Chapter II: Introduction: Page

Wesley requests Fletcher to be his successor—Others who might
have been designated 1–3

CHAPTER I.

FROM FLETCHER’S BIRTH TO HIS COMING TO ENGLAND IN 1752.

Parentage—Birthplace—Early piety—Remarkable deliverances from
danger—-Education at Geneva—Removed to Lentzburg—Wishes to be
a soldier 4–9

CHAPTER II.

FROM HIS COMING TO ENGLAND TO HIS ORDINATION, 1752–1757.

Arrives in London-Admitted to Mr. Burchell’s school—Becomes
tutor to sons of Thomas Hill, Esq.—Letter to his brother
Henry—Introduced to Methodists—His conversion—A millenarian—A
Catechumen—Acquaintance with Mr. Vaughan—Richard Edwards, his
class-leader—Letters to Wesley—His ordination 10–27

CHAPTER III.

FROM HIS ORDINATION TO HIS SETTLEMENT AT MADELEY, 1757–1760.

A favourite among the first Methodists—Preaches in
Shropshire—Letter to Wesley—Thomas Walsh—Letter to his
class-leader—Introduced to Lady Huntingdon—Preaching to
French prisoners—Letter to Charles Wesley—Letter to Sarah
Ryan—Christian Perfection—Fletcher and his foes—Proposal to
go to the West Indies—Death of Thomas Walsh—Letter to Charles
Wesley—A Convert—Conversion of Mr. Richard
Hill—Temptation—Letters to Charles Wesley—Dorothy
Furley—Visits Lady Huntingdon—Her ladyship’s
proposal—Fletcher’s first published sermon—Earl
Ferrars—Glorious services at Everton—Choosing a
benefice—Letters to Lady Huntingdon—Commencement of ministry
at Madeley 28–60

CHAPTER IV.

FIRST TWO YEARS AT MADELEY, 1760–1762.

Madeley—Branded a Methodist—Increasing labours—Madeley Wood and
Coalbrook Dale—Rev. Mr. Prothero’s sermon—The
publicans—Fletcher’s first sermons at Madeley—Mary
Matthews—Answers to an objection—“The Rock Church”—Letter to
a Papist—Persecutions—Letter to Rev. Mr. Hutton—Testimony of
Rev. Mr. Gilpin 61–83

CHAPTER V.

THREE QUIET SUCCESSFUL YEARS. 1762–1765.

Fanaticism among the London Methodists—Rules of Fletcher’s
Methodist Societies—A troublesome member—A quiet year—Reasons
for and against matrimony—The furious butcher—Letters to Miss
Hatton—Wesley’s first visit to Madeley—Simplicity of
living—Alexander Mather—Fletcher at Breedon—Fletcher’s first
pastoral letter—Fletcher and his relatives 84–105

CHAPTER VI.

TWO YEARS MORE. 1766–1767.

Fletcher depressed—Rejoicing on account of other men’s
success—Letters to Miss Hatton and Miss Ireland—Thanks for a
present—An excursion to Brighton, etc.—Pastoral letter—Miss
Hatton dying—Letter to Whitefield—Lady Huntingdon at
Madeley—Captain Scott—Fletcher in Yorkshire—Letter to Lady
Huntingdon—Rev. Cradock Glascott—Trevecca College—Fletcher
appointed chaplain of the Earl of Buchan—James
Glazebrook—“Manifestations of the Son of God” 106–130

CHAPTER VII.

TREVECCA COLLEGE: VISIT TO SWITZERLAND, ETC. 1768–1770.

Joseph Easterbrook—Books for Trevecca College—Letter on
Conversation—Expulsion of six students at Oxford—Letter to
Whitefield—Opening of Trevecca College—Letters to Mr. and
Miss Ireland—Rev. John Jones—Mr. John Henderson, B.A.—First
anniversary of Trevecca College—Rev. Walter
Sellon—Anti-Popery sermon—Joseph Benson—Letter to Mr.
Ireland—Visit to Switzerland 131–163

CHAPTER VIII.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE CALVINIAN CONTROVERSY. 1770–1771.

Letter to masters and students of Trevecca College—Fletcher at
Trevecca College—Letter to Rev. David Simpson—Wesley’s
Doctrinal Minutes—Second anniversary of Trevecca
College—Wesley’s sermon on the death of Whitefield—Letter of
Lady Glenorchy—Joseph Benson dismissed from Trevecca
College—Fletcher’s unpublished letter to Wesley—Fletcher
resigns his office at Trevecca—Important unpublished
manuscript—The storm brewing—Shirley’s Circular
Letter—Fletcher’s “First Check to Antinomianism”—Shirley’s
“Narrative”—Fletcher’s Letter to Shirley—Fletcher’s
Vindication of Wesley’s “Minutes” 164–205

CHAPTER IX.

“SECOND CHECK TO ANTINOMIANISM.” 1771.

Letters in the _Gospel Magazine_—Unpublished letter to Joseph
Benson—Prevalent Antinomianism—Richard Hill’s pamphlet
respecting a conversation with a monk 206–217

CHAPTER X.

“THIRD CHECK TO ANTINOMIANISM.” 1772.

Edward Elwall—Unpublished letter to Sellon—Letter to the Dublin
Methodists—Richard Hill’s _Five Letters_—Fletcher’s reply to
them—Divine Grace given to all—Good men doing the Devil’s
work—Advices to Arminians 218–233

CHAPTER XI.
“FOURTH CHECK TO ANTINOMIANISM.” 1772.

Richard Hill’s “_Review of all the Doctrines taught by the Rev.
J. Wesley_“—Richard Hill’s “_Six Letters_” to
Fletcher—Rowland Hill’s “_Friendly Remarks_”—“_Logica
Genevensis_”—Wesley’s “_Remarks on Mr. Hill’s
Review_”—Unpublished letter by John Pawson—Fletcher rebukes
Rowland Hill—Absurdities of Calvinism—Free Will—Unpublished
letter by Richard Hill to Walter Sellon 234–253

CHAPTER XII.

“APPEAL TO MATTER OF FACT AND COMMON SENSE.” 1772.

Manuscript lost—Dedication—Doctrine of Original Sin—Colliers,
bargemen, and iron-workers—England’s favourite amusements—Ten
inferences 254–262

CHAPTER XIII.
WESLEY’S DESIGNATED SUCCESSOR, ETC., ETC. 1773.
Wesley requests Fletcher to be his successor—Fletcher’s
reply—Wesley respecting Fletcher and Whitefield—Samuel
Bradburn visits Fletcher—Correspondence in 1773—The penitent
thief—The earthquake—Fletcher’s sermon on it 263–278

CHAPTER XIV.

“THE FINISHING STROKE,” ETC. 1773.

“_The Finishing Stroke_”—“_The Farrago Double
Distilled_”—Berridge’s “_Christian World Unmasked_”—Letters
by Berridge—Richard Hill desiring peace—Richard Hill’s
“_Three Letters_” to Fletcher—“_Creed for Arminians and
Perfectionists_” 279–293

CHAPTER XV.

“FIFTH CHECK TO ANTINOMIANISM.” 1774.

Toplady’s letter to Ambrose Serle—“_Logica Genevensis
continued_”—Remaining differences—Fletcher answering
Berridge—Wesley on Fletcher’s “_Checks_”—Lady Huntingdon
wishes an interview with Fletcher—Fletcher’s reply—Fletcher
writing and weary 294–301

CHAPTER XVI.

FURTHER PUBLICATIONS IN 1774.

“_Equal Check to Pharisaism and Antinomianism_”—Doleful
picture—Letter to Lady Huntingdon—Saving Faith—The Athanasian
Creed—Letters to J. Benson and C. Wesley 302–311

CHAPTER XVII.

PUBLICATIONS IN THE YEAR 1775.

“_Equal Check to Pharisaism and Antinomianism
continued_”—“_Scripture Scales_”—“_The Fictitious and the
Genuine Creed_”—The controversy has done Fletcher good—Rev.
Thomas Reader visits Fletcher—Christian perfection—Letter to
J. Benson—Wesley dangerously ill—Charles Wesley writes to
Fletcher—Fletcher’s reply—“_Checks to
Antinomianism_”—Reconciliations—Dr. Coke’s Letter to
Fletcher—Letter to C. Wesley 312–333

CHAPTER XVIII.

PUBLICATIONS IN THE YEAR 1776.

Toplady—Fletcher’s “_Answer to the Vindication of the
Decrees_”—Toplady attacks Wesley—Fletcher answers
Toplady—Review of six years’ work—Rev. Caleb Evans’ letter on
Wesley’s “_Calm Address_”—Fletcher’s “_Vindication of the
Calm Address_”—Mr. Evans’ “_Reply_” to Fletcher’s
“_Vindication_”—Fletcher publishes “_American Patriotism_”—A
Public Fast—“_The Bible and the Sword_”—The _Monthly Review_
on Fletcher—Government desires to reward Fletcher 334–353

CHAPTER XIX.

CORRESPONDENCE IN 1776.

Fletcher’s labours and abstinence—Again objects to become
Wesley’s successor—An excursion with Wesley—Fletcher
discouraged—Unpublished letter by J. Benson—Another work for
the press—“_Driving_ Methodism and _Still_
Mysticism”—Fletcher dangerously ill—C. Wesley’s hymn—Michael
Onions—Letters—Fletcher apparently dying—An impromptu
hymn—Wesley escorts Fletcher to London—Another excursion with
Wesley—Second visit to Berridge—Fletcher and Venn at St.
Neots—Charles Greenwood—Fletcher resides with him—Letter “to
the parishioners of Madeley” 354–375

CHAPTER XX.

PUBLICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE IN 1777.

“_The Doctrines of Grace and Justice equally Essential to the
Pure Gospel_”—Fletcher a millenarian—“_Bible Arminianism and
Bible Calvinism_”—“_The Plan of Reconciliation_”—Another
letter to his parishioners—Letter to W. Wase—Letters to Rev.
V. Perronet and his daughter—Fletcher visited by his
friends—Fletcher’s letter to his bishop—Charles Perronet
dies—Fletcher’s sojourn at Stoke Newington—Removes to Mr.
Ireland’s, at Brislington—Meets Henry Venn—Attends Wesley’s
Conference—Rev. David Lloyd—James Rogers visits
Fletcher—Letter to Rev. V. Perronet—Unpublished letter to
Miss Bosanquet—Lady Mary Fitzgerald—Letters to her and to
Mrs. Thornton—Preparing to leave England—Farewell letters 376–408

CHAPTER XXI.

A LONG RETIREMENT. 1778–1781.

Journey to the south of France—Unpublished letter to Miss
Bosanquet—Sermon concerning the New Birth—Letters to Rev. Mr.
Greaves, W. Perronet, the Wesley Brothers, and Dr.
Conyers—The Perronet estate in Switzerland—Unpublished letter
to Mr. Power—Fletcher among children—Fletcher and his
nephew—Messages to Madeley—Preaching at an execution—William
Perronet joins Fletcher—A perilous journey—Letter to Mr.
Ireland—Letters to Madeley—Other letters—Trials in
Switzerland—An attack of rheumatism—Letter to his
curate—National distress—Methodist meeting house at Madeley
Wood—W. Perronet’s unpublished letter—In a “miserable
lodging”—Loss of manuscripts—Religion in Switzerland—Letters
to Madeley—House of Fletcher’s nativity—Letters to W. Wase,
J. Owen, and M. Onions—Joins Mr. Ireland at Montpelier—Return
to England—Thomas Rankin visits Fletcher at
Brislington—Unpublished letter to Miss Bosanquet 409–450

CHAPTER XXII.

LITERARY WORK DONE IN RETIREMENT.

“_La Grace et la Nature_”—“_The Portrait of St. Paul._” 451–459

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE FIRST THREE MONTHS AFTER THE RETURN TO MADELEY. 1781

Affairs in confusion—Letter to Wesley—Rev. Cornelius
Bayley—Correspondence with Miss Loxdale—Letters to Wesley and
T. Rankin—Attends Wesley’s Conference at Leeds—Joseph
Pescod’s letter—Fletcher the guest of Miss Bosanquet—A
remarkable meeting at Leeds—Sanctification—Visits Sheffield 460–472

CHAPTER XXIV.

FLETCHER’S MARRIAGE. 1781.

Letters to Miss Perronet and to Lady Mary Fitzgerald—History of
Miss Bosanquet—Her Orphanage at Leyton—Her fortune and her
debts—Her removal to Yorkshire—She turns farmer and
maltster—Debts and difficulties—Fletcher proposes to marry
her—Fletcher on celibacy—Unpublished love-letter—Unpublished
letters to Miss Bosanquet’s uncle and her brother—Further
correspondence—Settling affairs in Yorkshire—The wedding and
letters respecting it 473–500

CHAPTER XXV.

TWO YEARS OF MARRIED LIFE AT MADELEY. 1782–1783.

How Fletcher began the year 1782—Husband and wife go to
Madeley—Wesley visits them—William Tranter—Dr. Jobson and L.
Tyerman at Madeley—Letter to author of “The Fool of
Quality”—The Methodists of Dublin invite Fletcher and his
wife to visit them—Mrs. Fletcher’s letter to Wesley—Fletcher
has an accident which disables him—Letter to Charles Wesley—A
new poem—Nathaniel Gilbert and Melville Horne—Letters to Mrs.
Thornton and to John Valton—Fletcher and his wife visit the
Dublin Methodists—Their successful labours—Unpublished
letter, thanking them for their services—Unpublished pamphlet
by Fletcher—Fletcher begins Sunday schools at Madeley—Rev. H.
Venn visits Fletcher 501–529