REV. JOHN W. FLETCHER, A.M.
John William De La Flechere was born in Nyon in Switzerland (near Geneva), on the 12th of September 1729. His father was an officer in the French army, and intended his son John for the service of the Church. He was accordingly placed while yet young at the school in Geneva, where he made great proficiency in his studies, and distanced all his competitors in their efforts to secure the customary prizes. After quitting Geneva, he was sent to a small town to perfect himself in the study of the German language, and on his return home he applied himself to the study of the Hebrew with great diligence and assiduity.
In very early life he discovered the elements of Christian piety, and his thorough acquaintance with the sacred Scriptures preserved him from falling into those sins and follies so common to the young. He in fact abhorred sin from his youth up, and in a becoming manner always reproved it in others. Young Fletcher had several remarkable escapes from death; so remarkable indeed that his biographer, Mr. Wesley, hesitates not to avow his belief, that his deliverance in one case was nothing short of miraculous. After having completed his studies at the University of Geneva, contrary to the design of his parents, and contrary to his own design hitherto, he resolved to become a soldier. His reasons for this unexpected step, as afterwards given by himself were, 1st. His want of qualification for the high and holy calling of a minister of the gospel; 2dly. His scruples about subscribing to the doctrine of predestination, which he must do if he took orders in Switzerland; and 3dly. His disapproval of entering the sacred office for the sake of a livelihood, or to obtain preferment. Hence he went to Lisbon and accepted a Captain's commission in the service of the King of Portugal, designing to go to Brazil, but an accident prevented his sailing. About this period also his uncle had obtained a commission for him in the Dutch army, which he resolved to accept, but the declaration of peace prevented his being engaged in active service.
Being thus thrown out of active employment, he went to England, but not having made himself acquainted with the English language, he labored under serious difficulties in making his wants understood. While in an inn, Mr. Fletcher heard a well-dressed Jew speaking French, and engaged him to change his foreign money for English currency. Without due reflection he gave the man ninety pounds to exchange for him, and on making known the fact to his companions, they exclaimed with one accord, "Your money is gone; you need not expect to see a crown or doit of it any more!" As it was all the money Mr. Fletcher had, he of course felt uneasy about it, but in his extremity he commended his cause to God, and in a short time the Jew returned, and brought him the whole of the money. This little incident exhibits not only the piety of Mr. Fletcher, and his constant dependence on God under all circumstances, but it served to show him the importance of becoming acquainted with the English language. Accordingly he soon placed himself at a boarding school for this express purpose, where he also pursued the study of polite literature. His easy and affable manners soon gained him the esteem and respect of the town's people where the school was situated, and he was a welcome guest at the houses of the first families in the place.
After remaining a year and a half at this school, and having perfected himself in the English tongue, he accepted the situation of tutor in the family of a Mr. Hill, in Ternhall, Shropshire. A little incident which transpired here, served to convince Mr. Fletcher that however pious and God fearing he might have been, he was yet, like all others, a fallen creature, and stood in need of the pardoning mercy of God. One Sunday evening, a servant came into his room to make up his fire, while Mr.
Fletcher was engaged in writing some music. The servant, seriously and respectfully said, "Sir, I am sorry to see you so employed on the Lord's day." Although mortified at being reproved by a servant, he felt the reproof to be just, immediately put away his music, and ever after was a strict observer of the Sabbath.
When Mr. Hill went to London to attend the Parliament, he was accompanied by his family, and Mr. Fletcher. While stopping at a town on the road, Mr. Fletcher walked out, and did not return until the family had started for London. A horse, however, was left for him, and he overtook the family in the evening. On being asked why be stayed behind, he replied: "As I was walking, I met with a poor old woman, who talked so sweetly of Jesus, that I knew not how the time passed away." Mrs.
Hill replied: "I shall wonder if our tutor does not turn Methodist, by and bye." "Methodist, madam!
pray what is that?" "Why, the Methodists are a people that do nothing but pray; they are praying all day and all night." "Are they?" replied Mr. Fletcher, "then by the help of God I will find them out, if they be above ground." He did find them out in London, and at once became a member of the Society. Hitherto Mr. Fletcher had feared God, but he had not as yet saving faith. This he soon learned to his grief, after having heard a sermon preached on the subject of faith by a clergyman of the Church. "Is it possible," said he, "that I, who have always been accounted so religious, who have made divinity my study, and received the premium of piety from my University for my writings on Divine subjects, — it possible that I should yet be so ignorant as not to know what faith is?" The more he reflected the more convinced he became that he was in fact a stranger to the love of God, that he was a sinner, and deserved to be damned. He finally resolved, that if sent to hell, he would serve God there, and that if he could not be an instance of his mercy in heaven, he would be a monument of his justice in hell. Soon, however, he ventured to believe in Christ as a universal Redeemer, and as his personal Saviour, and after a hard and prolonged struggle with the powers of darkness, he became a "new man" in Christ Jesus. Let not the reader think that Mr. Fletcher was beside himself, and that he was superstitious or fanatical in his efforts to obtain the favor of God.
Saul of Tarsus, the two Wesleys, and hundreds of the great and good before Mr. Fletcher's time, had felt the burden of sin, and although previously moral and virtuous in their lives, and God-fearing in their disposition, were nevertheless constrained to exclaim, "O, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?" and who, after having exercised faith in Christ, could also exclaim, "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death." And thus Mr. Fletcher attained to the adoption of a "son of God" and an heir of heaven.
After his conversion, Mr. Fletcher became an eminent instance of vital piety; his hopes, desires, and pursuits became totally changed. He now felt it his duty to call sinners to repentance, and an opening having been made whereby he could obtain a "living" in the Church of England, if he desired it, he took counsel of Mr. Wesley in relation to the propriety of taking orders in that Church, and on the 6th of March, 1757, he received deacon's orders in the Chapel-Royal at St. James, from
the Bishop of Bangor, and on the following Sabbath was admitted to the order of the priesthood by the same Bishop.
The same day that he was ordained priest, being informed that Mr. Wesley had no one to assist him at West-street Chapel, as soon as the ordination service was over, he hastened to assist him in the administration of the Lord's Supper; and from this time forward fully identified himself with the Methodists by co-operating, as opportunity offered, with the Wesleys and their preachers. He soon afterward visited the country places around London, and preached in several of the churches, but his plain manner of telling the truth, and above all, the Divine unction which attended his preaching, offended several of the clergymen, who closed their churches against him.
In the year 1755 there were many French prisoners in London, who desired Mr. Fletcher to preach to them in their own language, which he did. Many of them were deeply affected, and desired him to preach to them every Sabbath. They were, however, advised to present a petition to the Bishop of London for leave, but, strange to say, the Bishop in the most peremptory manner rejected their petition. A few months after, his lordship died with a cancer in his mouth. Mr. Wesley, in reference to this event, says, "I do not think it any breach of charity to suppose, that an action so unworthy of a Christian bishop had its punishment in this world."
During the sessions of parliament, Mr. Fletcher was generally in London with his kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. Hill, the latter of whom had predicted that Mr. F. would yet be a Methodist, and whose prediction had indeed come to pass. During the recess of Parliament Mr. Fletcher might be found in his study at Ternhall, improving his mind and heart, and drawing closely with his God.
In a letter written by Mr. Charles Wesley to Mr. Fletcher, the former had intimated something in relation to a salary which Mr. Fletcher should have for his labors; in reply to this the latter observes:
"To what a monstrous idea had you well nigh given both. What! the labors of my ministry under you deserve salary! Alas! I have done nothing but dishonor to God hitherto, and am not in a condition to do anything else for the future. If, then, I am permitted to stand in the courts of the Lord's house, is it not for me to make an acknowledgment, rather than to receive one? If I ever receive anything of the Methodist Church, it shall be only as an indigent beggar receives alms, without which he would perish."
About this time, Mr. Fletcher's friends in Switzerland were pressing him with invitations to return to his own country, but supposing their desires to be purely the result of natural affection, he preferred staying where his time could be more profitably employed in aiding the Messrs. Wesley in their work of love. About this time also he received a very polite invitation from the Countess of Huntingdon, to become her ladyship's domestic chaplain, but his engagements with the Wesleys prevented his acceptance of the kind offer; so that until the following autumn his time was mostly employed in rendering them and their Societies all necessary assistance. In the meanwhile he had frequently assisted the Rev. Mr. Chambers, Vicar of Madely — place about ten miles from Ternhall
— and had contracted a strong and growing love for the people of that parish. Mr. Chambers having accepted a living in another parish, the vicarage of Madely, through the interest of his friend Mr.
Hill, was offered to Mr. Fletcher, and after having taken the advice of the Messrs. Wesley and others,
he concluded to accept the offer, and in due form was Instituted Vicar of Madely, which relation he retained as long as he lived.
At Madely, a new field of operation presented itself before him. The town was a place of considerable importance, both on account of its manufactures and population. The greater portion of the inhabitants, however, were very degraded and vicious. Ignorance, profanity, Sabbath-breaking and drunkenness, prevailed to an alarming extent, and even the external forms of religion were ridiculed. Young persons of both sexes, at stated times, would meet and spend the entire night in dancing, reveling, drunkenness, and obscenity. These assemblages were truly a disgrace to the Christian name, and frequently did Mr. Fletcher repair to these scenes of disorder and dissipation, and administer plain, yet affectionate reproof to the thoughtless persons therein congregated, and frequently these reproofs were not in vain, for, although at first there might be a burst of indignation at the bold interference, his tears, his prayers, and exhortations, would generally be crowned with success. The great mass of the people did not attend public worship, and many gave as an excuse for non-attendance, that they could not wake early enough to get their families ready. To remedy this, Mr. Fletcher, taking a bell in his hand, sallied out every Sunday morning for some months at five o'clock, and went round to the distant parts of the town, inviting all the inhabitants to the house of worship.
These facts are stated merely as an evidence of Mr. Fletcher's ministerial fidelity to the people of his parish. But notwithstanding his fidelity, he saw so little fruit of his labors — that he was frequently on the point of leaving Madely, and giving himself wholly to the itinerant work under the direction of the Messrs. Wesley. His greatest discouragement arose from the smallness of his congregations; but soon this cause of despondency was removed, for not only did his church become full, but many had to stand in the church yard who could not get into the house. So great indeed was the crowd at times, that Mr. Fletcher's churchwardens spoke of hindering persons of other parishes from attending church in that place; but their faithful pastor withstood them, and was successful in preventing such a disgraceful proceeding.
Although Mr. Fletcher was the resident Vicar of a parish, he did not confine his labors to that parish, but wherever a door opened for doing good he was ready to enter in. He frequently visited two villages not far distant from Madely, where he formed small societies of Methodists. He also regularly preached for many years at places eight, ten, and sixteen miles off. Notwithstanding his devotion to the cause of God, Mr. Fletcher, like his compeers, the Wesleys, was the subject of persecution and reproach. And it is lamentable to know, that, as in the case of the Wesleys, so in Mr.
Fletcher's case, the greatest amount of persecution was caused by the unprincipled and uncalled-for opposition of church dignitaries, and civil magistrates, who added threats to their insults, and who, if they did not stir up the unholy passions of the multitude, were perfectly willing to stand by and see a faithful minister abused and maltreated, for no other reason than that they themselves "loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
The opposition of the innkeepers, tipplers, gamblers, &c. to Mr. Fletcher was intense, and exhibited itself in various ways. On one occasion, a stout and healthy young man, twenty-four years old, came to the churchyard in Madely with a corpse, which was to be buried, but refused to enter the church. After the burial, Mr. Fletcher expostulated with him, but his answer was, that he had
bound himself not to come to church as long as Mr. Fletcher was there, and that he was prepared to take all the consequences of his refusal. As Mr. Fletcher turned away in sorrow, he could not forbear, saying to the young man, "I am clear of your blood, hence forth it is upon your own head; you will not come to church upon your legs, prepare to come upon your neighbor's shoulders." The young man immediately began to waste away, and in three months was buried on the very spot where the above conversation was had. Mr. F. visited him during his sickness, when "he seemed as tame as a wolf in the trap."
Mr. Fletcher not only labored assiduously for the benefit of his parishioners, but he frequently invited Rev's. John and Charles Wesley to visit his parish, and preach in his church. He also invited Mr. Wesley's preachers to visit his parish, and take the charge of the Methodist Societies which he had raised up. He also invited the Rev. George Whitefield to visit his parish, and in his letter of invitation on one occasion he says: "Last Sunday sevennight Captain Scott preached to my congregation a sermon which was more blessed, though preached only upon my horse-block, than a hundred of those I preach in my pulpit. I invited him to come and treat her ladyship (Countess of Huntingdon) next Sunday with another, now the place is consecrated. If you should ever favor Shropshire with your presence, you shall have the Captain's or the parson's pulpit at your option."
A distinction is here drawn between the "Captain's and the parson's pulpit." The "Captain" and Mr.
Wesley's lay preachers not having been episcopally ordained, could not legally be admitted to the pulpit of the parish church, while Mr. Whitefield and the Wesleys, having received episcopal ordination, could lawfully be invited to preach in the same. Hence if Captain Scott and Mr. Wesley's lay preachers did not occupy Mr. Fletcher's pulpit, it was only because the law would not allow it;
while the horse-block, or the desk of the Society-house, or a room in Mr. Fletcher's parsonage, were always open for the public services of those men of God who were called to the work of the ministry without episcopal authority.
In 1766, Mr. Fletcher visited different parts of England, and while spending a few Sabbaths at a place called Breedon, Leicestershire, people flocked to hear him from all the adjacent parishes. The clerk of the church being offended at the large attendance of people, because it increased his labor in cleaning the church, &c., placed himself at the door, and demanded a penny of every stranger who entered. Mr. Fletcher having been informed of the fact, at the close of the service, said to the congregation, "I have heard that the clerk of this parish has demanded, and has actually received money from divers strangers, before he would suffer them to enter the church. I desire that all who have paid money in this way for hearing the gospel, will come to me, and I will return what they have paid. And as to this iniquitous clerk, his money perish with him."
In the year 1770, Mr. Fletcher paid a visit to his native land, and in addition to visiting Switzerland, he and his friend, Mr. Ireland, traveled through the greater part of France and Italy. The five months spent in this tour were not, however, lost, as wherever Mr. Fletcher went, he tried to make himself useful to the souls of his fellow-men. He even visited the Roman Catholic monasteries and convents, and conversed freely and boldly with the most serious of their inmates. So great indeed was his boldness of speech toward many of the priests and others, that his life and that of his friend were frequently in danger. He attended the Popes chapel in Rome, accompanied by Mr. Ireland, who only consented to go after having extorted a promise from Mr. Fletcher, that the latter would not speak by way of censure or reproof at what he saw or heard. While traveling in a part of Italy they
