treasury with the simplicity and readiness of the poor widow4 ,but ,wesley recovered1 and the call for ,fletcher's services never came4 ,wesley's opinion however remained unaltered1 that it would have been better in every way for ,fletcher to have joined him in itinerating4 ,years afterwards1 when ,fletcher was dead1 he wrote3 ,i can never believe it was the will of ,god that such a burning and shining light should be hid under a bushel4 ,no2 instead of being confined to a country village1 it ought to have shone in every corner of our land4 ,he was full as much called to sound an alarm through all the nation as ,mr4 ,whitefield himself2 nay1 abundantly more so1 seeing he was far better qualified for that important work4 ,he had a more striking person1 equally good breeding1 an equally winning address1 together with a richer flow of fancy1 a stronger understanding1 a far greater treasure of learning1 both in languages1 philosophy1 philology1 and divinity2 and1 above all 7which ,i can speak with fuller assurance1 because ,i had a thorough knowledge both of one and the other71 a more deep and constant communion with the ,father and with the ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,and yet let not any one imagine that ,i depreciate ,mr4 ,whitefield1 or undervalue the grace of ,god and the extraordinary gifts which his great ,master vouchsafed unto him4 ,i believe he was highly favoured of ,god2 yea1 that he was one of the most eminent ministers that has appeared in ,england1 or perhaps in the world1 during the present century4 ,yet ,i must own ,i have known many fully equal to ,mr4 ,whitefield1 both in holy tempers and holiness of conversation2 but one equal herein to ,mr4 ,fletcher ,i have not known1 no1 not in a life of fourscore years4 ,it was1 further1 ,wesley's belief that an itinerant life would improve ,fletcher's health1 which was now seriously affected4 ,his letters had for some time contained allusions to frequent infirmities4 ,to one correspondent he says3 ,my throat is not formed for the labours of preaching4 ,when ,i have preached three or four times together1 it inflames and fills up2 and the efforts which ,i am then obliged to make heat my blood4 ,to the same1 a few months later3 ,oh1 how life goes6 ,i walked1 now ,i gallop into eternity4 ,the bowl of life goes rapidly down the steep hill of time4 ,to ,charles ,wesley he writes3 ,old age comes faster upon me than upon you4 ,i am already so gray-headed1 that ,i wrote to my brother to know if ,i am not fifty-six instead of forty-six4444 ,i have had for some days the symptoms of an inward consumptive decay1 spitting blood1 etc4 ,thank ,god6 ,i look at our last enemy with great calmness4 ,wesley confidently recommended a remedy of which he had more experience than any man then living in ,england1 viz4 a long journey on horseback4 ,he proposed that ,fletcher should accompany him on a journey of some months1 telling him1 ,when you are tired1 or like it best1 you may come into my carriage2 but remember that riding on horseback is the best of all exercises for you1 so far as your strength will permit4 ,fletcher willingly accepted the proposal1 and travelled with ,wesley nearly #abjj miles4 ,but after a while certain friends 7kind1 but injudicious1 ,wesley calls them7 persuaded him to remain at ,stoke ,newington1 that he might be properly nursed1 and have the best medical aid that could be procured4 ,wesley characteristically remarks1 ,i verily believe1 if he had travelled with me1 partly in the chaise and partly on horseback1 only a few months longer1 he would have quite recovered his health4 ,we are constrained to think that ,fletcher was not in a condition to profit by his friend's heroic remedies4 ,he was indeed very ill4 ,earnest prayers for his recovery were offered at ,madeley and elsewhere4 ,a hymn which was composed for the occasion1 and sung with deep feeling in ,madeley church1 contains the following lines3 ,restore him1 sinking to the grave2 ,stretch out ,thy arm1 make haste to save2 ,back to our hopes and wishes give1 ,and bid our friend and father live4 ,for several months he was under the care of his faithful friends ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,greenwood1 of ,stoke ,newington4 ,rest and silence were enjoined1 but it was found impossible to restrain him altogether from speaking4 ,one who was much with him says3 ,the fire which continually burned in his heart many waters could not quench4 ,it often burst out unawares4 ,and then how did we wonder 7like those who formerly heard his ,lord7 'at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth4' 444 ,it was in these favoured moments of converse that we found1 in a particular manner1 the reward which is annexed to receiving a prophet in the name of a prophet4 ,and in some of these lie mentioned circumstances which1 as none knew them but himself1 would otherwise have been buried in oblivion4 ,one of these remarkable passages was1 ',in the beginning1' said he1 'of my spiritual course1 ,i heard the voice of ,god1 in an articulate1 but inexpressibly awful1 sound1 go through my soul in those words3 ,if any man will be ,my disciple1 let him deny himself4' ,he mentioned another peculiar manifestation of a later date1 'in which1' said he1 ',i was favoured1 like ,moses1 with a supernatural discovery of the glory of ,god1 in an ineffable converse with ,him1 face to face2 so that1 whether ,i was in the body or out of the body1 ,i cannot tell4' ,at another time he said1 ',about the time of my entering into the ministry1 ,i one evening wandered into a wood1 musing on the importance of the office ,i was going to undertake4 ,i then began to pour out my soul in prayer2 when such a sense of the justice of ,god fell upon me1 and such a sense of ,his displeasure at sin1 as absorbed all my powers1 and filled my soul with the agony of prayer for poor1 lost sinners4 ,i continued therein till the dawn of day2 and ,i considered this as designed of ,god to impress upon me more deeply the meaning of those solemn words1 ,knowing therefore the terror of the ,lord1 we persuade men4' ,throughout the whole of his long illness ,fletcher's spirit was1 not only calm and tranquil1 but attuned to an ardour and heavenliness that deeply impressed all who saw him4 ,his frail body seemed to be the abode of a spirit purified and perfected till every trace of earthly corruption was lost4 ,during the months of enforced absence from his parish his heart was still with his people4 ,in a pastoral letter1 which is dated ,newington1 ,december #bhth1 #aggf1 he writes3 ,i hoped to have spent the ,christmas holidays with you1 and to have ministered to you in holy things2 but the weakness of my body confining me here1 ,i humbly submit to the ,divine dispensation4444 ,the sum of all ,i have preached to you is contained in four propositions4 ,first1 heartily repent of your sins1 original and actual4 ,secondly1 believe the gospel of ,christ in sincerity and truth4 ,thirdly1 in the power which true faith gives1 run the way of ,god's commandments before ,god and men4 ,fourthly1 by continuing to take up your cross1 and to receive the pure milk of ,god's word1 grow in grace1 and in the knowledge of ,jesus ,christ4444 ,the more nearly ,i consider death and the grave1 judgment and eternity1 the more ,i feel that ,i have preached to you the truth1 and that the truth is solid as the ,rock of ages4 ,although ,i hope to see much more of the goodness of the ,lord in the land of the living than ,i do see1 yet1 blessed be the ,divine mercy6 ,i see enough to keep my mind at all times unruffled1 and to make me willing calmly to resign my soul into the hands of my faithful ,creator1 my loving ,redeemer1 and my sanctifying ,comforter1 this moment1 or the next1 if ,he calls for it4 ,fletcher's almsgiving was proportionate with his prayers4 ,he was in receipt of an income from his little property in ,switzerland of about ,l#ajj a year4 ,he generally gave it all away4 ,his money1 his clothes1 his furniture were alike at the service of the poor and suffering4 ,at one time he sends back ,l#hj to ,switzerland for distribution among the poor1 saying1 ,as money is rather higher there than here the mite will go further abroad than it would in my parish4 ,at another time he deposited ,l#aje with a friend1 but the whole was drawn for charitable purposes in a few months1 the balance1 which was ,l#bd1 going to complete the preaching-house he had built at ,madeley ,wood4 ,during his illness he writes to one of the poor ,methodists at ,coalbrookdale3 ,let none of your little companies want4 ,if any do1 you are welcome to my house4 ,take any part of the furniture there1 and make use of it for their relief4 ,and this shall be your full title for so doing4 ,witness my hand1 ,,john ,,fletcher4 ,leaving ,stoke ,newington in the beginning of ,may1 #aggg1 ,fletcher went to ,bristol1 to the hospitable home of his old friend ,mr4 ,ireland1 for change of air1 and for what benefit might be found in drinking the waters4 ,here he spent several months in feeble health1 but in unbroken tranquillity and elevation of spirit4 ,far gone in a consumptive disorder1 and ripening fast for glory1 was the judgment of those who saw him at this time4 ,he had many visitors1 devout persons of all classes1 to whom his conversation1 his prayers1 his very presence1 were means of grace4 ,mr4 ,venn1 who had been on the opposite side to ,fletcher in the recent controversy1 spent some weeks with him under ,mr4 ,ireland's roof4 ,oh that ,i might be like him6 was his testimony in after years4 ,i have known all the great men for these fifty years1 but ,i have known none like him4444 ,i never heard him say a single word which was not proper to be spoken1 and which had not a tendency to minister grace to the hearers2 444 not a single unbecoming word of himself1 or of his antagonists1 or of his friends4 ,all his conversation tended to excite to greater love and thankfulness for the benefits of redemption2 whilst his whole deportment breathed humility and love4 ,in the month of ,july ,wesley and his preachers met in ,bristol to hold their annual conference4 ,one morning during its session a visit from ,fletcher was announced4 ,as he entered what was then called the ,new ,room--now the old chapel in ,broadmead--leaning on ,mr4 ,ireland's arm1 the whole assembly1 by a common impulse1 stood up4 ,wesley rose and advanced to receive him4 ,he seemed like a visitor from another world4 ,his worn features shone as with the light of heaven4 ,all present were profoundly moved at the sight4 ,he had scarcely begun to speak before every one was in tears4 ,his appearance1 his exhortations1 and his prayers1 says ,benson1 broke most of our hearts4 ,it was such a scene as the oldest person present had never witnessed before1 as the youngest could not expect to witness again4 ,it was brought to a close by ,wesley1 who suddenly fell upon his knees at ,fletcher's side1 the whole company of preachers kneeling with him1 and offered an earnest prayer for ,fletcher's restoration to health and to his labours in the cause of ,christ4 ,he finished his prayer by pronouncing in his peculiar manner1 and with a confidence and emphasis which seemed to thrill through every heart1 ',he shall not die1 but live1 and declare the works of the ,lord4' ,during the eight remaining years of ,fletcher's life1 it was believed amongst the ,methodists that ,god had spared him in answer to their prayers4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,residence ,,in ,,switzerland4 ,after spending some months at ,bristol1 with little1 if any1 improvement in his health1 ,fletcher was strongly urged to spend the winter abroad4 ,the south of ,france1 and ,spain were both suggested1 and his brothers and sisters in ,switzerland sent him a pressing invitation to revisit his home1 and breathe once more his native air4 ,he yielded at last to the advice of physicians and friends1 and made the necessary arrangements for a long absence from ,madeley4 ,his curate1 ,mr4 ,greaves1 who had supplied his place for some months1 was to remain in charge of the parish4 ,the vicar's income was assigned1 part to ,mr4 ,greaves1 and the rest to the maintenance of various good works in and around ,madeley4 ,before setting out on his journey he addressed a pastoral letter ,to the ,brethren who hear the ,word of ,god in the ,parish ,church of ,madeley4 ,it was full of affectionate counsels and exhortations4 ,in bidding them farewell1 he writes3 ,i hope to see you again in the flesh2 but my sweetest and firmest hope is to meet you where there are no parting seas1 no interposing mountains1 no sickness1 no death1 no fear of loving too much1 no shame for loving too little4 ,on ,december #dth1 #aggg1 after being delayed at ,dover for a day or two by bad weather1 ,fletcher crossed the ,channel with ,mr4 ,ireland and his two daughters1 who were desirous of spending the winter in the south1 and of ministering to the comfort of their loved and honoured friend4 ,he remained abroad for nearly three years and a half4 ,this period of seclusion and comparative inactivity is full of interest to the student of ,fletcher's history4 ,it is true we lose sight of him for months together1 and find it difficult to weave into a consistent story the references to persons and places which are to be found in his letters1 and in sundry narratives that have come down to us2 but the change of scene and circumstance gives additional charm to the portraiture of his gentle life4 ,it must not be forgotten that ,fletcher1 though almost more ,english than the ,english themselves in his attachment to the institutions of this country1 was a ,swiss1 and we cannot desire that the ,swiss in him should be suppressed2 we would not have him forget his own people and his father's house4 ,away from ,madeley1 from the ,church of ,england1 from ,methodism1 he moves amid moral and social surroundings which were1 after all1 native to him1 and amongst which his character could not but reveal some aspects not similarly brought out by his life in ,england4 ,these years spent in ,france and ,switzerland add to the moral picturesqueness of his course as a whole4 ,the route taken by ,fletcher and his friends was by ,calais1 ,abbeville1 etc41 to ,dijon and ,lyons1 and thence to ,aix in ,provence1 where they remained for some time4 ,they afterwards visited ,montpellier1 ,marseilles1 and ,hyeres1 though in what order it is difficult to determine1 and in the spring of #aggh ,fletcher reached ,nyon1 where he was to spend the next three years4 ,this outline of his journeyings may now be supplemented by extracts from his letters and those of his companions4 ,when we departed from ,calais1 writes ,mr4 ,ireland1 the north wind was very high1 and penetrated us even in the chaise4 ,we put up in ,breteuil1 and the next day got to ,abbeville1 whence we were forced1 by the miserable accommodation we met with1 to set out1 though it was ,sunday4 ,hitherto ,mr4 ,fletcher and ,i had led the way1 but now the other chaises got before us4 ,nine miles from ,abbeville our axletree gave way through the hard frost1 and we were left to the piercing cold on the side of a hill without shelter4 ,after waiting an hour and a half1 we sent the axletree and wheels back to be repaired2 and1 leaving the body of the chaise under a guard1 procured another to carry us to the next town4 ,on the #aeth our chaise arrived in good repair4 ,the country was covered with snow1 but travelling steadily forward1 we reached ,dijon on the #bgth4 ,during the whole journey ,mr4 ,fletcher showed marks of recovery4 ,he bore both the fatigue and cold as well as the best of us4 ,on the #cast we put up at ,lyons1 and solemnly closed the year1 bowing our knees before the throne1 which indeed we did all together every day4 ,january #dth1 #aggh1 we left ,lyons1 and came on the #ith to ,aix4 ,here we rest1 the weather being exceedingly fine and warm4 ,mr4 ,fletcher walks out daily4 ,he is now able to read and pray with us every morning and evening4 ,he has no remains of his cough nor of the weakness in his breast4 ,his natural colour is restored1 and the sallowness is quite gone4 ,his appetite is good1 and he takes a little wine4 ,in another letter1 written from ,aix1 he says3 ,soon after our arrival here1 ,i rode out most days with my dear and valued friend4 ,now and then he complained of the uneasiness of the horse1 and there were some remains of soreness in his breast1 but this soon went off4 ,the beginning of ,february was warm1 and the warmth1 when he walked in the fields1 relaxed him2 but when the wind got north or east1 he was braced again4 ,his appetite is good1 his complexion as healthy as it was eleven years ago4 ,as his strength increases he increases the length of his rides4 ,last ,tuesday he set out on a journey of a hundred and twelve miles4 ,the first day he travelled forty miles without feeling any fatigue1 and the third day fifty-five4 ,he bore the journey as well as ,i did1 and was as well and as active at the end of it as at the beginning4 ,during the day he cried out1 ',help me to praise the ,lord for ,his goodness2 ,i never expected to see this day4' ,he accepted a pressing invitation to preach to the ,protestants here2 and he fulfilled his engagement on ,sunday morning1 taking as his text1 ',examine yourselves1 whether ye be in the faith4' ,both the ,french and ,english were greatly affected2 the word went to the hearts of both saints and sinners4 ,his voice is now as good as ever it was1 and he has an earnest invitation to preach near ,montpellier1 where we are going4 ,you would be astonished at the entreaties of pastors as well as people4 ,he has received a letter from a minister in the ,levine ,mountains1 who intends to come to ,montpellier1 sixty miles1 to press him to go and preach to his flock4 ,he purposes to spend the next summer in his own country1 and the following winter in these parts4 ,from ,montpellier ,fletcher wrote to his curate1 ,mr4 ,greaves3 ,please ,god1 ,i shall set out next week from this place1 where the winter has been uncommonly rainy and windy4 ,we had over half an inch of snow last week1 but it was gone long before noon4 ,the climate has1 nevertheless1 agreed with me better than ,england1 and as a proof of it1 ,i need only tell you that ,i rode last ,friday from ,hyeres1 the orange gardens of ,france1 hither1 which is near fifty miles1 and was well enough to preach last ,sunday1 in ,french1 at the ,protestant chapel4444 ,at the first convenient opportunity1 please to read the following note in the church3 ,john ,fletcher sends his best ,christian love to the congregation that worships ,god in the parish church at ,madeley4 ,he begs the continuance of their prayers for strength of body and mind1 that he may be able 7if it be the will of ,god7 to serve them again in the gospel4 ,he desires them to return ,almighty ,god thanks for having enabled him to speak again in public last ,sunday1 without having had a return of his spitting of blood1 which he considers as a token that his life may be spared a little1 to exhort them to grow in grace1 in the knowledge of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and in brotherly love2--the best marks that we know ,god1 and are in the faith of ,christ4 ,early in ,may he reached ,nyon1 having travelled under the care of his brother from ,montpellier4 ,he was received by the members of his family with the utmost affection and respect4 ,one of the most important letters which he wrote during his absence from ,england was addressed to ,the ,rev4 ,messrs4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley4 ,it is dated from ,macon in ,burgundy1 ,may #agth1 #aggh4 ,the following extracts will show ,fletcher's judgment concerning the state of morals and religion in ,france ten years before the ,revolution3 ,gambling and dress1 sinful pleasure and love of money1 unbelief and false philosophy1 lightness of spirit1 fear of man1 and love of the world1 are the principal sins by which ,satan binds his captives in these parts4 ,materialism is not rare2 deism and ,socinianism are very common2 and a set of freethinkers1 great admirers of ,voltaire and ,rousseau1 ,bayle and ,mirabeau1 seem bent upon destroying ,christianity and government4 ,if we believe them1 the world is the dupe of kings and priests2 religion is fanaticism and superstition2 subordination is slavery2 ,christian morality is absurd1 unnatural1 and impracticable2 and ,christianity the most bloody religion that ever was4 ,and here it is certain1 that by the example of ,christians so called1 and by our continual disputes1 they have a great advantage1 and do the truth immense mischief4 ,popery will certainly fall in ,france1 in this or the next century2 and ,i have no doubt ,god will use those vain men to bring about a reformation here1 as he used ,henry the ,eighth to do that work in ,england2 so the madness of ,his enemies shall1 at last1 turn to ,his praise1 and to the furtherance of ,his kingdom4444 ,if you ask1 what system these men adopt1 ,i answer1 ,some build on deism a morality founded on self-preservation1 self-interest1 and self-honour2 others laugh at all morality1 except that which being neglected violently disturbs society4 ,and external order is the decent covering of fatalism1 while materialism is their system4 ,oh6 dear sirs1 let me entreat you1 in these dangerous days1 to use your wide influence1 with unabated zeal1 against the scheme of these modern ,celsuses1 ,porphyries1 and ,julians1 by calling all professors to think and speak the same things1 to love and embrace one another1 and to firmly resist those daring men1 many of whom are already in ,england1 headed by the admirers of ,mr4 ,hume and ,mr4 ,hobbes4 ,but it is needless to say this to those who have made1 and continue to make1 such a stand for vital ,christianity1 so that ,i have nothing to do but pray that the ,lord may abundantly support and strengthen you1 and make you a continued comfort to ,his enlightened people1 loving reprovers of those who mix light with darkness1 and a terror to the perverse4 ,while residing at ,nyon ,fletcher was visited by his friend and former medical adviser1 ,william ,perronet1 son of the venerable ,vicar of ,shoreham4 ,the ,perronet family was of ,swiss origin1 and about this time it came to the knowledge of ,mr4 ,perronet that he had some claim to a property situated at ,chateau d',oex1 a small town in a mountain valley1 about twenty miles from the north-eastern shore of the ,lake of ,geneva1 and nearly sixty from ,nyon4 ,fletcher assisted his friends by making inquiries and obtaining legal advice1 and it was thought necessary that ,william ,perronet should go over to press the claim in person4 ,this he accordingly did1 and1 it may be said here1 with complete success1 though he did not live to enjoy the possession1 as he was taken ill on his way home1 and died before reaching ,england4 ,fletcher wrote1 inviting him to be his guest3 ,this is a delightful country4 ,if you come to see it1 and to claim the estate1 bring all the papers and letters you can collect2 and share a pleasant apartment1 and one of the finest prospects in the world1 in the house where ,i was born4 ,soon after ,mr4 ,perronet's arrival1 it was thought necessary that he should visit ,chateau d',oex1 and although it was now ,december1 ,fletcher accompanied him4 ,the journey was not without danger1 more especially for one in such a feeble state of health4 ,it is described1 together with many interesting details of ,fletcher's life at ,nyon1 in ,mr4 ,perronet's letters4 ,on ,friday1 the #aath1 ,i reached ,nyon1 where ,i had the pleasure of finding our dear friend in pretty good health and spirits4 ,mr4 ,fletcher's house is a fine1 large building1 agreeably situated4 ,it is in the form of a castle1 and is supposed to have been built five hundred years ago4444 ,his chief delight seems to be in the meeting of his little society of children2 and as he is exceedingly fond of them1 they appear to be altogether as fond of him4 ,he seldom either walks abroad or rides out1 but some of them follow him1 singing the hymns they have learned1 and conversing with him by the way4 ,but you must not suppose that he is permitted to enjoy this happiness unmolested4 ,not only the drunkards make songs upon him and his little companions1 but many of the clergy loudly complain of such irregular proceedings4 ,mr4 ,perronet was much impressed with the incidents of their journey to ,chateau d',oex4 ,the rugged heights1 the precipices1 the torrents1 the deep snow1 rising many feet above their heads as they toiled through narrow passes that had been cut through it1--all are new to him1 and are described with much vivacity4 ,part of the distance they rode upon a sledge1 and in some places they were obliged to go on foot4 ,whilst doing so they got a fall on the ice1 when ,fletcher received a severe blow on the back of his head1 and his companion sprained his wrist4 ,though they only spent two days at ,chateau d',oex1 ,fletcher was constrained to preach the gospel to the people4 ,he was visited by some of the principal inhabitants1 who stood round him in deep attention for nearly an hour while he exhorted and prayed4 ,as his strength permitted1 ,fletcher laboured1 not only in ,nyon1 but1 true to the ,methodist principles he had learnt in ,england1 made journeys in various directions1 that he might scatter the good seed4 ,amongst the ,jura ,mountains he found industrious and thriving populations4 ,in one village they told him they had the best singing1 and the best preacher in the country4 ,but when he asked if any sinners were converted under his ministry1 they stared1 and asked what he meant4 ,when he had explained himself1 they could only say1 ,we do not live in the time of miracles4 ,having crossed into ,french territory1 he was much interested on coming upon a great gathering of people who were assembled to hear some itinerant mission preachers1 ,roman ,catholic clergymen4 ,they were1 it appears1 three brothers1 and they had already spent some days in the place1 preaching morning and evening4 ,fletcher heard one of them preach upon the judgment4 ,before the sermon1 all those who1 for the press1 could kneel1 did1 and sang a ,french hymn to beg a blessing on the word2 and indeed it was blessed4 ,an awful attention was visible upon most1 and1 during a good part of the discourse1 the voice of the preacher was almost lost in the cries and bitter wailings of the audience4 ,the preacher urged them to know their day1 and slight the mercy of ,god and the blood of ,christ no longer2 and ,fletcher adds1 ,i have seen but once or twice congregations so much affected in ,england4 ,devout and earnest ,roman ,catholics were much more to his mind than formal1 lifeless ,protestants4 ,on ,good ,friday1 which was not observed amongst the ,calvinists of ,nyon1 ,fletcher and ,mr4 ,perronet crossed the lake into ,savoy to hear a celebrated ,capuchin preacher4 ,fletcher was much pleased with his discourse1 and spent two or three hours with him and his brethren in serious and friendly conversation4 ,to many of the ,swiss ministers his irregularities were as distasteful as such things were to the high or moderate clergy in ,england4 ,his earnestness and popularity perplexed them4 ,the people crowded the churches where he preached1 multitudes who could not gain admittance remaining outside1 while others placed ladders against the windows1 and climbed to places whence they might hear1 even if they could not see him4 ,pulpits to which he had been at first invited were closed against him4 ,it was represented to the authorities that he preached doctrines subversive of morality and social order1 and that on this account he had been banished from ,england4 ,at a visitation held in ,nyon strong complaints were made against him1 the ministers of the town1 however1 taking his part1 while those of ,geneva and ,lausanne were opposed to him4 ,he was forbidden to hold meetings in private houses1 and householders were warned that they would be liable to penalties if they permitted such meetings to be held4 ,this roused the spirit of his brother1 who wrote to the ,bailli saying that he would give up neither his civil nor religious liberty1 and would open his house for the word of ,god4 ,but the climax was reached when ,fletcher was summoned before the ,bailli1 who sharply reprimanded him for preaching against ,sabbath-breaking and stage plays4 ,the former1 he said1 implied a censure on the magistrates in general1 as if they neglected their duty2 and the latter he considered as a personal reflection on himself1 he having just invited a company of ,french comedians to ,nyon4 ,accordingly1 he forbade him any longer to exercise any of the functions of a minister in the country4 ,fletcher1 however1 still found means to catechize the children and to hold meetings in private4 ,at the same time he was informed that if he would renounce his ordination1 and obtain ,presbyterian orders1 he would be allowed to preach1 and on those terms a minister in ,nyon offered him what might be called a curacy4 ,the following extracts from his letters1 written while at ,nyon1 will throw light both upon the state of things there1 and upon his occupations and sentiments at this time4 ,july #aeth1 #aggh4--,the day ,i preached1 ,i met with some children in my wood1 walking or gathering strawberries4 ,i spoke to them about our ,father1 our common ,father4 ,they said they would sing to their ,father as well as the birds1 and followed me1 attempting to make such melody as you know is commonly made in these parts4 ,i outrode them1 but some of them had the patience to follow me home1 and said they would speak with me2 but the people of the house stopped them1 saying1 ,i could not be troubled with children4 ,they cried1 and said they were sure ,i would not say so1 for ,i was their good brother4 ,the next day1 when ,i heard it1 ,i inquired after them1 and invited them to come to me1 which they have done every day since4 ,i make them little hymns which they sing4444 ,last ,sunday ,i met them in the wood3 there were a hundred of them1 and as many adults4 ,our first pastor has since desired me to desist from preaching in the wood1 444 and ,i have complied1 from a concurrence of circumstances which are not worth mentioning4 ,i therefore meet them in my father's yard4 ,sept4 #agth1 #aggh4--,one of our ministers being ill1 ,i ventured a second time into the pulpit last ,sunday2 and the ,sunday before ,i preached six miles off to two thousand people in a jail-yard1 where they were come to see a poor murderer two days before his execution4 ,i was a little abused by the ,bailiff on the occasion1 and refused the liberty of attending the poor man on the scaffold1 where he was to be broken on the wheel4 ,i hope he died penitent4 ,feb4 #bnd1 #aggi4--;,i am better1 thank ,god6 and ride out every day when the slippery roads will permit me to venture without the risk of breaking my horse's legs1 and my own neck4 ,you will ask me how ,i have spent my time4 ,i pray1 have patience1 rejoice1 and write when ,i can4 ,i saw wood in the house when ,i cannot go out1 and eat grapes1 of which ,i have always a basket by me4444 ,the truths ,i chiefly insist upon1 when ,i talk to the people who will hear me1 are those which ,i feed upon myself1 as my daily bread3 ,god1 our ,maker and ,preserver1 though invisible1 is here and everywhere4 ,he is our chief good1 because all beauty and all goodness centres in and flows from ,him4 ,he is especially love3 and love in us1 being ,his image1 is the sum and substance of all moral and spiritual excellence1--of all true and lasting bliss4 ,in ,adam we are all estranged from love and from ,god2 but the second ,adam1 ,jesus1 ,emmanuel1 ,god with us1 is come to make us know and enjoy again our ,god as the ,god of love and the chief good4 ,all who receive ,jesus receive power to become the sons of ,god1 etc41 etc4 ,march #gth1 #aghj4--;,i am sorry the building has come to so much more than ,i intended2 but as the mischief is done1 it is a matter to exercise patience1 resignation1 and self-denial2 and it will be a caution in future4 ,i am going to sell part of my little estate here to discharge the debt4 ,i had laid by ,l#ej to print a small work1 which ,i wanted to distribute here2 but1 as ,i must be just before ,i presume to offer that mite to the ,god of truth1 ,i lay by the design1 and shall send that sum to ,mr4 ,york4 ,money is so scarce here at this time that ,i shall sell at very great loss2 but necessity and justice are two great laws which must be obeyed4 ,as ,i design on my return to ,england to pinch until ,i have got rid of this debt1 ,i may go and live in one of the cottages belonging to the vicar1 if we could let the vicarage for a few pounds4 ,sept4 #aeth1 #aghj4--,there is little genuine piety in these parts3 nevertheless1 there is yet some of the form of it2 so far as to go to the ,lord's table regularly four times a year4 ,there meet the adulterers1 the drunkards1 the swearers1 the infidels1 and even the materialists4 ,they have no idea of the double damnation that awaits hypocrites4 ,they look upon partaking that sacrament as a ceremony enjoined by the magistrate4 ,feb4 #adth1 #agha4--,my friend ,ireland invites me to join him in the south of ,france1 and ,i long to see whether ,i could not have more liberty to preach the word among ,papists than among ,protestants4 ,but it is so little that ,i can do1 that ,i doubt much whether it is worth while going so far upon so little a chance4 ,if ,i were stronger1 and had more time1 the fear of being hanged should not detain me4 ,it had occurred to ,fletcher during his residence in ,nyon that he might serve the cause of religion in ,switzerland with his pen1 seeing that the state of his health1 and the opposition of persons in authority1 made it impossible for him to preach the gospel1 as it was in his heart to do4 ,to awaken the clergy1 to rouse them from their worldliness and scepticism1 and bring them to some acquaintance with true religion1 seemed of all things the most desirable4 ,humanly speaking1 there was little hope for the ,church in ,switzerland until there was1 at least1 the leaven of an earnest ministry4 ,to his friend and curate at ,madeley1 ,mr4 ,greaves1 he wrote3 ,there is occasion and great need to bear a testimony against the faults of the clergy here2 and if ,i cannot do it from the pulpit1 ,i must try to do it from the press4 ,their canons1 which were composed by two hundred and thirty pastors at the time of the ,reformation1 are so spiritual and apostolic that ,i design to translate them into ,english1 if ,i am spared4 ,it does not appear that this design was carried out1 but meanwhile ,fletcher was preparing a practical treatise on the ,pastoral ,character1 which he hoped to publish before leaving the country4 ,it grew upon his hands into a lengthy and elaborate work4 ,his plan was to exhibit at one view the character of the primitive ,christian1 and of the apostolic minister1 as exemplified in the ,apostle ,paul4 ,it was written in ,french1 but was still unfinished when he returned to ,england1 and the manuscript was laid aside1 with the intention of translating and preparing it for the press when circumstances should allow4 ,the convenient season1 however1 did not come1 and it was not until after his death that the manuscript was found--portions of it from time to time1--obviously needing revision at the author's hand4 ,the task of translating and editing was performed by the ,rev4 ,joshua ,gilpin1 and his version of ,the ,portrait of ,st4 ,paul is the only one that has ever appeared4 ,no mode of publication could well be more disadvantageous to a writer1 and this should be borne in mind in estimating its value4 ,mr4 ,gilpin remarks that the manuscript was so incorrect and confused as frequently to stagger the resolution of the translator2 and as his object was rather to produce an edifying work than to edit with precision ,fletcher's literary remains1 it is probable that he filled up the gaps and elaborated the hints which he found in ,fletcher's papers4 ,this would in part account for the diffuseness which characterises ,the ,portrait of ,st4 ,paul4 ,the tendency1 so frequently discernible in ,fletcher's writings1 is here most conspicuous4 ,in the first division of the work the moral character of ,st4 ,paul is delineated under no less than forty ,traits1 each one having a chapter to itself1 the chapters being numbered successively ,,trait #a1 ,,trait #b1 and so on1 to forty4 ,had ,fletcher completed this treatise1 and published it himself1 it is reasonable to believe that his own literary experience or the advice of his friends would have led him to group these numerous details under fewer heads1 and in other ways give greater unity to the whole4 ,there is hardly a chapter that does not show the writer's spiritual insight and experience1 and may not be read with profit1 even by those who are acquainted with the best works of pastoral theology2 but the cataloguing of moral features is carried to a fatiguing length1 and the portrait which it was intended to exhibit is in danger of disappearing in the process of linked and long-drawn description4 ,even in its present form it is not difficult to see that the ,portrait of ,st4 ,paul was written by one who had ,swiss readers in view4 ,the authors most frequently quoted are ,ostervald1 professor and pastor at ,neufchatel1 whose ,exercice du ,ministere ,sacre was published in #agci1 and ,roques1 formerly minister of the ,french congregation at ,basle1 whose ,pasteur ,evangelique1 published in #agbc1 was still a popular work4 ,it was an advantage for ,fletcher to be able to appeal to such excellent and learned divines as ,mons4 ,ostervald and ,mons4 ,roques in setting forth the character and calling of the ,christian minister4 ,the third and concluding portion of the work is ,an ,essay on the ,connexion of ,doctrines and ,morality4 ,it might almost be considered a separate and independent work4 ,its object is to show the insufficiency of natural religion and philosophy to produce true goodness4 ,we are reminded on every page that it was written in the country of ,rousseau's birth and of ,voltaire's adoption1 at a time when the wit of the one1 the sentiment of the other1 and the principles of both these philosophers and men of letters1 were of paramount influence in ,switzerland4 ,voltaire and ,rousseau died in the year #aggh1 while ,fletcher was residing at ,nyon1 and he had ample opportunity of observing the extent to which both clergy and laity had come under their spell4 ,that influence was1 in ,fletcher's judgment1 the cause of grievous injury to religion and morals4 ,a loose1 easy-going1 yet confident deism seemed almost to have superseded ,christianity4 ,even amongst the clergy the truth of revelation was denied1 or its importance disparaged4 ,the doctrines of revealed religion were ridiculed as mysterious and incredible1 or rejected as having no practical bearing4 ,the religion of nature had a showy and pretentious side for those who aspired to the dignity of philosophers1 and was easily reconcilable with selfishness1 vanity1 and licentiousness alike in its more1 and in its less1 illustrious professors4 ,fletcher set himself to show the relation between principles and conduct1 and particularly between the doctrines of the gospel and a pure morality1 instituting comparisons between ,christianity and the current deism in respect of their ethical force and direction4 ,his references to ,rousseau are frequent1 as might be expected1 and it was not difficult for so expert a controversialist to give a good account of the author of ,emile4 ,the ,confessions of ,rousseau were not published until #aghb1 four years after his death2 but ,fletcher lived in a country where ,rousseau's history and character were well known4 ,the most direct allusion1 however1 to his personal qualities occurs in the following passage1 taken from the close of the treatise3 ,if it be asked1 what secret vice it was that would not suffer so honest a man as ,j4 ,j4 ,rousseau to embrace the gospel1 without searching into the anecdotes of his life1 we may rest satisfied with the discovery he has made of his own heart in this single sentence3 ',what can be more transporting to a noble soul than the pride of virtue6' ,such was the pride which made him vainly presume that he had power sufficient to conquer himself1 without invoking the assistance of ,god2 and by which he was encouraged to assert that the doctrines of the gospel were such as 'no sensible man could either conceive or admit4' ,there is no species of pride more insolent than that which gives rise to the following language3 ',it is asserted that ,god so loved the world1 as to give ,his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,these tidings1 whether they be true or false1 are highly acceptable to many2 but for my own part1 ,i openly declare that ,i reject with contempt the idea of such a favour4 ,i read with attention those writings which tend to unfold the mysteries of nature1 but resolve never to turn over those authors who vainly attempt to establish the truth of the gospel4 ,this subject1 though it has occupied the thoughts and engaged the pens of inquiring students for these seventeen hundred years1 ,i shall ever regard as unworthy my attention4 ,i leave it to the vulgar1 who are easily persuaded of its importance4 ,my virtues are sufficient to expiate my crimes1 and on these ,i will resolutely depend1 as my sole mediators before ,god4' 444 ,the deists of ,socrates' time must have been far less culpable than those of the present day4 ,the former1 conscious of the uncertainty with which they were encompassed1 made use of every help they could procure in the pursuit of truth with unwearied assiduity4 ,the latter1 presuming upon their own sufficiency1 decide against doctrines of the utmost importance without impartially considering the evidence produced in their favour4 ,the former1 by carefully examining every system of morality proposed to their deliberation1 discovered a candour and liberality becoming those who were anxiously 'feeling after ,god1 if haply they might find ,him4' ,the latter1 by condemning revelation without calmly attending to the arguments of its advocates1 manifest a degree of prejudice that would be unpardonable in a judge1 but which becomes inexcusable in a criminal1 who is pressed by the strongest reasons to search out the truth4 ,on his return to ,england1 ,fletcher brought this unfinished treatise with him1 and1 as we have said1 never found time to complete it4 ,one work he published while in ,switzerland1 a poem entitled ,la ,louange1 afterwards enlarged and republished in ,england under the title1 ,la ,grace et ,la ,nature4 ,the ,swiss edition required1 and received1 the license of the official censor at ,lausanne1 who was good enough to give his imprimatur in the following terms3 ,i have read this work1 which1 in my judgment1 everywhere breathes ,piety1 ,faith1 and ,christian ,charity4--,,de ,,bons1 ,censeur4 ,the ,english edition was dedicated1 by permission1 to ,queen ,charlotte4 ,one incident connected with ,fletcher's residence at ,nyon remains to be told4 ,a certain nephew of his1 lately an officer in the ,sardinian army1 had been compelled to leave the service under discreditable circumstances4 ,to rid themselves of his company1 his brother officers agreed to challenge him in succession4 ,after fighting two or three duels1 he was obliged to resign his commission and leave the country4 ,he returned to ,switzerland1 to become a terror and a distress to his relatives4 ,having squandered his money in various evil ways1 and come to the end of his resources1 he resorted to a desperate expedient4 ,he asked for a private interview with his uncle1 ,general de ,gons1 and when they were alone1 suddenly presented a loaded pistol1 and said1 ,uncle de ,gons1 if you do not give me a draft on your banker for five hundred crowns1 ,i will shoot you4 ,his uncle1 finding himself in the power of a desperado capable of any mischief1 and1 possibly1 having no heart to resist the violence of one who was all but a son1 complied with his demand4 ,his nephew then extracted a promise from him that he would not1 on his honour as a gentleman and a soldier1 take any steps to recover the draft1 or bring him to justice2 after which he rode off triumphant with his ill-gotten gains4 ,as he passed the door of his uncle ,fletcher1 the fancy took him to call and pay him a visit1 and he began at once to tell him of the kindness of his uncle ,de ,gons1 who had just given him five hundred crowns1 adding1 as he held out the draft1 ,if you don't believe me1 see the proof under his own hand4 ,fletcher felt that there was something wrong4 ,he took the draft1 and looked first at it1 and then at the young man4 ,it is1 indeed1 my brother's writing1 said he1 and ,i am astonished to see it1 for he is not rich1 and ,i know that he so much disapproves your conduct that you are the last of the family to whom he would make such a present4 ,then folding the paper1 and putting it into his pocket1 he added1 ,it strikes me1 young man1 that you have come by this by some improper means1 and ,i cannot1 in honesty1 return it to you but with my brother's knowledge and approbation4 ,out came the young ruffian's pistol once more1 and putting it to ,fletcher's breast1 he swore he would have his life if he did not immediately return him the draft4 ,my life1 replied ,fletcher1 is secure in the hands of ,god4 ,the young man still sought to terrify him into compliance4 ,do you think1 said ,fletcher1 that ,i have been twenty-five years the minister of the ,lord of life1 to be afraid of death now8 ,it is for you to fear death1 who have every reason to fear it4 ,you are a gambler and a cheat1 yet call yourself a gentleman6 ,you are a seducer1 and a duellist1 and call yourself a man of honour6 ,look there1 sir2 look there6 ,the eye of ,god is upon us4 ,tremble in the presence of your ,maker1 who can in a moment kill your body1 and for ever punish your soul in hell4 ,the young man was powerless4 ,he stormed and trembled alternately4 ,he withdrew his pistol1 and again presented it4 ,he argued1 entreated1 threatened1 but ,fletcher remained calm and fearless4 ,by-and-by he expostulated with him4 ,i cannot1 said he1 return my brother's draft2 yet ,i am sorry for you1 and will do what ,i can to help you4 ,general de ,gons will1 at my request1 ,i am sure1 give you a hundred crowns4 ,i will do the same4 ,perhaps my brother ,henry will do as much2 and perhaps the other members of the family will make up the sum amongst them4 ,he then knelt down1 and prayed for his unhappy nephew4 ,the matter was arranged1 by ,fletcher's influence1 in the way he had suggested1 and an opportunity was afforded to a foolish and wicked young man for repentance and reformation of life4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,return ,,to ,,england4--,,marriage4 ,fletcher returned to ,england in the spring of #agha1 after an absence of nearly three years and a half4 ,his health was considerably improved by the long rest and retirement2 the worst symptoms had disappeared1 but he remained1 at best1 a frail and delicate man4 ,almost his first act on reaching ,london was to preach in the new chapel in ,city ,road1 which had been erected during his absence4 ,wesley was away in the midland counties1 preaching and visiting the societies2 from thence he passed into ,wales1 and next to the ,isle of ,man1 so that some months elapsed before he and ,fletcher met4 ,after a few days in ,london ,fletcher went to ,bristol1 where he received the warmest welcome from ,mr4 ,ireland and his other friends4 ,soon after his arrival1 ,mr4 ,rankin1 a ,methodist preacher then stationed in ,bristol1 had an interview with him1 which1 he says1 ,i shall never forget in time or eternity4 ,fletcher had many inquiries to make concerning the progress of religion in ,england and in ,america1 where ,mr4 ,rankin had laboured for five years4 ,they walked to and fro in ,mr4 ,ireland's garden1 and as he listened to ,mr4 ,rankin's account of the triumphs of the gospel at home and in the colonies1 ,fletcher broke forth again and again into prayer and praise4 ,in almost every reference to him at this period of his life1 and onward to its close1 there is mention of a something almost unearthly in his spirit1 and even in his appearance and manner4 ,with the utmost affectionateness and freedom of intercourse there was a certain raptness of devotion1 a mingled simplicity and elevation of thought and feeling1 peculiarly his own4 ,the impression he produced1 as shown in the letters and journals of his contemporaries1 is unmistakable4 ,there is nothing quite like it in the case of any other member of the group to which ,fletcher belongs4 ,alike in converse with individuals1 and in his public addresses1 he gave the impression of one whose links with earth were few and slender compared with those that united him with the heavenly world4 ,after describing the interview just referred to1 ,mr4 ,rankin goes on to say3 ,he preached in the evening from ',god hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the ,spirit and belief of the truth4' ,the whole congregation was dissolved in tears4 ,he spoke like one who had just left the converse of ,god and angels1 and not like a human being4 ,the different conversations ,i had with him1 his prayers and preaching during the few days which he stayed at ,bristol and ,brislington1 left such an impression on my mind1 and were attended with such salutary effects1 that for several months afterwards not a cloud intervened between ,god and my soul1--not for one hour4 ,of all the men ,i ever knew1 ,i never saw such love to ,god and man1 such deadness to the world1 such entire consecratedness to ,jesus1 as in him4 ,it often appeared to me that his every breath was prayer and praise4 ,he lived more like a disembodied spirit than a human being4 ,no one rejoiced at ,fletcher's return to ,england more than his old friend and former colleague at ,trevecca1 ,mr4 ,benson4 ,in a hitherto unpublished letter1 dated from the ,preaching ,house1 ,leeds1 ,june #abth1 #agha1 he wrote to him as follows3 ,it gave me great pleasure to hear of your safe arrival in ,england after so long an absence1 and that your health was considerably better than when you went abroad2 and more especially1 as ,i understand from ,miss ,bosanquet1 that you have some thought of visiting ,yorkshire1 where1 ,i am sure1 thousands will be glad to see you1 and none more so than myself1 who once had the honour of being your intimate friend1 and whose one motive for troubling you at this time is a desire to renew that friendship1 formerly so beneficial to my soul4 ,mr4 ,fletcher1 no length of time1 no distance of place1 can ever erase your memory from my mind1 nor shall ,i1 while ,i breathe1 cease to respect you above all men upon earth1 and that for one only reason1 because the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has in a great measure drawn ,his likeness upon you4 ,although he returned to ,madeley soon after reaching ,england1 it was some time before ,fletcher really took up his residence and resumed his work there4 ,he determined to attend the approaching ,methodist ,conference1 to be held in ,leeds in the beginning of ,august4 ,four years had elapsed since his memorable visit to the ,conference at ,bristol1 when ,wesley had said concerning him1 ,he shall not die1 but live4 ,he now wished to meet once more the brethren to whom he was bound by so many ties4 ,wesley moreover wanted his presence and counsel1 and for this1 and for another reason that will be explained1 he left ,madeley and went to ,yorkshire4 ,seventy preachers met at the ,conference4 ,on the ,sunday before it began1 the ,methodists had a high day at the parish church of ,leeds4 ,wesley preached to a vast congregation4 ,seventeen clergymen1 including ,fletcher and ,coke1 assisted him in administering the ,lord's supper to eleven hundred communicants4 ,during the ,conference ,wesley desired ,fletcher1 ,coke1 and four others to meet him each evening to consult with him on any difficulty that might occur4 ,fletcher preached at five o'clock in the morning to at least two thousand persons1 who listened to him with the deepest attention4 ,wesley's comment was1 ,i do not wonder he should be so popular2 not only because he preaches with all his might1 but because the power of ,god attends both his preaching and prayer4 ,i had the happiness to hear that venerable servant of ,god1 ,mr4 ,fletcher1 wrote one of the preachers to his wife4 ,never did ,i see any man more like what ,i suppose the ancient apostles to have been4444 ,i think ,i never heard a sermon to be compared with it4 ,i wish ,i could tell you every word4 ,i had also the happiness to receive from his hand the bread in the sacrament of the ,lord's supper4 ,the ,conference was over in a week1 but ,fletcher still remained in the neighbourhood of ,leeds4 ,another1 and to him a still more important1 matter was occupying his thoughts4 ,it had reference to ,miss ,bosanquet1 the lady named in ,mr4 ,benson's letter4 ,a very brief account of one who deserves1 and has received1 ample biographic honours1 must here suffice4 ,mary ,bosanquet was a lady of good family and considerable fortune1 to whom belongs an eminence among the godly women of ,methodism1 analogous to that of ,fletcher among his associates4 ,at a very early age1 and partly through the influence of a maidservant1 she became an earnest ,christian4 ,as she grew up she passed through much conflict and sorrow from the opposition of her parents4 ,they were well-meaning but worldly people1 and were disappointed and annoyed at their daughter's distaste for balls and theatres1 and at her generally impracticable religious convictions4 ,they endeavoured to secure her promise that she would never1 either then or thereafter1 attempt to make her brothers what she called ,christians4 ,upon her saying that she dared not consent to that1 her father replied1 ,then you force me to put you out of my house4 ,a kind of agreement was soon afterwards come to1 that she should take lodgings in ,hoxton1 and visit her parents from time to time2 and at twenty-one years of age1 accompanied by her maid1 she left her home1 literally for ,christ's sake4 ,a year or two later she removed to ,leytonstone1 to a house of her own1 not far from her father's residence4 ,here she gathered around her a family of poor women and orphan children1 who were supported at her expense1 and taught1 trained1 and employed according to their capacity4 ,it was her desire to form a household in which the glory of ,god should be the supreme end and aim1 and for many years her efforts were crowned with success4 ,peace1 piety1 and simple order ruled the little community4 ,wesley was particularly interested in her plan1 and delighted with its results4 ,it reminded him of what he had seen many years before in the orphan house at ,halle1 and among the brethren at ,herrnhut4 ,it was akin to his own endeavour at ,kingswood4 ,in his ,journal he refers to it in the following terms3 ,it is exactly ,pietas ,hallensis in miniature4444 ,i rode over to ,leytonstone1 and found one truly ,christian family3 that is1 what that at ,kingswood should be1 and would1 if it had such governors4444 ,i preached at ,leytonstone4 ,oh what a house of ,god is here6 not only for decency and order1 but for the life and power of religion6 ,i am afraid there are very few such to be found in all the king's dominions4 ,in addition to the guidance of her household1 ,miss ,bosanquet held services in her kitchen1 at which she read and expounded the ,scriptures to such of her poor neighbours as were willing to come4 ,a ,methodist class-meeting was formed1 and from time to time an itinerant preacher would come and minister to the little flock4 ,from early morning till night there was nothing but hard and homely toil1 frugal meals1 frequent religious meetings1 and ever-recurring prayer and praise4 ,thus devoting her time1 her strength1 her fortune to ,christ and to the poor1 ,she filled her odorous lamp with deeds of light1 ,and hope that reaps not shame4 ,there was no lack of hindrances and discouragements1 however1 from within and from without4 ,many of the children suffered from painful diseases1 the result of poverty and neglect4 ,others distressed her with the evil habits they had brought with them4 ,her relatives spoke of her as of one who was out of her right mind4 ,some of her critics declared that she was bringing up the children for nuns2 others said her plans savoured too much of carnal wisdom2 while others again charged her with idleness4 ,persons well-disposed and ill-disposed poured upon her their conflicting counsels and reproofs2 and1 as if the brave1 lonely woman had not enough to bear1 a crowd of rough men and boys would collect at the gate1 when nights were dark1 to throw dirt at the people as they went out from the meetings1 and would afterwards come into the yard1 and1 putting their faces to a window which had no shutters1 would roar and howl like wild beasts4 ,from ,leytonstone ,miss ,bosanquet removed into ,yorkshire1 and settled at ,gildersome1 a village near ,leeds1 where she bought land and built a house4 ,here she continued for many years her self-denying labours and let the steady light of a holy life shine1 to the comfort and edification of many4 ,it is not necessary to tell the story in detail2 it may be enough to say that while thus living for others1 her fortune was melting away1 partly through injudicious generosity1 and partly through the blunders of those who helped and advised her in the management of her affairs4 ,from these causes1 to which might be added the unconscionable demands of some whom she assisted1 she was brought to financial embarrassment and great anxiety4 ,at the time of ,fletcher's return to ,england her difficulties seemed to be coming to a crisis4 ,she saw nothing for it but to sell her ,yorkshire property for what it would fetch1 and with the proceeds pay off her debts as far as possible1 and meet the remainder from the small income still coming to her from ,leytonstone4 ,it was at this juncture that she received an offer of marriage from ,fletcher4 ,he was now fifty-two years of age1 and ,miss ,bosanquet ten years younger4 ,they had known one another for five-and-twenty years1 though for the greater part of that time there was no direct intercourse between them4 ,from their first acquaintance they had been attracted to one another4 ,fletcher had confessed to ,charles ,wesley that ,miss ,bosanquet's image at one time pursued him1 and that he should perhaps have lost his peace of mind if he had not betaken himself to prayer1 and to a serious consideration of the reasons against matrimony4 ,in spite of the victory thus gained1 there is little doubt that her image pursued him through the following years4 ,she1 on her part1 confides to her diary that a feeling that she might be called to marry ,mr4 ,fletcher would now and again come to her mind4 ,she found much help and comfort in his writings4 ,in her troubles she thought of him as one who might perhaps be sent to her aid4 ,she dwelt upon some little acts of friendship in our first acquaintance1 and then put the pleasant thoughts away1 lest they should be a snare to her4 ,she resolved never to do the least thing towards a renewal of their correspondence4 ,and so for fifteen years they never met1 each of them meanwhile passing through much affliction1 and needing the very help which the other could have supplied4 ,to ,fletcher's scrupulous sense of honour1 ,miss ,bosanquet's fortune was an effectual barrier between them4 ,that the possession of wealth should attract unworthy suitors is nothing unusual1--it is a constantly recurring source of danger to well-dowered women2 but the danger of its repelling the worthy suitor1 and so keeping those apart who are best fitted for each other1 although much rarer1 is perhaps even more difficult to deal with4 ,in such cases some sort of mediation seems desirable1 though it is generally impracticable4 ,what was wanted in this instance was1 in our judgment1 that some one--say ,wesley1 or his brother ,charles--should have said to ,fletcher and to ,miss ,bosanquet the half dozen words explanatory of each other's sentiments that would have removed all difficulty1 and given them twenty years of happy married life instead of four4 ,it is remarkable that when ,fletcher made his offer of marriage to ,miss ,bosanquet he had not seen her for fifteen years4 ,there was no previous renewal of the acquaintance1 no gradual growth of intimacy and affection1 no preliminaries of any kind4 ,his proposal came unheralded and unexpected1 and was at once accepted4 ,it is clear that the needful preparation had been made on both sides long ago4 ,there was the sudden removal of hindrances1 real or imagined3 that was all4 ,one of his letters to ,miss ,bosanquet1 written during their engagement1 has lately been published by ,mr4 ,tyerman4#ab ,it is a true love-letter1 and in no way unworthy of its writer4 ,others lie before us now4 ,they are written with the utmost freedom and simplicity1 and show a warm and tender affection1 with a chivalrous admiration for the woman soon to become his wife4 ,the gentle-spirited1 lonely man rejoices in his new-found happiness4 ,surely1 he writes to her1 a human creature alone is but half himself4 ,and yet how many1 for want of having made the comparison1 glory in their loss6 ,i will do so no more4 ,this is a touch of nature that the reader will appreciate2 more particularly if he has been at the trouble of reading the reasons against matrimony that have been alluded to4 ,but we refrain from further quotation4 ,on the whole1 we think it right to respect the privacy of ,fletcher's love-letters4 ,they were written for one reader1 and for one only4 ,by her they were sacredly preserved through the thirty years of her widowhood1 and then1 chiefly1 we imagine1 because she could not bring herself to destroy them1 they passed into the keeping of a dear and trusted friend4 ,to remain in the keeping of friends1 and not to be published to the world is1 in our judgment1 their proper destiny4 ,we are1 however1 much indebted to ,mr4 ,tyerman for bringing to light the letter in which ,fletcher asked the consent of ,miss ,bosanquet's uncle and trustee1 ,mr4 ,claudius ,bosanquet1 to his marriage with his niece4 ,it is a most important piece of autobiography4 ,we have so far availed ourselves of it in the course of this narrative that the whole need not be given here4 ,but the following will be read with interest3 ,it was soon after my ordination that ,i saw ,miss ,mary ,bosanquet1 your pious niece4 ,i had resolved not to marry2 but the sweetness of her temper1 and her devotedness to ,god1 made me think that if ever ,i broke through my resolution1 it would be to cast my lot with one like her4 ,not long after1 at ,mr4 ,hill's request1 his nephew1 ,mr4 ,kinaston1 member for ,montgomery1 presented me with the living of ,madeley1 a little market town in the county of ,salop1 worth about ,l#ajj per annum2 and here ,i have chiefly lived1 sequestered from the world1 as your amiable niece has done at ,leyton and at ,cross ,hall4 ,after having corresponded some years with her on various subjects1 last spring1 on my return from a journey to the continent1 ,i ventured to mention to her my first thoughts about a closer union with her1 thoughts which ,i had kept to myself for nearly twenty-five years4 ,after maturely discussing the point1 your pious niece has given me room to hope she will give me her hand1 if you1 sir1 whom she honours as a father1 give your consent to our union4 ,i earnestly ask it1 sir2 and beg you will share the pleasure of uniting two persons who1 from a remarkable agreement of taste1 sentiments1 and pursuits1 as well as from a particular sympathy1 seem formed for each other by the ,god of nature and of grace4 ,i wish1 sir1 ,i had a fortune equal to ,miss ,bosanquet's deserts2 but ,i hope ,i have one suitable to her piety1 and to the moderate wishes of that godliness which1 together with contentment1 is a great gain4 ,i have only about ,l#aejj worth of property in my native country1 and about ,l#djj or ,l#ejj more in my parish1 besides the income of my living1 and a house much better than those with which most country clergymen are obliged to put up4 ,whatever be your pious niece's fortune1 ,i assure you1 sir1 ,i seek her person1 not her property2 and to convince you of it1 ,i request before she gives me her hand1 her whole fortune may be secured to her by a proper settlement4 ,the same day he wrote to ,miss ,bosanquet's brother3 ,among the reasons which hindered me from making my addresses to your amiable sister1 when first ,i felt that sympathy which binds my soul to hers1 the superiority of her fortune was not the least4 ,since that time1 debts1 which unforeseen circumstances led her to contract1 have considerably lessened that difficulty1 and the prudent fear of contracting new ones seems to make it expedient for her to get into a state where she may1 without difficulty and with propriety1 bring her expensive housekeeping within narrower bounds4 ,that end will at once be attained if she favours me with her hand4 ,the consent of ,miss ,bosanquet's relatives was readily and cordially given4 ,there was indeed no such disparity in the position and circumstances of the two as could well be a ground of objection4 ,their ,methodist friends regarded their union as a peculiarly suitable one4 ,wesley wrote to a friend at the time1 ,i should not have been willing that ,miss ,bosanquet should have been joined to any other person than ,mr4 ,fletcher2 and later he said1 ,miss ,bosanquet was the only person in ,england whom ,i judged to have been worthy of ,mr4 ,fletcher4 ,they were married in ,batley church1 on ,november #abth1 #agha4 ,for nearly two months after their marriage they continued to reside at ,cross ,hall4 ,it was desirable that ,mrs4 ,fletcher's affairs should be settled before her removal to ,madeley1 so an arrangement was made with ,mr4 ,crosse1 the ,vicar of ,bradford1 that he and ,fletcher should exchange duty for a while4 ,the former went to ,madeley1 and ,fletcher took charge of ,mr4 ,crosse's parish4 ,on ,january #ast1 #aghb1 he wrote to a friend in ,london3 ,strangely restored to health and strength 7considering my years71 ,i have ventured to preach of late as often as ,i did formerly2 and after having read prayers and preached twice on ,christmas ,day1 ,i did last ,sunday what ,i had never done1 ,i continued doing duty from ten o'clock in the morning till after four in the afternoon4 ,this was owing to christenings1 churchings1 and the sacrament1 which ,i administered to a church full of people1 so that ,i was obliged to go from the communion table to begin the evening service1 and then to visit some sick4 ,this has brought back upon me one of my old1 dangerous symptoms2 so ,i have flattered myself in vain that ,i should be able to do the whole duty of my own parish4 ,my dear wife is nursing me with the tenderest care1 gives me up to ,god with the greatest resignation1 and helps me to rejoice that life and death1 health and sickness1 work for our good1 and are all ours1 as blessed means to forward us in our journey to heaven4 ,the following day ,fletcher and his wife set out for ,madeley4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,last ,,years4 ,on the first ,sunday after bringing his wife to her new home1 ,fletcher took her into the kitchen1 where1 according to hospitable custom1 a number of poor people were taking dinner between the morning and afternoon services1 and introduced her to them1 saying1 ,i have not married a wife for myself only1 but for your sakes also4 ,this was true1 both in his intention and in the result4 ,in marrying ,miss ,bosanquet1 and bringing her to ,madeley1 ,fletcher conferred upon his parish a benefit second only to that of his own life-devotion to its welfare4 ,during the remainder of his ministry he was sustained and supplemented in his labours by one whose qualifications were1 in their sphere1 little inferior to his own4 ,she had been accustomed for many years to the direction of a large household1 to the training of children and young people1 to ministering to the sick and suffering4 ,she understood the wants and ways of the poor4 ,in these and similar respects she was exceptionally fitted to be the wife of a clergyman4 ,the vicarage was no longer a hermitage2 it was a home1 a centre to which many came for help and guidance1 spiritual and temporal1 and from which innumerable ministries of kindness flowed out on every side4 ,but it was in the very highest aspects of her husband's work that ,mrs4 ,fletcher's co-operation was at once the most complete and the most valuable4 ,her ministry could not confine itself to the bodily and temporal welfare of the people4 ,she too had a deep and passionate longing for the salvation of souls4 ,to lead her poor and suffering to ,christ was the one philanthropy1 to which all other charities were as nothing4 ,toward all kinds of need her heart was full of pity1 and her hand quick in bounty2 but it was for the soul in each1 the soul redeemed by the infinite love of ,god1 and called to the possession of an unspeakably glorious salvation in ,christ1 that she was most profoundly moved4 ,sin was the one evil2 salvation the one blessing2 ,christ the one ,saviour4 ,this conviction1 burning with a pure1 steady light and heat1 ruled her work from first to last4 ,fletcher found in her1 not only a loving wife1 but a kindred spirit4 ,they viewed personal religion under the same aspects2 they were likeminded in their belief concerning the salvation to the uttermost that is procured by ,christ1 and administered by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the instinct that speaks of the saintly ,fletcher gives the same designation to his wife4 ,with her1 as with him1 ,christian perfection--a term which many theological systems will not admit1 and the majority of ,christians persistently shun--was a chosen watchword4 ,their letters1 journals1 and devotional writings1 and the lives they were enabled to live1 show that for them death unto sin and life unto ,god in ,jesus ,christ was1 not merely forensic1 an imputation1 with nothing corresponding to it in the sphere of experience1 but included entire consecration to ,god1 and the unhindered indwelling of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,in aspiration1 profession1 life1 the same high utterance was repeated in different but harmonious notes--perfect in ,christ2 always laying more stress upon in ,christ than upon perfect1 yet not shrinking from that term1 as having ,new ,testament authority and significance4 ,for thirty years after ,fletcher's death his widow was to remain in ,madeley1 a presence and a power for good2 and it is this part of her life and labours by which she is chiefly remembered4 ,there are1 indeed1 few pictures1 in modern ,christian history at least1 more impressive than that in which she is the central figure1 a saintly woman of great and varied gifts1 in whom ,quaker-like calmness and self-control were joined with ,methodist fervour1 for a whole generation a preacher of the gospel and a witness for ,christ among the people of ,madeley and the neighbourhood4 ,the following description of her labours was written by an eye-witness#ac of them3 ,surviving her husband many years1 she lived a 'widow indeed1' doing good to all around her1 and winning the veneration and love of rich and poor1 not only in the village and parish of ,madeley1 and in the adjoining parishes1 but in all places where she was known1 and to which the fame of her piety and charity had extended4 ,the rector1 not only allowed her to remain in the vicarage house undisturbed during life1 but allowed her to choose the curate by whom the duties of the living were to be performed1 assigning as his reason that she knew better than himself what would suit and benefit the parishioners4 ,besides exercising publicly1 at stated times1 in the vicarage room1 she occasionally visited ,madeley ,wood1 ,coalbrookdale1 ,coalport1 and other places more distant1 at which times the chapels were usually crowded with delighted and profited hearers4 ,to her house the itinerant preachers continued to come to the end of her earthly sojourn4 ,here they always found a hearty welcome and a delightful home4 ,several lovely societies were formed1 others were augmented1 hundreds of souls were converted1 ,christian believers were edified and blessed1 the fruit of ,mr4 ,fletcher's ministry was preserved1 and ,madeley became the rendezvous for religious persons and purposes--a privileged1 honoured place--a sort of ,christian ,jerusalem4 ,it was not uncommon to see two1 three1 or more clergymen1 pious and able men1 from neighbouring and even distant parishes1 among the congregation at her week-night lectures4 ,on the ,sabbath1 the pious people living at the distance of from one to four miles from ,madeley usually arrived in time for her morning meeting1 at nine o'clock2 and1 from thence1 they went to the parish church1 close at hand4 ,at noon1 respectable strangers1 visiting ,madeley for religious purposes1 were usually invited to dine with her at the vicarage2 the poor living too far off to allow them to return from their own houses for the after services of the day partook1 if so disposed1 of her hospitalities in the vicarage kitchen2 others1 having brought their provisions with them1 were seen1 in fine weather1 in little companies in the fields1 engaged in heavenly conversation and prayer2 and others had1 in an apartment to themselves1 a cheap family dinner provided at the village inn4 ,on the ringing of a bell1 at one o'clock all assembled at ,mrs4 ,fletcher's meeting1 when she was accustomed to read the life of some eminently holy man1 and make remarks upon it2 then they adjourned to the church for the afternoon service there and sermon2 after which they repaired to their respective homes1 and attended their own meeting-houses1 at one or other of which the curate of ,madeley officiated every ,sabbath evening1 as well as occasionally on the week-days1 always announcing at the close of the afternoon service in the church the chapel in which he would preach that evening4 ,this plan was adopted by ,mr4 ,fletcher1 and was followed by his evangelical and pious successors for upwards of forty years4 ,returning now to the story of ,fletcher's life1 we feel that there was something like prophetic strain in the words with which he introduced his wife to his people3 ,i have not married a wife for myself only1 but for your sakes also4 ,soon after their settlement at ,madeley they had a short visit from ,wesley4 ,it was near the end of ,march1 but the rough1 deep roads were blocked with snow1 and it required four horses to drag his chaise from ,bridgenorth4 ,wesley preached twice to crowded congregations1 and assisted ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,fletcher to form a ,christian society4 ,probably this part of ,fletcher's work had been injured by his long absence1 as we find frequent mention of such societies in the parish several years before4 ,he lamented the decay of these means of grace1 and sought ,wesley's help in reviving them4 ,this was a matter in which ,wesley had unique authority and influence4 ,in the afternoon service he therefore enforced the necessity of ,christian fellowship on all who desired either to awake or keep awake4 ,he then desired those who were willing to join together for this purpose to call upon him and ,mr4 ,fletcher after service4 ,ninety-four or ninety-five persons did so2 about as many men as women4 ,they explained to them the nature of a ,christian society1 and they willingly joined therein4 ,three months later1 ,mrs4 ,fletcher wrote to ,wesley3 ,the people you joined when here are1 ,i trust1 coming forward4 ,i have not conversed with the men1 but the women are more in number than at that time1 444 and on the whole there is a good increase of freedom and liberty in our class-meetings4444 ,my dear ,mr4 ,fletcher spares no pains2 ,i know not which is greater1 his earnest desire for souls1 or his patience in bearing with their infirmities and dulness4 ,his preaching is exceeding lively2 and our sacraments are more like those in the chapels of ,london than any ,i have seen since ,i left it4 ,yet ,i find a great difference between the people here and those in ,yorkshire4 ,mrs4 ,fletcher accompanied her husband in his preaching excursions and visits to the religious societies within reach4 ,she rode with him through the rain1 and stood by his side1 where there was neither house nor church to cover them1 while he preached to a large congregation who listened with ,yorkshire attention4 ,it was not all smooth and easy work even now1 among the ruder and more ignorant part of the people4 ,on one occasion he writes3 ,i got many a hearty curse from the colliers for the plain words ,i spoke4444 ,had ,i searched the three kingdoms1 ,i could not have found one brother willing to share gratis my weal1 woe1 and labours1 and complaisant enough to unite his fortunes to mine2 but ,god has found me a partner1 a sister1 a wife1 to use ,st4 ,paul's language1 who is not afraid to face with me the colliers and bargemen of my parish until death part us4 ,the organization of ,sunday schools was1 at this time1 being warmly taken up by the ,methodists1 and by many of the clergy4 ,raikes established the first of his ,sunday schools in ,gloucester in the year #agha2 but a ,miss ,hannah ,ball1 of ,high ,wycombe1 a member of the ,methodist society1 had established one in #agfi1 and probably there were also others4 ,though ,wesley had nothing to do with originating them1 he early perceived in them a great promise and possibility of good1 and encouraged their formation throughout his societies4 ,his ,journal has this reference to them3 ,july #ahth1 #aghd4 ,i find these schools springing up wherever ,i go4 ,perhaps ,god may have a deeper end therein than men are aware of4 ,who knows but some of these schools may become nurseries for ,christians8 ,at ,bolton1 three or four years later1 he met between nine hundred and a thousand of the children belonging to our ,sunday-schools4 ,i never saw such a sight before4 ,they were all exactly clean1 as well as plain1 in their apparel4 ,all were serious and well-behaved4 ,many1 both boys and girls1 had as beautiful faces as1 ,i believe1 ,england or ,europe can afford4 ,when they all sang together1 and none of them out of tune1 the melody was beyond that of any theatre2 and what is the best of all1 many of them truly fear ,god1 and some rejoice in ,his salvation4 ,in common with ,wesley1 ,fletcher was much impressed with the ,sunday-school system as it was developing throughout the country4 ,for some years he had maintained a day school1 but he now entered vigorously upon the work of organizing ,sunday schools4 ,he issued an address to his people setting forth the evils arising from the profanation of the ,lord's day1 and from neglecting to educate children in the principles and practice of religion4 ,he referred to the vices by which society was degraded and injured1 and asked if nothing could be done to check these growing evils4 ,after noticing the example set in ,stroud1 ,gloucester1 ,birmingham1 ,manchester1 and many country parishes1 he described a plan for establishing ,sunday schools in the parish of ,madeley4 ,he proposed that the children should be taught reading1 writing1 and the principles of religion2 that each teacher should be paid one shilling per ,sunday2 that inspectors should be appointed to visit the schools1 to see that the children attended regularly1 and the masters did their duty2 that the schools be solemnly visited once or twice a year1 and a premium given to the children that have made the greatest improvement4 ,on these proposals1 subsequently modified and developed1 ,sunday schools were established in ,madeley1 and another powerful agency for benefiting his parishioners was brought into existence4 ,the labours of many years had1 indeed1 begun to tell1 not only on individuals1 but on the general tone and character of the community4 ,vice was checked and restrained2 the people were better disposed towards religion2 the standard of morals was raised2 the conversion of notorious evil doers made its impression upon the conscience of the careless and profane2 something like a general reformation had taken place in the parish1 and the progress of religion and morality was now further aided by the regular religious instruction of the young4 ,love for children was characteristic of ,fletcher all through life4 ,he was never happier than when amongst them4 ,before his ,sunday-school was opened1 he used to meet some two or three hundred of them on a ,thursday evening1 and he continued to do so to the very week in which his last illness began4 ,as a result of this1 a loving remembrance of him remained in the neighbourhood where he had lived much longer than is usually the case1 even with the best of men4 ,the image of his person and character1 stamped upon the hearts of children1 was found sixty1 seventy years afterwards1 in the hearts of aged men and women4 ,among the young people over whom ,fletcher exercised a powerful and lasting influence was ,melville ,horne1 who was introduced to him when seventeen years of age4 ,at their first interview a deep impression was made upon the youth's mind1 and he afterwards sought every opportunity of being in ,fletcher's company4 ,at the vicarage he came to be treated almost as a son4 ,he subsequently received ordination1 and1 upon ,fletcher's death1 became curate of ,madeley4 ,when far advanced in life he would refer with deep feeling to his early intercourse with ,fletcher4 ,he says3 ,i know not which most to venerate1 his public or private character4 ,grave and dignified in his deportment and manners1 he yet excelled in all the courtesies and attentions of the accomplished gentleman4 ,in every company he appeared as the least1 the last1 and the servant of all4 ,from head to foot he was clothed with humility2 while the heavenly-mindedness of an angel shone from his countenance1 and sparkled in his eyes4 ,his religion was without labour and without effort1 for ,christianity was1 not only his great business1 but his very element and nature4 ,as a mortal man1 he doubtless had his errors and failings2 but what they were1 they who knew him best would find it difficult to say1 for he appeared as an instrument of heavenly minstrelsy1 attuned to the ,master's touch4444 ,in every view1 he was a great man1 and entitled to rank in the very first class of ministers2 but it was his goodness that raised him above all the ministers of his day4 ,in ,august1 #aghc1 ,fletcher and his wife visited ,ireland4 ,they had received a pressing invitation from the ,methodists of ,dublin to come over and spend a few weeks there1 and help them in the good work4 ,as long as it seemed possible to decline the invitation they had done so2 but the requests were so urgent that it seemed to them at last that this was a call from ,god4 ,fletcher's health at the time was not good1 and on various grounds they both shrank from so long and formidable a journey2 but the conviction that it was ,god's will settled the matter4 ,on the day they set out they rode to ,shrewsbury1 paying a tribute of love and reverence to the memory of ,richard ,baxter as they passed through the village of ,eaton ,constantine1 his early home4 ,the next day they reached ,llangollen1 where1 for want of a change of horses1 they were detained for the night4 ,a few persons who could understand ,english came together next morning1 and ,fletcher preached to them before resuming his journey4 ,they remained about six weeks in ,dublin1 and their labours were made a great blessing to many4 ,fletcher preached with his accustomed unction and power4 ,his host1 a gentleman of position and influence in the city1 applied to the rector of the parish in which he lived to allow ,mr4 ,fletcher to preach in his church1 and this was immediately granted4 ,the church was crowded to excess4 ,the congregation was greatly moved2 but when it became known that he had preached on the evening of the same day at the ,methodist chapel1 all the churches were at once closed against him1 with the exception of the ,huguenot ,french church4 ,here he preached1 both in ,french and in ,english4 ,even when he preached in ,french1 people who could not understand a word would be present4 ,we go to look at him1 they said1 for heaven seems to beam from his countenance4 ,in addition to his public labours ,fletcher met the members of the society in private1 and exhorted and counselled them to their great comfort4 ,mrs4 ,fletcher met the classes of women4 ,a great revival of religion followed4 ,the ,methodist society increased in numbers from about five hundred persons to upwards of a thousand1 and the spiritual life of many was deepened and enriched4 ,when ,fletcher was about to leave them the grateful people pressed him to accept a sum of money in payment of his expenses4 ,this he entirely refused to accept1 until being pressed in such a manner that further refusal seemed impossible1 he consented to receive it on condition that he might dispose of it as he pleased4 ,to this they readily agreed1 and every penny of it was given to their own poor people before ,fletcher and his wife left ,dublin4 ,a letter warmly thanking them for your labour of love in crossing the sea to visit us1 and your spending body and soul for our profit while among us1 was signed by one hundred and fifty-one members of the ,dublin ,methodist society1 and sent after them to ,madeley4 ,the passage from ,dublin to ,holyhead was a stormy one1 but they reached their home at last in peace4 ,fletcher attended one more ,conference with ,wesley and his preachers4 ,it was held in ,leeds in ,july1 #aghd4 ,the great ,methodist leader was now in his eighty-second year4 ,he wrote to a friend3 ,when ,i was young ,i had weak eyes1 trembling hands1 and abundance of infirmities4 ,but1 by the blessing of ,god1 ,i have outlived them all4 ,he laboured as hard as ever4 ,in one respect only he spared himself2 instead of riding on horseback he now made use of a travelling carriage4 ,he still considered preaching at five o'clock in the morning the healthiest exercise in the world4 ,he was able to preach three times a day1 and address large crowds out of doors1 and1 when making his way to ,inverness1 could trudge through heavy rain twelve miles on foot4 ,in every part of ,england1 and very widely in ,ireland and ,scotland1 he was better known than any other public man1 and1 with few exceptions1 universally respected and loved4 ,the nation had come to be proud of him4 ,his appearance was venerable and beautiful in the extreme4 ,the people flocked to see1 as well as to hear him4 ,he was saluted in the streets as he passed along1 and children would run and kneel before him to receive his blessing4 ,wesley had particular reasons for inviting ,fletcher to attend the ,conference4 ,it was an anxious time with him4 ,he had recently executed an important deed--known as the ,deed of ,declaration1--in which he had named one hundred of his preachers to constitute the legal ,conference after his death4 ,in this body of preachers1 which had power to fill up all vacancies in its number1 was vested all legal authority requisite for the admission and expulsion of preachers1 the appointment of preachers to their stations2 and1 in various other respects1 the ,conference was invested with the powers hitherto possessed and exercised by ,wesley himself4 ,this deed has proved a firm foundation for the polity of the ,methodists to this day4 ,it underlies and sustains the various developments that have since taken place4 ,it has been called ,methodism's ,magna ,charta4 ,wesley himself deemed it a foundation likely to stand as long as the sun and moon endure4 ,but it was not established without difficulty4 ,there were heartburnings amongst the preachers4 ,of those who were not included in the legal hundred some were grieved1 others were indignant4 ,they could not understand on what principle ,wesley had made his selection4 ,they resented the preference shown to some1 and the passing over of others among their brethren4 ,many of the trustees were alarmed1 thinking that their powers in respect of the chapel property were imperilled4 ,the unity of the ,methodist connexion was seriously threatened1 and the approaching ,conference was anticipated with much anxiety4 ,when the ,conference assembled1 ,wesley proved himself once more equal to the occasion4 ,his tact1 his wise reasonableness1 his weight of character1 his transparent good faith prevailed1 but it was well that he was sustained in such a crisis by the presence of ,fletcher4 ,in prospect of a heated controversy1 all hope of a happy issue lay in calling forth what was deepest and best in the good men who had come together4 ,wesley knew that beneath the irritation and resentment of the hour was a depth of ,christian principle to which appeal might hopefully be made4 ,on the ,sunday evening before the opening of the ,conference the congregation that assembled to hear ,wesley was so much larger than the chapel could contain1 that they adjourned to a neighbouring field1 where ,wesley preached a sermon on the judgment day4 ,early next morning ,fletcher was the preacher1 and his text was1 ,ye are the salt of the earth4 ,morning and evening1 during the session of the ,conference1 there was a sermon by ,wesley1 ,fletcher1 or one of the more eminent preachers4 ,at the sacramental service ,wesley was assisted by ,fletcher1 ,coke1 and other clergymen4 ,in a sermon on the man of ,god who was disobedient to the word of the ,lord1 ,fletcher drew such a picture of the degradation and misery of a backsliding minister1 and of the injury he inflicted upon the ,church of ,christ1 as produced a deep and general sensation4 ,one of his hearers reports3 ,i was extremely impressed with the whole service2 the shadow of the ,divine presence was seen among us1 and ,his going forth was in our sanctuary4 ,the debate on the ,deed of ,declaration was the sharpest the ,conference had ever known4 ,fletcher was greatly affected4 ,before the first streak of dawn his wife heard him praying fervently for the peace and prosperity of ,zion1 and when she gently urged him to go to rest1 he answered1 ,the cause of ,god lies near my heart4 ,during the discussion ,fletcher took much pains1--to use ,wesley's words4 ,this matter-of-fact expression conveys little notion of the tender1 impassioned way in which ,fletcher laboured to heal the strife and prevent a schism4 ,never1 says a preacher who was present1 shall ,i forget the ardour and earnestness with which ,mr4 ,fletcher expostulated1 even on his knees1 both with ,mr4 ,wesley and the preachers4 ,to the former he said1 ',my father6 my father6 they have offended2 but they are your children6' ,to the latter he exclaimed1 ',my brethren6 my brethren6 he is your father6' ,and then1 pourtraying the work in which they were unitedly engaged1 he fell again on his knees1 and with fervour and devotion engaged in prayer4 ,the ,conference was bathed in tears1 many sobbed aloud4 ,at the close of the ,conference ,fletcher returned to ,madeley1 and resumed his quiet1 pastoral life4 ,even yet ,wesley was not quite satisfied at ,fletcher's hiding his light under a bushel in his country parish4 ,but the ,vicar of ,madeley knew his vocation1 and abided by it4 ,he wrote to his friend ,mr4 ,ireland3 ,i keep in my sentry-box till ,providence remove me2 my situation is quite suited to my little strength4 ,i may do as much or as little as ,i please1 according to my weakness4 ,and ,i have an advantage which ,i can have nowhere else in such a degree3 my little field of action is just at my door2 so that if ,i happen to overdo myself1 ,i have but a step from my pulpit to my bed1 and from my bed to my grave4444 ,the snail does best in its shell2 were it to aim at galloping1 like the racehorse1 it would be ridiculous indeed4 ,my wife is quite of my mind with respect to the call we have to a sedentary life4 ,among the latest acquaintances made by ,fletcher was that with ,charles ,simeon1 of ,cambridge1 then a young and zealous clergyman just coming into note1 and afterwards1 for so long a period1 the leader of the ,evangelical party in the university4 ,simeon preached in ,madeley church1 ,fletcher himself previously going through the village1 bell in hand1 to announce that a young clergyman from ,cambridge was about to preach1 and urging the people to come to the church4 ,it does not appear that there was at this time any noticeable failure of strength1 or appearance of dangerous symptoms2 but1 in truth1 his hold of life was very feeble1 his vital force was almost spent4 ,it was often in his thoughts that death was near4 ,life had never been so sweet to him as it was now2 but death too1 ,dear1 beauteous death1 the jewel of the just1 was none the less the crowning mercy for which he waited4 ,to few men has death been so disarmed beforehand as to ,fletcher4 ,among the ,evangelical leaders there was now1 indeed1 a swift succession of departures4 ,these companions in tribulation1 and in the kingdom and patience of ,jesus ,christ1 were ,greek3 epekteinomenoi1 reaching forth unto that which was before them1 and one after another attained1 and was made perfect4 ,early in ,may1 #aghe1 ,vincent ,perronet1 the venerable ,vicar of ,shoreham1 died in the ninety-second year of his age4 ,charles ,wesley buried him1 and preached his funeral sermon4 ,he himself was1 in much feebleness1 awaiting his summons1 and asked for ,fletcher's prayers1 saying1 ,help me to depart in peace4 ,he had yet three years to wait for his release4 ,it has been supposed that the letter1 dated ,may #bdth1 #aghe1 in which these words occur1 was the last that ,fletcher received from his old and faithful friend4 ,we are able1 however1 to supply a hitherto unpublished letter four weeks later in date1 which is1 pretty certainly1 the last of the series4 ,as will be seen1 it consists in reality of three letters1 one to ,mrs4 ,fletcher1 one to her and her husband conjointly1 and one to ,fletcher alone4 ,they are written1 however1 continuously1 on one sheet of paper4 ,the fears and forebodings to which he gives expression are familiar to all who are acquainted with the history of ,methodism4 ,it will be remembered that the question of a successor to ,wesley had been mentioned several years before2 ,charles ,wesley joining with his brother in designating ,fletcher to that office1 and ,fletcher declining it1 and urging in return that1 in the event of ,john ,wesley's decease1 the leadership must naturally devolve upon ,charles4 ,the latter had now made up his mind that nothing could save the ,methodist societies from falling to pieces as soon as he and his brother should be removed1 events that could not be far distant4 ,,london1 ,june #bast1 #aghe4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sister1-- ,if you are weary of writing1 ,i much more1 who have almost lost the use of my hand and eyes4 ,you owe me no thanks for my care of you4 ,the care of all the ,churches has lain upon my brother4 ,we agree in our 'willingness to be hid and forgotten4' ,surely ,i have been thrust out into the harvest4 ,if ,i am saved1 let my memorial perish4 ,when we get to the other side we shall know all2 till then our life must continue a mystery4 ,your partner was certainly given to the prayers of the people2 therefore he is their debtor so long as he lives4 ,don't you know poets are all envious8 ,yet you challenge me1 who never ventured at an acrostic in all my life4 ,if you saw ',sam in the cradle1' you saw him in his best estate4 ,one out of them has some desire of salvation1 but she seeks rather than strives4 ,my wife and ,i are quite willing 'to come and see you at ,madeley1' but our way is hid4 ,it is most probable that if we ever meet again1 it should be in ,london or ,bristol4 ,let us help each other by our prayers at least4 ,you will not1 ,i know1 forget your old1 useless1 but still affectionate servant and friend1 ,c4 ,w4 ,this side is for you both4 ,i trust you are resigned 7after mine and my brother's departure7 to gather up the wreck4 ,be sure the sheep will be scattered4 ,all the beasts of the forest are waiting for them4 ,many will find shelter among the ,moravians2 many will turn to the ,calvinists1 ,baptists1 ,presbyterians1 and ,quakers4 ,most1 ,i hope1 will return to the bosom of their mother1 the ,church of ,england4 ,not one1 but several sects will arise1 and ,methodism will be broken into a thousand pieces4 ,it is impossible for you to know now1 or to divine1 or to conjecture what you are intended for4 ,therefore the less you think about it the better1 for we penetrate1 we prophesy1 in vain4 ,you must stand still1 and see the design and the salvation of ,god4 ,had ,i a sufficient body1 ,i would strive to visit you1 that we might compare our thoughts4 ,so far ,i can see1 that the ,lord is preparing ,his people for some great event4 ,but who shall live when the ,lord doth this8 ,i am far entered on my last stage1 and expect every month to be my last4 ,providence 7if you survive me7 will call you to this place4 ,my widow can tell you my mind1 if worth your knowing1 and show you my posthumous papers1 if worth your seeing4 ,pray on1 and help to a peaceful end1 my beloved friends1 ,your faithful ,brother1 ,c4 ,w4 ,,to ,,mr4 ,j4 ,f4 ',spared to keep the people1' says my dear friend8 ,sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes8 ,the longer our time1 the greater our danger of failing4 ,i have always feared for myself that ,i should live a little too long4 ,now ,i fear it for my brethren also4 ,be not too sanguine for the ,american ,methodists4 ,first1 know their real condition4 ,you justly fear that our ,methodists should get into the prelatical spirit4 ,i fear the fanatical spirit also4 ,i cannot explain this in writing4 ,you think ,i know nothing about the peace2 ,i think you know nothing about it4 ,yet ,i wish your poem a good sale4#ad ,happy would ,sally be to die like her god-sister4 ,i am not without hope that she will live to be a ,christian4 ,she presents her duty4 ,we all join in love4 ,i need no invitation to ,madeley4 ,while ,i had strength ,i wanted opportunity4 ,now ,i have neither4 ,for two or three years longer this question1 ',what was to become of the ,methodists after ,wesley's death1' continued to exercise his brother ,charles4 ,perhaps some anxiety would have been spared him had he acted more upon the advice he gave to ,fletcher3 ,the less you think about it the better1 for we penetrate1 we prophesy1 in vain4 ,you must stand still1 and see the design1 the salvation of ,god4 ,to this he seems finally to have come1 for in one of his last letters to his brother he says3 ,keep your authority while you live2 and1 after your death1 detur digniori1 or rather1 dignioribus4 ,you cannot settle the succession2 you cannot divine how ,god will settle it4 ,meanwhile1 so far as ,fletcher was concerned1 he had little to learn1 even from his dearest friend and counsellor1 as to waiting for the ,lord4 ,no man was ever less inclined to penetrate or prophesy4 ,whether he lived1 he lived unto the ,lord2 whether he died1 he died unto the ,lord2 living or dying1 he was the ,lord's4 ,no room was left for anxiety about the future4 ,the summer of #aghe was an unhealthy one at ,madeley4 ,there was a good deal of fever about1 a bad1 putrid fever1 and ,fletcher and his wife were much engaged among the sick4 ,two persons died within a few yards of the vicarage4 ,mrs4 ,fletcher visited them in their illness1 and took the fever4 ,now1 she says1 ,i had a fresh instance of the tender care and love of my blessed partner2 sickness was made pleasant by his kind attention4 ,during this illness many thoughts passed through her mind for which she could scarcely account4 ,something seemed to tell her that she must yet drink deeper of the cup4 ,she adds1 ,my dear husband and ,i are led to offer ourselves to do and suffer all the will of ,god4 ,the time was fast approaching when this submission to the will of ,god was to have its crowning test4 ,on ,thursday1 ,august #dth1 ,fletcher was busy amongst his flock from three in the afternoon till nine at night4 ,on returning home he said1 ,i have taken cold4 ,during the two following days he went about much as usual1 though with some difficulty4 ,on ,saturday night he was very feverish1 and his wife begged him not to go to church in the morning1 but to let one of the ,methodist preachers who was staying with them preach in the churchyard2 but he replied that it was the will of the ,lord that he should go4 ,the morning came1 and he began the service at the usual hour4 ,while reading the prayers he almost fainted4 ,his wife pressed through the crowd1 and entreated him to leave the reading-desk and come home4 ,in his gentle manner he bade her let him go on4 ,the windows were opened1 and he seemed a little refreshed as he proceeded with the service4 ,when prayers were ended he ascended the pulpit1 and gave out his text1 ,how excellent is ,thy lovingkindness1 ,o ,god6 therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of ,thy wings4 ,after the sermon he went up the aisle to the communion table1 saying1 ,i am going to throw myself under the wings of the cherubim1 before the mercy-seat4 ,the congregation was large1 and the service lasted till nearly two o'clock4 ,he was often obliged to stop for want of power to speak4 ,the people were deeply affected2 nearly all were in tears4 ,as soon as the service was over he was hurried away to bed1 and immediately fainted4 ,during the three following days he was restless in body1 but in mind alternately calm1 and filled with holy joy4 ,again and again he would say1 ,god is love1 ,god is love4 ,his symptoms were still thought to be not unfavourable4 ,on ,thursday1 the #aath1 his speech began to fail1 but when he could say nothing else to be understood1 he would repeat ,god is love4 ,the next day his faithful wife felt a sword pierce through her soul as she found his body covered with spots4 ,she knelt by his bed1 with her hand in his1 and entreated the ,lord to be with them both4 ,on the afternoon of ,saturday he stretched out his hand to each of the friends who stood around him4 ,his wife said to him3 ,my dear1 ,i ask not for myself1 but for the sake of others2 if ,jesus is very present with thee1 lift thy right hand4 ,he did so4 ,she added1 ,if the prospect of glory opens before thee1 repeat the sign4 ,he raised his hand again2 and1 in half a minute1 a second time4 ,the end was fast drawing near4 ,it was ,sunday evening1 and the church was filled with a weeping congregation offering up their prayers for their dying pastor4 ,at the conclusion of the service the people lingered about the vicarage1 and seemed unable to go to their homes4 ,many of them were admitted to the house1 and allowed to pass by the open door of his room1 where they could see him1 propped up with pillows in his bed4 ,his countenance continued unaltered1 but his weakness perceptibly increased4 ,he sank into a kind of sleep1 and at half-past ten o'clock on ,sunday night1 ,august #adth1 #aghe1 ,fletcher of ,madeley breathed his last1 in the fifty-sixth year of his age4 99 99 99 99 99 ,three days afterwards he was buried in ,madeley churchyard amid the tears and lamentations of his people4 ,the inscription on his tombstone was written by his widow4 ,a longer and more detailed epitaph1 from the pen of ,richard ,watson1 in ,city ,road ,chapel1 sets forth his character and labours4 ,fletcher of ,madeley will continue to be remembered for what he did1 but still more for what he was4 ,the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote #a3 ,the ,english ,church in the ,eighteenth ,century4 ,by ,c4 ,j4 ,abbey and ,j4 ,h4 ,overton4 ,vol4 ii41 p4 #aac4 ,footnote #b3 ,,mozley3 ,theory of ,development1 p4 #ada4 ,footnote #c3 ,,gledstone3 ,life of ,whitefield1 p4 #cjd4 ,footnote #d3 ,an expression in one of ,fletcher's letters to ,charles ,wesley1 written in #agei1 is noteworthy in connexion with the ecclesiastical development of ,methodism4 ,he speaks of the ,methodist ,church4 ,is not this the earliest instance of the use of this term8 ,footnote #e3 ,i am indebted to the ,rev4 ,george ,mather for the opportunity of examining the documents relating to ,fletcher's ordination1 license1 induction1 c4 ,they are as follows3 #a4 ,deacon's orders1 ,march #fth1 #ageg1 ,bishop of ,hereford4 #b4 ,priest's orders1 ,march #acth1 #ageg1 ,bishop of ,bangor4 #c4 ,license to the curacy of ,madeley1 ,march #adth1 #ageg1 ,bishop of ,hereford4 #d4 ,presentation to vicarage of ,madeley1 ,october #dth1 #agfj4 #e4 ,institution to vicarage of ,madeley1 ,october #gth1 #agfj4 #f4 ,mandate for induction1 ,october #gth1 #agfj4 #g4 ,certificate of ,fletcher's conforming to the ,liturgy1 ,october #gth1 #agfj4 #h4 ,certificate of subscribing to the ,thirty-nine ,articles1 ,october #gth1 #agfj4 #i4 ,certificate1 signed by two parishioners1 stating that on ,lord's day1 ,october #bfth1 #agfj1 ,john ,fletcher1 ,vicar of ,madeley1 had read prayers1 and declared his unfeigned assent and consent1 c41 dated ,december #ast1 #agfj4 ,these documents are all in good condition1 and the signatures perfectly fresh and clear4 ,footnote #f3 ,published in a sermon preached on the occasion of the death of ,fletcher's widow in #ahaf1 by the ,rev4 ,john ,hodson1 who had the incident from a pious woman who for many years was intimately acquainted with ,mr4 ,fletcher4 ,quoted from ,tyerman's ,life of ,fletcher4 ,footnote #g3 ,the characteristic of ,fletcher's letters which we consider their greatest blemish is the frequent spiritualizing of common facts and incidents4 ,we will illustrate our meaning4 ,his friend ,mr4 ,ireland had sent him a hamper of wine1 and some cloth to be made into a suit of clothes4 ,in acknowledging the present1 he says3 ,your broadcloth can lap me round two or three times2 but the mantle of ,divine love1 the precious fine robe of ,jesus's righteousness1 can cover your soul a thousand times4 ,the cloth1 fine and good as it is1 will not keep out a hard shower2 but that garment of salvation will keep out even a shower of brimstone and fire4 ,your cloth will wear out2 but that fine linen1 the righteousness of saints1 will appear with a finer lustre the more it is worn4 ,the moth may fret your present1 or the tailor may spoil it in cutting it2 but the present which ,jesus has made you is out of reach of the spoiler1 and ready for present wear4 ,these comparisons are pursued considerably further1 and then the other part of ,mr4 ,ireland's present has its turn4 ,as ,i shall take a little of your wine for my stomach's sake1 take you a good deal of the wine of the kingdom for your soul's sake4 ,every promise of the gospel is a bottle1 a cask that has a spring within1 and can never be exhausted4 ,draw the cork of unbelief1 and drink abundantly4 ,be not afraid of intoxication2 and if an inflammation follows1 it will only be that of ,divine love4 ,on another1 but similar1 occasion he writes to his good friend1 ,i want the living water rather than cider1 and righteousness more than clothes4 ,these are not the extremest instances that ,fletcher's letters afford of his habit of spiritualising4 ,it is plain that no suspicion of anything incongruous in his comparisons ever crossed his mind4 ,happy the man of whom it can be said that the only quality in which he is deficient is a sense of humour6 ,wesley's remark upon this characteristic of ,fletcher's style is3 ,this facility of raising useful observations from the most trifling incidents was one of those peculiarities in him which cannot be proposed to our imitation4444 ,what was becoming and graceful in ,mr4 ,fletcher would be disgustful almost in any other4 ,footnote #h3 ,in ,archdeacon ,pratt's ,eclectic ,notes1 pp4 #ahe-ahi1 there is an interesting discussion of one of the questions referred to above1 viz4 the advantages and disadvantages of religious societies4 ,mr4 ,venn is quoted as saying1 ,dr4 ,woodward's societies were the first we read of4 ,they might have existed to this day1 had not ,mr4 ,wesley's arisen4 ,footnote #i3 ,more than half a century afterwards1 when all the parties to this controversy had passed away1 and time had given opportunity for a calm estimate of the whole matter1 ,mr4 ,watson1 at once the most competent and the most reverential of ,wesley's biographers1 expressed himself as follows1 concerning the ,minutes of #aggj3 ,that there were passages calculated to awaken suspicion1 and that they gave the appearance of inconsistency to ,mr4 ,wesley's opinions1 and indicated a tendency to run to one extreme in order to avoid another--an error which ,mr4 ,wesley more generally avoided than most men1--cannot be denied4444 ,mr4 ,wesley acknowledged that the 'minutes' were 'not sufficiently guarded4' ,this must be felt by all2 they were out of his usual manner of expressing himself1 and he had said the same truths often1 in a clearer1 and safer1 and even stronger manner4 ,he certainly did not mean to alter his previous opinions1 or formally to adopt other terms in which to express them1 and therefore to employ new modes of speaking1 though for a temporary purpose1 was not without danger1 although they were capable of an innocent explanation4 ,footnote #aj3 ,wesley's ,designated ,successor1 pp4 #agg-agi4 ,footnote #aa3 ,referring to the death of ,whitefield in #aggj4 ,footnote #ab3 ,wesley's ,designated ,successor1 p4 #dhg4 ,footnote #ac3 ,rev4 ,w4 ,tranter1 ,methodist ,magazine1 #ahcg1 p4 #ijc4 ,footnote #ad3 ,fletcher had written a poem in ,french on the peace which1 in ,january1 #aghc1 had been concluded with ,america1 ,france1 and ,spain4 ,at the time of ,charles ,wesley's letter1 an ,english version of it1 by the ,rev4 ,j4 ,gilpin1 was in the press4 ,it appeared shortly after ,fletcher's death4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,appendix4 ,,extracts from ,fletcher's manuscript ,book of ,devotions1 referred to on p4 #ch4 ,,christiana ,,praecepta4 ,contemplare ,dei ,natum1 legesque benignas2 ,omnia te ,christi vita docere potest4 ,appage te mea mens absisque philautia longe1 ,filius ipse ,dei sua nunquam vota secutus4 ,ut mea vota ,deo mactarem1 se duce1 laetus ,sponte sua summo paruit patri inter olivas4 ,porcina qui quaerit ,divina solamina perdit4 ,ne dapium ventrisque tui mala gaudia quaeras2 ,mens tibi pura nequit saturato ventre vigere4 ,cibus enim nimius ,divinae particulam aurae ,certo affigit humi ,coelique afflamine privat4 ,ne doleas si pauper habes seu scommata mundi1 ,seu risus hominum titulos et praedia sola2 ,pauper cum ,christus vilique a plebe jocatus ,in turpi ligno vitam componat amaram4 ,,resiste ,,tentationi ,,his ,,consiliis4 ,daemona ne dubita te certo vincere posse1 ,hunc tunc haud dubio ,christo auxiliante fugabis4 ,ne ruas in vetitum1 brevis est et fluxa ,libido3 ,sperne ,voluptatem1 dirum pone linquit acumen4 ,crede mihi1 ,satanae minimam ne cedito partem2 ,fortiter ac subito plagam repelle priorem4 ,numinis auxilium precibus rogato benignis4 ,in cruce pro culpis morientem cernito ,jesum4 ,coelestes palmas1 et ,tartara dira memento4 ,offert judicium cita mors1 hilaremque triumphum4 ,viribus indomitis1 rigidisque resistito membris ,daemonis impetibus2 ,christus hunc appage vicit4 ,vivida sit fides1 te certa corona manebit4 ,there is no need either to point out1 or to apologize for1 the shortcomings of ,fletcher's ,latin verses4 ,they are little more than private memoranda for use in prayer and meditation1 written in ,latin1 perhaps1 as a kind of cipher4 ,the following resolutions are interesting3 ,haec ,deo juvante facere decerno4 #c edere die4 quod ubi primum violaverim1 pauperibus b4 asses dandi et venia per horam petenda erit1 nullo fulcro utens4 ,pueros nunquam ob doctrinam castigare1 sub eadem poena4 ,precans nunquam jacere1 sed stare vel genu flectere4 ,this may be translated3 ,these things1 ,god helping me1 ,i determine3 ,to take food three times a day2 for a breach of this rule1 twopence to be given to the poor1 and pardon to be implored for an hour1 using no bodily support4 ,never to punish the boys for their lessons1 under the same penalty4 ,never to lie down while engaged in prayer1 but stand or kneel4 ,,le ,,bonheur ,,du ,,chretien4 ,heureux qui n'a point de desir1 ,heureux qui se fait violence1 ,qui se prive des vains plaisirs1 ,et se plait dans la dependance4 ,heureux l'homme de bonne foi1 ,simple1 sage1 plein d'innocence1 ,qui1 toujours severe pour soi1 ,pour son prochain est rempli de clemence4 ,heureux qui cherit le silence1 ,qui ne parle que utilement1 ,et se repose uniquement ,sur la ,divine ,providence4 ,heureux qui connaissant son extreme indigence ,l'expose au ciel incessamment1 ,et qui de son ,dieu seulement ,attend toute son assistance4 ,heureux qui n'a rien d'affecte1 ,heureux l'homme sans volonte1 ,et qui1 vide de lui meme1 ,est tout plein du vrai ,dieu qu'il aime4 ,heureux qui penetre des besoins du prochain ,lui partage son coeur1 son ,esprit1 et son pain4 ,heureux celui qui l'edifie4 ,heureux celui qu'on humilie1 ,et qui sait profiter de ses abaissements4 ,heureux qui n'a jamais de vertus chimeriques1 ,et qui cherit ses domestiques ,comme s'ils etaient ses enfants4 ,heureux qui ne va point par des routes obliques1 ,heureux1 plus heureux qu'on ne croit1 ,qui marche constamment dans le chemin etroit4 ,heureux qui par ses soins1 par son economie1 ,sait amasser pour l'autre vie1 ,et menager si bien ses precieux moments ,qu'il n'en pert pas un seul en vains amusements4 ,heureux qui se voit sans attache1 ,qui se fait petit1 qui se cache1 ,et qui ne suit jamais ses propres mouvements4 ,heureux qui sur la grace uniquement se fonde1 ,qui sait1 et ne croit rien savoir4 ,qui peut1 et qui n'a du pouvoir1 ,que pour obliger tout le monde4 ,heureux celui qui du ,sauveur ,s',efforce d'etre la copie4 ,heureux celui de qui le coeur ,goute la parole de vie4 ,heureux qui sait aimer1 craindre1 croire1 esperer1 ,comme le fait un vrai fidele4 ,heureux qui sait perseverer1 ,et soumettre a l'esprit une chair si rebelle4 ,heureux l'homme nouveau1 qui souvent dans son coeur ,trouve une utile1 douce1 et sainte solitude1 ,et qui fait toute son etude ,de la croix de son ,redempteur4 ,heureux le grand sans tyrannie2 ,heureux le petit sans envie2 ,heureux l'homme toujours egal1 ,qui ne pense d'autrui ni ne dit aucun mal4 ,heureux qui gemit et qui prie ,pour le prochain comme pour soi1 ,et qui sent pour le vice une horreur infinie4 ,heureux qui se fait une loi ,de son devoir qu'il aime1 et qu'il veut toujours suivre4 ,heureux qui souffre tout et ne fait rien souffrir2 ,heureux celui qui sait bien vivre1 ,c'est le moyen de bien mourir4 ,butler ,tanner1 ,the ,selwood ,printing ,works1 ,frome1 and ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,men ,,worth ,,remembering3 ,a ,,series ,,of ,,popular ,,biographies4 ,price #bs4 #f;d4 each1 ,handsomely ,bound in ,cloth4 ,,now ,,ready1 ,,the ,,new ,,volume ,by ,f4 ,w4 ,,macdonald4 ,,fletcher ,,of ,,madeley4 ,,contents4--,early ,life4--,settles in ,england4--,his ,connexion with ,wesley and the ,methodists4--,spiritual ,discipline4--,enters the ,ministry4--,first ,years at ,madeley4--,difficulties and ,discouragements4--,controversy and ,correspondence4--,trevecca ,college4--,the ,calvinist ,controversy4--,wesley's ,proposal4--,failing ,health4--,residence in ,switzerland4--,return to ,england4--,marriage4--,last ,years4 ,,in ,,the ,,same ,,series4 ,i4 ,,william ,,wilberforce4 ,by ,,john ,,stoughton1 ,d4,d4 ,this series of biographies has a distinct aim1 and occupies a distinct place4 ,it purposes to record the lives of men eminent for religious character or service4 ,the series is well begun by ,dr4 ,stoughton's excellent memoir of ,wilberforce1 which is done with equal literary skill1 sound judgment1 and good taste4 ,it is admirable in feeling1 and from beginning to end full of interest4--,british ,quarterly ,review4 ,,ii4 ,,henry ,,martyn4 ,by ,,charles ,d4 ,,bell1 ,d4,d41 ,honorary ,canon of ,carlisle1 and ,rector of ,cheltenham4 ,a worthy record of a noble life4--,whitehall ,review4 ,in every way a most delightful volume4--,rock4 ,,iii4 ,,philip ,,doddridge4 ,by ,,charles ,,stanford1 ,d4,d4 ,the story of the life and life-work of ,doddridge is told by ,dr4 ,stanford with felicitous grace and extraordinary animation4 ,the romance and the conflict of the life1 the delicate culture and high breeding of the man1 and the various results of his sanctified intelligence and consecrated sense1 are delineated with subtle tact and fine feeling4--,evangelical ,magazine4 ,,iv4 ,,stephen ,,grellet4 ,by ,,william ,,guest1 ,f4,g4,s4 ,the singularly adventurous history of ,grellet1 a son of noble parents established at ,limoges1 in ,france1 who yet became one of the most distinguished ,american ,quaker preachers1 is not wholly unknown even beyond the ,society of ,friends4 ,mr4 ,guest necessarily condenses his facts1 but his little book nevertheless presents many scenes of striking interest4--,daily ,news4 ,if it were in our power1 we would induce every one of our readers to invest his first spare half-crown in this book1 and then we would persuade him to read it through and through4--,sword and ,trowel4 ,a marvellous story of adventurous mission and extraordinary acceptance4--,evangelical ,magazine4 ,v4 ,,robert ,,hall4 ,by ,e4 ,,paxton ,,hood4 ,whatever thou art1 orthodox or heterodox1 send for the ,life of ,robert ,hall4--,bulwer ,lytton's ,the ,caxtons4 ,mr4 ,paxton ,hood's brilliant pen has given us a sketch of ,robert ,hall worthy to rank beside ,dr4 ,stanford's ',philip ,doddridge4'--,christian4 ,we have not often taken up a more interesting biography4--,record4 ,mr4 ,hood has delineated ,robert ,hall very successfully4 ,a wide range of knowledge1 a fine instinctive perception1 and considerable literary aptitude1 make this memoir about the best delineation of the great preacher that we know4--,british ,quarterly ,review4 ,,vi4 ,,thomas ,,chalmers4 ,by ,,donald ,,fraser1 ,d4,d4 ,characterized by a true appreciation of ,dr4 ,chalmers' character and work1 and is written in a vigorous and interesting manner4--,united ,presbyterian ,magazine4 ,dr4 ,fraser has evidently found the subject a congenial one1 and he has treated it in a skilful and effective manner4--,rock4 ,,vii4 ,,william ,,carey4 ,by ,,james ,,culross1 ,d4,d4 ,the work has a special value in recording an important chapter of ,anglo-,indian history4 ,it seems to us very well written4--,academy4 ,an excellent monograph on ,carey4 ,dr4 ,culross has done his work well4--,athenaeum4 ,the little book has great literary excellence4 ,dr4 ,culross has taken no ordinary trouble in the collection of his material4 ,he understands how to arrange it in felicitous style1 and so to tell the story as to make it eminently attractive and useful to his readers4--,congregationalist4 ,,viii4 ,,andrew ,,fuller4 ,by his ,son1 ,,andrew ,,gunton ,,fuller4 ,letter from the ,rev4 ,c4 ,h4 ,spurgeon to the ,author3-- ,venerable ,friend1--,i thank you for sending me your ',andrew ,fuller4' ,if you have lived for a long time for nothing else but to produce this volume1 you have lived to good purpose4 ,i have long considered your father to be the greatest theologian of the century1 and ,i do not know that your pages have made me think more highly of him as a divine than ,i had thought before4 ,but ,i now see him within doors far more accurately1 and see about the ,christian man a soft radiance of tender love which had never been revealed to me either by former biographies1 or by his writings4 ,you have added the moss to the rose1 and removed some of the thorns in the process4 ,yours most respectfully1 ,c4 ,h4 ,,spurgeon4 ,it is a remarkable production1 when one remembers that ,mr4 ,gunton ,fuller is now eighty-two years of age1 and he lost his father as far back as the year #ahae4 ,an excellent addition to ,messrs4 ,hodder and ,stoughton's series of ',men ,worth ,remembering4'--,christian ,world4 ,,ix4 ,,alexander ,,duff1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,by ,,thomas ,,smith1 ,d4,d4 ,dr4 ,smith1 who has enjoyed very intimate association with ,duff1 both in private life and in public work1 has executed his task with much skill and fine sympathy4--,outlook4 ,we heartily commend this compact and interesting little volume4--,evangelical ,magazine4 ,as an original study of a great man by one of his most intimate friends and co-workers1 it would be impossible to speak too highly of this little volume4--,christian ,leader4 ,x4 ,,samuel ,,rutherford4 ,by ,,andrew ,,thomson1 ,d4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4,e41 ,edinburgh4 ,the volume is written in a popular style1 and contains all that is really needful to be known regarding ,rutherford's career1 character1 and writings4 ,dr4 ,thomson has imparted vivacity to the narrative by visiting the localities where ,rutherford lived4 ,the author has produced a volume which1 in respect at once of completeness1 sustained interest1 and freshness of interest1 is unequalled by any preceding memoir of ,rutherford4--,scotsman4 ,an admirable and delightful biography1 written with great literary grace and equally great spiritual sympathy4 ,a most interesting account of religious ,scotland as it was two hundred years ago4--,british ,messenger4 ,,xi4 ,,richard ,,baxter4 ,by the ,very ,rev4 ,g4 ,d4 ,,boyle1 ,m4,a41 ,dean of ,salisbury4 ,the ,dean of ,salisbury has given in a popular form a trustworthy and attractive summary of a somewhat puzzling and complex personality and career4 ,mr4 ,boyle's estimate of ,baxter's theological position is marked by a singular candour and liberality of sentiment4 ,his presentation of fact is as accurate as his criticism is sound4--,academy4 ,the biography of ,richard ,baxter by ,dean ,boyle is an intellectual feast4 ,in it we have vivid pictures of the troublous times of the seventeenth century1 and of course we get a particular account of the eminent ,nonconformist1 his religious convictions1 his ministerial work1 his sufferings under persecution1 his trial before the terrible ,chief ,justice ,jeffreys1 the strong and the weak sides of his character1 his political influence1 his voluminous writings1 his majestic prowess as a casuist1 his yearning for a real and comprehensive unity amongst ,christians1 and1 above all1 his childlike resignation to ,god's will4 ,all these topics are delightfully descanted upon by the ,dean of ,salisbury4--,clergyman's ,magazine4 ,,xii4 ,,john ,,knox4 ,by ,,wm4 ,m4 ,,taylor1 ,,ll4,d4 ,a bold and vigorous sketch of the illustrious preacher1 for whom a claim is made that 'if not pre-eminently the ,scotchman of history1' he is certainly 'one of the three mightiest1' of 'the first three' of his nation4--,daily ,chronicle4 ,an admirable biography of ,john ,knox4 ,the volume forms the most compendious and trustworthy and1 perhaps we may add1 interesting memoir of the great reformer available to the general reader4--,liverpool ,daily ,post4 ,,london3 ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton1 #bg1 ,,paternoster ,,row4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes ,made minor punctuation corrections4 ,spaced the oe ligatures4 ,transliterated the ,greek text4 ,reindexed and moved ,footnotes to end of main text1 before ,appendix4