History of Madeley: including Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, and CoalportRandall, John
History
History of Madeley: including Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, and Coalport
Randall, John
Madeley (Shropshire, England) -- History
Miss Tooth, another adopted daughter, survived Mrs. Fletcher, and for
many years continued the Sunday morning meetings in a large upper room of
her house, which is now converted into a public house. The Rev. George
Perks who now holds a distinguished position among the Wesleyans, the
present writer, and many others, attended these meetings. Miss Tooth
took care that they did not interfere with the services of the
Established church, which she set the example of attending punctually.
She usually read one of Mrs. Fletcher’s papers, such as she had formerly
read herself at her meetings. Speaking of Mrs. Fletcher, soon after her
death Miss Tooth said:
“Her whole life was one of self-sacrificing endeavour to do good to
the souls and bodies of men. She lived not for herself but for
others. She was one of a thousand, as of mercy, so of economy;
always sparing of expense upon herself, that she might have more to
give to ‘the household of faith.’ She would often say, ‘God’s
receivers upon earth are Christ’s Church and His poor.’ When I have
proposed the purchasing of some article of clothing for her, she
would ask, ‘Is it quite necessary? If not do not buy it: it will be
much better to give the money to some of our poor neighbours than to
lay it out upon me.’ Nor was this once only; it was invariably her
conduct; and with great truth it might be constantly said of her
also, that
“‘What her charity impairs,
She saves by prudence in affairs.’
“She was remarkably exact in setting down every penny she expended.
She kept four different accounts, in which all she spent was
included. These four were the house, sundries, clothes, and poor.
We have often at the end of the year been astonished to find the
house expenses so small, considering how many had shared with us. At
such times she has said, ‘It is the Lord who has blessed our bread
and water.’”
RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF MADELEY IN MR. AND MRS. FLETCHER’S DAY.
Having given sketches of Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher at some length, we now
proceed to notice the religious aspect of Madeley at that period. In
order to do this more fully we notice, first, that Mr. Fletcher during
the three years which elapsed between his ordination and presentation to
the living at Madeley, in 1760, occasionally visited the parish and
officiated for Mr. Chambers, the then vicar, as his curate. He was
therefore acquainted with the nature of the charge he was about to
undertake, and with the character of the people among whom he was about
to labour, a tolerable estimate of which may be gleaned from the
description given by one of Mr. Fletcher’s biographers, the Rev. J.
Benson, who says:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account