At thirty years of age Fletcher was pressed to become a missionary to Antigua, but was prevented by the advice of Charles Wesley, who foresaw for him a more useful service in England.

Introduced by John Wesley to the famous Countess of Huntingdon, Fletcher was further commended to her by the poet-brother in such a manner as led her to urge him to become chaplain to her household. On the understanding that the appointment should not interfere either with his preaching, or the work he had taken up amongst French prisoners and refugees, he accepted the post, and through it became acquainted with many great spirits who ranked amongst the noble of the earth.

A great work was at this time being done at Everton, the parish of the Rev John Berridge, and Fletcher made special efforts to see and profit by it He introduced himself to the noted clergyman as a convert seeking instruction and advice Berridge, noting his foreign accent, asked him his nationality.

“A Swiss from the Canton of Berne,” was the reply.

“From Berne! Ah, then you can give me some account of a young countryman of yours, one John Fletcher, who has lately preached a few times for the Mr. Wesleys, and of whose talents, learning, and piety they both speak in terms of high eulogy Do you know him?”

“I know him intimately, and did those gentlemen know him as well they would not speak of him in such terms, for which he is more obliged to their partial friendship than to his own merits,” was the unexpected reply.

“You surprise me,” objected Berridge, “in speaking so coldly of a countryman in whose praises they are so warm.”

“I have the best of reasons for speaking of him as I do—­I am John Fletcher.”

Berridge melted at this, and insisted upon his occupying his pulpit the following morning. For three days Fletcher remained at Everton, joined there by the Countess of Huntingdon and two well-known clergymen, Martin Madan and Henry Venn The services were, perforce, held in the open-air, for on the third day ten thousand persons gathered to hear the word of God Many fell to the ground overpowered by the influence of the Spirit, and numbers cried for mercy.

Fletcher’s life as a tutor now ended Mr. Hill was extremely anxious to benefit him, and to this end offered him the living of Dunham, in Cheshire, explaining that the duty was light, the income £400 a year (a good sum in those days), and the surrounding country delightful.

“Dunham will not suit me,” said Fletcher quietly; “there is too much money and too little labour.”

“What shall we do? Would you like Madeley? My nephew is the patron, and I am sure the present Vicar would be only too glad to exchange it for anything so good as Dunham.”

“It would suit me exactly,” quoth Fletcher, kindling at the thought He had preached there, and knew the rough character of its colliers and forgemen.

Curiously enough, the old Vicar of Dunham died suddenly The day after the event Mr. Hill met his nephew at the Shrewsbury races, and in that unlikeliest place of all, it was arranged that the Madeley living should be presented to Fletcher.

It was a matter of course that he should consult his friend Charles Wesley, but though he longed, if God so led, to undertake the work, he feared greatly that many who were violently opposed to some of his views would resist the appointment, and that the greatest barrier of all, the Bishop of Lichfield, would refuse to countersign his testimonials.

An extract from one of his letters to the Countess of Huntingdon shows how all these obstacles were removed:—­

“The difficulty of getting proper testimonials, which I had looked upon as insurmountable, vanishes at once; the three clergymen that had opposed me with the most bitterness signed them; the Bishop of Lichfield countersigns them without the least objection; the lord of the manor, my great opposer, leaves the parish; and the Vicar, who told me that I should never preach in that church, now recommends me to it, and tells me he will induct me himself Are not these the intimations of the will of God? It seems so to me.”

So it came to pass that in the parish book was made the following entry:—­

“John Fletcher, clerk, was inducted to the vicarage of Madeley the 17th of October, 1760.—­John Fletcher, Vicar.”

CHAPTER X.