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Only a fortnight after his wife’s recovery Fletcher was out visiting his people from three in the afternoon until nine at night, and, August though it was, he returned with a chill.
The following Sunday he almost fainted while reading prayers in the church His wife pressed up to the desk with a friend or two, and begged him to leave the service to another He gently refused; windows were opened, some flowers brought to refresh him with their sweet scent, and he was able to mount the steps of the pulpit, where he preached with power from “How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”
The communion service which succeeded was a very lengthy one, but he administered to those who came until nearly two o’clock, breaking the silence with many verses of hymns and exhortations.
When the long service was over, Mrs. Fletcher led him straight to bed, but the exertion had been too much; he fainted, and the two following days lay upon a couch and slept much.
Mrs. Fletcher, very simply but touchingly, tells the story of those few last days:—
“On Wednesday, August 10th, he told me he had received such a manifestation of the full meaning of the words, ‘God is love,’ that he could not express it ‘It fills me,’ he said, ’it fills me every moment O Polly! my dear Polly! God is love! Shout! Shout aloud! Oh! it so fills me that I want a gust of praise to go to the ends of the earth But it seems as if I could not speak much longer Let us fix upon a sign between ourselves’ (tapping me twice with his finger) ’By this I mean that God is love, and we will draw each other into God Observe! by this we will draw each other into God.’ Sally coming in, he cried, ’O Sally! God is love! Shout, both of you! I want to hear you shout His praise!’ All this time his medical attendant hoped he was in no danger He knew his disease to be the fever; but as he had no bad headache, slept much without the least delirium, and had an almost regular pulse, the symptoms were thought to be favourable.
“On Thursday, August 11th, his speech began to fail, but to his friendly doctor he would not be silent while he had any power to speak, often saying, ’O Sir, you take much thought for my body; give me leave to take thought for your soul.’ When I could scarcely understand anything he said, I spoke the words, ‘God is love!’ Instantly he caught them, and broke out in a rapture, ’God is love, love, love! O for the gust of praise I want to sound.’ Here his voice again failed If I named his sufferings he would smile, and make the sign.
“On Friday, August 12th, finding his body covered with spots, I so far understood them as to feel a sword pierce through my soul As I knelt by his bed, with my hand in his, entreating the Lord to be with us in this tremendous hour, he strove to say many things, but could not At length, pressing my hand, and often repeating the sign, he breathed out ‘Head of the Church, be head to my wife!’”
Mrs. Fletcher then repeated two lines in which he had always found great comfort:—