Wesley's Designated Successor: The Life, Letters, and Literary Labours of the Rev. John William Fletcher, Vicar of Madeley, ShropshireTyerman, L. (Luke)
Religion
Wesley's Designated Successor: The Life, Letters, and Literary Labours of the Rev. John William Fletcher, Vicar of Madeley, Shropshire
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Fletcher, John, 1729-1785
Whether Fletcher adopted Wesley’s threefold test, and applied it to
James Glazebrook, it is impossible to ascertain; but that his opinion of
the young man was correct, subsequent events fully proved. Glazebrook
was one of Fletcher’s converts. He was one of the first students at
Trevecca college, if not _the very first_. There he distinguished
himself equally by his superior abilities and his uncommon diligence. He
allowed himself but little time for refreshment, rest, or recreation.
His piety was as remarkable as his gifts and diligence. He was soon sent
forth to preach, and his labours were attended with considerable
success. For three years, he was thus employed in various parts of
England. He then tired of the itinerant life, and desired the Countess
of Huntingdon to procure him orders in the Established Church. With the
assistance of Fletcher a title was obtained, and Glazebrook was ordained
deacon by the Bishop of Lichfield, in December 1771. Soon after his
ordination, he entered on the curacy of Smisby, in Derbyshire; after
which he served the curacies of Rowley Regis, near Birmingham; Shawbury,
Shropshire; Ravenstone, in Derbyshire; and Hugglescote, in
Leicestershire. In 1777, he was ordained priest by Dr. Hurd, Bishop of
Worcester. Two years later, he married the eldest daughter of Thomas
Kirkland, Esq., M.D., of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, an intimate friend of the
Countess of Huntingdon; and, soon after his marriage, became minister of
St. James’s, Warrington. Ultimately, Lord Moira presented him to the
vicarage of Belton, a village in Leicestershire, whose living even now
is not worth more than about £180 a year. Here he continued till the
time of his decease; and here, as well as at Warrington and other
places, he was made the honoured instrument of “turning many to
righteousness.” Besides his ministerial labours, he wrote and published
a “Treatise on Extemporary Preaching,” “Letters on Infant Baptism,” an
“Answer to Gilbert Wakefield’s Treatise on Baptism,” and, after his
death, his family published a volume of his sermons, which was well
received by the public. Such, in brief, was the history of Fletcher’s
convert and _protegé_. Further particulars concerning him may be found
in the _Evangelical Register_ for 1836.
The other matter, requiring attention, in Fletcher’s letter to Lady
Huntingdon, under the date of November 24, 1767, is his reference to the
conversations he had had with her ladyship upon the “Manifestations of
the Son of Man to the heart,” and the fact that he had devoutly studied
this mysterious subject for “many hours,” and had put his thoughts “upon
paper.” This important manuscript was not published until after
Fletcher’s death. The editor of his collected works, in a brief preface,
says:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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