creature snares . . . but I have been enabled to cry, 'Nothing but
Jesus and the service of His people,' and I trust the Lord will keep
me in the same mind."

Fletcher lived with the utmost frugality, for some time doing without
even a servant, and taking his meals at a neighbour's house. An idea
of his simplicity of life may be gained from a story told by one who
was at a boarding-school at Madeley which Mr. Fletcher frequently
visited:--

"One morning he came in just as the girls had sat down to breakfast.
He said but little while the meal lasted, but when it was finished he
spoke to each girl separately, and concluded by saying to the whole,
'I have waited some time on you this morning, that I might see you eat
your breakfast; and I hope you will visit me to-morrow morning to see
how I eat mine.' He told them his breakfast-hour was seven o'clock,
and obtained a promise that they would visit him. Next morning they
went at the time appointed, and seated themselves in the kitchen. Mr.
Fletcher came in quite rejoiced to see them. On the table stood a
small basin of milk and sops of bread. Mr. Fletcher carried the basin
across the kitchen and sat down on an old bench. He then took out his
watch, laid it before him, and said, 'My dear girls, yesterday morning
I waited on you a full hour while you were at breakfast; I shall take
as much time this morning in eating my breakfast as I usually do, if
not rather more. Look at my watch!' He immediately began to eat, and
continued in conversation with them. When he had finished he asked how
long he had been at breakfast. They said, 'Just a minute and a-half,
sir.' 'Now, my dear girls,' said he, we have fifty-eight minutes of
the hour left,' and he then began to sing--