"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:-- Jesu's blood, through earth and skies, Mercy, free, boundless mercy, cries. With much difficulty he responded :-- Mercy's full power I soon shall prove, Loved with an everlasting love. "If Jesus is very present with thee lift thy right hand," said his wife, as she bent over him. He raised it. Waiting a moment or two she said, "If the prospect of glory opens before thee, repeat the sign." Twice he lifted that feeble right hand in testimony, then fell into _coma_, lying with his eyes open and fixed. While this was taking place in the Vicarage the church close by was the scene of many tears. Fletcher's people gathered there from time to time to pour out their supplications to God that He would spare their beloved pastor; but none could find it in his heart to lead a service, or raise a hymn. In the cottages whole families sat waiting for news, while messengers, who went to and from the Vicarage, were waylaid on every side for tidings of joy or sorrow.