Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

wish that the Methodists should be a separate people; as he always thought it best for the Church people, and the people called Methodists, to move in distinct lines.

August 6.-Blessed be the Lord, the work goes on, and

"I am persuaded you will clear me from the idea of having deceived you in any thing. I told you, on your first visit to my house, we were joined to that body of people called Methodists, and asked, Are you willing to labour among a company of Methodists? To which you answered in the affirmative. This gave me a convincing proof it was not your own, but God's honour you were seeking. This also engaged the hearts of the serious part of the parish toward you, and caused them to receive you with open arms, as one who would walk in the steps of your worthy predecessor. Now I would observe, should such a thought be suggested, that it would be better for them to leave that connection, (under which several have been called,) and consider themselves as only belonging to you; if, I say, such a proposal was to be made, might it not be the means of sowing the first seeds of division ever known in Madeley? This, I am sure, would be very painful to you. I do not believe you meant to do so; but I lay these thoughts before you as an antidote to such a temptation, should it ever arise.

But

"Should that people, among whom, at present, the Lord so eminently works-should they decline from the pure worship of God --in that case, the parish would naturally cleave to you. while the Lord does carry on his work among them, let us be found with God and his people; 'Yea, let us meet them with bread and with water in the way.'

"Some years ago, a gentleman whom I well knew and loved, settled in a parish a few miles from where I lived. I believe there were about a hundred Methodists in the place. They were delighted with him, and all went on well, till he proposed to dissolve the society, and have only one of his own. The people in general consented; he applied to Mr. Wesley, and the preachers were withdrawn. But, dear man, though he was an upright soul, he had not as good gifts for discipline as for preaching-he found much trouble and confusion arose. The people began to scatter. Another living then presented itself, which he accepted, to the great offence of those who had left their first path to follow him. After this, they who had been Methodists wrote to Mr. Wesley, and got the preachers again; and, in a few years after, there were twelve hundred members in that society.

"I acknowledge, dear sir, there may be some humiliation in thus acting in concert with others. But is not humiliation the only way to exaltation? Do we ever rise in the Divine life but in proportion as we sink? If the prophets of the Lord were sawn asunder, were stoned; if they wandered about in dens and caves of the earthshall we start at a few trials which may, in a small degree, lay our honour in the dust, when the honour of our heavenly Father is advanced thereby? I say again, should the Methodists decline, (which God forbid,) they would soon cast us off if we did not decline with them.

I feel very thankful that the Lord has answered prayer in the appointment of our preachers. I do feel the Lord orders all.

August 14.-Thirty years, this day, I drank the bitter cup, and closed the eyes of my beloved husband; and now I am myself in a dying state. Lord, prepare me! I feel death very near. My soul doth wait, and long to fly to the bosom of my God! Come, my adorable Saviour! I

"When the people of this place have had, by some years' experience, a full proof of your holy and close walk with God, the purity of your doctrine, and the unchangeableness of your affection, that you have them in your heart to live and die with them; they will then cleave to you with an undivided love, discerning that the Lord has said unto you, Behold your children: and in their hearts, Behold your father. A great step toward this has already been taken on our side: but as yet your mind has been far ress settled than ours; and perhaps should we meet you with Jchu's salutation to Jehonadab, you could not freely give us your hand. But this does not discourage me. I impute it to the opposition of Satan, who sees you are in your right place, and in your right order-as a stone now let into that very part of the building where God designs you to be; and he would fain disorder the whole by throwing you out, either through discouragement or by any other way.

"Permit me to add, I am more and more convinced that you are the gift of God to us-to me in particular, an answer to my own prayer. I daily feel an encouraging union with both yourself and Mrs. Walter. I often boast to the preachers of the sweetness of your spirit, and the union of your heart in the work. O, let not my boasting be ever vain; but when I close my eyes in Madeley, let me have the satisfaction to behold from the upper world that the dovelike spirit which so eminently reigned in my dear husband has dropped, as his mantle, upon you, and that it shines forth as a double portion.

Having an hour at command, I have freely opened my heart to you. Receive it as, perhaps, the dying advice of one who earnestly prays you may be filled with all the fulness of God."*

The result of this most affectionate and pious epistle, was, that Mr. W. was fully delivered from his uneasiness, and for twentyone years laboured, in the most affectionate and faithful manner, for the good of the parish, and in every part of it to the great edification of the people. His excellent partner, who was closely connected with, and very dear to Mrs. Fletcher, died at Madeley, in the full triumph of faith. See page 291.

I am happy to add that the people who were thus obliged to become a distinct body, have not separated from the Church, but still attend the public service there.-ED.

This letter, which is in Mrs. Fletcher's own hand, has neither date nor signature, but it was evidently written not long after the former.-ED.

lie at thy feet; I long for all thy fulness! Bless my dear and faithful friend. Keep her secure; I long for the day when we shall all meet above!

September 12.--This day I am seventy-six years old, and the same day my dear husband would have been eighty-six. Surely we shall remember the scenes we have had together. But, O my God, give me power to cleave to thee every moment! I feel the powers of darkness are vehemently striving to distract and hinder me. O my God and Father, enable me to walk in thy constant presence! O Jesus, Jesus! fill me with thy love, pour out thy Spirit abundantly upon me, and make my heart thy constant home!

September 27.—I am filled with mercies; but I want to be filled with holiness. O show thy lovely face! Draw me more close to thyself! I long, I wait for a closer union. It is amazing under how many complaints I still live! But they are held by the hand of the Lord. On the Monday evenings I have had some power to read and speak at the room till the nights grow dark; but on Sunday noon I have yet liberty, though my eyes are so bad and sore. The Lord helps me wonderfully. In the class also, in the morning, the Lord doth help. O for entire holiness!

October 26.-I have had a bad night; but asking help of the Lord for closer communion, my precious Lord applied that word, I have borne thy sins in my own body on the tree. I felt his presence. I seem very near death; but I long to fly into the arms of my beloved Lord. I feel his loving kindness surrounds me.

no more.

Mrs. Fletcher's journal ends here. I believe she wrote She died on the ninth day of the December following. The particulars of her last illness, and of her departure, are supplied by Miss Tooth. I extract them from the short account which she published soon after the death of her venerable friend.

For the last month of Mrs. Fletcher's life, her breath was more oppressed than usual; it had been much affected for some years upon motion: yet when she sat still, or laid herself down at night, she could breathe quite easy. But in the middle of November, her breathing was affected, both while she sat still, and when she was laid down. She had also a very troublesome cough. By these

her strength quickly declined. She had had a wound for two years and three 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 difficulty of breathing. Yet she would speak to the people, though, as she said, "It is like as if every meeting would take away my life; but I will speak to them while I have any breath."

[ocr errors]

One day, when her sufferings were great, she said, "How sweet are the words of the apostle,The sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall follow!' And on the 11th of November she mentioned the Divine aid she found in these words, "Call upon me in the time of trouble; so will I hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me:" these words she frequently repeated, and sometimes would add, "Yes, my Lord, I will call upon thee; and I shall glorify thee too."

She

Another time she said, with peculiar energy, "They that trust in the Lord shall never be confounded." added also, with much animation in her countenance, "That promise given me so many years ago now comes with fresh power, Thou shalt walk with me in white. And that also. "I will thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away thy tin." She added,

6

"Everlasting life is won,

Glory is on earth begun."

On the 18th of November, she often repeated with much animation,

"I am thine, and thou art mine,

A bond eternal hath us join'd."

Indeed, the goodness of the Lord, and the great things that faith will do, were subjects on which she delighted to dwell. I have often heard her say, the particular commission the Lord had given her was to encourage souls to believe; and herein she certainly was greatly blessed to

many.

On the 23d, she many times repeated these words, which she said came to her with unusual sweetness in the night,

"Thy righteousness wearing, and cleansed by thy blood,
Bold shall I appear in the presence of God."

pro

All this day she had a great degree of fever upon her, yet she would sometimes say to me, "What were the sweet words the Lord gave me last night?" As soon as I nounced the first word, she would go on with the rest, and add, "I feel the power of them, though my head is so confused with this fever, that I could not immediately recollect them."

On the 6th of December, while looking on me with the tenderest affection, she said, “ My faithful friend, my dearest friend; ten thousand blessings on her head." She continued also to cry to God for a blessing upon several persons whom she mentioned; and upon all her relations though they were so far from her in body, they were to the last interested in her prayers; and she would frequently plead with the Lord, that one day she might meet them all in glory. From the beginning of Decem ber, she dozed much, whenever the cough and the oppres sion upon her breath would allow her any ease. This she often complained of, saying, "I lose my time; I want every moment to be spent in prayer or praise.'

[ocr errors]

On the same day, when waking out of a doze, she said, “I am drawing near to glory;" and, soon after, "There is my house and portion fair ;" and again, "Jesus, come, my hope of glory:" and, after a short pause, "He lifts his hands and shows that I am graven there.' The two following days were indeed days of love and praise. Mrs. Perks and others visited her, upon whom she prayed the choicest blessings might descend.

[ocr errors]

The day following, the 8th, her breathing was exceedingly difficult. In the morning she had walked into the other room, as usual, with only the help of my arm. In the middle of the day she wished to go into the chamber again, and I led her, as at other times; but she was now weaker, and I could scarcely keep her from falling. I therefore asked her to sit down in a chair, which she did, and I wheeled her back again: with this she was much pleased, and said the exercise had done her good. All the afternoon she was extremely ill, either hot to a great degree, shivering with cold, or very drowsy; but through all, her mouth was full of the loving kindness of the Lord.

At night she said she would not go to bed till after ten o'clock. We prayed together before we went into the

« AnteriorContinuar »