For the last month of her life, her breath was more oppressed than usual: it had been much affected for years, upon motion; yet when she sat still, or laid herself down at night, she could breathe quite easy; but the middle of November last her breathing was affected both while she sat still and when she was laid down. She had also a troublesome cough, that disturbed her rest at night; and when this was the case, her strength quickly declined. She had had a wound for two years and 3 quarters in one side of her left breast, which was at first supposed to be a cancer; but her sufferings from this were not to be compared with what she suffered from her breath.
Yet, with all that she went through, how did she labour for the good of souls! Many times she has gone to speak to the people, when she has said, “It is like as if every meeting would take away my life, but I’ll speak to them as long as I can; while I’ve any breath, and power to get out, I’ll not spare myself.” And truly she did not, as will be readily testified by many hundreds who have been in the habit of attending her meetings.
I am inclined to think, that the 24th of last July will not be forgotten by a large proportion of the great numbers who crowded to hear her: she explained the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. It was the last monday night she was able to speak to a listening crowd of attentive hearers, some of whom had come many miles, but did not think much of the pains they took, because of the spiritual good they derived from the opportunity. I remember she spoke in a peculiarly striking manner on the necessity of being born again. When she came to the 13th verse, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh,” and from the following verses respecting the Talents, she enlarged much; powerfully insisting upon the right use of the understanding, will, mind, or memory, with every affection; the right application of time, with every penny of money; and the watching over the tongue, which she observed might enjoy the honor of being God’s advocate, but for want of watchfulness was, as the Apostle expresses it, “set on fire of hell.”
But it is in vain for me to attempt to repeat any part of what at that time was felt in many hearts. She continued to meet her classes occasionally, as she had strength for it, until the middle of October. Her two o’clock sabbath-day meeting she spoke at on the last sabbath of September: this was her last public engagement. Many striking proofs we have had that her labours of love in this way were not in vain; for it is certain many souls were brought to God through her. In one of her noon meetings she read some account of the opening of her room for the preaching of the gospel; and as I believe it will not be unacceptable to you, I will insert it as it was put down by one present at the time of its first being used for the good of souls, and the glory of God.
The first sabbath in July, 1788, the room at the Vicarage in Madeley was opened; it had been for many years a barn, but was now fitted up for divine worship.
The Rev. Melville Horne preached from I Kings, chap. ix, ver. 3. “And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me; I have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put my name there, and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.” He observed how great was our privilege in being so favored with places and opportunities of quietly waiting upon the Lord, and the advantage of sitting under a pure gospel; and how much would be required of them to whom so much was given.
He then sweetly invited us to turn our eye towards the living Temple, in whom we should be always sure to meet the Father’s love: and, in conclusion, read the part following the text, to the 10th verse; pointing out the covenant blessing on obedience, and the certain destruction which would follow the reverse.
As soon as he had ended his sermon, before he had time to pray, he was suddenly called out to a funeral which was waiting, and left Mrs. Fletcher to dismiss the people. She observed the solemnity of the occasion, and the great expectation she felt in her heart that the Lord would pour out his Spirit on the souls before him; and entreated them to look up, and open their hearts to receive it. As an encouragement, she reminded them of the many prayers which for twenty-five years had been night and day offered up in their behalf; the purport of which was, that they might behold a reconciled Father in the face of Christ Jesus: that in the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, the people were called to eat and to drink, and to send portions to those who had none. She also observed, all the glory of Israel, being outward, was but a type of the inward glory of the christian church. Therefore, (said she,) this day God calls you to eat and to drink, yea, to take of the water of life, and that freely. But are some dry and barren? He sends portions to them that have none. She then added, I will speak freely: since I have been preparing this place, these words of our Lord have repeatedly come into my mind, “With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” This has caused me sometimes to think, does my Lord intend shortly to remove me to himself? Be that as it may, I have a confidence that this place will be continued to your use for some years to come, and that the Lord will bless you therein. And now I have two petitions to ask you, which I think you will not deny me. My dear friends, my first petition is, that you would consider this day as a fresh covenanting with the Lord to be his without reserve, and that we may with one consent unite in a solemn vow never to draw back. My second request is, that when I am laid silent in the grave, (which, be it sooner or later, most of you will probably see,) I ask you, at that time to remember the transaction of this day, and whensoever you pass by this place, grant me a moment’s thought;—the carnal say, the tribute of a tear: not so with me; no, my beloved friends, I rejoice not in your tears, but in your happiness:—grant me then a moment’s thought, I will tell you what it shall be. On the first sabbath, in July, 1788, beneath that roof I covenanted to be the Lord’s; then pause a moment, and say, “Thy vows are upon me, O God; I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot draw back.”
She then concluded this uncommonly solemn meeting with prayer, after singing the following hymn:
Spirit of holiness descend,
And consecrate this place;
With thine Almighty power defend,
And crown it with thy grace.Let it be stored with heavenly wheat,
The harvest of the Lord,
With sinners brought to Jesu’s feet,
Obedient to his word.No more design’d for earthly good,
Or product of the ground,
May it be fill’d with sacred food,
And thy high praise resound.Ye neighbours who surround this place,
The message is for you;
Despise not then his offer’d grace,
Nor slight the heavenly dew.How many pray’rs in heaven are filed
For Madeley favor’d flock;
Behold a Father reconciled
In Jesus Christ your Rock.Then let the joys of heaven abound,
O’er Sinners brought to God;
And many at his feet be found,
All wash’d in Jesu’s blood.That voice which once you loved to hear
Invites you from above,
And bids you cast off every fear,
And trust in Jesu’s love.Then let us vow to serve the Lord,
And choose his holy ways;
To walk according to his word,
Devoted to his praise.And when the lips that call you now
Are silent in the dust,
Remember then our solemn vow,
And shew in whom you trust.For soon the Archangel’s trump shall sound,
And summon us on high;
The Shepherd with his Flock be found,
And all our tears be dry.
Some circumstances occurring last summer, which brought to her recollection afresh the solemn season of the opening of her room, 27 years before, she took the paper I have now been copying, and read it to the people; and there is good reason to believe, that our heavenly Father was pleased to make this also, such a season of refreshing to some then present, that they will ever remember it with gratitude: indeed, all her labours of love were, in a peculiar manner, blest of God. Six years after the opening of her room, the old church was taken down, and the church service was performed in it till the new one was erected.
Amongst the numerous company that will have to ascribe glory to our God for good received through her instrumentality, under that roof, I cannot forbear saying, my hope is, that I shall stand among the ransomed of the Lord, and say, “I was born there.” Yes, my friends, I must say, the good Lord made her the means of the awakening, conversion, and deepening the work of grace in my soul: and while I give all the glory to my God for the grace received, I cannot but feel much love to the channel through which that grace was communicated. Nor are my feelings in this peculiar, they are the feelings of a number of lively souls, who bless God that the sound of her voice ever reached their ears; and in whose affections she will long live, and though dead yet speak.
On the 4th of September, 1808, she was to have had a meeting at six o’clock in the evening, but was prevented through sickness; she therefore wrote, the following note, for me to read to the people:
My dearly beloved in the Lord,
My delight is to worship the Lord with you, and many, very many, sweet times have we had together; but our unerring master has, at this time, been pleased to confine me by a greater degree of weakness than I ever remember before; therefore, by my pen, through the mouth of my dear friend, I take this method to assure you, I am with you in spirit, though absent in body; and I intreat you all to make trial of the ground whereon you stand: when sickness and death approaches, there is no comfort but in the love of God; I find none but what I derive from that source. O that you would therefore do as Jacob did, be earnest with the Lord, that his love may fill your heart, as the scripture expresses it, the love of God shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Ghost, given unto you. If you get your hearts full of the love of God, you will find that is the oil by which the lamp of faith will be ever kept burning; love makes all our duty easy; a soul united as one spirit to the Lord, if temptation presents, has a ready answer; such a one instantly cries out, How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? against Him in whom my soul delighteth? Pray, my friends, pray much for this love; and remember that word, “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
Thus did she, whether sick or well, labour for the increase of spirituality in the hearts of the people: her eyes were always heaven-ward, and whether at home or abroad, she was ever endeavouring to draw souls to a closer walk with God. She was often reminding us who were about her, of the fulness that was to be obtained. I shall not exceed the; truth, if I say that none more fully possessed the happy art of leading souls into a close internal walk with God, than she did; being herself so experimentally acquainted with the path of righteousness, she was well qualified to conduct others therein: and as to her own soul, she was continually drinking more and more into the spirit of her Lord. Her capacious soul was always panting after deeper and deeper draughts of the living water; frequently telling me what sweet openings the Lord had been giving her, and what enjoyment in the filling and enlarging of her desires. She was ever desirous that souls would be looking for great things from the hands of the Lord; frequently saying, “what pity it is that any rest in low attainments, when so much might be gained; has not the Lord said, Ask what you will, and I will do it for you.” This last sentence was one of those sayings of our Divine Master, in which she delighted to the end of her course. I believe there are numbers who cannot forget with what energy she would recommend the wrestling Jacob; and whatever duty she enforced upon the minds of others, she was exemplary in practising herself. It was always her custom, unless some providential call prevented, to go from secret prayer to the class, and from the class to prayer: thus did she habitually draw fresh supplies of light and life from above; and when the seed was sown, her unwearied supplications followed it. Indeed she was a great lover of prayer, and often continued in that exercise on her knees for such a length of time, (white her strength would admit of it,) that I have sometimes gone into her chamber to remind her how long she had been, fearing she would injure her body; but on such occasions she has sweetly smiled, and said, “I shall be none the worse for prayer; come, kneel down by me, let us pray together.” At another of these times, she has said, “No, not leave off praying yet; my dear husband used to say, let me wrestle till I die. I can’t leave off yet, but come and join me; great things are promised where two agree to ask in the name of Jesus.” Many of these times have become seasons of peculiar advantage: my soul has cause to praise the Lord both for her private, social, and public exercises. A paper containing some short hints for prayer, which I found in a testament that lay by her the last week of her life, I will here insert. She begins, first in the morning, by asking permission to throw herself again at the feet of her most gracious loving Saviour, and to praise him for preserving her from every evil through the night, and for having brought her to another day. She notes as subjects of praise, a degree of ease, eye-sight, hearing, the use of her limbs and understanding; and then names, as heads for supplication, the power to walk with God, to take up every cross, and to watch the tongue.