It was a terrible time of testing for her devoted husband. In anguish of mind, but with true surrender of his will to God, he yielded his treasure upon an altar of sacrifice akin to that of Abraham's building; but in answer to his devotion and prayer he received her again as alive from the dead. With a peculiarly solemn joy he welcomed his wife back to his side to share the work they so truly loved, but anxious lest he should place too much reliance upon the precious things God had given him here, he would call to her several times in a day to drop every duty for a few moments that together they might enjoy communion with God. Says Mrs. Fletcher:-- "We spent much time in prayer for the fulness of the Spirit, and were led to an act of _abandonment_ (as we called it) of our whole selves into the hands of God, to do or to suffer whatever was pleasing to Him." * * * * * 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:--