The first two years he spent at Madeley were rough and stormy. He worked with all his might, but with small results. The next three years were comparatively calm and prosperous. Opposition gradually died. His labours were attended with success. He formed several Societies of converted people; and his friend Wesley made the county of Salop a Methodist circuit. For nearly five years he had confined his evangelistic efforts to his own immediate neighbourhood; after this, to a considerable extent, he became an itinerant. Let us follow him. CHAPTER VI. _TWO YEARS MORE._ 1766 AND 1767. FLETCHER began the year 1766 in mournfulness, and yet full of love and loyalty to Christ. In a letter to Miss Hatton, he wrote:— “MADELEY, _January 13, 1766_. “MADAM,—This evening I have buried one of the warmest opposers of my ministry—a stout, strong young man, aged twenty-four years. About three months ago, he came to the churchyard with a corpse, but refused to come into the church. When the burial was over, I went to him, and mildly expostulated with him. His constant answer was, that he had bound himself never to come to church while I was there; adding, that he would take the consequences. Seeing I got nothing, I left him, saying, with uncommon warmth, though, as far as I can remember, without the least touch of resentment, ‘I am clear of your blood; henceforth it is upon your own head; you will not come to church upon your legs, prepare to come upon your _neighbours’ shoulders_!’ He wasted from that time, and, to my great surprise, has been buried on the spot where we were when the conversation passed between us. When I visited him in his sickness, he seemed _tame_, as a wolf in a trap. O may God have turned him into a sheep in his last hours! “This last year has been the worst I have had here,—barren in convictions, fruitful in backslidings. “I have filled my page, but not with the name of Jesus. Let your heart contain what my letter wants,—_Jesus and His precious blood_,—_Jesus and His free, glorious salvation_. Live to Him; breathe for Him; buy, sell, eat, drink, read, write for Him. Receive Him as _yours_ altogether, and give Him your _whole_ self. Take us, Lord, into Thy gracious favour; stamp us with Thy glorious image, and conduct us to Thy eternal kingdom!”[123] Footnote 123: Letters, 1791, p. 165. Fletcher was depressed. His labours at Madeley, during the past year, had not been fruitful; and concerning his success even at Bath he was doubtful. Mr. Brown, his temporary curate, however, seems to have been useful; and so also were Wesley’s itinerant evangelists; on account of which he thankfully rejoiced. In another letter to Miss Hatton, he wrote:— “MADELEY, _May 27, 1766_.