ROBERT 
 
 ERNEST COWAN 

 
 William S. Fletcher, 
 
 The Seaman's .Missionary.
 
 AT SEA HN PORT 
 
 LIFE AND EXPERIENCE 
 
 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER 
 
 FOR THIRTY YEARS SHAMAN'S MISSIONARY 
 IN PORTLAND, OREGON. 
 
 Compiled from his Journal and other authentic sources 
 
 BY 
 H. K. HINES, D. D. 
 
 With an introductiou 
 
 BISHOP EART y CRANSTON. 
 
 PRICE, $1.OO. 
 
 THE J. K. GII.L COMPANY, 
 
 Portland, Oregnu. 
 
 1898.
 
 /'i-ess of Marsh limiting Company, Portland.
 
 olo mn brctljren of tlje Sea, in roljosc labors anb eorroros 3 Ijauc 
 
 anb in mljosB tia^pincse 5 l)ace rejoiccb 
 from imj bonljoob, tljie rrcorb ofuuj life 
 anb cryeneuce is most 
 afffctionatehj 
 
 in ttje steabfast tjope tljat it nrill prone to tljem a beacon anb 
 a gnibe to tlje ^Dort of QBnbless 
 
 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Birth and Early Life 11 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 The Changed Lifo, 22 
 
 CHAPTER 111. 
 To a New Field 40 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Higher Life, 57 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Jnnitor of Taylor Street Church, 70 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Marriage, 84 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Crusaders 93 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Work Widening, 104
 
 Page. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Broadening Life n ' 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Work Among Seamen 128 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 On Ship and On Shore I 41 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Correspondence, 1 >' 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Won for God, 1<W 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Ship Work, 177 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 Widening Work 18S 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Bethel Work Reviving, 19S 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Sowing and Reaping, 209 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 (Jrandma Fletcher, 220 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 Coining to the End, . .238
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 * * * 
 
 T will be well for those who propose to read 
 this unpretentious volume to understand at 
 once its mission. It is not sent forth as the life- 
 story of a man who fancies that he has won a high 
 place amongst men. Nor is Br. Fletcher covetous 
 of literary recognition or of the rewards that ordi- 
 narily attend successful authorship. He is only a 
 plain Christian man, who, in what he has to com- 
 municate, seeks to honor his Master rather than 
 himself. As the representative of the Seaman's 
 Friend Society in this city, Mr. Fletcher has been 
 not only an enthusiastic witness for Christ in all 
 assemblies, but a tireless missionary among the 
 sailors visiting this port. I am sure that in thus 
 introducing him I can express no desire more in 
 accord with his own design and purpose than that 
 the story of his rescue shall be to many a sin-
 
 8 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 wrecked sailor a life-line thrown by the hand of a 
 saved shipmate. 
 
 Surely other lives than those of "great men" 
 should "remind us (that) we may make our lives 
 sublime; and, departing, leave behind us" ay, 
 something better than "footprints on the sands 
 of time." After all, greatness consists first in 
 character. It is Divine possession, only, that 
 makes man capable of deeds worth telling deeds 
 that do not pale in the presence of the motive that 
 prompted them. We have heard of savages who 
 were prodigies in cunning and courage, but mon- 
 strosities as men. Beasts of prey can leave foot- 
 prints in the sand. "Greatness,'' as measured in 
 the past, often stalked with bloody trail over the 
 rights and liberties of man. But we have learned, 
 and the world is fast learning the truer type. "The 
 Light that lighteth every man" has not been shin- 
 ing in vain. The greatest life ever lived was that 
 of Jesus the Christ. From pole to pole, and the 
 earth around, He is crowned the Ideal Man, and 
 the Saviour of men. Think of it : that two 
 should be one. The result of this accepted truth 
 upon the world's measurements of men is being 
 wrought out slowly, but the revolution is on and
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 9 
 
 will prove resistless. Henceforth the true man, 
 the brave man, the perfect man, the great man, 
 if you will, is to be the friend and saviour of men ; 
 not an oppressor, not a plunderer of his kind. So 
 let it be. Good-bye to the stars that rose in sel- 
 fish ambition, lust and carnage. Welcome the 
 new galaxy with Christ as its central sun, and this 
 its prophetic legend: 
 
 "THEY THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHT- 
 EOUSNESS SHALL SHINE AS THE STARS 
 FOREVER AND EVER." [Daniel xii: 3.] 
 
 No; the author of "At Sea and in Port," is not 
 seeking reputation. But if God shall bless his 
 witness to the men "who go down to the sea in 
 ships," many may yet come from all nations and 
 call him great, because honored of his Lord. 
 Amen. 
 
 EARL CRANSTON. 
 
 Portland, Oregon, March 20, 1898.
 
 PRELUDE. 
 
 AS Compiler and Editor of this Memoir of 
 Mr. William S. Fletcher, it is suitable that 
 I should say that those portions of this book ap- 
 pearing as my own are the result of an intimate 
 personal acquaintance with Mr. Fletcher and his 
 work that has continued for over thirty years. They 
 express the personal estimate that so long and so 
 intimate a knowledge of the man and his work has 
 enabled me to form of them. Pure and incorrupt- 
 ible, devout and consecrated, firm, yet kind and 
 charitable, his life has been a beacon to voyagers 
 over the ocean, and a guide to toilers on the land. 
 
 H. K. HINES. 
 Portland, Oregon, April, 1898.
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 
 
 "I am: How little more I know! 
 Whence came I? Whither do I go? 
 A centered self, which feels and is; 
 A cry between the silences; 
 A shadow birth of clouds at strife 
 With sunshine on the hills of life; 
 A shaft from Nature's quiver cast 
 Into the Future from the Past! 
 Between the cradle and the shroud. 
 A meteors' flight from cloud to cloud." 
 
 Whittier. 
 
 T X T ILLIAM S. FLETCHER was the old- 
 ^ * est child of William Fletcher, and was 
 
 born in the parish of Kilmore, near the town of 
 Neaugh. County Tipperary, Ireland, on the 29th 
 day of May, 1829. His parents were members 
 of the Roman Catholic Church, and the boy 
 was brought up in its faith. When he was 
 seven years of age his father died, and soon after 
 his mother married again. The next seven years
 
 12 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 he spent at home, but at fourteen he left his home, 
 or, as he says, "ran away from home," and soon 
 reached the port of Limerick, Avith the intention of 
 going to sea. He had but a few pennies in his 
 pocket, but, as he had come with the intention of 
 going to sea, he soon found his way to the deck 
 of a ship and asked the captain if he would take 
 him "and make a sailor of him." The captain 
 took him and William remained with him for more 
 than two years in the Quebec trade. He finally 
 left this ship in Quebec and worked his way to 
 New York, and after spending a couple of weeks 
 in that great city shipped on one of the "Black 
 Ball" line for Liverpool. On the return of the 
 vessel to New York it brought over six hundred 
 emigrants. 
 
 For some years there was nothing in the life of 
 this young man unlike that which enters into the 
 life of any young seaman. He made a number of 
 voyages out of New York to various European 
 ports, and also to South America. In one of his 
 European voyages he brought out a younger 
 brother with him and apprenticed him to the sail- 
 maker's trade in a large Sail and Rigging Loft in 
 South Street, in New York. On another voyage
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 13 
 
 to Dublin he brought his sister with him on his re- 
 turn. He had found an aunt in his ramblings 
 about the city of New York, on another occasion, 
 and he left his sister with her, and himself entered 
 a sailor boarding house kept by one Sam. Smith, 
 on Oliver Street. Here he was the subject of one 
 of those inhuman practices which disgrace this 
 class of business in nearly all ports. Desiring to 
 "have a little run ashore" before he went to sea 
 again, he paid his landlord for two weeks board 
 in advance. In about four days the landlord came 
 to him and said: "Bill, I want you to go in a 
 little down-east bark to New Orleans, and then up 
 the Mediterranean.'' Bill declined, as he had been 
 ashore so short a time, and had paid for his board 
 in advance, and he did not wish to go to sea so 
 soon again. Little did Mr. Smith care for that. 
 He sent one of his "runners" to entice Bill down 
 to one of the "chain lockers," and there he was per- 
 suaded to take a couple of "drinks," which stupe- 
 fied him, and when he came to he found himself 
 in a "Whitehall" boat, with his "dunnage," and 
 shipped on the bark bound for New Orleans un- 
 der another name than his own. One of the men 
 engaged by Smith to the captain of the bark had
 
 14 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 decided not to go, and this method was taken to 
 supply his place with Mr. Fletcher. However, he 
 left the bark in New Orleans and shipped on board 
 a large Philadelphia ship for Liverpool. After the 
 cargo of this ship was discharged, six hundred 
 emigrants were taken aboard for Philadelphia. In 
 running down the channel, when off Holyhead, 
 and before all the emigrants had gone below, a 
 fearful squall struck the ship and away went the 
 three topmasts, the jib-boom and all the "top- 
 hamper" of the vessel with them over the side. 
 When the wreckage was cleared away, about day- 
 light, one of the Belfast steamers picked up the 
 ship and towed her to that port. Here Mr. 
 Fletcher left her, returned to Liverpool and en- 
 tered on another ship bound for New York. 
 
 On arriving in New York he went up to see his 
 old "friend" Smith, who was "delighted" to see 
 him, and desired immediately to send for his "dun- 
 nage," which was yet on the ship. Mr. Fletcher 
 declined, reminding Smith in not very gentle 
 words of the "dirty trick" he had played him be- 
 fore, and took up his quarters at "Jack Barry's," 
 at 42 Cherry street. But a like experience await- 
 ed him here, for, in about a week he was again out-
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 15 
 
 ward bound for San Francisco in the ship Monu- 
 ment, of New York. The ship had a stormy pas- 
 sage, but arrived in San Francisco about the last 
 of March, 1850. 
 
 By this time Mr. Fletcher was becoming wearied 
 of the sea, or, if not of the sea itself, then of the 
 character of the life that comes to the ordinary 
 sailor. And, besides, this was in the very midst 
 of the golden flood of prosperity that was rolling 
 over San Francisco, and over all the Pacific coast, 
 from the gold mines that had been discovered but 
 about two years before. Wages were so high 
 and work so abundant that he determined to try 
 what he could do on shore. Stopping in San 
 Francisco and working along shore for some time, 
 the enchanting tales of sudden and fabulous 
 wealth to be dug out of the hills and gulches of 
 the Sierra Ne.vadas drew him away from the city, 
 and he soon found himself on Feather River, and 
 engaged in mining on a bar on the Middle Fork 
 of that stream, in 'the primitive fashion of that 
 primitive period. Himself and his companion gen- 
 erally took from the dirt from twenty to thirty 
 dollars per day. The winter was spent in the 
 southern mines, where the same fortune attended
 
 16 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 his work. Notwithstanding money was so rapid- 
 ly and easily made, it was just as rapidly and eas- 
 ily spent. Still he wrought industriously on until 
 the fall of 1853. when he sold out his interest in 
 the mines on Feather River, went down to San 
 Francisco and shipped for Liverpool, with the in- 
 tention of visiting his mother in Ireland and his sis- 
 ter in New York, and then returning to California. 
 But though he visited the place of his nativity, 
 which he had left when a mere boy, he found that 
 his mother had removed to England and so he did 
 not see her. 
 
 By this time, it is clearly to be seen, Mr. Fletch- 
 er had come to some enlarged views of the pur- 
 poses and ends of life. He had seen its hard sides 
 and dark shadows. He had visited many of the 
 great ports of the world. Sea and land were famil- 
 iar to him. His body was hardened by toil, his 
 mind expanded by trial, and to a good degree as- 
 piration for a better condition of life was awakened 
 in his soul. One can easily trace these results 
 in the record he made of the events and experi- 
 ences of these years. Still there is not, up to this 
 time, a single intimation of any religious emotion 
 or sentiment coming into his heart or fashioning
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 17 
 
 his purposes. Still there was love in his heart; 
 love to his friends, affection for mother and sister, 
 and an evident desire to minister to their hap- 
 piness. Where there is any susceptibility for love, 
 there is yet a place for God in any human heart. 
 This has evidently been a growing grace in the 
 heart of Mr. Fletcher up to this time. 
 
 Not finding his mother, the young man turned 
 back again towards his sister, who was still resid- 
 ing in New York. He had got beyond the hard 
 need of working his way before the mast, and 
 took passage on the steamship "City of Glasgow," 
 with a large company of passengers. This was 
 the last trip of that ill-fated vessel. On her next 
 voyage she sailed out of her port with a large pas- 
 senger list, disappeared in the sky-rimmed loneli- 
 ness of the ocean, and was never heard of more. 
 
 Remaining with his sister a few days in New 
 York, he returned to California and its golden 
 treasures. So prospered was he in his mining op- 
 erations that in the fall of 1854, finding that he had 
 $2,000 for his summer's work, he resolved to re- 
 turn to New York and spend the winter with his 
 sister in that city. But life even in a great city, 
 lacked the excitement and impulse of life in the
 
 18 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 mines and mountains of California, so, in the spring 
 of 1855, taking his sister with him, he turned his 
 face again towards the west, and, after a short 
 tarry in San Francisco, with his sister he went into 
 Klamath County. California, and again began min- 
 ing at Sawyer's Bar, on Salmon River. 
 
 There is something in the work of mining for 
 gold that holds an adventurous and enthusiastic 
 spirit with an entrancing grip. It seems monoton- 
 ous to a looker on, but not so to the worker. The 
 excitement of seeking something that is only just 
 out of sight, and that something gold; and the 
 hope that the next blow of the pick or the next 
 pitch of the shovel will uncover it to the eager 
 gaze, keeps the nerves strung to rapid and easy 
 toil. And in those early days the weirdness and 
 wildness of the mountain gorges, the rush and roar 
 of the river, the song and shout of the successful 
 miners, the lights of the campfires that set aglow 
 the hillsides, the "yarns" of the eager circle that 
 drew near the cheering blaze, the stories of "finds" 
 of fabulous wealth in some distant camp that seem- 
 ed to breath themselves over plains and moun- 
 tains and through forests for hundreds of miles to 
 every miner's cabin, all conspired to spread over
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 19 
 
 such a life a charm and a promise that were un- 
 known and unfelt in city or on farm. It was a new 
 civilization, if it was civilization, or a new barbar- 
 ism, if it were a barbarism. If it were either, it 
 had many of the elements of the other strongly 
 blended with its own, and so constituted a new 
 life, rough but charming, developing a character 
 of strong vigor, of high independence, with a kind 
 of wild, penetrating intelligence that could look 
 farther into a rock for a seam of gold than any 
 other time or people have ever evolved. Out of 
 this new civilized-barbarism have developed many 
 of the strongest and most practical intellects of 
 our national history. Out of it have come many 
 of the purest and most chivalrous Christian lives 
 that have blessed humanity. Amidst it have been 
 kindled to immortal song poetic spirits that else 
 had dreamed themselves away in unsung rhap- 
 sodies amidst the monotonous and uninspiring 
 bricks and walls of the dreary cities, or in measur- 
 ing calicos and woolseys behind the counters of vil- 
 lage traders. There is a relation of beauty and 
 poetry between true souls and Sierra heights up 
 there in the skies, and murmuring cascades and
 
 30 
 
 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 flowing rivers in the gorges and on the plains. 
 Since Bryant sung of 
 
 "Where rolls the Oregon. 
 Ami hears no sou ml save his own diisuiugs." 
 
 till Miller glorified the mountain peaks of Cali- 
 fornia with the "Song of the Sierras," it has been 
 thus. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher remained at Sawyer's Bar as a 
 miner until the fall of 1858, when he removed a 
 few miles to a place known as ''Russian Creek," 
 where he secured interests in mining property and 
 applied himself with his usual industry to the hard 
 toil of the miner. Nothing of special note oc- 
 curred in his life or fortune during the first year 
 that he spent on Russian Creek. He had a home 
 kept by his sister, whom he cherished very fondly 
 and faithfully, and the months of daily toil in the 
 mines during the summer of 1859 were pleas- 
 ant. His lot seemed fixed for life. He had 
 drifted off the ocean and drifted, almost with- 
 out purpose, into the mountains of Califor- 
 nia. But life has its eras, many of them 
 seemingly beyond our own ordering, but it 
 may be guided by a wiser and more powerful hand
 
 BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. 21 
 
 than our own. So it may prove with Mr. 
 Fletcher.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 
 
 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which 
 Is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto 
 thee, ye must be born again." Jesus. 
 
 n^ HE life that Mr. Fletcher had lived up to 
 ^ the fall of 1859 was, as we have seen, that 
 of a seafarer and miner. While such a life had in 
 it much that would prove detrimental and even 
 ruinous to a man of weak moral nature, to one of 
 a vigorous sense of the reality of life there was in 
 it an experience that could be made very effective 
 and useful in the future. A wide knowledge of the 
 world, and a wide acquaintance with all classes 
 and conditions of men, gained by personal contact 
 with them, was a kind of education that compen- 
 sated in a good measure for the lack ofthe educa- 
 tion of the schools. None have greater opportu- 
 nities for acquiring such knowledge than the sail- 
 or and the miner. They see men at their best and
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 23 
 
 at their worst. They become acquainted with the 
 kindest and noblest of men, and with the hardest 
 and meanest. They meet and mingle with the 
 most truly religious and the most shockingly wick- 
 ed. They hear prayers and profanity in the same 
 company. Drunkenness reels and staggers before 
 them or lies down and wallows in the mire of the 
 gutter, and sobriety walks with manly uprightness 
 and clean garb at the same time. They see the dif- 
 ference; and the man of natural moral strength 
 instinctively comes to choose the better for his 
 portion. The lesson may not always be learned 
 quickly, but it is quite sure to be finally learned. 
 It may not always be learned radically, so as to 
 lead to a distinctively religious life, but it will often 
 be so; and when it is it makes a character that 
 becomes a worthy model of life. This was the re- 
 sult with Mr. Fletcher. 
 
 He had now reached thirty years of age. His 
 naturally sincere mind had been prepared in many 
 ways for the planting of the seed of truth within 
 it, and when it was once planted it could rapidly 
 spring up into a gracious harvest. The instru- 
 mentality that finally reached this result was sim- 
 ple, yet "mighty through God."
 
 24 WILLIAM. S. FLETCHER. 
 
 In the autumn of 1859 a religious friend by the 
 name of Henry Ferrett made a visit to the mining 
 camp of Mr. Clough and Fletcher, and spent the 
 evening in a religious conversation with Mr. 
 Clough, Mr. Fletcher being a simple listener. He 
 had never read the Bible. He had never attended 
 religious meetings. His naturally inquisitive mind 
 detected at once that Mr. Ferrett was in posses- 
 sion of something to which he was a stranger. On 
 retiring for the night, after a chapter of the Word 
 of God had been read by Mr. Clough, Mr. Ewing 
 made an earnest prayer that God would apply the 
 truth about which they had been talking to the 
 hearts of all present. Mr. Fletcher says: 
 
 "It was the first time I had knelt in prayer for many, 
 many years. I then and there gave my heart to God, and 
 asked Him to teach me how to pray and lead me in the 
 way of truth. The few little prayers I had learned when 
 I was a child, out of our Catholic prayer book, I believe, 
 since God has shown me the way of truth, were not in 
 harmony with God's word." 
 
 To the truth that makes "wise unto salvation" 
 Mr. Fletcher was an utter stranger up to this time. 
 All about him were like himself. His closest asso- 
 ciates were irreligious. His own sister, his broth- 
 er-in-law, his daily companions, all alike forgot
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 25 
 
 God. It was under such unfavorable surround- 
 ings that then and there Mr. Fletcher's mind and 
 heart reached the high resolve to surrender to 
 God. The way, the time, the completeness of his 
 resolve and the deliberate earnestness of his action 
 under it, mark the inherent independence and sin- 
 cerity of his nature, as well as the reality of his 
 change "from darkness to light." He says of it: 
 
 "I did not experience that joy and ecstacy which some 
 have felt, but I felt an abiding witness of the Spirit of God 
 in uiy soul that He had pardoned my sins and accepted 
 me as righteous in His sight for the sake of Christ." 
 
 How thoroughly this work of regeneration 
 changed the course and purpose as well as the mo- 
 tive and spirit of his life is expressed in his own 
 record of the event. He says: 
 
 "I then commenced to strive to read His word, for I had 
 no one to teach me but God. How many times I went on 
 my knees and spread my Bible before the Lord, and there 
 spelt out the word, for I could not read. But the Lord, 
 who is more willing ^0 give than I was to ask Him, gave me 
 that light by which I was enabled to read His word in a 
 short time, and also how to write, so that all I am I owe 
 to the goodness of God towards me." 
 
 One can hardly imagine less favorable condi- 
 tions for the development of the religious and in-
 
 26 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 tellectual life of a man like Mr. Fletcher than 
 those that surrounded him at this time. The true- 
 ness and decision of his action alienated his old 
 friends, and they "went by on the other side." 
 But their loss was his gain. God did not forsake 
 him, but raised up other and better friends; for 
 He never leaves himself without a witness to those 
 that seek Him. Not long after his conversion he 
 was minded by the Divine Spirit, to visit the fami- 
 ly of a Mr. Reany. During the visit Mrs. Reany 
 spoke most earnestly about seeking the Saviour, 
 and finding his heart inclined that way, encour- 
 aged him in every way she could. Among other 
 helps she gave him two of the books that have 
 helped mould the Christian life of thousands, 
 namely, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and Dod- 
 ridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. 
 These were the first religious books he ever read; 
 and these were read when he was only able to read 
 at all by the laborious spelling out of each individ- 
 ual word. After he had thus read them once he 
 took them back to their owner with the acknowl- 
 edgment that he could not understand them. She 
 persuaded him to take them back and read them 
 again; and herself gave him some instructions
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 27 
 
 how to read them understandingly. He took 
 them again, read them over more carefully, earn- 
 estly praying to God to enlighten his mind so that 
 he could understand them. The prayer was an- 
 swered, and he was greatly blessed then, and 
 through all his life, by this ministry of these two 
 eminent and devoted men, long after they had 
 gone to Heaven. 
 
 Mrs. Reany so illustrates a phase of the frag- 
 mentary religious life found in mining regions, and 
 on the frontiers, that we should not pass by this 
 incident without a brief notice of it. Mr. Fletch- 
 er speaks of her most tenderly and gratefully. Her 
 interest in him religiously led to inquiry concern- 
 ing her, when he found "she was a member of the 
 Methodist Episcopal Church at Saywyer's Bar; 
 a good, pious woman, one who was always striving 
 to lead sinners into the light and liberty of the chil- 
 dren of God.'' This good woman evidently be- 
 came "the guide, philosopher and friend" of Mr. 
 Fletcher in his earliest Christian life, and, without 
 a doubt, her influence and teaching did much to 
 fashion that life that ripened into such a beautiful 
 fruitage in later years. His own brief reference to
 
 28 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 this early Christian friendship is so tender and 
 frank that we here transcribe it. He says: 
 
 "I was living seven miles from her place of residence, so 
 I had not many opportunities of speaking to her. When I 
 would go to see her the first question she would ask me 
 was how I was getting along spiritually. She won my con- 
 fidence and I opened my mind to her freely. O, how the 
 tears ran from her eyes when I told her of my resolve to 
 serve God and make my way to heaven. She then invited 
 me to join her little class and become a member of her 
 church. I told her when I came down again I would let 
 her know about it. In the meantime I was striving to read 
 my Bible, but could not read it very well yet; though the 
 Lord was giving me light and liberty in it. 
 
 "The next time I went to Sawyer's Bar was in April. 
 1860. It was on Sunday, and I met Mrs. Reany going to 
 hold her Bible class and class meeting. I asked her what 
 that meant. She told me if I would go with her I would 
 find out for myself. I thank God I did find out one thing. I 
 found out that it was more profitable for me to be there 
 than to spend the hours in the saloon or bar-room. When 
 the little meeting was over Mrs. Reany told me that their 
 Presiding Elder would be there on the twelfth of May to 
 hold their quarterly meeting, and asked me to attend it. I 
 told her that I would be down and hear a Methodist 
 preacher for the first time in my life. I spent the time be- 
 fore the quarterly meeting reading my Bible and improving 
 my mind. I made some inquiries about the doctrines and 
 discipline of the Methodist Church, and made up my mind 
 to become a member of that church at the coming quarter- 
 ly meeting.
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 29 
 
 "As I was about to join another church than that under 
 which I was brought up, I put myself under the guidance 
 of God. to be led by Him, for He had assured me in His 
 Word if I would acknowledge Him in all my ways, that He 
 would direct my paths. 
 
 "May the eleventh, I left home to attend the quarterly 
 meeting, and on May 12th, 1860, at Sawyer's Bar, on Sal- 
 mon River, Klamath County, California, I joined the Meth- 
 odist Episcopal Church on probation, under kelson Rea- 
 soner, presiding elder of the Mount Shasta District, Cali- 
 fornia Conference." 
 
 Mr. Fletcher concludes this touching account 
 of his early Christian life up to his union with the 
 visible church with an earnest prayer for grace and 
 guidance in the life he had thus and there under- 
 taken, and solemnly records his vow of fidelity as a 
 member of that church with which he had connect- 
 ed himself. How he kept that vow will appear in 
 the entire course of this narrative. 
 
 It appears a strange coincidence that the Rev. 
 Nelson Reasoner, under whose ministry Mr. 
 Fletcher became a member of the Methodist Epis- 
 copal Church, should have been one of the most 
 intimate of the early ministerial friends of the writ- 
 er of these memoirs, when we were both in our 
 early twenties in Western New York. We have 
 not met for nearly fifty years, but our works thus
 
 30 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 meet in the actual and recorded life of our dear 
 Brother Fletcher, thousands of miles distant from 
 where our early associations were formed. 
 
 Thus the wandering, wayward life of William 
 S. Fletcher, after being tossed by the storms of all 
 the seas so long, and buffeted and beaten by so 
 many waves and adverse tides, came to safe anch- 
 orage at last, and he could joyously sing: 
 
 My soul in sad exile was out on life's sea, 
 
 So burdened with sin and distress, 
 Till I heard a sweet voice saying make me your choice, 
 
 And I entered the haven of rest. 
 
 I've anchored my soul in the haven of rest, 
 
 I'll sail the wide seas no more; 
 The tempest may sweep o'er the wild stormy deep; 
 
 In Jesus I'm safe evermore. 
 
 Here in the fastnesses of the mountains this 
 rover from the seas found this safety; and, with a 
 little band of eight, who there represented the 
 great Church of Christ on the earth, connected 
 himself as a Christian. As these eight names had 
 such a vital relation to the after life of Mr. Fletch- 
 er, we transcribe them from his journal: Joseph 
 Beasley, leader; Henry Ferrett, E. Lee, Joseph 
 Smith, Josiah Gwin, Mrs. Reany, Mrs. Luckett 
 and W. S. Fletcher.
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 31 
 
 It will be interesting and profitable to trace the 
 early Christian life of Mr. Fletcher, while he re- 
 mained in this locality, a little farther. His helpers 
 were very few in number, though these few were 
 men and women of good sense and solid character. 
 They had no pastor, and only once in three months 
 were favored with a visit from the Presiding Elder 
 of whom we have spoken. But the means of 
 grace, like class meetings, Bible class, prayer meet- 
 ing, were not neglected. Mr. Fletcher lost no op- 
 portunity for improvement in knowledge, as well 
 as in piety. Immediately on his conversion an im- 
 pulse to do good to others became the controlling 
 force of his mind. Small as was the light kindled 
 in his heart, and few as there were among the 
 rough miners of the mountains to profit by it, it 
 was never hid under a bushel. There is a charm- 
 ing simplicity and honesty in the words in which 
 he himself wrote of his first participation in pub- 
 lic religious services. It was not long after he had 
 connected himself with the church. He says: 
 
 "Our class leader gave out an appointment for a prayer 
 meeting in connection with our class meeting. As it was 
 the first prayer meeting that I had ever attended, and the 
 first that had ever been held in our class since I united
 
 32 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 with it. I did not know how I should get through with it. 
 I had never prayed in public, and was greatly troubled 
 during the week to know how I should .act. 1 wrote a little 
 prayer for the coming meeting and committed it to mem- 
 ory. It was well fixed in my mind, as I hardly thought of 
 anything else during the week. When Sabbath evening 
 came and our meeting time drew near I was very much 
 embarrassed about my little prayer. Although I could 
 repeat it readily, I felt that I had not confidence in myself. 
 As our meeting progressed I scarcely knew what was going 
 on, as my mind was so taken up with my little prayer. 
 The class leader called on me to pray. As I was in the 
 act of kneeling my little prayer vanished from my mind. 
 As quick as thought it came into my mind to ask God to 
 be my present help in time of need. Blessed be God! I 
 prayed in a way I had never prayed before. I had an 
 access to the throne of grace I had never had before. This 
 is the second time the Lord has taught me not to put too 
 much confidence in my own strength, and I have profited, 
 I trust, by my own experiences, to trust more in God and 
 less in myself." 
 
 Thus early, while he was yet only a probationer 
 in the church, this uneducated young miner began 
 to evince that sturdy honesty of purpose and 
 whole-hearted consecration to God which marked, 
 as the reader will see, all his career, and made his 
 life so widely useful to lost men. 
 
 The long mountain winters come early in these 
 rugged ranges where the miner seeks for gold..
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 33 
 
 Hence the last visit of the Presiding Elder to Saw- 
 yer's Bar for 1860 came in October. Mr. Fletcher 
 notes the date October 26th as the time he first 
 partook of 'The Supper of the Lord." He speaks 
 of it most devoutly and prays "may God cleanse 
 me from sin and make me a partaker of His divine 
 nature." Incidentally, in the same entry in his 
 journal in which he records this incident, he re- 
 fers to another fact that shows his intense thirst 
 for knowledge as well as religious experience. It 
 will be remembered that before his conversion to 
 God, only six months before this time, he could 
 neither read nor write. During this fall he pur- 
 chased Clarke's Commentaries, six very large vol- 
 umes, one of the most learned works that the 
 world had ever seen when they were published, 
 paying for them $22.00. During all that long win- 
 ter he "improved every opportunity in reading 
 them." In reviewing this time he says: 
 
 "I hope the light I have received from these hooks will 
 never be blotted out of my memory. I now begin to feel 
 the want of education. All that I know God has taught 
 me since I gave Him my heart. He has enabled me to 
 read and write, and above all He has taught me how to 
 live; and I have a reasonable hope that when my proba-
 
 34 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 tionary life is over He will receive me to His everlasting 
 Kingdom to praise Him forever in Heaven." 
 
 On May 12, 1861, Mr. Fletcher was admitted 
 to "full connection" in the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church by Rev. Nelson Reasoner, who had admit- 
 ted him upon probation exactly one year before. 
 His own reflections on this occasion open the 
 door of his heart as nothing we could write would, 
 and will give the reader a clear insight into the 
 true philosophy of his life. He writes: 
 
 "In looking over this the first year of my Christian ex- 
 perience, my heart feels humbly thankful to God for His 
 merciful care over me. When I look back and see what I 
 was before I gave God my heart, and then see what I am 
 now, surely my soul is grateful to God for taking 'my feet 
 out of the miry clay and establishing my goings and 
 putting a new song in my mouth, even praises to my God.' 
 He has caused the light to shine out of darkness, and He 
 hath shined in my heart to give me the light of the knowl- 
 edge of the glory of God in the grace of Jesus Christ. My 
 prayer to God is that I may be perfected in love and filled 
 with all the fullness of God." 
 
 At this time the Presiding Elder introduced Mr. 
 Fletcher to a new and wider field of Christian in- 
 fluence. He organized a Sabbath School, and 
 though Mr. Fletcher had never been in one in his 
 life, appointed him a teacher. It was not Mr.
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 35 
 
 Fletcher's way to decline opportunities for doing- 
 good, and so he readily entered this open door, 
 and took charge of a most interesting class of girls. 
 There was an excellent library of books in connec- 
 tion with the school, and these Mr. Fletcher him- 
 self read with his usual care and attention. Use- 
 ful as he was to his class, his work in the school 
 was scarcely less useful to himself. He learned 
 the blessedness of doing good as he had never 
 learned it before. Giving, he received. Strength- 
 ening others, he was strengthened. Leading 
 others in the right way, he was led in it himself. 
 He was never slow to learn this lesson, and the ef- 
 fect of it, as we shall see, remained with him ever 
 after. Fortified by his year's advancing experi- 
 ence in the things of God and in the work of God, 
 he came into the early summer of 1862 only to 
 meet more trying difficulties than any that he had 
 hitherto encountered. 
 
 It was characteristic of Mr. Fletcher that he had 
 a "fixed heart." He was never unstable. If ever 
 a man could adopt the words of the Psalmist with- 
 out reserve, "O God, my heart is fixed," that man 
 was W. S. Fletcher. It was the element that 
 made him. One feels a holy pride of humanity
 
 36 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 itself when he studies such a Christian, however 
 humble his accidental sphere in life. It is the 
 heart of all true greatness. It is the sure prophet 
 of victory, whether on the highways or in the by- 
 ways of life. 
 
 The trials that came to Mr. Fletcher in the sum- 
 mer of 1862 were in no wise of a personal nature, 
 but related solely to the condition of the work of 
 God in the small community in which he took so 
 deep an interest. The Sabbath school in which 
 he was a teacher began to decline. Superinten- 
 dent, teachers and even the pastor forsook it, un- 
 til Mr. Fletcher and his class were all that re- 
 mained. Faithful among the faithless and discour- 
 aged, he sought the advice and encouragement of 
 the pastor, but he met discouragement rather. 
 He declared his purpose to continue it unless his 
 own class deserted him. The pastor advised him 
 to "dry it up.'' Mr. Fletcher appointed a meeting 
 for the afternoon of Sunday. Every member of 
 his class, seventeen in all, was present. He di- 
 vided the class; gave one to each of two girls 
 fourteen years of age, taking the superintendency 
 himself. This prompt and faithful action on 
 the part of Mr. Fletcher saved the Sunday school,
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 37 
 
 and continued this instrumentality of grace among 
 these scattered and needy children of the moun- 
 tains. It was characteristic of the man; such a 
 spirit as has marked the work of his whole life. 
 He records this as the most trying week of his 
 experience up to this time, but it brought him its 
 usual compensating lesson, namely, "not to trust 
 too much in others if I want to make progress in 
 holiness of heart and life." 
 
 Thus amidst the solitudes of this mining gulch, 
 the work of God was carried on and the standard 
 of the cross upheld, and mainly by the instrumen- 
 tality of this one man; not yet two years rescued 
 from the bondage of sin; and now only just start- 
 ed on that career of usefulness which has given 
 him such a warm place in the hearts of thousands 
 on the sea and on the land. An incident will 
 show the gentle yet decided force with which 
 he asserted his Christian principles and vindicated 
 his Christian liberty among his mining compan- 
 ions in these proverbially ungodly associations. 
 
 In one of his mining ventures on "White's 
 Gulch" he accepted a partner who was a very pro- 
 fane man. Mr. Fletcher reasoned with him about 
 the folly and wickedness of his course, and then
 
 38 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 told him that he was a member of the Methodist 
 church and had made his house a house of prayer; 
 and if he came to live with him he would have to 
 conform to the rules of his home. This decisive 
 course was effective. The man came, and within 
 a few weeks became himself a member of the 
 church. At this place there had been almost liter- 
 ally no religious influence or sentiment until Mr. 
 Fletcher came into the church. Others, among 
 whom were some of those who had been associated 
 with him at Sawyer's Bar, came afterwards. As 
 winter came on he went through the camp, look- 
 ing up all those who desired to live a Christian life, 
 called them together at his "old cabin," and 
 though there were but few of them, and only "five 
 outsiders who used to attend these meetings," or- 
 ganized and kept up an "old fashioned prayer 
 meeting" all winter. Some were converted; among 
 them a Frenchman, a Catholic, by the name of 
 Nichols, who was unable to speak English, and 
 used to pray and speak in his own language, while 
 the great tears rolled down his face and best be- 
 spoke his gratitude to God for deliverance from 
 the double bondage of sin and the superstitions of 
 Catholicism.
 
 THE CHANGED LIFE. 3<J 
 
 During this winter strong efforts were made by 
 the Catholic priest to break up the Sabbath school 
 under Mr. Fletcher's superintendence. Some 
 Catholic children attended it, and were becoming 
 greatly interested in it, and especially in the read- 
 ing of the Sunday School Advocate. This he for- 
 bade them to read, and denounced all who read it 
 as heretics. Mr. Fletcher, in his usual open and 
 frank way went directly to the parents of the chil- 
 dren and inquired if they objected to their children 
 attending, the school and reading the papers 
 They replied that they did not. He then encour- 
 aged them to come, gave them the papers, and, 
 unawed and unashamed, went straight forward in 
 his "work of faith and labor of love."
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 
 
 "It Is often reserved for 'every-day people,' as we are 
 apt to call them, to illustrate one of the facts of life that 
 a crisis produces the man to meet it." Gustav Kobe. 
 
 1WT R. FLETCHER'S work seemed now to 
 ** -*- be done in the mountains of Califor- 
 nia. Providence appeared to be calling him 
 to a far northern field. He had been thrown 
 upon the golden coast, a waif of the seas, 
 almost without purpose, and wholly without 
 a large and noble aim in life. He appeared to 
 others, and probably to himself, like one of the 
 vast multitude of human beings who, as tramps 
 of the land and rovers of the ocean, existed only to 
 wander in aimless disquietude of being, wherever 
 the momentary whim or the chance currents of 
 impulse might take them, and then to die out on 
 the desert sands, or deep in the mountain gorges, 
 or on the restless tides of the never quiet seas, and
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 41 
 
 be buried out of sight and thought of their more 
 favored, or more highly endowed human fellows. 
 Three decades of life had thus gone, more than one 
 of which had been spent in California at a time 
 that witnessed the utter moral and intellectual 
 wreck of more men in proportion to the pop- 
 ulation of the State than ever occurred in any 
 other land in the same length of time. Who 
 could have prophesied that this uneducated Irish 
 boy should wring, out of that hard lot, the ele- 
 ments of a character that should make him in the 
 next thirty years such an honored instrument of 
 good to so many people as he became. If he did 
 not dig much ^old out of the gulches of these 
 California mountains he did dig out of them that 
 which was better than gold. All this turned on a 
 single fact, namely, that he was wise enough to re- 
 spond to the call of God to His love and service at 
 almost the first time that call ever came to him; 
 and that he kept himself open to that call of God, 
 and lived "obedient to the heavenly vision" that 
 then, as we have shown, rose upon his soul. 
 
 It was in July, 1863, that Mr. Fletcher decided 
 to leave California, and turn his face towards far 
 Northern Idaho. He felt it was God's will; why, he
 
 42 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 could not tell; where it would lead him he did not 
 know. Tender and touching was his farewell to 
 his little Sunday school in the mountains. Great 
 their regrets in bidding him farewell. Among 
 them was one, especially, of whom we have spoken 
 before as his "guide, philosopher and friend," in 
 the beginning of his Christian life: Mrs. Reany. 
 Probably she little understood the far reach of her 
 good work in leading him to Christ; but still 
 there must have been a sensitive chord quivering 
 in her heart when she bade him good-bye. Mr. 
 Fletcher records his gratitude to God and to those 
 with whom he had lived and labored in very tender 
 terms; and at the same time expresses his deep re- 
 gret that he "had not had some one to lead him to 
 Jesus in the days of his youth." 
 
 His sister and her husband had been living with 
 or near him, in the mines for some years. They 
 were not only unconverted, but had been violently 
 opposed to the religious life of their brother. 
 With a fidelity and tenderness that was wonderful, 
 he had counseled and besought them to give their 
 hearts to God. He had been to his sister more 
 than brother; father, provider and friend, but she 
 flung his counsel to the mountain winds and
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 43 
 
 turned away from his God and Saviour. When he 
 was to leave her in this great wild of loneliness and 
 sin the memory of his kindness, of his faithfulness, 
 of his love, overcame her stubborn heart, and she 
 promised him in the last words she then spoke to 
 him, that she would "give her heart to God and 
 join our church." With this new benediction on 
 his soul he turned away and went out, "not know- 
 ing whither he went." 
 
 On leaving the narrow field where he had so 
 faithfully striven to do all that came to him in the 
 work of the Master, Mr. Fletcher joined the great 
 movement of the mining population of the Pacific 
 coast northward towards the newly opened mining 
 regions of Washington and Idaho Territories. In- 
 dustrious, provident and frugal, although his min- 
 ing adventures had not brought him great wealth, 
 they had not left him in that abject poverty that 
 has been the result with such multitudes of the 
 men who, like himself, entered upon them without 
 the education and moral training that enabled 
 them to cope with the trained rascality of the 
 gamblers and saloon keepers who laid their plans 
 of knavery and robbery for every unwary visitor. 
 From such a fate he was rescued by his religion,
 
 44 WILLIAM S. FLETCHEE. 
 
 without which the name of W. S. Fletcher would 
 have perished with the unnumbered multitudes 
 that went down unknown and unregretted in the 
 gulches of California and in the mountains of Ida- 
 ho. For this reason alone, when he left California, 
 he left amidst the benedictions and tears and pray- 
 ers of those who loved him ; those whom he loved. 
 If he did not carry much gold with him on his 
 journey, he carried golden memories far better 
 than gold. Yet he went in comfort, and his jour- 
 ney northward became the means of shaping the 
 ultimate field of his true life work. 
 
 The incident on his journey to the north which 
 most aided him in that which was always 
 uppermost in his mind his religious life was 
 the falling providentially into the company 
 of Bishop E. S. Janes, one of the sweetest, 
 most beloved and useful bishops of his own 
 church. At Yreka, California, where he spent 
 the first Sabbath after he left his old home, 
 the Bishop preached; and from Yreka to Ore- 
 gon was his traveling companion in the close 
 fellowship of a stage-coach. Those who knew the 
 tenderness and simplicity of the Bishop's manner 
 and the sweet and insinuating method of his con-
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 45 
 
 versation in private, will understand how quickly 
 and completely he would win the confidence and 
 trust of such a heart as Mr. Fletcher's. Nor would 
 the eager, sympathising attention of the latter to 
 everything said intended or adapted to benefit a 
 hearer, fail to draw forth from the good Bishop all 
 his good natured efforts to benefit the listener. 
 Like all really great and good men, the Bishop was 
 not pretentious, either in garb or manners, but 
 plain and direct; always affable, always kind. 
 Probably the week spent in this journey in this 
 coach with the Bishop, with the opportunity it 
 brought Mr. Fletcher, of observing the spirit and 
 listening to the conversation and sharing the ad- 
 vice of this truly godly man and most able Bishop, 
 did as much as any one week of his life to elevate 
 and ennoble his conception of true manhood and 
 consecrated piety. And when the same bishop vis- 
 ited Oregon again, many years after, Mr. Fletch- 
 er met him and re-called to him the incident of this 
 ride together through the mountains of Northern 
 California and Southern Oregon, and inquired if 
 he "remembered the little Irishman who was his 
 traveling companion on the journey." "O yes," 
 replied the venerable man, "and I have often and
 
 40 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 always thought of you in connection with that 
 trip." So this humble young miner and this exalt- 
 ed Bishop of the church were a mutual ministry of 
 help and pleasure by the way. 
 
 From Portland, which was reached August 7th. 
 and where one Sabbath was spent, improved, as 
 was usual with him, in attendance on all the serv- 
 ices of the house of God, Mr. Fletcher pursued his 
 journey for "Bannock City," Idaho, where he ar- 
 rived on the 31st of August, 1863. 
 
 "Bannock City," later and now known as "Idaho 
 City," was one of the richest mining camps ever 
 discovered on the Pacific slope. It is located in 
 the far interior, in the very top of the Salmon River 
 range of mountains, about thirty-five miles north 
 of the present "Boise City," the beautiful Capital 
 of the now State of Idaho. It was a place of awful 
 wickedness. The vagrants, the gamblers, the 
 thieves, the murderes and the prostitutes, who had 
 been driven away from the older mining towns of 
 the coast on account of their crimes, had all gath- 
 ered in these Idaho mountains, where they organ- 
 ized a pandemonium of crime. They reigned for a 
 long time supreme. They organized society in the 
 interest of crime, and for the protection of crim-
 
 TO A NEW FIELP. 47 
 
 inals. They elected civil officers for the same pur- 
 pose. Sheriffs were bandits, and treasurers were 
 thieves. Bannock City at that time was a real Acel- 
 dama, "the field of blood." Never before, and prob- 
 ably never since, even in mining camps, was there 
 a more desperate body of men gathered in one 
 place. 
 
 Probably, however, in the very worst mining 
 communities of the coast some of the very best 
 men are found. Indeed, where the worst of the 
 bad prevail, the best of the good are found, for 
 God never leaves Himself without a witness. So it 
 was in this place, and ultimately, here as elsewhere, 
 the few righteous proved themselves more than 
 a match for the many wicked, and gradually re- 
 stored society to the conditions of civilization 
 known in other places. The writer for many years 
 subsequently visited "Idaho City,'' officially in the 
 work of his ministry, and found quietude where 
 there had been storm; peace and safety where 
 there had been robbery and murder. 
 
 In the work of rescuing the place from its dark 
 pall of wrong and sin Mr. Fletcher was the pioneer. 
 Those who have followed us thus far in the inci- 
 dents of his life would not expect he would enter
 
 48 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 even such a place as this, and not let his light shine 
 forth. Almost before he had struck his miner's 
 pick into the gravel he makes this record: 
 
 "The week after I came here I started out to hunt up 
 some of our members, for I knew that there must be many 
 of them here, but I could find only four on my first round. 
 I got them to promise that they would meet me the next 
 Sabbath evening at the Colorado House for a class and 
 prayer meeting. They came, and we had a most refresh- 
 ing season. As far as I can find out this was the first 
 prayer and class meeting that has been held in this place." 
 
 Undoubtedly to Mr. Fletcher belongs the hon- 
 or of thus gathering into an organization the first 
 band of Christian workers in those Idaho moun- 
 tains. But he was soon followed by others, and 
 about three months after this small organization 
 was effected, Rev. C. S. Kingsley, a very able min- 
 ister from Portland, Oregon, reached the place, 
 and entered at once on the work of organizing a 
 society and erecting a house of worship. He high- 
 ly approved the work done by Mr. Fletcher, and 
 from that time forward they earnestly co-operated 
 in the work before them. By May, 1864, a church 
 was completed and opened, a class of twelve mem- 
 bers organized, and a Sunday school established, 
 and thus the institutions of Christianity were per-
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 49 
 
 manently erected in Idaho City. In all this work 
 Mr. Fletcher was a chief instrument. 
 
 There was little of special incident attending 
 the work in which Mr. Fletcher was engaged in 
 Idaho during the remainder of the time of his resi- 
 dence there; which was until late in September, 
 1864. He did, what is the most difficult of all 
 things for a Christian to do. "always abounded in 
 the work of the Lord." In his mining claim, where 
 he toiled from day to day, in the prayer and class 
 meetings, at which he was always present, on the 
 highway where he walked with the multitude, in 
 the places of trade, everywhere and always he was 
 the gentle, kindly man; the devoted, self-denying 
 Christian. Trials were borne with resignation; la- 
 bors performed with intelligent trust; and his 
 open hand ever had its gift of charity for the needy, 
 or his contribution to help forward the work of 
 God. When the time came that he felt God's call 
 to him was elsewhere, he sold out his mining claim, 
 adjusted all his temporal affairs with conscientious 
 faithfulness, ready to go where God had work for 
 him to do most to glorify Himself. Under date of 
 September 2nd he makes this entry: 
 
 "As this is the last time I intend to be with the children
 
 r,0 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 in the Sabbath school, I spoke to them about loving their 
 Saviour, especially to my own class. May the good seed 
 that has boon sown bring forth abundant fruit in their 
 young hearts to the glory of God. I feel greatly thankful 
 to God for His assisting grace which has enabled me to 
 prove faithful to my calling which is in Christ Jesus during 
 my sojourn in this wicked place. I can say from an honest 
 heart that I have grown in grace and in the knowledge of 
 the truth as it is in Jesus since I came here, and as I in- 
 tend leaving this place to-morrow for Portland and San 
 Francisco, and if it is the Lord's will, for Ireland, I de- 
 sire above all things to acknowledge God in all my ways, 
 thnt. he may direct my paths." 
 
 These reflections and this prayer are in harmony 
 with all he did and all he felt from the moment of 
 his conversion. He kept God in all his thoughts, 
 and God kept and cared for him in all his ways. 
 
 His journey to Portland and thence to San Fran- 
 cisco via Victoria, was without noteworthy inci- 
 dent. In San Francisco he immediately connected 
 himself with the church of which Jesse T. Peck, 
 D. D., afterwards Bishop, was pastor. Here he 
 had the satisfaction of seeing his sister, who had 
 promised him at Sawyer's Bar, when he was about 
 to leave for Idaho, that she would become a Chris- 
 tian and unite herself with the Methodist Church, 
 give her name also as a probationer to the church.
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 51 
 
 What seemed to him the special work God would 
 now have for him to do was to care for the relig- 
 ious and intellectual improvement of that beloved 
 sister. He proved his real manhood by the care 
 he took of her. He met her on his arrival in San 
 Francisco, surrounded by influences greatly ad- 
 verse to her spiritual and intellectual well being, 
 but he immediately put her into the Santa Clara 
 Female Collegiate Institute, under the family care 
 of Rev. Mr. Tuthill and lady, where all her in- 
 terests were tenderly and faithfully cared for; him- 
 self paying all bills for tuition and board. This, he 
 felt, was his special call to California. Though he 
 came to San Francisco with his mind fully dis- 
 posed to ship for Ireland, yet he found that the 
 providence of God had closed that way to him, 
 and, as ever, he said "Thy will be done." When 
 all his arrangements for his sister's welfare were 
 made and he was about to leave her again, he says 
 in his journal: 
 
 "The few days I have spent with her have been a bright 
 spot in my life. I have been enabled by the grace of God 
 to sacrifice my own pleasure in giving up the idea of going 
 to Ireland to spend the winter, in order that I might make 
 my sister more comfortable and happy. Our parting this 
 time has been most affectionate. Her heart seems to be
 
 52 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 touched by the power of God. I feel very lonely in leaving 
 her, not snowing where I shall go; but I am determined to 
 go wherever the Lord shall direct, for He will direct me 
 aright." 
 
 He returned to San Francisco, where the im- 
 pression was forcibly made upon his mind that he 
 should go back to Portland, Oregon. To him it 
 was a heavenly vision, and immediately he was 
 obedient to it, and on the 29th of October, 1864, 
 he took passage on the steamer for that place, ar- 
 riving there on the first day of November, 1864. 
 
 Though Mr. Fletcher had now reached the place 
 where was to be wrought the great work of his life, 
 he was not yet to enter upon it. All his previous 
 experiences, both before and after his conversion, 
 had been preparatory to it. But there were yet 
 other preparations to which God was bringing 
 him as he was made able to bear them. The care- 
 less reader might suppose, as he has followed him 
 in his rovings on the sea and his journeyings on the 
 land; in his mingling with sailors on the decks of 
 vessels and in the many ports to which he sailed; 
 as he dug in the mines of California and Idaho, 
 that he was but one of the floating thousands 
 whose employments were like his, who were ever
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 53 
 
 saying-, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we 
 die;" mere floating fragments of humanity, not 
 thinking what they were nor whither they were 
 drifting. Now in Ireland, now in England, now in 
 America; one month in Gal way, the next in Liv- 
 erpool, the next in New York, the next in San 
 Francisco; what was there in that to prepare an 
 uneducated man for any great mission of after life, 
 or to qualify him to reach and influence other lives 
 on a broad and efficient scale? God knew, and 
 "God disposes;" and He made all these things 
 work together for the good both of Mr. Fletcher 
 himself and the world through him. 
 
 On his arrival in Portland in the begining of the 
 winter of 1864-5, he immediately connected himself 
 with Taylor Street Church, then under the pas- 
 torate of Rev. David Rutledge, and entered heart- 
 ily into its work. With this change there had 
 come to him the thought of a home, so he pur- 
 chased a plat of ten acres of land of Rev. Albert 
 Kelly, in whose family he boarded, and with his 
 usual industry set to work to clear and improve 
 it. In the midst of his manual toil, such as clear- 
 ing and grubbing land and building a house, he be- 
 gan the reading of the New Testament through
 
 -,4 WILLIAM S. FLETOIIF.IJ. 
 
 by course, while on his knees looking for God's 
 blessing to be upon the word to sanctify his own 
 soul. He also organized a Sabbath school in the 
 neighborhood where his home was located, a few 
 
 c> 
 
 miles out of the city, and with a faithfulness that 
 was ever one of his most prominent characteris- 
 tics, attended all the services of the church and did 
 whatever came to his hands as a Christian in the 
 helping forward all that were about him. "To do 
 good and to communicate forget not;" which 
 Paul enjoined upon the early Christians, was the 
 very spirit of Mr. Fletcher's life. So he says: 
 
 "I can now see why the Lord brought me to this place. 
 Here are a few followers of His without any one to look 
 after them, with no class or prayer meetings, with preach- 
 ing only once in four weks by our preacher in charge, who, 
 I must say, takes very little interest in us." 
 
 This religious indifference and spiritual desti- 
 tution of the people bore heavily on his heart, and 
 he set to work to remedy it in his usual sensible 
 and practical way, by visiting among the people 
 religiously, holding prayer meetings and class 
 meetings and Sunday schools, and soon saw that 
 "his labor was not in vain in the Lord." 
 
 One cannot but wonder when he sees the results
 
 TO A NEW FIELD. 55 
 
 of the work of this unpretending man in such lines 
 as these, why it should have remained for him al- 
 most alone of the vast multitudes in the church 
 everywhere his equals, and even his superiors in 
 general talents and education and even in oppor- 
 tunity, to demonstrate what one man alone can do 
 to further the cause of truth and piety among men. 
 But so it seemed to be in the places where his lot 
 was cast; but his faith and zeal never faltered and 
 God never ceased to honor his devotion. For two 
 years this character of work continued, while the 
 experience of Mr. Fletcher seemed like an ever 
 widening stream, flowing deeper and deeper, and 
 more and more enriching all the land. His care- 
 ful and prayerful study of the Bible made him more 
 and more able to guide the people aright, and his 
 expositions of Scripture in prayer and class meet- 
 ings and in occasional exhortations were often 
 accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 Through his instrumentality the Lord added to 
 the church many that were saved, but beyond 
 this, and probably greater than this, during these 
 years of 1865 and 1866, with a part of 1867, these 
 labors and successes were a great help in the prep- 
 aration of Mr. Fletcher himself for the new relig-
 
 56 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 ious era that was now about to dawn on his own 
 soul. He had learned well how to seize opportun- 
 ity, and God gives the grace of opportunity to 
 those who know how to use it.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 
 
 "Leaving the things that are behind and reaching forth 
 to those things that are before." Paul. 
 
 Take my soul and body's powers; 
 Take my memory, mind and will; 
 All my goods, and all my hours; 
 All I know and all I feel; 
 All I think, or speak, or do; 
 Take my heart, but make it new. 
 
 Wesley 
 
 A S at the beginning of his Christian life, at 
 -^-^ the opening of what may be called its first 
 era of experience, Mr. Fletcher deliberately, and in 
 a clear business way, made a surrender of his heart 
 to God, so when the years had taught him that 
 there was a deeper experience and a larger life for 
 him to enjoy and express, with the same deliberate- 
 ness he moved forward to their attainment. This 
 will be clearly seen from the following from his 
 journal:
 
 58 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "Portland, March 27, 18G7. 
 
 "I have this day consecrated myself anew to Jesus. I 
 give Him all my sinful heart, rebellious will, my time and 
 talents, and all that I possess, to be spent in His service. 
 And now my blessed Jesus, I know that Thou wilt accept 
 it, for I intend, God being my helper, never to take any of 
 it back. I pray that I may be sanctified through the truth; 
 for Thy Word is truth; and that I may adorn the doctrine 
 of God my Saviour In all things. 
 
 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER." 
 
 The entrance of this record of his new and entire 
 consecration to the service and work of his Re- 
 deemer is of such signal interest, and marks so de- 
 cisively such an important era in his life, that it 
 must be treated separate from the general story 
 of that life. From the very beginning of his Chris- 
 tian experience he had been remarkably single 
 hearted, and had always made his religion fore- 
 most in the purposes of his life. It is doubtful if 
 he had forgotten to do this for a single moment, 
 whether he was on the street, in the mines, in the 
 church or at home. Still he had come to feel that 
 there was a higher religious experience than he 
 had enjoyed, and true to that prevailing purpose 
 that distinguished him to reach the highest of 
 which he was capable, he resolved to seek it.
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 59 
 
 Portland at this time was greatly stirred relig- 
 iously under the preaching of Rev. A. B. Earle, a 
 noted evangelist who was spending a few weeks 
 in special revival work in the city. Mr. Fletcher's 
 home was then a few miles out of the city, but on 
 Sabbath, March 24th, he walked in to hear the 
 evangelist, whose fame had filled all the region 
 round about, preach. After hearing him, he de- 
 termined to let his "work stop for a few days" and 
 devote them especially to the services of Mr. Earle. 
 The direct result to himself was the awakening in 
 his heart of that intense desire for an advanced ex- 
 perience and a complete consecration of all his 
 powers and life to God. 
 
 With Mr. Fletcher this was no spasmodic move- 
 ment impelled by an excitement that might last 
 but for a day, but the logical moral result of all 
 his life since he became a Christian. Always 
 "leaving the things that are behind he was reach- 
 ing forward towards the things that are before," 
 and "pressing towards the mark for the prize of 
 the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." This 
 was a moving up to the light that had come to 
 him. The operations of his mind while coming up 
 to it were of singular intensity and interest. We
 
 60 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 follow them for a little, as the study of them may 
 help other inquiring and struggling souls. 
 
 In connection with his preaching, Mr. Earle 
 had put into the hands of those who heard him a 
 card containing a list of ten questions relating to 
 the personal religious life, as follows: 
 
 SELF EXAMINATION. 
 
 FOR OLDER CHRISTIANS. 
 
 1. Do I search my heart to the bottom, and act out its 
 convictions? 
 
 2. Do I believe I control my tongue and my temper? 
 
 3. Do I really believe the Bible is the law of my heart 
 and life? 
 
 4. Do I convince men that I believe there is an eternal 
 Hell? 
 
 5. Am I greatly concerned for the salvation of men? 
 
 6. Do I act like a Christian in my family and among my 
 intimate friends? 
 
 7. Do I fully believe I have been born again? 
 
 S. Do I know that I have power with God in prayer? 
 
 9. Do I believe I have been baptised with the Holy 
 Spirit since my conversion? 
 
 10. Am I sweetly resting in Christ by faith now? 
 
 These questions, covering the very heart of 
 Christian experience and life, could not but deep-
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 61 
 
 ly impress so sincere a mind as Mr. Fletcher's, and 
 he quickly and fully resolved to test their widest 
 reach of experimental and practical power. 
 
 Still he did not reach the point for which he 
 aimed without a struggle. His record of it is 
 plaintive and pathetic. Such words as "darkness," 
 "no liberty," "struggle," "Satan using every 
 means to draw me away," are the common 
 terms by which he describes his emotions and feel- 
 ing for some days after he had written the conse- 
 cration paper at the head of this chapter, notwith- 
 standing he attended the services of Mr. Earle all 
 the time. Finally the conflict was ended in this 
 way. He had attended a "meeting for holiness'' 
 in Taylor Street Church, Portland, without any 
 special profit. On his return to his home he re- 
 solved to take up the next morning the ten ques- 
 tions proposed by Mr. Earle, and seek in special 
 prayer the grace to answer them in the affirma- 
 tive. This he did, most carefully and earnestly, 
 while on his way to his work, a mile from his 
 house; kneeling by the wayside in the woods, and 
 reading them over on his knees, he accepted them 
 all as the guide and test of his future Christian life. 
 Still there were seasons of "restlessness," but
 
 62 WILLIAM S. FLETCIIEK. 
 
 no real drawing back from his vows and faith of 
 consecration. The Scripture that led his mind out 
 at last into the ultimate trust was First John, first 
 chapter and seventh verse: "If we walk in the 
 light as he is in the light we have fellowship one 
 with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son 
 clcanseth us from all sin." Now he was able to 
 say : 
 
 "Now rest, my long divided heart, 
 Fixed on this blissful center, rest; 
 Nor ever from thy Lord depart I- 
 With Him of every good possest." 
 
 There in that struggle, alone with God in the 
 woods, he says: 
 
 "My axe which I held in my hand dropped harmless at 
 my side, and that beautiful hymn, 
 
 "There is a Fountain filled with blood. 
 
 Drawn from Immanuel's veins: 
 And sinners plunged beneath that flood. 
 
 Lose all their guilty stains," 
 
 spoke my faith. O, how my heart responded to the 
 words of my mouth! Blessed be God, I can now rejoice 
 evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give 
 thanks. 'Faithful is He that calleth me. who also will do 
 it.' "
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 63 
 
 Without doubt the mental and spiritual strug- 
 gles of the last few days marked as distinct an era 
 in the life of Mr. Fletcher as did the date and 
 struggles of his first espousals. He had faithfully 
 used the grace first given and God entrusted to 
 him the larger riches. By the faithfulness and 
 growth of his earlier Christian life he had prepared 
 himself for the wider opportunities and greater 
 responsibilities that God had prepared for him in 
 his later life. Thus is it ever. God rewards faith- 
 fulness by larger trust, and compensates labor by 
 giving greater opportunities for labor. 
 
 But this victory of faith and this advanced ex- 
 perience in the divine life did not lift Mr. Fletcher 
 above the continued and faithful discharge of the 
 ordinary every-day duties of the Christian life. On 
 the contrary it gave a greater earnestness and a 
 deeper spirituality to that work. He not only 
 gave definite testimony to "what the Lord had 
 done for his soul," but in his place as a class leader, 
 and in all his relations as a Christian man seeking 
 to help God's children on in the heavenly way, and 
 to lead sinners to a knowledge of the truth he 
 walked and talked with greater freedom and en- 
 largement. He not only attended the meetings
 
 64 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 of his own class, but visited nearly all the classes 
 for many miles around, confirming and strength- 
 ening them in the fellowship of the faith of Jesus. 
 He made these visits on foot, and sometimes 
 walked fifteen or twenty miles in a day on these 
 missions of love. He did not assume to do this as 
 a teacher, but as a "brother beloved." He always 
 walked in an atmosphere of humility, and never 
 more so than after he had experienced the blessing 
 of "perfect love." He closes up the year 1867 with 
 many expressions of praise and gratitude to God 
 for His abounding mercy and goodness during the 
 year, especially in his "rich experience in spiritual 
 things.'' He makes this grateful record: 
 
 "On the seventh day of last May the Lord sealed rne for 
 His own. The impression that was then made on my poor 
 heart has grown stronger and brighter to the present mo- 
 ment; and now I can say from that experience that 'the 
 blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth me from all sin. O, how 
 humble it makes the soul to be freed from all the carnal 
 mind and to be filled with the love of Jesus!" 
 
 O that the world would taste and see 
 
 The riches of His grace; 
 The arms of love that compass me 
 
 Would all mankind embrace." 
 
 The early months of 1868 were marked by quite
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 65 
 
 an enlargement of the scope of Mr. Fletcher's 
 work. His singular influence in drawing the hearts 
 of those with whom he associated towards Christ, 
 and especially in leading believers into the higher 
 experiences of the Christian life, was becoming 
 widely understood, and his services were sought 
 for in many places. In his own class he was be- 
 loved as a brother, and he lavished his own love 
 upon them all. Within a circuit of twenty miles 
 from his home his kindly Christian influence was 
 strongly felt. Nor was that influence confined to 
 the rustic population of the hills and valleys amidst 
 which his own home lay; he was as welcome and 
 as beloved in the classess and Sunday schools of 
 the city as he was there. Not unfrequently he 
 would be with the classes in Portland in the morn- 
 ing and with those several miles distant in the af- 
 ternoon, edifying believers, counseling unbeliev- 
 ers, speaking kindly to children, and by pureness 
 of life and charity of word "commending himself 
 to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 
 A record or two from his dairy will indicate the 
 constant character of his work at this time of his 
 life. On May 10th, 1868. he says: 
 "I attended the morning class in Portland, then heard
 
 66 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 preaching, and then led the noon class, Brother Tatterson 
 being absent. I then came out and led my own class. 1 
 thank God for all the privileges I have enjoyed this Sab- 
 bath. May llth, I went into the city to attend the Monday 
 evening class. It was a feast to my soul. This is the most 
 spiritual class I have attended. I love to hear Governor 
 Abernethy lead his class, he is so spiritual. It is no wonder 
 he has such a good class. May the Lord raise up many 
 such leaders." 
 
 When one remembers that it was three miles 
 from Mr. Fletcher's home to the city, over a rough 
 and hilly road, and that he always walked, he will 
 see something of the devotion that inspired this 
 man of God in all his work. The leaders to whose 
 classes he was welcomed often as their leader him- 
 self, Governor Abernethy and Mr. H. Patterson, 
 were among the most thoroughly equipped leaders 
 the writer has ever known. Both men of age and 
 experience, well trained intellectually as well as 
 spiritually, they were well adapted to the largest 
 influence in their spheres. 
 
 Up to about this time Mr. Fletcher's official re- 
 lation as class leader had been with classes in 
 rural neighborhoods. In 1868 he was appoint- 
 ed by Rev. C. C. Stratton, pastor of Tay- 
 lor Street Church in Portland, leader of the
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 67 
 
 morning class. He had felt that God was pre- 
 paring him for greater work, but what it might 
 he he awaited God's movings to know r . So 
 when this appointment came it was accepted as 
 from God, and he girded himself to meet its re- 
 sponsibilities in the best and most useful manner 
 possible. That the reader may see a little deeper 
 into his heart we quote from his journal under 
 date of June 8th, 1869: 
 
 "Brother Stratton appointed me to take charge of the 
 Sabbath morning class at 9 o-clock. My confidence is 
 strong in God that He will greatly bless me in my labor 
 of love. I have been asking my Heavenly Father that He 
 would open a door for me where I could be most useful for 
 the remainder of my life, and I have reason to believe that 
 He has work for me to do in Portland. O, may I have that 
 grace in my heart that will make me to be greatly useful 
 in winning souls to Christ. O, my Heavenly Father, when 
 I think of a poor sinner, who could not even read, saved by 
 grace and made to be holding such an important office In 
 Thy Church, surely I must say, 'eye hath not seen nor ear 
 heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the 
 tilings which thou hast laid up for those that love thee.' " 
 
 Mr. Fletcher began his service in his class meet- 
 ing with eight present. His first work was to hunt 
 up the long-absent ones and gather them back into 
 the fold. Meantime his relation to his former class
 
 68 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 on the mountain some miles from the city con- 
 tinued, and they were as faithfully watched and 
 sought after as ever. But the time was coming 
 near when much of that widely scattered work in 
 the country that he had attended to so carefully 
 for such a length of time would be given up to 
 other hands, and his own would be transferred to 
 the more concentrated field of the city. After 
 some weeks of the usual routine of class meetings, 
 prayer meeting and Sabbath school work in and 
 about the city, and at the same time attending to 
 his temporal affairs in his usual exact and con- 
 scientious manner, the Quarterly Conference of 
 Taylor Street Church, under the advice of the 
 then pastor, Dr. J. H. Wythe, offered him the very 
 responsible and delicate place of janitor of the 
 church. 
 
 Taylor Street Church has been for many years 
 the leading church of Methodism in the North- 
 west. A large church, with a membership count- 
 ing many hundreds, and a great congregation, it 
 was no small work to care for the church itself and 
 look after the accommodation and comfort of the 
 congregations that thronged its services. 
 
 It is not strange that Mr. Fletcher hesitated.
 
 THE HIGHER LIFE. 69 
 
 It was unlike any other work to which he had 
 ever been called. It had much to do with the tem- 
 poral side of the church work, and might possibly 
 interfere with the spiritual opportunities that were 
 so dear to his heart. But to him opportunities 
 were providences, and he must needs lay this be- 
 fore the Lord and ask for His direction before he 
 answered. He says: "I spread the whole matter 
 before the Lord and asked Him what I should do 
 about it. The passage of Scripture that was ap- 
 plied to my mind was, "Behold, I have set before 
 thee an open door.'' In this word God's voice was 
 heard and accordingly he accepted the offer of 
 the church, and immediately began to prepare for 
 the removal of all his personal interests to Port- 
 land. He entered on the duties to which he had 
 been called on the 8th day of November, 1868, 
 with this characteristic prayer upon his lips: 
 
 "May God enable me to discharge all my duties in the 
 most profitable manner, and may my coming among this 
 people be abundantly blessed."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 JANITOR OF TAYLOR STREET CHURCH. 
 
 "I rest in Thy Almighty power; 
 The name of Jesus is my tower, 
 
 That hides my life above. 
 Thou canst, Thou wilt my helper he; 
 My confidence is all in Thee, 
 
 Thou faithful God of Love." 
 
 Charles Wesley. 
 
 T7T 7"ITH the poetic quotation from Charles 
 V * Wesley that stands at the head of 
 this chapter, Mr. Fletcher entered upon the 
 work of 18(59. He had "entered the open door," 
 and in the name of the Lord went forward 
 to whatever might await him of duty or priv- 
 ilege in the years to come. As, in addition to 
 that specific work that came to him as janitor 
 of the church, the incessant watchfulness and 
 care for the comfort of the congregation, the 
 constant attention to all those matters that would 
 make the public services attractive and profitable,
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR STREET CHURCH. 71 
 
 he retained his relation to his classes as leader and 
 performed his work among them with singular ef- 
 fectiveness and intelligence, this may be a proper 
 place to give some description of the character of 
 that work. 
 
 The place of class leader in the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church has been hardly second to 
 any other in its direct influence on the per- 
 sonal experience and character of the church it- 
 self. Its theory supposes that only such as 
 are themselves well grounded in the Christian 
 life shall be appointed to it. Besides this, there 
 must needs be a discriminating if not profound 
 knowledge of the vital doctrines of the Holy 
 Scriptures, especially as set forth in the teachings 
 of Methodism in her books of theology and in her 
 standard hymnology; the most complete and per- 
 fect that is to be found in all the Christian church. 
 Then, an essential facility in simple doctrinal state- 
 ment and application, with a readiness in calling to 
 mind suitable stanzas of a hymn when it can serve 
 a useful purpose; a discriminating judgment of 
 human nature; kindness coupled with firmness; a 
 heart full of love and yet full of fidelity; a soul 
 capable of feeling the burdens and temptations of
 
 72 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 others, and an ability to lead those of others to the 
 great Burden Bearer and teach them how to "cast 
 their cares on Him who careth for them;" all these 
 and many more kindred qualities are essential to 
 the successful class leader. 
 
 It will easily be seen that this is a combination 
 of mental and moral and spiritual and even physi- 
 cal qualities that is not easy to find, and when it is 
 found it is an inestimable treasure to the church 
 that possesses it. It is not too much to say that 
 the spiritual results of the work of the preacher in 
 the pulpit are largely saved or lost to the church 
 by the influence of capable and godly leaders, or 
 by the neglect and weakness of incapable and care- 
 less ones. Many hearts are prepared for a tender 
 and helpful waiting upon the teachings of the pul- 
 pit by the more direct and personal teaching of 
 the leader before the pulpit speaks, or after it has 
 spoken by the careful and loving application of 
 the truth heard to the mind and heart of the 
 hearer by the leader, whose alert mind and recep- 
 tive heart have taken close grip of each truth 
 needed by the individual members of his class. 
 
 William Carvosso has been the patron saint of 
 the class-room in nearly all the life of Methodism.
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR-STREET CHURCH. 73 
 
 If a Methodist needs to be told who William Car- 
 vosso was, his ignorance of Methodist lore is too 
 dense to be illuminated by such a side reference as 
 we are able to make to him in such a work as this. 
 If any man has ever been appointed a class leader, 
 and has not proceeded at once to familiarize him- 
 self with the doctrines and rules of the church he 
 served, and in immediate connection therewith the 
 personal lives and official methods of such men as 
 Carvosso, that fact alone has doomed him to fail- 
 ure, and the souls of those committed to his care 
 to injury and loss. No one acquainted with Mr. 
 Fletcher could expect for a moment that he 
 would not lay hold of all these helps, and also of 
 any other that might come to his knowledge. 
 
 There were many things in common in the con- 
 ditions, character and work of the two men. Both 
 were born in low estate. Both entered upon life 
 in humble callings. Both were entirely uneduca- 
 ted in their youth. Both learned to read and write 
 when considerably advanced in life, and after the 
 grace of God had touched and awakened their in- 
 tellects to an ambition to do good in the world. 
 Both had charge of several classes at the same 
 time. Both kept up a wide and continued corres-
 
 74 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 pondence with the members of their classes. Both 
 had great and evenly sustained zeal in their work. 
 Both had strong faith. The parallel might be con- 
 tinued. Something of this came doubtless from 
 the fact that Mr. Fletcher, the younger, was a 
 careful student of Carvosso, the elder, not as an 
 imitator, but as a disciple, intelligently compre- 
 hending principles and carefully applying them. 
 
 A few extracts from Mr. Fletcher's journal 
 touching his class methods and his personal ex- 
 periences will give the reader a better knowledge 
 of the elements that combined in him to make his 
 work a success than a more extended ex parte de- 
 scription. Under date of January 24th, 1869, he 
 writes: 
 
 "Sabbath morning. I read our church rules to my class 
 this morning. I want them to be well informed in the doc- 
 trines and principles of our church. It is a source of much 
 regret to me that our people are so ignorant in relation to 
 these. I intend, by the blessing of God, not only to build 
 my class up in the 'knowledge of the truth,' but also in their 
 duties as members of the church." 
 
 What pureness, what trueness, what faithful- 
 ness are manifested here! On the very next Sun- 
 day, Januay 31st, he makes this record:
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR-STREET CHURCH. 75 
 
 "In place of our regular class meeting this morning I 
 had each member of the class select such a portion of one 
 of our hymns as would best correspond with their present 
 experiences. I had two objects in view in this. One was 
 that they might be made more familiar with our hymns, 
 and the other that I might vary the order of exercise to the 
 greater interest and profit of the members. I wish I could 
 get them to study our hymn book more, for I believe that, 
 next to the Bible, it is the best book for us to study. It 
 contains such a body of divinity, and such soul-stirring 
 praises to God that its greater use would be a great benefit 
 to them all. They would then 'sing with the Spirit and 
 with the understanding also.' " 
 
 An experienced Christian can readily see the 
 skill of ''the master workman" displayed in such di- 
 versified and ingenious methods of spiritual work. 
 He will imagine what an impression would be 
 made on other minds when one would quote such 
 stanzas as: 
 
 "Now 1 have found the ground wherein 
 Sure my soul's anchor may remain; 
 The wounds of Jesus, for my sin 
 
 Before the world's foundation slain; 
 Whose mercy shall unshaken stay 
 When heaven and earth are fled away." 
 
 Or this from Charles Wesley:
 
 7(; WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "Long my imprisoned spirit lay 
 
 Fast bound in sin and nature's night; 
 Thine eye diffused a quickening ray; 
 
 I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; 
 My chains fell off, my heart was free, 
 I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. 
 
 And then some weary one sings from Bonar: 
 
 "I heard the voice of Jesus say: 
 
 'Come unto me and rest; 
 Lay down, thou weary one, lay down 
 
 Thy head upon my breast!' 
 I came to Jesus as I was, 
 
 Weary and worn and sad; 
 I found in Him a resting place, 
 
 And He hath made me glad." 
 
 And then some one further on in the divine life, 
 better acquainted with God than most, repeats as 
 the experience of perfect trust: 
 
 "Thee will I love, my joy, my crown; 
 
 Thee will I love, my Lord, my God; 
 Thee will I love, beneath Thy frown 
 
 Or smile, Thy scepter or Thy rod. 
 What though my heart and flesh decay? 
 Thee shall I love in endless day." 
 
 Now it is a stanza expressive of penitence, now 
 of pardon, now of cleansing, of sanctification, now
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR-STREET CHURCH. 77 
 
 of faith's triumph, now of the hope of heaven. 
 Who could go away from such a service unedified 
 and unblest? 
 
 Another marked peculiarity of Mr. Fletcher's 
 work as class leader was the great interest he took 
 in the new members, especially the young people, 
 added to his class. Evidencing this is a record he 
 makes in his journal under date of March 14th, 
 1869. He says: - 
 
 "Sabbath morning. The Lord Jesus has added one more 
 new member to my class. This is a dear little boy, Herbert 
 Xorthrup, who has early given his heart to Jesus. O, may 
 I have grace to take care of these precious lambs which are 
 entrusted to my care. The Lord is blessing my class. 
 Many of them are truly hungering and thirsting after right- 
 eousness, and I am looking to see them filled." 
 
 Northrup was a name long and greatly honored 
 in the Methodism of Portland, and of the entire 
 Northwest. Herbert was the eldest son of E. J. 
 Northrup, who was converted to God in the meet- 
 ings held in Portland by Rev. A. B. Earle. to 
 which reference has been previously made. The 
 father lived a very devoted life, and, although en- 
 gaged in large business enterprises, gave much 
 time and means to the direct spiritual work of the 
 church. He became the leading layman of the
 
 78 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER, 
 
 city, was a delegate from the Lay Electoral Con- 
 ference of the Oregon Conference to the General 
 Conference, and, when in the full course of liis 
 most useful life, was suddenly killed by an acci- 
 dent in his storehouse. He was, and, in a moment, 
 "he was not, for God took him." Herbert, the 
 young boy of whom Mr. Fletcher speaks above so 
 tenderely, lived a few beautiful years after he 
 united with the class of Mr. Fletcher, and then 
 went to join his translated father in the celestial 
 land. Their names have the perfume of ointment 
 poured forth in the church in Portland. 
 
 We have already mentioned Mr. Fletcher's habit 
 of a close and religious correspondence with mem- 
 bers of his classes and others in whom he took a 
 special interest, as one of his distinguishing quali- 
 ties as a class leader and general Christian worker. 
 This extended not only to those who were near, 
 but to those far away as well. Wherever he jour- 
 neyed, by sea or land, his heart never forgot the 
 land of his birth, nor the friends of his early life 
 there. His journal often speaks of some of them 
 in terms of peculiar tenderness. While he was com- 
 municating to them assurances of his recollection 
 of them, and often making to some of them remit-
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR STREET CHURCH. 79 
 
 tances of money, he evidently never forgot their 
 spiritual good, but wrote and prayed in constant 
 hope that his words might become the instrument 
 of their salvation. Nor was his labor in vain, or 
 his hope in this regard cut off. An incident illus- 
 trating this is given in his journal February 22d, 
 1869. He writes of two friends in Ireland: 
 
 "I received a letter from Eliza Floyd and Margaret Floyd 
 which has made my heart glad. I find by it that God has 
 seen fit to use me as the instrument in His hand in their 
 conversion. O Lord, 'my cup runneth over' with joy to 
 think that Thou canst convert even in Ireland as well as 
 in Oregon, and that in every nation he that feareth Thee 
 and worketh righteousness is accepted of Thee.' O may 
 the good seed that has been planted in their hearts bring 
 forth abundant fruit to the glory of my God. Although I 
 am far away from them, my heart is often present with 
 them, and they are doubly dear to me now that we are 
 united in the bonds of Christian love. O may the riches of 
 God's grace be multiplied to them, and may they become 
 burning and shining lights in that portion of God's green 
 earth. Although I am far away from it I love it still. My 
 soul often desires that God in His good providence should 
 open the way that I might once more visit them, and there 
 make known to them personally the riches of His grace. 
 But I will lay myself in His hands, with the assurance 
 that, if it is His will, I shall go there, but if it is not, then 
 His will, not mine, be done. 
 
 "In all my ways His hand I own."
 
 80 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 The summer of 1869 marked a serious decline in 
 the spiritual condition of the church with which 
 Mr. Fletcher was connected. It seemed a period 
 when mere "table-serving'' and temporalities occu- 
 pied the minds of both pastor and people to a very 
 alarming extent. Mr. Fletcher was greatly dis- 
 tressed over this condition of things, and for a 
 time was inclined to believe that his work in Port- 
 land was done, and God was about to call him 
 into some other field; but, though he felt this 
 impression for a short time, opening providences 
 soon satisfied that there was yet work reserved in 
 the counsels of the Master for him to perform here 
 and he turned to it with unabated zeal, even when 
 so many about him had doubtful and fainting 
 hearts. Another class a class of young boys 
 was put under his care, and he gave it the same 
 faithful attention and prayerful instruction that 
 marked his relation with all his classes. He was 
 also elected a member of the Young Men's Chris- 
 tian Association of the city, and took an active 
 and useful part in all its work. About this time 
 there fell into his hands a copy of George Muller's 
 "Life of Trust," a work that records the wonderful 
 experiences of that man of God in entering on and
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR-STKEET CHURCH. Kl 
 
 and carrying forward his great school and orphan- 
 age undertakings. The reading of this book was 
 a means of great benefit to him, as it has been to 
 thousands. From its reading he was led to adopt 
 Romans 13-8.: "Owe no man anything, but to 
 love one another; for he that loveth another has 
 fulfilled the law," as the rule for the remainder of 
 his life. At the close of 18G9 he makes this remark- 
 able record: 
 
 "I have not been absent from my class meeting; nor from 
 any other meeting of the church a single time during the 
 year. I have spent over eleven hours every Sabbath in the 
 church attending to the various duties of tho sanctuary, 
 and notwithstanding all this labor and care and anxiety. 
 God's grace has always been sufficient for me. On enter- 
 ing upon 1870 it is with the desire in my heart to be more 
 faithful, more useful, and more abundant in those labors 
 of love. I have set apart Friday of every week for the ser- 
 vice of the Lord in any way His providence may direct." 
 
 Any one who has followed carefully the story of 
 Mr. Fletcher's life up to this time, must surely 
 wonder how he could be more faithful, except in 
 the use of the new strength he had been constantly 
 gaining in his life of singular consecration, up to 
 this hour. 
 
 About this time another class of twenty-four
 
 82 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 young girls was committed to his care. This class 
 had been under the instruction of Mrs. Patterson, 
 a most capable and godly woman, whose personal 
 influence over Mr. Fletcher himself had been a 
 strong factor in the development of his own high 
 Christian life. It was no slight mark of the high 
 place he had attained in the confidence of the 
 church that these places of special responsibility 
 fell to him, not from any desire on his part to ob- 
 tain them, but because no one else seemed so well 
 fitted to aid the young people forward in the true 
 divine life as he. Not only this, the young people 
 themselves were delighted to have him as their 
 counselor and friend, and under his direction many 
 of them were early brought to a clear knowledge 
 of their adoption into the family of God. With 
 the care of three of the most important classes of 
 the church, the diversified and never ceasing du- 
 ties of his janitorship, and also his wide correspon- 
 dence, it is not strange that at the close of the 
 year he felt that his duties pressed heavily upon 
 him. Yet he expresses "thankfulness that God 
 gives them to him to discharge," and that he "has 
 reason to belive that he blesses him therein." With 
 such reflections on his work, and with such resolu-
 
 JANITOR TAYLOR-STREET CHURCH. 83 
 
 tions for the future, Mr. Fletcher comes to a point 
 that marks the beginning- of another distinct era 
 in the story of his life.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MARRIAGE. 
 
 "We are weaving the thread of our life's webs 
 
 Day by day; 
 And its colors are sometimes sombre, 
 
 Sometimes gay; 
 
 For \ve dye it with every passing thought, 
 And by words and deeds is the pattern wrought." 
 
 Bradt, 
 
 the 24th day of May, 1871, Mr. Fletcher was 
 united in marriage with Miss Lizzie Brown. 
 As some notice will hereafter be given of the re- 
 lations of his companion to the larger and most 
 useful part of his career, it is only necessary now to 
 make such mention of her as seems to be needful 
 in connection with the incident of their marriage. 
 Mr. Fletcher himself was fully impressed with the 
 belief that this marriage was of the Lord's own 
 ordering, and he therefore entered upon it in a de- 
 vout and tender frame of mind. Miss Brown was 
 about his own age, and well calculated to sustain 
 and help her husband in the work in which he was
 
 MARRIAGE. 85 
 
 now engaged, and in that upon which he after- 
 wards entered. 
 
 Miss Brown was born in Buffalo, New York. 
 She was left an orphan at an early age, yet in early 
 childhood she gave her heart to the Lord, and 
 lived a pure Christian life through all the changes 
 of her subsequent career. She came to Portland 
 about a year before her marriage, and was a close 
 attendant on the services of the church. In this 
 way she commended herself to the confidence and 
 love of the church, and especially of Mr. Fletcher, 
 and both accepted it as of the Lord's will that they 
 should become one in Christ Jesus. Our readers 
 will hear more of her hereafter. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher always took great interest in his 
 pastor. In proportion as he was a man devoted to 
 God and able to instruct the people in the "things 
 pertaining to life and godliness," he found in Mr. 
 Fletcher a signal help in leading the people for- 
 ward. But if the pastor chanced to have a worldly 
 spirit, or was disposed to compromise truth by 
 yielding to doubtful social customs or demands, 
 though no factious and contentious opposition 
 was made to him, yet he could not be in doubt as 
 to the position Mr. Fletcher occupied. He was
 
 8G WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 friendly and gracious with all, but his closest Chris- 
 tian intimacies were with those who walked on the 
 highest paths of the Christian way. In reading his 
 journal, the writer has observed that every one of 
 his pastors was welcomed with words of trust and 
 hope, even if thereafter he showed his want of the 
 best instincts of the spiritual life, and led, or per- 
 mitted his people to drift into doubtful ways of 
 worldly compliance. In such case, and in these 
 things, Mr. Fletcher parted company with him, 
 even while he gave his active support in every way 
 to the general work of the church. Several in- 
 stances of this kind had occured previous to the 
 time of which we are now writing, but in none of 
 them was there the slightest evidence of disloyalty 
 to the church, but constant tokens of the greatest 
 fidelity to all her interests and economy. The 
 work of the summer of 1871, was not closing pros- 
 perously with the church where he had labored so 
 long and earnestly, and as conference approached 
 he was excedingly anxious in relation to the ap- 
 pointment of a pastor for the next year. This did 
 not arise out of any question of personal friendship, 
 but with a single reference to the spiritual condi- 
 tion and progress of the church.
 
 MARRIAGE. 87 
 
 The annual conference of 1871 was held in Tay- 
 lor Street Church,and Bishop Edmund S. Janes 
 was its presiding officer. Our readers will remem- 
 ber that Bishop Janes had traveled in the stage 
 coach from Yreka, California, to Oregon, in com- 
 pany with Mr. Fletcher in 1863. They recalled the 
 incidents of the journey with mutual satisfaction 
 as they met here eight years thereafter. When the 
 conference closed Bishop Janes announced as the 
 pastor for the coming year, Rev. G. W. Izer, who 
 was transferred from the Central Pennsylvania 
 Conference to the Oregon for this special charge. 
 Probably no pastor that the church ever had in- 
 fluenced the thought and hope of Mr. Fletcher 
 more strongly or more favorably than did Mr. 
 Izer. Young, alert, spiritual and intellectual, his 
 ministry was full of an attractive and stimulating 
 unction that peculiarly attracted the people, and 
 was especially helpful to Mr. Fletcher in his per- 
 sonal experience, as well as in his relations to the 
 work of the Master that lay so near his heart. It is 
 with no feeling of surprise that we read in his jour- 
 nal at the close of the conference session, "I look 
 for great things from the hand of the Lord 
 through him this year.'' At the end of the first
 
 88 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 month of Mr. Izer's pastorate, the house was filled 
 with a very serious congregation; a number had 
 been converted, several had professed sanctifica- 
 tion, the prayer meetings and class meetings had 
 revived and the entire outlook for the church had 
 been changed from one of clouds and doubt and 
 fear, to one of bright skies and conquering faith, 
 and confident courage. No wonder that Mr. 
 Fletcher greatly rejoiced, giving glory to God. 
 
 At this period in the life of Mr. Fletcher, we 
 note, for the first time, a record of his entering 
 upon a work that was eventually to prove the 
 great work of his life. What it was will appear if 
 we quote a sentence or two from his journal under 
 date of September 14th, 1871: 
 
 "Since Conference I have been distributing tracts among 
 the hotels and boarding houses and shops and steamboats, 
 and have done some little missionary work in connection 
 with it. The Lord blesses me in it, and my prayer is that 
 He will continue to make me more useful. I love this work 
 of distributing tracts; it gives me such opportunities to 
 speak a word for Jesus to the sailors about the ships and 
 inviting them to our meetings." 
 
 About two weeks later he records that: 
 
 "For the two weeks work twenty-four persons have been 
 converted and four made perfect in love, and among the
 
 MARRIAGE. 89 
 
 twenty-four are three sailors belonging to vessels in port. 
 I trust the Lord has used me as an instrument for the sal- 
 vation of these souls, and I look for still greater results yet 
 in the salvation of more of them before our meeting 
 closes." 
 
 Two weeks later a second record says that fifty- 
 two had been converted and six made perfect in 
 love, and that among them was another of the 
 "sailor boys," the second mate of the English bark 
 Bristolian, making three from her and one from 
 another ship. He prays that the little leaven that 
 has been hid in the heart of these sailor chaps will 
 so work that the whole of the ship's company will 
 be leavened." 
 
 The early occupation of Mr. Fletcher as a sailor 
 even long before his conversion, now began to 
 show its ffects in his readiness for the work God 
 was preparing for him. He could not have im- 
 agined as he was passing through the hard lessons 
 of a sailor's life what an influence these lessons 
 \\oulcl have after many years upon his career; and 
 certainly those who saw him in his rough garb 
 and perilous exposures would never have thought 
 that out of these untoward conditions would come 
 at last a character so refined and a life so conse-
 
 90 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 crated. With a new attainment of strength, and 
 this leading by Providence into new and promis- 
 ing fields of Christian work, Mr. Fletcher closed 
 the year 1871. His reflections are so pertinent, 
 and express so much of the spirit that was his best 
 furnishing for the work of his life, that we give an 
 extract from them under date of January 1st, 
 1872: 
 
 "The past year has been one rich in mercy to me and my 
 companions. I have devoted this year entirely to the ser- 
 vice of God in the various duties connected with my work 
 in the church. It has been the burden of my prayers to 
 God that He would so bless me in the labors of my hands 
 that I would be able to devote all my time and little talent 
 to Him, and to-day, in looking back over the year that is 
 just closed, surely my prayers have been most abundantly 
 answered. My Heavenly Father has has not only given me 
 a nice home, but one of the best of companions to share it 
 with me. We are one in spirit in serving the Lord. In en- 
 tering this new year myself and wife have consecrated 
 ourselves and all that we possess anew to God, to be used 
 as His good providence may direct; and may the grace of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ abide with us." 
 
 This character of work continued with Mr. 
 Fletcher through 1872. The latter part of the 
 year was signalized by a gracious revival of re- 
 ligion in the church in Portland, and in the revival
 
 MARRIAGE. 91 
 
 Mr. Fletcher was in labors most abundant, and his 
 soul flamed with purifying fire. Probably Taylor 
 Street Church never had a higher and purer re- 
 ligious life than at this time. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher's work was extending more and 
 more among the sailors. He says of January 1st, 
 1873:- 
 
 " I have been greatly blest in my labors among the sail- 
 ors in this port. How thankful I am that I have been to 
 sea myself in my younger days, as I can adapt myself so 
 readily to their wants. I am so well acquainted with all 
 the "land sharks" and sailor boarding house runners, that 
 I am able to warn the sailors of their dangers when on 
 shore. I have been very succesful in getting many of them 
 to attend my Sabbath morning class, and many of them 
 have been converted in the class rooms, and have gone to 
 sea happy in the Lord. I have realized in the past year 
 more than ever before the importance of living a holy life, 
 and being fully consecrated to God and His work: as it re- 
 moves from me a man-fearing spirit, and gives me that 
 liberty in my work that I need so much. My wife is also 
 rejoicing in the same blessed experience with me. It makes 
 our work so pleasant for us, and our home so happy, and it 
 gives us favor with the people so that we can do them 
 good." 
 
 During 1873 the shipping entering the Port of 
 Portland greatly increased, and so Mr. Fletcher's 
 work among the sailors became more and more
 
 92 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 important. A much larger number than ever 
 were induced by him to attend church and class 
 meeting, where he found it easy to teach them, 
 and lead them into a Christian life. So rapidly did 
 this work grow under the faithful hand of Mr. 
 Fletcher that on January 1st, 1874, we find him 
 expressing the expectation of seeing at no distant 
 day "a Seaman's Chaplain and Bethel for the men 
 of the sea."
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CRUSADERS. 
 
 Not many lives, but only one have we 
 
 Our only one; 
 How sacred should that one life ever be! 
 
 That narrow span, 
 
 Day after day, filled up with blessed toil, 
 Hour after hour still bringing us new toll. 
 
 Bonar. 
 
 EARLY in 1874 there occurred in the moral 
 and religious history of the city of Portland 
 a series of incidents with which Mr. Fletcher and 
 his wife were actively identified, that should have 
 some notice in this work. They grew out of the 
 organization and work of "The Woman's Temper- 
 ance Prayer League." 
 
 The saloon power had become so formidable in 
 the city, and all the crimes that are fostered and 
 sustained by that power so prevalent, that a num- 
 ber of the Godly women of the city, of various de- 
 nominations, banded themselves together for a
 
 94 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "crusade" against it. There were perhaps forty in 
 all who enrolled themselves in the band; women 
 who led the active religious work of the several 
 city churches, and whose hearts were stirred within 
 them when they saw the city so wholly given up to 
 the ravages of intemperance and all its attendant 
 crimes. They resolved to go upon the streets, and 
 even into the saloons, and by songs and prayer and 
 personal appeals, try to stay the tide of destruc- 
 tion. There were but thirteen of them at the first 
 enrolment, and the second name on the list was 
 "Lizzie Fletcher." They had a very active and 
 and even enthusiastic support from Rev. G. W. 
 Izer, pastor of the First M. E. Church; Rev. G. H. 
 Atkinson, pastor of the First Congregational 
 Church, and Rev. Mr. Medbury, of the First Bap- 
 tist Church. The other pastors of the city gave 
 the movement only a reluctant support, Their 
 work was first confined to earnest prayer in the 
 meetings of the League and at home, but before 
 long they felt it their duty to go upon the streets- 
 and carry the battle of prayer to the very gates of 
 the saloons. It was the veritable march of the 
 "Crusaders" when these godly women went forth 
 out of the front door of old Taylor Street Church,
 
 CRUSADERS. 95 
 
 led by the unseen "Captain of their Salvation" 
 against the giant foe of all good on the crowded 
 streets of the city, not knowing to what insults and 
 oppositions they went. Martyrdom itself could 
 not be more to be dreaded. Foul insults of low 
 and villainous speech were heaped upon them from 
 the habitues of the saloons. Horsewhips were plied 
 upon their backs. Streams of water from the hose 
 pipes were turned over them, but none of these 
 things moved them. They had hold of God, and 
 nothing seemed able to make them unloose their 
 grip. They reviled not again. They replied to 
 angry oaths with sweet-voiced songs and earnest 
 prayer. They remembered the Master's code of 
 Christian warfare, "bless them that curse you, and 
 pray for them that despitefully use you and perse- 
 cute you." This they literally did. No braver, no- 
 bler Christian spirit ever was exhibited. 
 
 So deep was the impression made on the public 
 mind of Portland by the heroic and devoted as 
 well as determined course of these noble women 
 for they were noble in every sense that the saloon 
 forces saw that their cause was doomed to fall un- 
 less, in some way, the efforts of these women could 
 be stopped. Five of the women were arrested for
 
 96 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 praying on the street, under the charge of disor- 
 derly and riotous conduct. Among these was Mrs. 
 Fletcher. The city magistrate spent two days in 
 the mockery of a trial, and then they were found 
 "guilty" and fined "f 5.00 each or one day in pris- 
 on." They refused to pay the fine, choosing, prop- 
 erly, to endure the imprisonment rather than in 
 any way to recognize the semblance of justice in 
 the action of the court, and accordingly they were 
 locked up in the city prison. Such is the mercy 
 and justice that wrong gives to right when right 
 makes . even the insurrection of prayer against 
 wrong. As though prisons could manacle prayer, 
 or iron walls defeat the power of God to finally 
 avenge His people! 
 
 At evening of the day of their incarceration Mr. 
 Fletcher visited the prison where they were con- 
 fined, to observe their spirit, and especially to see 
 if his wife needed anything for her comfort during 
 the night. He says: 
 
 "I shall never forget the impression that was made on my 
 mind while there with her in prison for about half an hour 
 before she was locked up for the night. She was very 
 happy in the Lord; not only willing to spend one night in 
 prison, but also to suffer death, if need be, for the cause
 
 CRUSADERS. 97 
 
 of Christ. All the ladies that were with her In prison 
 would have been willing to do the same." 
 
 How strange the senseless enthusiasm of sin for 
 its own cause! How strange that eighteen cen- 
 turies have not sufficed to teach iniquity that there 
 is no real refuge for it in law; that its victories are 
 always its defeat, and its crowns of thorns on the 
 brow of right always change to coronets of glory. 
 
 Immediately after these ladies were released from 
 their imprisonment they and their coadjutors of 
 the praying band continued their work on the 
 streets and in the saloons until June, but even be- 
 sotted crime did not attempt to stay their proceed- 
 ings by prosecutions or limit the freedom of prayer 
 by prison walls. 
 
 Soon after the close of this active "Crusade," the 
 pastoral term of Rev. G. W. Izer closed at Taylor 
 Street Church, and he was transferred to the East. 
 His preaching and pastoral labor had proved a 
 great mental and spiritual help to Mr. Fletcher, 
 and it was with sincere regret that he bade him 
 "good-bye" as he retired. Nor had Mr. Izer any 
 less cause to feel gratitude to Mr. Fletcher for the 
 full, constant and efficient support received from 
 him. In the cheering words, unpretending kind-
 
 98 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 ness and helpful attentions given him by the latter 
 at all times and under all circumstances not a little 
 of the good wrought by Mr. Izer in Portland had 
 its origin and support. 
 
 The years 1875 and 1876 were, with Mr. Fletch- 
 er, in the main incidents of his life, like those that 
 had preceeded them. There was no lessening, but 
 rather an increase of his responsibility and work. 
 The number of ships that entered the port contin- 
 ued to increase, and with that his work among the 
 sailors enlarged. More of them attended his 
 classes and the general services of the church than 
 ever before. Evidently the seed that Mr. Fletcher 
 almost alone had sown in the hearts of "the men of 
 the sea," who had visited the port was beginning 
 to bear its ripened fruit all over the world. 
 
 Many incidents of thrilling interest occurred in 
 connection with his work; incidents that made 
 his name and work familiar to seafaring men every- 
 where. At one time a sailor was converted in one 
 of his meetings in Taylor Street Church. The 
 next morning Mr. Fletcher met him and inquired 
 if he had written the good news of his conversion 
 to his wife in Liverpool. The sailor replied, "No; 
 I could not keep her waiting for two weeks to
 
 CRUSADERS. 99 
 
 know what God had done for me, but I have sent 
 a cablegram this morning.'' So the good work of 
 this true friend of the seamen was becoming known 
 in every port. It may be truly said that, up to this 
 time, very little had been done in Portland for the 
 salvation of the sailors that was not done directly 
 through the instrumentality of Mr. Fletcher. Of 
 the increase of this great work we shall see more 
 hereafter. 
 
 As we pass down the way in the story of Mr. 
 Fletcher's life, it seems needful that we illustrate 
 the influence that continually aided in the develop- 
 ment of his life by some references from the men 
 and women with whom he wrought in the inti- 
 macies of Christian friendship. Few men have had 
 their friendships pitched on a higher key, and he 
 had the faculty of absorbing good out of them all. 
 His own sincerity of word and deed was so obvious 
 that he needed no other credentials to open his 
 way to the trust and confidence of others. 
 
 Among those who, for years, was most closely 
 connected with him in his church work, and per- 
 haps more intimately connected with the develop- 
 ment of his own spiritual life, was Mr. George Ab- 
 ernethy. His death, which occurred on the 2d
 
 100 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 day of May, 1877, brought to the whole church 
 sadness, and especially to the heart of Mr. Fletcher. 
 When we study the character and career of Mr. 
 Abernethy, and then consider how intimately 
 these two men were associated in the work of the 
 church in Portland for so many years, we shall un- 
 derstand this fact better. 
 
 Mr. Abernethy was a thoroughly trained and 
 cultivated Christian gentleman. Few finer speci- 
 mens of that beautiful product of the Christian civ- 
 ilization of America have been seen among us. He 
 was eminent in all the relations of a most enter- 
 prising and useful life. After an early discipline 
 and training in business and in Christian life in the 
 city of New York, under such eminent teachers as 
 Nathan Bangs, Samuel Mervvin and their com- 
 peers and coadjutors, he was chosen by the Mis- 
 sionary Board of the M. E. Church to be put in 
 charge of the financial inerests of its missions in 
 Oregon in 1839, and came to this coast in the 
 capacity of Missionary Steward. Here he served 
 faithfully in that capacity as long as such an officer 
 was needed, or until 1846, when he entered busi- 
 ness for himself, and became the best known of the 
 early merchants of Oregon. He was chosen as
 
 CRUSADERS. 101 
 
 Governor of the Territory under the Provisional 
 Government, and re-elected to the same place, 
 serving as such until the general government ex- 
 tended its jurisdiction over Oregon in 1848. He 
 led the laity of Methodism in all good works for 
 many years; and was the first lay delegate to the 
 General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church from the Pacific Coast. When he died, 
 not only did the church here feel the shock of a 
 great loss, but the entire State of which he had 
 been one of the most influential and discreet foun- 
 ders, paid its tribute of praise and gratitude at his 
 tomb. With him as a brother beloved, Mr. Fletch- 
 er sustained a most intimate relation, and without 
 doubt drew from his richly stored mind and ripe 
 Christian experience much that was helpful to his 
 own life and work. To have held such relations to 
 such a man for so long a time was surely pledge 
 enough of the personal character and religious 
 worth of Mr. Fletcher. 
 
 For nine years Mr. Fletcher had served the 
 church in the relations which have been traced in 
 the preceedlng pages. At the close of the ninth 
 year he was granted a leave of absence for four 
 weeks, for a visit to California. When this was
 
 102 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 done he makes in the journal the following remark- 
 able statement regarding these years: 
 
 "I have never been absent from my class for one meet- 
 ing since I came to this Church, nor from any of the church 
 services. Since I became its sexton in 1868 to the present 
 time, I have been enabled by the blessing of God to attend 
 to all my various duties, having the best of health, and 
 above all, the favor of God in my work. I believe that the 
 Lord has appointed me to this work. When I took charge 
 of the church as its sexton, I felt fully convinced in my 
 own mind that this was the work which the Lord had for 
 me to do, and now, as I look back, I can truly say that I 
 was not disappointed. It may be my life work, so far as I 
 know. The Lord's will not mine be done. I want to be 
 where the Lord thinks best." 
 
 Such was the record Mr. Fletcher had made in 
 these nine years, and such the spirit he had borne 
 through them all. If it could but enter into 
 the lives of all God's people what wonders 
 of redemption would be wrought in the world! 
 God's call was never unheard. Everything 
 must wait for God's voice. That was the 
 only determining factor of duty. Inclination 
 was nothing only God's will. Steadily as 
 time moved onward he moved on and out to do 
 God's will. And everything was done in love. 
 Strength after strength was attained through duty
 
 CRUSADERS. 103 
 
 done. All strength was used. He never frustrated 
 the grace of God; never consumed it on his own 
 desires. And so he came to a period and a fact in 
 his work that marked the opening of a new era to 
 him, and those who had been a chief object of his 
 solicitude for many years, "the men of the sea."
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 WORK WIDENING. 
 
 Wait cheerily, then, O mariners, 
 
 For daylight and for land; 
 The breath of God is in your sail, 
 
 Your rudder is His hand. 
 
 Sail on, sail on, deep freighted 
 
 With blessings and with hopes; 
 The saints of old with shadowy hands 
 Are pulling at your ropes. 
 
 Behind ye holy martyrs 
 
 Uplift the palm and crown; 
 Before ye unborn ages send 
 
 Their benedictions down. 
 
 Sail on! the morning cometh, 
 
 The port ye yet shall win; 
 And all the bells of God shall ring 
 
 The good ship bravely in! 
 
 Whittier. 
 
 ~\ X 7"E have now come to the opening of a 
 
 * work in the life of Mr. Fletcher for 
 
 which, it seems to us, all that preceeded it was but
 
 WORK WIDENING. 105 
 
 a preparation. When we saw him a sailor on the 
 deep, tossed by the waves and driven by the winds 
 of all the seas, or stranded on many shores of many 
 lands, he seemed but a sailor, destined, in all sure 
 probability, to continue his adventurous voyages 
 until, in some stormiest day, he should earn a 
 sailors' heroic burial in the deep bed of the sea 
 with the unnamed thousands of those, to all ap- 
 pearances like him, who have thus sailed and thus 
 sunk into the unfathomed depths. But they were 
 not like him, though they thus seemed. God had 
 more for him than for them because he had more 
 for God than they. When we saw him a miner, 
 with pick and shovel bending over the rocky pits, 
 or digging in the deep gulches of the mountains 
 of California, or daring the granite fastnesses of 
 Idaho for gold, he seemed only a miner; likely to 
 beat his life out against the iron walls of the mines 
 or lose it out of sight of men with the hundreds of 
 thousands the engulfing mines have swallowed 
 up forever. He seemed like them they like him. 
 But God had more for him than for them, because 
 he had more for God than they. When we saw him 
 in the ordinary pursuits of a laborer on the fir-clad 
 hills of Oregon, or in the streets of the city, he
 
 106 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 seemed but the ordinary laborer, fated to the weary 
 round of daily and nightly toil for bread, only for 
 bread until that weary round ended in an un- 
 marked grave; where ends the bootless struggle 
 of more than half of the human race. But God had 
 more for him than for them, because he had more 
 for God than they. That more was a purpose; a 
 looking forward, a making the most and the best 
 of to-day as all he had, remembering that to-mor- 
 row was God's, and that he could only be ready 
 for God's to-morrow by rightly using his own to- 
 day. Thus he made the sailor's voyages and the 
 miner's toil preparations for the greater, higher to- 
 morrows that followed on his lower yesterdays. 
 
 The era in his life to which Mr. Fletcher had 
 been thus conducted by God's gracious providence 
 he had, in a divine way, foreseen and expected, and 
 had been doing much to create. It was the for- 
 mal and public inauguration of Christian work 
 among "the men of the sea," who, in the courses of 
 trade or the pursuits of adventure, were finding 
 their way into the ports of Oregon, and especially 
 into Portland, in great numbers. Our story of his 
 life has repeatedly mentioned his personal atten- 
 tion to them and his earnest solicitation for their
 
 WORK WIDENING. 107 
 
 salvation. These seemed, as we recorded them, 
 but casual incidents, quite aside from the main pur- 
 pose and interest of his life, while, in reality, they 
 were chief factors in the make-up of that life. He 
 was marking out the most important and far- 
 reaching labors of his whole history. The people 
 of Portland, among whom he had gone so long, 
 and to whom he was so well known, did not un- 
 derstand that his quiet and unostentations visits 
 to the wharves and the decks of the vessels lying 
 at them; to the sailor's boarding houses, and to 
 all the resorts where the sailor boys were enticed 
 to their ruin, with his bundles of tracts in his hands, 
 which he distributed as leaves of the tree of life to 
 all, were putting in action a train of influences that 
 meant a world-wide evangelization and would 
 make Mr. Fletcher himself one of the most widely 
 known of the religious workers of the coast. But 
 so it was. It was, as ever, God taking care of His 
 own, and taking pains that His watchmen did not 
 wake in vain. 
 
 It is probable that the modern church has not 
 begun to appreciate the evangelistic value of such 
 work among the sailors; even if she has appre- 
 ciated the sailor himself as a man. A converted
 
 108 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 sailor is a world-going missionary. No pent-up 
 village or narrow country neighborhood confines 
 his influence. From port to port, from country to 
 country, from capital to capital, he is borne by the 
 free winds of the sea. He knows all continents and 
 all islands. He is a citizen of the world. He be- 
 longs to the demorcracy of humanity. He is God's 
 free evangel; heaven's roving messenger of truth 
 and love to every land and every clime. Thus the 
 winds waft His story. Thus the waters roll it. 
 Every ship that bears him becomes "the old ship 
 of Zion,'' freighted with salvation and sailing to 
 all ports. "The breath of God is in her sails, her 
 rudder is His hands," as she sails on freighted with 
 hope and salvation for the world. 
 
 Portland had grown to be such a seaport and to 
 command such a commerce with foreign nations 
 as awakened its great Christian merchants to the 
 need of organizing a Bethel Home" and a "Mar- 
 iner's Church" for the benefit of the hundreds of 
 sea-faring men constantly in the city. According- 
 ly, on November 4th, 1877, union services, under 
 the auspices of the leading churches of the city, 
 were held in Taylor Street M. E. Church, for the 
 purpose of making such an organization. Rev. R.
 
 WORK WIDENING. 109 
 
 S. Stubbs, a very able and devoted as well as ex- 
 perienced minister, had been appointed by "The 
 American Seaman's Friend Society," of New York, 
 Chaplain for the port of Portland. Mr. Stubbs was 
 present, and his evident adaptation to so great .1 
 work stirred the people to enthusiasm. Mr. Stubbs 
 had been a sailor for many years, and had risen to 
 the command of vessels, and, of course, under- 
 stood the needs of sailors, and well knew how to 
 provide for their supply. The meeting completed 
 plans for work, raised over $5,000 for its com- 
 mencement, and had assurances from the best 
 sources of further aid as it would be required in the 
 progress of the work. These facts greatly encour- 
 aged Mr. Fletcher in the hope that his ruling de- 
 sire would have a larger fulfillment in the salvation 
 of his beloved "men of the sea." 
 
 At this time one of the most eminent of pulpit 
 orators of his day, Doctor Guard, visited Portland, 
 delivering two lectures and one sermon. They 
 were greatly appreciated by all, and especially by 
 Mr. Fletcher. By a happy incident he introduced 
 a friend of his, Mr. John Wilson, a leading mer- 
 chant of the city to the Doctor, who immediately 
 recognized him as one of the teachers of his early
 
 110 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 boyhood, and greeted him with most loving re- 
 membrances. 
 
 Under date of January 1st, 1879, Mr. Fletcher 
 writes: 
 
 "There Is a most, remarkable work of grace now going 
 on among the seamen in this port. Chaplain Stubbs is 
 working faithfully on board the ships in port. My wife 
 and myself have attended many of the night meetings on 
 some of the ships during the last five weeks. I have not 
 seen such a revival since I came to Portland as is now go- 
 ing on among the seamen. I think there must have been 
 about forty seamen converted up to the present time. Truly, 
 the little leaven that has been working for the last few 
 years is now showing its power. I hope it will not stop 
 until the crew of every ship in port shall be leavened of 
 righteousness." 
 
 With the added work that came to Mr. Fletcher 
 in the organization of the Seaman's Friend Society 
 in Portland, there was little diminution of his work 
 in the church itself as janitor and class leader. At 
 the same time his reading and studying of the best 
 class of Christian works increased. His journal 
 often speaks of them with most appreciative lan- 
 guage, especially of such as touched the practical 
 and experimental sides of Christian life. For those 
 that had tendencies opposite to the purest and
 
 WORK WIDENING. Ill 
 
 highest experience he had no place. One, for 
 which he had paid three dollars, under a mistaken 
 idea of its character, he consigned to the flames, 
 "so that it could do no harm." Still providence 
 seemed directing him toward a wider opportunity 
 for usefulness to his beloved "sailor boys," as the 
 very best field for the use of his mature Christian 
 powers and experience. Making up his mind after 
 mature deliberation and prayer that the Lord had 
 other work for him to do, in August 1 , 1879, he re- 
 signed his place as janitor of Taylor Street Church. 
 Of so much public interest was the event that the 
 Pacific Christian Advocate, whose editor, Rev. 
 Dr. Dillon, was at that time serving as pastor of 
 the church Mr. Fletcher had so long served, gave 
 this appreciative notice of it: - 
 
 "Brother Fletcher has been a fixture in the janitorship of 
 Taylor-street church for ten years. If ever faithful and de- 
 voted labor was cheerfully and well performed it has been 
 done by him; for all these years promptly at the time, with- 
 out a failure, he has rung the bell for all the gatherings 
 of the church, has had the church ready for occupancy, 
 dusted, cleaned, ventilated and warmed: often in very cold 
 weather sleeping at the church Saturday nights so as to 
 start the fires in the furnace very early in the morning. 
 Not only this, during all this time he has been present 
 every Sunday morning at the 9 o'clock class of which he
 
 112 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 is leader. But he is gone, and we fear "we ne'er shall see 
 his like again." We are only too glad to hare him with us 
 yet in his pew, and in the class and prayer meeting, where 
 he will still be found upon every opportunity that he can 
 avail himself of." 
 
 These words of his pastor were but an indication 
 of the place Mr. Fletcher had won in the hearts of 
 all the church and congregation, the largest in 
 Portland. The care and punct'uality with which he 
 had attended to his duties in Taylor Street Church 
 for so many years had attracted the attention of 
 the directors of the Portland High School, and 
 they sought his services in the like office in that in- 
 stitution. He accepted their proposition, as of the 
 Lord. His work threw him into close association 
 with hundreds of young people, and a very culti- 
 vated body of teachers, with all of whom he soon 
 became a favorite. His genial disposition, quiet 
 and obliging manner, and his careful consideration 
 of the comfort of all and the happiness of each not 
 only secured their confidence but won their affec- 
 tion, and he held their full esteem for all the years 
 that he served in that capacity. 
 
 With him one of the chief reasons for choosing 
 this position was that it gave him the week day
 
 WORK WIDENING. 113 
 
 evenings and all of the Sabbath to pursue his work 
 among the seamen. More and more his heart was 
 drawn to this, and more clearly God's providence 
 was opening it to him. With him opportunity was 
 duty, and a chance to do was always earnestly im- 
 proved. Accordingly he had no sooner entered his 
 new field than we find him drawing nearer to "the 
 men of the sea.'' Within two months of the time 
 he began his work in the school he makes this 
 characteristic entry in his journal: 
 
 Nov. 9th I got Dr. Nelson to consent to lead my morn- 
 ing class for the next three mouths so that I could have 
 more time for work among the sailors on Sabbath morning. 
 I visited four ships this morning, and distributed one hun- 
 dred pages of tracts among the men forward. I also got 
 five of the men to accompany me to church. O. may the 
 Lord bless my work among these men of the sea. 
 
 Nov. 16 Sabbath morning. I had a good time in my 
 visiting the ships, giving the tracts to the men, and In 
 ppeakiug to them of Jesus, who is always the sailor's 
 friend. I told them his very first disciples were sailors, 
 and that of all men sailors should be first to serve him. 
 As I had spoken to the crew of one of the ships somewhat 
 freely, I asked them how many of them would come with 
 me to the church that morning to hear His word preached 
 for themselves. Five of them came with me. 
 
 Nov. 23. Only time to visit one ship this morning. After 
 speaking to the men forward and distributing some tracts.
 
 114 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 I went aft and spoke to the officers, gave them some tracts, 
 and got the first and second officers to accompany me to 
 the church. 
 
 This character of hand to hand and heart to 
 heart work was pursued by Mr. Fletcher with the 
 faithfulness and zeal of an apostle. Nearly every 
 Sabbath morning he would be seen coming into 
 Taylor Street Church with a company of "sailor 
 boys" dressed in the garb of the sea, conducting 
 them to eligible seats, sitting with them, watching 
 intently the effect of the word upon them, ready to 
 take advantage of all influences and impressions 
 to lead them to Jesus. 
 
 In closing up his record for the year 1879 he 
 gives 
 
 A VISION OF THE BIBLE. 
 By a Seafaring Man. 
 
 "As I lay musing a vision passed before me of a noble 
 ship. She was built in New Jerusalem, and her builder 
 and maker was God. Her timbers were of the strong oaks 
 of Zion, her masts of the tree of Calvary, and her rigging 
 of the cords of love. Her sails were the doctrines of sal- 
 vation, her cable a three-fold cord of faith, hope and char- 
 ity, which could not be easily broken. Her helm glittered 
 like the star of prophecy, her anchor was of gold from Im- 
 manuel's Land; her crest was the emblem of righteousness
 
 WORK WIDENING. 115 
 
 and her name was "The Word of God." From stem to 
 stern, from keel to deck she was a goodly ship. Her deck 
 was a broad platform on which Christians of all denomina- 
 tions might stand. Her guns thundered forth the terrors of 
 the law, but her mission was emphatically peace. Her 
 weapons were not carnal but mighty through God to the 
 pulling down of strongholds. Her painting was beauty; 
 she was streaked with light and sprinkled with blood. Her 
 crew were the Apostles and Prophets, her passengers true 
 believers, her captain the Prince of Peace. Her cargo was 
 Truth, and her broad Danner bore the inscription "Glory 
 to God in the Highest: Peace on earth, good will to men." 
 She was sailing over a tempestuous sea. The billows of 
 error drove furiouly against her bows, but her bulwarks 
 were impregnable. She sailed from the port of heaven and 
 her destination was to all the habitable parts of the earth, 
 and her mission to the ends of it. The nations hailed her 
 approach with joy. She scattered blessings in her course, 
 and returned homeward bound freighted with living souls 
 and cast her anchor in the haven of life under the throne 
 of God and of the Lamb." 
 
 With this "vision" Mr. Fletcher closes his record 
 of the year 1879. During it his words and his life 
 among the seamen had brought help and encour- 
 agement to many a burdened heart, and hope to 
 many a despairing breast. His cheerful presence, 
 his light-like smile always stirred to better 
 thoughts and higher ambitions all those with
 
 116 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 whom he mingled, and the memory of them sailed 
 in the minds of hundreds of sailors on every sea. 
 Whenever the sailor's thoughts would turn toward 
 Portland, "Father Fletcher," was in his mind's eye; 
 and to very many of them already it was his tender 
 countenance, his vigilant guardianship, his Chris- 
 tian counsel awaiting him on the Portland docks 
 that constituted the strongest desire to again re- 
 turn to rest for a little on the peaceful bosom of 
 the Oregon port.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 BROADENING LIFE. 
 
 Through seas more vast than these of earth, 
 
 Blown straight by heavenly wind, 
 They sail with freight of precious worth, 
 
 These merchantmen of mind. 
 
 In alien zones, through sun and cloud, 
 
 With varied cargoes fraught, 
 What intercourse and traffic crowd 
 
 The argosies of thought. 
 
 O, happy they who walk the strand 
 
 Whereon those billows roll, 
 Whose ports, by right divine, command 
 
 The commerce of the soul." 
 
 Clarence Urmy. 
 
 |^ ROM the closing date of the last chapter for 
 * five years Mr. Fletcher continued the iden- 
 tical character of work described there. He had 
 charge of one of the most important classes of Tay- 
 lor Street Church, and led its members forward in 
 the cultivation of the graces of the spirit with the
 
 118 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 same care and success as attended his work among 
 the seamen. Members committeed to his care by 
 the successive pastors of the church under whom 
 he served, were never neglected or forgotten, and 
 very few, if, indeed, any of those put under his 
 guidance ever strayed from the ways of well doing. 
 "By their fruits ye shall know them," is an eternal 
 principle of judgment as to character and life. 
 Judged by this test Mr. Fletcher's life had rare per- 
 fection. Its influence over others was always, even 
 uniquely, pure. It had in it a living principle or 
 germ of growth, and so it spread its fructifying 
 sap through every fibre and vesicle of the souls it 
 touched. Souls born into the Kingdom by his 
 fatherhood carried a vigorous life in them from the 
 very hour of their birth. Parenthood germinally 
 conditions sonship, spiritually as well as physically. 
 To be well begotten and well bred is to inherit 
 character and quality and power. "Blood will 
 tell." By the application of these principles to the 
 life of converts the character of those by whom 
 they were begotten in the Gospel is clearly defined. 
 In the case of those among whom Mr. Fletcher's 
 work was mostly done during this time there was 
 need of a vigorous inborn life to carry them
 
 BROADENING LIFE. 119 
 
 through the comparatively stormy conditions of 
 their early Christian life. Out on the wild seas, al- 
 most before they have lived a single day in the 
 consciousness of their new life of faith, visiting 
 distant ports, surrounded by rollicking, roaring 
 mobs of sin-intoxicated men; mocked at, ridiculed, 
 opposed if the life in them was not strong and 
 forceful at the very beginning it were no great 
 wonder if they did not endure. For these and 
 other reasons which will appear hereafter, we see 
 the uniqueness of the work of Mr. Fletcher, as well 
 as the exalted qualities of the spiritual nature that 
 he put into it. He so impressed himself and his 
 own spiritual life upon those with whom and for 
 whom he labored that, as a presence invisible to 
 others, and yet visible to them, he walked the 
 streets of the city, rode on the waves of the sea, 
 sat in the pews in the church, joined in the songs 
 of the sanctuary with those children of his beget- 
 ting and love wherever they were. In this respect, 
 in a finite way and with a few, he was with them 
 to the end of the world, as Christ in an infinite 
 way, and with all that knew him, pledged that he 
 would be "always." 
 
 It is in this way that good lives are perpetuated;
 
 120 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 given an immortality outside of themselves. One 
 said "the evil that men do lives after them, but the 
 good is often interred with their bones.'' This say- 
 ing can hardly be accepted in its broadest sense. 
 It is because good once done does not die, but 
 "lives" after he who did it has gone back to dust, 
 that good makes any gain over evil. "The eternal 
 years of God" belong to good and truth, while 
 "the death that never dies" is the doom of evil and 
 falsehood. This is the vital motive to goodness of 
 action and purity of life. "The righteous shall be 
 in everlasting remembrance, but the memory of 
 the wicked shall rot." So the memory of this 
 friend and servant of the humblest occupant of the 
 forecastle on the poorest ship that came to the 
 port where he labored so long and faithfully will be 
 green with verdure of immortality when the very 
 name of the proudest captain that ever sailed the 
 seas, whose life was evil and wicked, shall rot out 
 of all mention by men or angels. God keeps the 
 records of the book of lives, and He never forgets. 
 "Father Taylor" once described the career of a 
 young man who came from the country to the city, 
 who fell into one temptation after another till he 
 became a degraded castaway. When he seemed
 
 BROADENING LIPB. 121 
 
 to have reached the lowest depth of horror, Father 
 Taylor, with a look and tone that chilled the very 
 marrow of the bones of those that heard him, 
 cried: "Hush! Shut the windows of Heaven. 
 He's cursing his mother!" He would, if possible, 
 keep the horrid degradation of this boy, who had 
 thus desecrated the holiest name on earth and thus 
 defiled himself, from the eye of the recording angel. 
 So goodness does not seek to perpetuate the mem- 
 ory of wickedness, but rather to blot it out. But 
 it does seek to perpetuate, to keep alive, the re- 
 membrances of the righteous. 
 
 In connection with his work among the seamen 
 and also in the church during the five years from 
 1879 to the opening of 1886, Mr. Fletcher contin- 
 ued as janitor of the Portland High School, where 
 several hundred of the brightest young people in 
 the city shared his attentions and enjoyed his 
 friendship. He won their confidence and so they be- 
 came his friends, and in no small measure their love 
 of him widened all his subsequent opportunity for 
 doing good, and in no slight degree accounts for 
 the very remarkable hold he secured on the confi- 
 dence of the best citizens of Portland. But the 
 time was nearing for which providence had been
 
 122 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 preparing him, when he was to withdraw from 
 some of the fields in which he had wrought so long, 
 and devote all his time to the benefit of the sea- 
 men. 
 
 About the first of January, 1886, Chaplain R. S. 
 Stubbs was transferred by the Seaman's Friend 
 Society from the charge of the Bethel work in 
 Portland to the superintendence of the work of 
 that society on Puget Sound. On his retirement 
 Mr. Fletcher was left in charge of that work in 
 Portland. This brought him to the conclusion to 
 which providence had long been pointing, that this 
 was to be his one field of ultimate toil. Accord- 
 ingly we find this entry in his journal at this time: 
 
 Jan. 1. I intend, when my school year closes, if it be the 
 Lord's will, to enter entirely upon the Bethel and ship work 
 in behalf of the "men of the sea," and make it my life- 
 work, and try to save these dear men in Jesus; for I know 
 by sad experience of my own how terrible are their beset- 
 ments, while they are in port. 
 
 Jan. 3. This Sabbath I visited the ship Carmarthen 
 Castle and met with the steward who was converted when 
 he was here eight years ago in the ship Robert Lee, and 
 also four more converted men in the ship with him. I had 
 a most precious season with them. 
 
 Jan. 21. I was visiting some of the ships this morning 
 down at the Mersey docks. The sailors had just come on
 
 BROADENING LIFE. 123 
 
 board half drunk, as they had been on a spree all night, 
 and were quarreling with each other, as I was standing on 
 the dock debating in my mind whether I should go on 
 board just at that time or not, I asked the Lord what I 
 had best do. The blessed Holy Spirit applied the words to 
 my heart that God spoke to Moses: "Now, therefore, go, 
 and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou 
 shalt say." Exodus iv., 12. I said, "It is enough. Lord," and 
 I Just stepped aboard and met the captain on the poop. 
 After shaking hands with him, he said, "See, there is a 
 specimen of our British sailors," pointing to his men. I 
 told him tnat his men would be all right but for the cursed 
 whiskey that was in them; that that was the cause of all 
 the trouble with his men. I told him that I would just step 
 down into the waist of the ship and see what I could do to 
 break up the row among them. He said: "You had better 
 not go among them," but I said: "I have no fears at all"; 
 so I stepped down to where they were wrangling. As one 
 of them saw me coming towards them he came to meet me. 
 I took him by the hand and said to him: i am sorry to see 
 you men at loggerheads this morning. But I can sympa- 
 thize with you for I have been in the same way more than 
 once myself, and I know just how you feel." Just then 
 another of them came to hear what I was saying, another 
 one went and spoke to another, and one or two went for- 
 ward, so the whole thing broke up, and there was no fight. 
 I then went forward and said: "Men, I am sorry to see 
 you in the way you are this morning, but I am thankful 
 you are not in the lock-up, but on board of your own ship." 
 I talked a little while with them, gave them some roading 
 and left them. I then went aft and said to the captain.
 
 124 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "Blessed are the peacemakers." "Well," said he, "you had 
 more courage than I have to go down among those fel- 
 lows in the condition they were in." I then left him and 
 went on board the ship Dovenby, and had a very profitable 
 conversation with Captain Steele and his wife. So ended 
 my morning's work on the ships." 
 
 Thus, Sunday by Sunday, year following year, 
 did Mr. Fletcher find his way from deck to deck 
 with his messages of "peace" and his invitations to 
 Christ to officer and sailor alike. Sincerely hum- 
 ble, yet never shrinking from duty, full of a calm 
 courage, yet never boasting of his bravery, this 
 man of God constantly went forth to serve God by 
 helping and saving lost humanity. Is there any 
 other way of serving Him? 
 
 In April of this year Mr. Fletcher was put in 
 charge of the Bethel work by the Portland Sea- 
 man's Friend Society, at its annual meeting. Since 
 the removal of Chaplain Stubbs there had been no 
 preaching in the Bethel, and Mr. Fletcher entered 
 upon that field under discouraging conditions. In 
 his usual way, however, he gave himself into God's 
 hands for guidance and help in the broader field 
 into which His providence had brought him, seek- 
 ing the "Blessed Spirit's" aid in all he did. It 
 seemed a propitious fact that this enlarged respon-
 
 BROADENING LIFE. 125 
 
 sibility came to him when he was amidst the ten- 
 der memories attending the 26th anniversary of his 
 own conversion, and the 19th anniversary of his 
 experience of perfect love. It is not strange that 
 he says, in referring to this fact, as Isaiah said so 
 long before him, "O Lord, I will praise Thee, for 
 though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is 
 turned away and thou comfortest me. Behold, 
 God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid, 
 for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; 
 He also is become my salvation." 
 
 With this evident call to the consecration of all 
 his time and powers to the work of the seamen 
 came the necessary duty of surrendering other 
 work, which, however important in itself, and how- 
 ever pleasant to him it might be, would neverthe- 
 less occupy a large portion of his time. So in the 
 early summer he surrendered his place in connec- 
 tion with the High School of the city, and, as it 
 will give the reader a clear insight into his mo- 
 tives of life and rules of conduct in all that he was 
 01 did, his reflections on the occasion are given. 
 
 Under date of July 1st, 1886, he says: 
 
 "I have resigned my positon as janitor of Park-street 
 High School, which I have held for the last seven years, to
 
 126 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 enter more fully upon the Bethel and ship work. When I 
 entered upon my school work seven years ago, I entered 
 it as the Lord's work, and looking back now I can truly say 
 it was of the Lord's appointment. I have been blessed both 
 in spiritual and temporal things. The Lord has given me 
 favor with both teachers and pupils, and also with the 
 directors. I have never had an unkind word spoken to me 
 during these seven years by any one connected with the 
 school. I always kept the Lord and His work before me, 
 and as I went in and out before them from day to day, I 
 tried to set before them the example of a godly life both 
 by my walk and conversation. O, I have enjoyed so many 
 precious prayers for my teachers and pupils. I always felt 
 it was the Lord's work I was doing, and now, as I give up 
 my stewardship to Him who gave it to me, I ask Him to 
 bless the seed that I have tried to sow in the hearts of 
 these dear teachers and children during my seven years 
 work with them. 
 
 "When I entered my school work, I received a salary of 
 fifty-five dollars a month. The second year they gave me 
 sixty, the third year seventy, and after that seventy-five 
 dollars, so I can say the Lord has greatly blessed me in the 
 labor of my hands. It seemed a great grief to the teach- 
 ers and children that I should leave them. 
 
 "I had been enabled to build me a new two-story house on 
 my lot on which I live, costing me $2,400, and is now bring- 
 ing me $36 per month rent, and have left a balance of $800 
 in my bank account up to date. I can surely say that 
 "goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my 
 life.' The Lord has brought me now to the place T have 
 been working up to, so that I could give myself entirely to 
 the work of the Bethel and the ships."
 
 BROADENING LIFE. 127 
 
 In this extract the reader will be able to see 
 some of the elements of character that made the 
 life of Mr. Fletcher such an eminently useful one 
 in the sphere in which he moved. Stability of 
 purpose, patient industry, unswerving' fidelity, de- 
 voted piety, wrought out in the life of this once 
 careless and godless sailor boy such a history of 
 good deeds and noble works as really few have ever 
 had recorded to their credit in the book of destiny. 
 Feeling the call of God within him to devote him- 
 self to the benefit of that class of men amongst 
 whom his own early life had been cast, he followed 
 the openings God's providence made with the care- 
 fulness of a hunter on the track of game, never 
 losing his purpose and never relaxing his effort un- 
 til now he sees the desire of his heart accomplished 
 and he is ready to fully enter into the call of his 
 gracious Lord. If his erstwhile companions before 
 the mast will carefully study this life and imitate it 
 in the measure of their opportunity, how many a 
 noble man will spring from the hard places of such 
 service to the high and blessed places of such 
 power for good as was his.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 
 
 "And men who work can only work for men; 
 And not to work in vain, must comprehend 
 
 Humanity, and work humanely, 
 And raise men's bodies still by raising souls 
 
 As God did first." 
 
 | "3 ELIEVED now from the burden of his 
 -*- V. school work, Mr. Fletcher was at liberty 
 to devote himself to his work in the Bethel service. 
 He had hoped that a chaplain who was a minister 
 would have arrived before he entered fully upon 
 it, but as his coming was delayed and the demand 
 was so urgent, and so many sailors seemed waiting 
 for some one to guide them in the right way, that 
 he could but enter the open door in the name 
 of the Lord. So on the evening of Sabbath, July 
 4th, he began "Gospel meetings" in the chapel of 
 the Mariner's Home. A large congregation was
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 129 
 
 present, and one sailor was converted. On the fol- 
 lowing Sabbath night another large congregation 
 met him again at the same place, and two were 
 converted to God. During the week he followed 
 this result up by visitations and prayer with the 
 sailors in their rooms, and on the following Sunday 
 evening his faithfulness was rewarded with two 
 more conversions. The same character of work 
 with the same result of weekly conversions contin- 
 ued for many weeks. It is not likely that any pop- 
 ular pulpit in Portland gathered such a harvest of 
 souls for the Master during this summer month of 
 July as did this worker among the sailors in the 
 "Mariner's Home." 
 
 On the 22d of August Mr. Fletcher records a ser- 
 vice held for him by Rev. T. L. Sails, at that time a 
 very evangelical and successful minister in the Ore- 
 gon Conference of the M. E. Church. Mr. Sails 
 had been a sailor, and reached Portland some years 
 before as such, "having no hope and without God 
 in the world." He chanced to fall into Taylor 
 Street Church one evening when revival services 
 were being conducted by its pastor, Rev. G. W. 
 Izer, and was led to seek God at its altar. It was 
 not long before he was converted, and soon after
 
 130 WILLIAM s. FLETCHER. 
 
 his natural gifts of speech and his evident consecra- 
 tion commended him to the church as called of 
 God to the Gospel ministry. He was licensed as a 
 preacher, and entering the ministry of Oregon, for 
 about ten years he fulfilled it with a fervency and 
 zeal that gave promise of far more than average 
 usfulness and success in his calling. When in the 
 culminating vigor of his work he sickened and 
 died, having vindicated his Christian character by 
 the authority of a spotless life and most heroic 
 ministerial service. Having been a sailor in his 
 youth, and being skilled in the vocabulary of the 
 seas, and with a warm, sympathetic heart, and 
 genial and bounding spirits, he was admirably 
 adapted to the work among the seamen. Many 
 thought, and among them Mr. Fletcher, that he 
 should enter that work. 
 
 His visit at this time to the Bethel was a marked 
 event. He was among his brethren of the sea. 
 He knew a sailor's heart. He understood their 
 temptations. He sympathized with their weak- 
 nesses. He pitied like the Master. And having 
 traveled the way himself, he knew well how to 
 guide a repentant sailor's soul to God. "Brother 
 Sails was perfectly at home among my sailors, and
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 131 
 
 let himself out," writes Mr. Fletcher. "He had 
 great freedom in speaking and was assisted by the 
 blessed Holy Spirit himself, which carried the 
 truth home to the hearts and consciences of all 
 these wanderers from God. We had a glorious 
 meeting. He spoke on the "Prodigal Son," of 
 which there were many present.'' 
 
 From July to about the first of September Mr. 
 Fletcher had full charge of the Bethel work in 
 Portland. At this latter date Rev. Mr. Gilpin, of 
 England, arrived as Chaplain. The period during 
 which Mr. Fletcher had charge of the work in the 
 Bethel was marked by more conversions and a 
 deeper spirituality than any other of its history. 
 During the five months, besides his three weekly 
 public services in the chapel, and his visits to and 
 care over the sailors when they were on land, he 
 made 148 visits to ships in port and conversed with 
 their officers and crews, distributed 6000 pages of 
 tracts and other reading matter. He also visited 
 a large number of families in the interests of his 
 Bethel work. Twenty-eight sailors were convert- 
 ed and he gave fourteen Bibles to those converted 
 who had none. This is a record of work and suc- 
 cess of which any pastor might well be proud.
 
 1S2 WILIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher, in his usual grateful way, gives "all 
 the praise and glory of this blessed work to the 
 Holy Spirit," who so obviously attended and sanc- 
 tified all his services. And yet the human basis of 
 it all was in Mr. Fletcher's own adaptation to the 
 work in which he was engaged. His naturally 
 broad humanness, his plain, unstudied common 
 sense, his kindly interest in every one that needed 
 help, his calm fearlessness, coupled with a real hu- 
 mility, were the constitutional personal elements 
 that adapted him to his work. Then there was an- 
 other fact, well stated by himself in his journal, 
 when accounting for the failure of a chaplain, that 
 at the same time accounted largely for his own suc- 
 cess. He says: 
 
 "It takes a man who has been to sea himself, and has 
 lived in a ship's forecastle and has gone through its trials 
 and hardships. It is only such a man who can fully enter 
 Into the sympathies of these dear men of the sea. I feel 
 thankful to God that I had spent my younger days on the 
 sea, and had such an experience that the Lord Is now enab- 
 ling me to use it to call these dear men of the sea out of 
 darkness Into His marvelous light." 
 
 In the course of his visitations to the large num- 
 ber of ships that lay in the harbor during the pres- 
 ent season, Mr. Fletcher found a large number of
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMHN. 185 
 
 Christian captains, as well as many seamen who 
 were truly devoted laborers for the Master. On 
 the 8th day of January, 1888, he records the fact 
 that Captain Lloyd, of the bark Dora Ann, 
 preached at night at the Bethel with excellent ef- 
 fect. The congregation were mostly sailors. It 
 seemed to point out to him the approach of the 
 time when "the abundance of the sea shall be con- 
 verted to God," and the very ships of commerce 
 should become flying evangels carrying to every 
 land the "glad tidings of great joy" to all people. 
 
 Not far from the Mariner's Bethel the Portland 
 corps of the Salvation Army had, at this time, its 
 barracks. Many sailors attended these meetings, 
 and many of them were converted. Mr. Fletcher 
 wrought in harmony with them, often attending 
 their services, giving them much aid in their work. 
 While he was receiving encouragement and help 
 from them, and with the broad Christian charity 
 that always distinguished him, extending to them 
 all the encouragement in his power, Chaplain Gil- 
 pin, who had charge under the Seaman's Friend 
 Society, of the Bethel work in the port, took a 
 violent stand against them. This fact greatly em- 
 barrassed the work of that society, and while Mr.
 
 134 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 Fletcher's personal influence remained unimpaired 
 among the sea-going people of the port, kept the 
 seamen away from the Bethel services. But ship 
 visitation was continued by him with equal and 
 even increased diligence and effectiveness, and 
 with no diminution of results. A few extracts from 
 his daily record will show his faithfulness in this 
 work, as it will also some of the results of the same 
 method of work in other years. 
 
 "Jan. 27, 1888. I spent the forenoon iu visiting six ships 
 at the Albina docks, and had a profitable talk with the of- 
 ficers and men, some of whom are to leave on their way to 
 their home ports today and tomorrow. May the Lord keep 
 them on their way." 
 
 "Feb. 2. Visited six ships. I met one of the men of the 
 four-masted ship Ben Dauran, who was here eight years 
 ago when we had a great revival among the ships in port. 
 He knew me as quick as he saw me, and we found that as 
 "iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the counten 
 ance of his friend." One of the men of the bark Peebles- 
 shire, who was converted at the Salvation Army meetings, 
 and left for home in his ship this evening, promised to 
 write me on his arrival there. May the Lord give him a 
 prosperous voyage, and make him abundantly useful in 
 bringing his shipmates to Christ," 
 
 "Feb. 15. Visited six ships this afternoon and held con- 
 versations with both officers and men. I had a long talk 
 with Mr. Mortimer, the first officer of the ship Cimara. He
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 135 
 
 is a good Christian man, and is much liked by his crew. 
 He was converted here in our ship meetings some eight 
 years ago, and is much interested in our Bethel work, but 
 feel that we cannot succeed in it without a change in our 
 chaplain." 
 
 "Feb. 16. This afternoon I visited two ships and had 
 one of the best times I have enjoyed in talking to the first 
 officer and carpenter of the bark Kier. They wanted me to 
 give them an account of my conversion. The Holy Spirit 
 gave me words to speak to them, and I hope and trust the 
 same Holy Spirit carried it to their hearts and consciences 
 to the saving of their souls. I have been asking the blessed 
 Holy Spirit for some time that he would teach me how to 
 perform my duty in the best possible manner among my 
 brethren of the sea. I want Him to fill me with His unc- 
 tion, to enable me to speak with power to the hearts and 
 consciences of these sailors. I can truly say that he Is 
 answering my prayer, for He is giving me more liberty in 
 speaking and praying in the last few weeks than I have 
 ever enjoyed before.' 
 
 Thus from day to clay and from month to 
 month, year after year, Mr. Fletcher went his un- 
 wearied way of good doing, and thus the sailors 
 that went out of the port of Portland over all seas 
 and to all parts of the world bore the memory of 
 this good man in their hearts, while the fruits of 
 his toil for them ripened in their lives of devotion 
 in every land. 
 
 The writer does not intimate that all this good
 
 186 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 was the entirely independent result of Mr. Fletch- 
 er's work. He had many sympathetic helpers; 
 many who loved him, prayed for him, encouraged 
 him; but he gathered into his own life the impulse 
 of their devotion and friendship and gave it out 
 again to others, enriched, enlarged, sanctified, and 
 mighty for larger good. Among those who oc- 
 cupied this situation to him was Dr. Samuel Nel- 
 son. Alike in many of their qualities, but unlike 
 in others, they were knit together in a friendship 
 and trust like that of David and Jonathan. Their 
 Christian experience was of the same type; deep, 
 steady, and well expressed in the phrase, "perfect 
 love." The writer has known few if any in all his 
 life who more nearly demonstrated a practical and 
 constant fulfillment of the Saviour's summa- 
 tion of the perfect law of God: "Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all 
 thy mind, and with all thy soul and with all thy 
 strength and thy neighbor as thyself," than in the 
 lives of these two men. Charitable, tender-hearted, 
 pure in thought and speech, gentle as sanctified wo- 
 manhood, yet stable as the strongest manhood, 
 they walked before the Lord and before the world 
 with open and uplifted countenances continually.
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 187 
 
 On the 1st day of February, 1888, Dr. Nelson 
 was translated. On the 3d his funeral was held in 
 Grace Church, of which he, as well as Mr. Fletcher 
 was a member. It would not be proper to omit, 
 in this record, the tender reference to this event, 
 and to the character of this dear friend in the jour- 
 .nal of Mr. Fletcher for that day: 
 
 "I attended to-day the funeral services of that dear old 
 saint of God, Dr. Samuel Nelson. Dr. H. K. Hines deliv- 
 ered a most affectionate and touching tribute to his mem- 
 ory. My own heart responded to every word he said of 
 him, for I knew the inner life of Dr. Nelson better than 
 any other member of the church. He was a lover of the 
 doctrine of holiness, and knew the power of its blessed ex- 
 perience as well as myself. I first met the doctor in 1865 
 at the Ames Chapel camp meeting. I formed his friendship 
 then, and as the years went by our love for each other in- 
 creased. I always found him a brother beloved in the 
 TvOrd." 
 
 They two, with a number of others connected 
 with the most practical Christian work in the city, 
 and who also enjoyed the most exalted Christian 
 experience, walked in closest personal communion 
 for many years. Often they sung what was but a 
 reflection of their constant sentiment towards each 
 other:
 
 138 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "Blest be the tie that binds 
 
 Our hearts iu Christian love; 
 The fellowship of kindred minds 
 
 Is like to that above." 
 
 In reading, the record of Mr. Fletcher's work 
 from day to day as it is given in his journal, one is 
 greatly impressed with his sustained faith and en-, 
 thusiasm in it. It lacked all the contagious inspi- 
 ration that comes out of crowded assemblies, vocal 
 with music and thrilling with eloquent discourse, 
 with all the accessories of public worship, but was 
 simply the quiet, unobserved, hand to hand strug- 
 gle of a single man, full of faith and love, with 
 other single men without either faith or love, in a 
 desperate endeavor to win these other men to the 
 "like precious faith" and the like "perfect love" 
 that filled his own heart. No braver, truer work is 
 ever done than that. The preacher in the pulpit is 
 helped and uplifted by the magnetic eye-flash of 
 approving or applauding hearers. He is in the 
 warm, comfortable shurch, shut away from the 
 storm, and shut away from the sight of human deg- 
 radations for the time, in what, both in surround- 
 ings and society, "is almost heaven." But one like 
 Mr. Fletcher threads dark alleys alone, buttons his
 
 WORK AMONG SEAMEN. 139 
 
 plain overcoat about him to break off the cold 
 blast, walks icy decks, goes down into dark fore- 
 castles, looks on human degradation in its darkest 
 deeps, grasps the filthy hand of the most fallen sin- 
 ner, listens to the bacchanalian revels of the 
 drunken and profane instead of the sweet, pure 
 voices of the church orchestra, all to save those 
 lost; all to rescue those fallen. Surely the Christ 
 must needs be incarnate again in the very purpose 
 of His first incarnation in such a man or he could 
 not and would not do such work. 
 
 During the month of March in this year, 1888, 
 he records the visiting of forty-six ships and con- 
 versing with officers and sailors, distributing relig- 
 ious literature, magazines, and current secular pa- 
 pers, and, in addition, made four visits to the hos- 
 pitals of the city, and kept up his attendance on 
 his class and prayer meetings in the church of 
 which he was a member. 
 
 It will be recalled that Mr. Fletcher was labor- 
 ing under the general direction of the "Portland 
 Seaman's Friend Society." On the second day of 
 May its annual meeting was held in the parlors of 
 Ladd&Tilton's bank, and was presided over by Mr. 
 James Steel, a prominent business man and a lead-
 
 140 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 ing member of the First Congregational Church of 
 Portland, and one of the steadfast friends of the 
 work of Mr. Fletcher among the seamen. A syn- 
 opsis of the report of work done by him during the 
 year just past will very clearly indicate its extent 
 and value. He says: 
 
 "Since my last annual report I have made 408 visits to 
 ships in port, and had many profitable conversations with 
 officers and men and apprentice boys. I have attended 
 twenty-two ship's services with our chaplain, and have 
 made thirty visits TO the hospitals and enjoyed many pre- 
 cious seasons in speaking and praying with a great number 
 of the patients in their several wards. I have written 
 many letters to the men and boys at the different ports to 
 which they sailed irom here, and have received many en- 
 couraging letters from them. I have also received a large 
 number of letters from the mothers of many of these dear 
 boys, inquiring about them. I find this is becoming a very 
 important part of my work. T have distributed thousands 
 of pages of choice reading matter on the ships, for which 
 all are very grateful. I wish especially in their behalf, 
 to thank the many kind friends who have furnished me so 
 much of this literature. I have often visited our "Seaman's 
 Home" and conversed with its inmates, and tried to ad- 
 vance the Bethel and ship work by all means in my power. 
 The officers and men and apprentice boys have always 
 treated me kindly, and much good has been apparently 
 done among them."
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 
 
 If you cannot, on the ocean, sail among the swiftest fleet, 
 Rocking on the highest billow, laughing at the storm you 
 
 meet, 
 You can stand among the sailors anchored yet within the 
 
 bay, 
 You can lend a hand to help them as they launch their 
 
 boats away." 
 
 Phillips. 
 
 IT has been observed by the reader that for some 
 time the work of the Chaplain of the Bethel 
 had not been prosperous. The incumbent had 
 high ideas of personal dignity, with a somewhat ex- 
 alted churchism, and felt that it was his place to 
 command and the sailors place to obey, even in 
 matters of religion. He could not understand that 
 Jack on shore was a freeman, and the very fact that
 
 142 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 he had been compelled to submit to a vigorous dis- 
 cipline on the ship made him the more certain to 
 assert his independence when on the land. He was 
 then on an independent cruise, and he rather de- 
 lighted in running close by the most dangerous 
 reefs, if only to show his own skill in avoiding ship- 
 wreck. He could be touched, but not by cold and 
 high-headed dignity. He did not care for a clerical 
 garb. He resented sing-song cant. Bustling rit- 
 uals meant nothing to him. He was not looking 
 for men of that ilk at all. In fact, he was not look- 
 ing for anybody. Least of all was he on the hunt 
 for a man shut up in stone walls, sitting in a high 
 pulpit, and in a solemn air waiting for some rollick- 
 ing tar to come in and bow down and say: "Most 
 Reverend Sir, won't you please condescend to tell 
 me how I may be saved?" Such a man, sitting in 
 "the dim very dim religious light" of such a 
 place is not very likely to have many "mourners ' 
 at his "bench;" certainly not many of the gallani 
 and light hearted boys of the sea. The wonder is 
 not that they do not come, but that he sits there 
 and expects them to come. The free street, the 
 wide open door, the generous invitation going 
 straight to the heart, the manly recognition of the
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 143 
 
 sailor-boy's own manhood, the tender reference to 
 his far-away mother, or the watching, waiting 
 sweetheart, anxious for her absent lover's good, and 
 praying for his safe return, these and such thoughts 
 as these will gain his ear and hold his heart. When 
 he learns to love the representative of Christ he 
 will soon love the Christ he represents. There is 
 no other avenue to the sailor's heart. 
 
 Unfortunately the Chaplain at this time in the 
 Bethel had never learned this lesson. A good man 
 undoubtedly, he was stern and inflexible. He was 
 a bit of the rock of Horeb that by some accident 
 had been dislocated and fallen upon the blood- 
 bathed, love-illumined summits of the mount of 
 the Cross and of the Transfiguration. He was the 
 everlasting thunder of the law, jarring its discords 
 of wrath amidst the heavenly symphonies of "grace 
 and truth." 
 
 Mr. Fletcher, while doing the things of the law, 
 always sang and talked and lived according to the 
 strains of the "New Song," "Peace on earth, good 
 will to men." This difference in feeling and its re- 
 sultant expression in action, brought to him much 
 trial, and, what was infinitely worse, greatly re- 
 tarded the general work of the society. The ser-
 
 144 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 vices at the Bethel under the direction of the 
 Chaplain were nearly deserted, notwithstanding the 
 work of Mr. Fletcher on ship-board and elsewhere 
 among the sailors was prosecuted with his usual 
 diligence and success. He did all he could to 
 remedy the evil by the most hearty assistance he 
 could render at the Bethel, and with some good re- 
 sults, but not so marked as he desired. By some 
 solicitation he succeeded in persuading the Chap- 
 lain to go out on the streets for a short service of 
 song before the hour for chapel services, and by 
 this means gather a larger number inside to listen 
 to the sermon which followed. Still even this 
 seemed not strong enough to overcome the evil 
 influence that paralyzed the public work at the 
 Bethel. It is no wonder that Mr. Fletcher earnest- 
 ly prayed that "'the Lord would send a change 
 soon in the Chaplaincy of the Bethel.'' 
 
 On the 12th of May he notes one of the peculiar- 
 ly sad class of incidents that are always occurring 
 in seaports. The carpenter of the bark Clynder, 
 while endeavoring to cross a railroad trestle on his 
 way to his ship, while under the influence of liquor, 
 fell from it and was killed. His name was Jacob 
 Bremner, of Hamburg, Germany. Only a few days
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 146 
 
 before Mr. Fletcher had visited the ship on his 
 Sabbath morning round, and spent a half hour in 
 talking to the men in the forecastle, and distribut- 
 ing books and papers among them. This man was 
 doubtless among those who shared the loving min- 
 istrations of this lover of men at that time. It was 
 doubtless the last call of that kind he ever listened 
 to. It is not wonderful that the one who was God's 
 messenger in uttering that call should say, "I am 
 more than ever impressed with the necessity of my 
 work among these dear men of the sea, and that 
 what I have to do for them must be done quickly. 
 This makes the seventeenth that we have laid away 
 in our new mariner's cemetery since it was opened." 
 Sad as is that last record, there is a very glad one 
 that stands against it, namely, that many times that 
 number had come to this port "dead in trespass and 
 in sins" but had sailed away again with a new spirit- 
 ual life in their hearts. While the sad hearts of the 
 friends of those who sleep in that cemetery will 
 turn towards Portland and think of their dead who 
 slumber there, many more will turn towards it and 
 think of their living who were born there unto the 
 new and incorruptible life. While the first will 
 think of Mr. Fletcher as the one whose hands
 
 146 WILLIAM S. FLETCHEK. 
 
 gently smoothed the dying pillow of wandering 
 sons or brothers or lovers, and whose care gave 
 them Christian sepulchre under the distant skies of 
 Oregon, the latter will think of him as the priest 
 ministrant at the altar of divine consecration when 
 their sons or brothers or lovers were "born into the 
 Kingdom of God." Or, they themselves, thus and 
 here born into that divine life, will turn back to it 
 in ever-recurring remembrance of the natal hour 
 and natal spot that will forever monument their 
 spiritual birth. They will sing: 
 
 'There is a spot to rne more dear 
 
 Than native vale or mountain; 
 A spot for which affection's tear 
 
 Springs grateful from its fountain." 
 'Tis not where kindred souls abound. 
 
 Though that were almost heaven; 
 But where I first my Saviour found 
 
 And felt my sins forgiven 
 
 O, blessed hour! O, hallowed spot 
 
 Where love divine first found me! 
 Wherever falls my distant lot, 
 
 My heart still lingers round thee. 
 And when from earth I rise and soar 
 
 Up to my home in heaven, 
 Down will I cast my eyes once more 
 
 Where I was first forgiven."
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 147 
 
 And to many a one that spot will be the beauti- 
 ful port of the Willamette, and the gentle pilot, 
 who led the inquiring soul into the haven of rest 
 and life will bear the name of Fletcher; and they 
 "will glorify God in him." 
 
 Early in June of this year the receipt of a letter 
 from a young man who had been a member some 
 years before of the Sabbath morning class of Mr. 
 Fletcher in Taylor Street Church, brought many 
 pleasant and grateful memories to his mind which 
 he thus records: 
 
 "I received a letter to-day from Brother E. K. Zimmer- 
 man, now of the Kansas Conference, and stationed at 
 Reamsville, Kansas. This dear brother was put into my 
 class by Rev. C. C. Stratton. our pastor, when he was con- 
 verted. It was Brother Stratton also who appointed me 
 leader of that class. While Brother Zimmerman was a 
 member of my class he received the blessings of perfect 
 love, and felt himself called to preach the gospel. So he 
 went to the theological seminary in Boston for three years. 
 After he got through Avith his studies he entered the Kan- 
 sas conference, where he has been a good and faithful 
 minister ever since. I had not heard from him for some 
 years and my heart rejoices at the good news from him 
 In looking over my old class-books from 1869 to 1880, I 
 flnd that there are now live members of that Sabbath 
 morning class preaching the gospel, and one died a few 
 months ago. The first was Brother Zimmerman, then came
 
 148 W1LLIM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 T. L. Sails, then S. O. Royal and A. J. McNamee, and later 
 E. A. Shoreland and .7. C. Teter, th* 1 last two now in Africa 
 under that dear man of God, Bishop Taylor." 
 
 This quotation from Mr. Fletcher's journal is 
 given specially to show how the small seeds of 
 grace sown in human hearts, under the silent in- 
 fluences of pious culture, spring up and bring forth 
 their great harvests of goodness over all the world. 
 In this little class-room, under the guidance of this 
 unpretentious leader, these young men were being 
 trained in the most essential culture of a successful 
 career, a deep, profound religious experience. T. 
 L. Sails, a sailor rescued from his wide-world rov- 
 ings by his conversion in Taylor Street Church, be- 
 came one of the best beloved and most successful 
 of Oregon pastors, and then went up to his rest. 
 Stanley O. Royal is at this writing among the hon- 
 ored and useful members of the Cincinnati Con- 
 ference. After some years of most devoted mis- 
 sionary toil under Bishop Taylor in Africa, E. A. 
 Shoreland stepped into the ascending chariot on 
 the banks of the Congo. J. E. Teter wrought no- 
 bly for the Master under the same great leader- 
 ship in the "Darkest Africa," when he returned to 
 another field in Florida. Not one of them but
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 149 
 
 bore some impress of the moulding spirit of Mr. 
 Fletcher into all their splendid life-work. Surely 
 "the children of the kingdom are the good seed," 
 not so much by what they say and teach, as by 
 what they are and do. 
 
 Only a month after the entry in Mr. Fletcher's 
 journal made in relation to E. A. Shoreland, he 
 chronicles the news of his death. Mr. Fletcher had 
 so much to do with the first religious life of Mr. 
 Shoreland that it appears proper to make some 
 larger reference to him, and to the noble place he 
 was filling even in his early manhood, in the work 
 of the Master. 
 
 Shoreland was an English sailor, and came to 
 Portland as such, and. like the great mass of sailors 
 who came to this port at that time, wild and reck- 
 less. He had a strong, forceful, passionate nature; 
 just such as must pour itself out either in good or 
 evil. Here he left his ship and resolved to try his 
 fortunes on the land, at least for a time. He soon 
 found employment in such work as an uneducated 
 sailor might do. His contact with men on the 
 shore in the active business of life gave a new bent 
 to his thoughts, and it was not long before his 
 mind began to grasp the ide. that there was some-
 
 ibO WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 thing better in the world for men to do than to con- 
 sume the strong forces of mind and body in dissipa- 
 tion and revel, if not in crime. His powers of ob- 
 servation were keen, and he soon came to the con- 
 clusion that the moral help and the intellectual 
 stimulus he needed to make a man of himself could 
 only be had in the associations and fellowship of the 
 church. With full consecrations he began a relig- 
 ious life. His mental ambition was born with his 
 new spiritual birth. When his soul touched saving 
 grace his mind ignited at contact with "the mind 
 of Christ." So he became "altogether" Christian. 
 Soon he was licensed as a preacher, and labored in 
 an energetic though humble way in the chapels 
 and missions in and about the city. Laboring 
 earnestly during the week at such toil as came to 
 him, on the Sabbaths and in the evenings he 
 wrought in the spiritual and intellectual quarries 
 to save souls and to gain knowledge. He suc- 
 ceeded in both. It was not long until the door of 
 the Annual Conference opened to him and he took 
 his place in the line of the approved and improving 
 young pastorate of the church. Souls everywhere 
 were his hire in the fields of his labor. His sturdy, 
 well-knit frame seemed fitted to the heaviest bur-
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 151 
 
 dens of a rugged pioneer itinerancy. The church in 
 Oregon began to count on him as one whose work 
 would pillar her future with strength and beauty. 
 
 Just at this time the work of Bishop Taylor in 
 Africa was drawing the vision of the church 
 thitherward with a strange enchantment. Shore- 
 land's was a soul to feel the contagion of Taylor's 
 enthusiasm and consecration. He was brave 
 enough to respond to it, and he entered the work 
 in that dark land with an enthusiasm and a judg- 
 ment that put him far towards the front of the 
 workers there. But on March 31, 1888, his strong 
 body succumbed to the burning grip of the African 
 fever, and at Lorando he surrendered his purified 
 soul to God and passed into the heavens. 
 
 When the intelligence of his death reached Ore- 
 gon it awakened great sympathy in the heart of the 
 church. The present writer, who was at that time 
 editor of the Pacific Christian Advocate in Port- 
 land, and who had been Mr. Shoreland's pastor in 
 the years of his early Christian life, gave the fol- 
 lowing notice of the event in his paper of July 12, 
 1888:- 
 
 "So this dear brother has given his life for Africa. He 
 gave it really when he went there, for no one can RO on
 
 152 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 such a mission ;is that without giving his life to it. The 
 whole for life or death is determined when the work is 
 undertaken. So it was with Brother Shoreland. Only a 
 few minutes before he stepped on board the cars that bore 
 him away from this city on his mission to Africa, we bade 
 him adieu. Tears were in his eyes and ours, as we looked 
 the last look of love, spoke the last word of fellowship. 
 We have borne him on our heart daily since that hour. We 
 resign that strong and consecrated manhood to death reluc- 
 tantly, if we dare say that, ana yet feeling that someway 
 his going to Africa and dying there is a part of the price of 
 Africa's redemption, and so our regrets are mingled with 
 rejoicing at his entrance into the life eternal. Sails and 
 Shoreland! How they loved each other; and how they 
 have met so soon." 
 
 Mr. Fletcher's reference to Shoreland, when he 
 received the intelligence of his death, was charac- 
 teristically tender. He says: 
 
 "I have seen by the Advocate to-day the news of the 
 death of our dear Brother Shoreland, who went out with 
 Bishop Taylor under the call of God to help redeem Africa. 
 Well do I remember when I flrst met him years ago with 
 other English sailor lads, who had left their ships on this 
 coast, wild and reckless, just as I myself used to be before 
 the grace and spirit of God found me, as it afterwards 
 found Brother Shoreland. Now he is gone to heaven to 
 meet our beloved shipmate, T. L. Sails, who has just gone 
 before him. I am still left to sow a little more seed of 
 the kingdom, and, if possible, to save a few more of these
 
 ON SHIP AND ON SHORE. 153 
 
 dear sailor lads, so they too may become like these who 
 have gone above, mighty through God in the saving of 
 their fellows. May God till me with grace and power for 
 this great work
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 "It is a great mistake to think of converting the world 
 without the help of the sailor. You might as well think of 
 melting a mountain of ice with a moonbeam, or of heating 
 an oven with snowballs; but get the sailor converted, and 
 he is off from one port to another as if you had put spurs 
 
 to lightning." 
 
 Taylor. 
 
 T \URING the summer months the ships that 
 -J ' trade with Portland are mostly on their 
 voyages out, and they do not generally begin to 
 arrive in port for cargo until autumn. Consequent- 
 ly during these months there is little "ship work" 
 unless "a wanderer" chances along. Much corres- 
 pondence was generally carried on by Mr. Fletch- 
 er at this time with captains and sailors from their 
 home ports. It was almost entirely with those 
 who owed him some special gratitude for his care 
 over them religiously when they were here, or from 
 those who by his influence had been led to Christ
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 155 
 
 and had gone away Christians, even though they 
 came condemned sinners. Not infrequently the 
 friends, as mother, sister, brother or father of some 
 poor wanderer who had been sick and perhaps 
 died here, and had been tenderly watched over by 
 Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher while living or lovingly laid 
 away to rest when dead, would send some tender 
 and pathetic acknowledgment of that care and love. 
 A brief chapter of this correspondence, selected 
 from a few of the many letters received by them at 
 different times and on various occasions, cannot 
 but be interesting and profitable to the readers of 
 these pages; as they will show the high esteem 
 in which these lovers of their race were personally 
 held by those whom they so heartily and generous- 
 ly comforted and aided when they were strangers 
 in a strange land. Besides they will give some 
 glimpses of the trying life of the sailor and of the 
 terrible moral strain that is upon him to lead him 
 away from all good and truth and virtue, against 
 which the efforts of such men and women as Mr. 
 and Mrs. Fletcher, are about the only safeguard 
 and protection. They will be introduced without 
 any special chronological order, as they are used 
 only for the ends named above. The first is from a
 
 156 WILLIAM S. FLETCHEK. 
 
 lady of Birkenhead, England, in a full, round beau- 
 tiful chirography, and is signed by "Kate Mac- 
 lean," and is as follows: 
 
 "Dear Mrs. Fletcher: My brother Hughie has told us so 
 much about you and Mr. Fletcher, that we all feel as if we 
 knew you; and we all feel so very grateful to you for all 
 the kindness you showed him during his stay in Portland, 
 Oregon. He did so enjoy being with you, and said it always 
 gave him a taste of home when he went to your house. * 
 * * * We shall always think ot you with feel- 
 ings of love and gratitude for all your goodness to Hughie." 
 
 It is suitable that this letter from the loving 
 sister should be followed by one from the sailor 
 brother over whose welfare she so tenderly 
 watched. It was also dated at Birkenhead. April 
 23, 1890; and reads as follows: 
 
 "Dear Mr. Fletcher: I suppose you have quite given up 
 all hope of ever hearing from me again. I feel quite 
 ashamed of myself for not writing you sooner, after all the 
 kindness received by me from you and Mrs. Fletcher, 
 which was so much more to me as I was in a strange place 
 and so far from home. 
 
 "I have been working on board the ship for the past fort- 
 night, so that will be in part excuse for not writing. We 
 sail tomorrow for Sydney, New South Wales, with part of 
 the cargo for Newcastle. I have often thought of the many 
 happy evenings I spent in Grace Chapel, and how homelike
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 157 
 
 it felt to get among kind people, and I feel quite sure that 
 it the congregation knew how happy they make boys feel 
 when in a strange land, and far from their friends, by their 
 shake of the hand, it would pay them ten-fold. I suppose 
 you are quite at home in your new church by this time, aud 
 I hope it pleases everybody, but if 1 ever go to Portland 
 again I think I would foel more at home by going to the 
 nice little chapel than to the new church. 
 
 "My father and sisters all wish to be kindly remembered 
 to you and Mrs. Fletcher for your kindness to me; and I 
 close with love and best wishes to you both from us all. 
 "Yours sincerely, 
 
 "HUOHIE MACLEAN." 
 
 What a beautiful glympse of real human brother- 
 hood and sisterhood is opened to the mind of the 
 reader in these two letters. The sailor-boy, swim- 
 ming over distant seas on the rolling ship; the 
 loving sister in the cottage-home following him 
 day by day over the wide main with her heart's 
 best love and her faith's most ardent prayers; the 
 true, human-hearted Christian standing on the 
 dock, half way round the world, awaiting, with 
 wide open and protecting arms, the sailor coming 
 from the seas; the little chapel out of whose doors 
 and windows streams the inviting light of the Gos- 
 pel; the congregation of loving worshipers ex- 
 tending their hands in glad greeting to the sea-
 
 158 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 worn sailor from another clime to the strong' 
 brotherhood and the loving sisterhood of the 
 church; these are all a part of the beautiful whole 
 of the scene these letters paint to the mind. Surely 
 such facts and such work go far to prove that, even 
 if humanity was all lost in Adam, it was all re- 
 gained in Christ. 
 
 A sailor-boy who has been cared for and instruct- 
 ed by Mr. Fletcher and his wife while in port is 
 now about to sail away on his long voyage. His 
 vessel had dropped down the Columbia to Astoria, 
 and just before she put to sea he wrote Mr. Fletch- 
 er the following letter: 
 
 "Dear Brother in the Lord: I thought it good to write a 
 line before we leave for home. We thank God for the visits 
 which you have paid to ns from time to time since we ar- 
 rived in Portland. It is to be hoped that we will see the 
 fruits of them some day if not now. We thank you for the 
 reading which you gave us, especially for the book of ser- 
 mons. It is singular but it is the very thing that I desired, 
 so I consider the Lord sent it. Blessed ever be His holy 
 name for His kind care of me. This is like the Lord in 
 all His dealings with me. He supplies all of my wants 
 and takes all of my cares. I did intend to visit you before I 
 left, but you see the Lord sent what I wanted. I hope that 
 your mission room will soon open. You cannot know what 
 a comfort it is to have a place to go to where we may find
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 159 
 
 Christian fellowship with those Avho love the Lord and love 
 to speak of these things. In my case you are the only one 
 I have had a word Avith since I came there, I never neglect- 
 ed to try to lead any who were around me in the ship in 
 the right, and had good hopes that all was well with some 
 of them, but having no place where I could direct thorn 
 when they might meet with what they needed to keep thorn 
 from temptation they seem all to have fallen away. I 
 think more of this as I see the need of their finding some 
 kind friend who has influence to keep them from the "run- 
 ners" and "boarding house masters." One of our men es- 
 pecially I will mention. He has a wife and little one at 
 home. He had remained firm until the last day or two. 
 when, through drink, he fell away and left. Here is a wife 
 and little one left to get their bread as best they can, as 
 the half-pay that she had stopped. I am sure if proper in- 
 fluence had been brought to bear on him the boarding- 
 masters would not have got him. 
 
 "The papers and books that you gave will be read and 
 distributed around on the ship. 
 
 Yours, in Christ, 
 
 WILLIAM BUNTING." 
 
 Member Seaman's Christian Life Boat Crew. Motto "He 
 that wiuneth souls is wise." 
 
 This letter indicates one class of perils to which 
 the sailor in port is always exposed. Mr. Fletcher 
 himself, in his early life, when on the sea had suf- 
 fered from them, and he was the better prepared 
 to guard those who came under his influence from
 
 160 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 them. There are always in every port land pirates 
 who lie in wait to make Jack their prey. False, 
 immoral, treacherous men. yea. and women too. 
 whose sole business is entrapping the unwary into 
 their dens of infamy and then robbing them of 
 whatever they may have of worth, and then casting 
 them out into the street, careless whether they live 
 or die. Many and many were the sailor-boys Mr. 
 Fletcher guided away from these haunts of death 
 these chambers of hell. He led them to the 
 church. He took them to his own home. He was 
 brother, father, protector to them. Mrs. Fletcher 
 was sister, mother, friend to them. No wonder 
 the sisters, mothers and fathers of these sailor-boys 
 all over the world love and revere the names of 
 these two angels of help to their brothers and sons 
 in Portland. The Christ himself will say unto 
 them, "inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least 
 of these, ye have done it unto Me." 
 
 Some of these letters show something of the hard 
 and harsh treatment given the sailors on board 
 some of the ships. Tn a letter bearing date at Liv- 
 erpool, from David Jones, we find the following: 
 
 "I arrived here Monday night, and we laid six days hi 
 Queenstown. The ship I came home on. (the Edward
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 161 
 
 O'Brien,) I need hardly tell you, was a very hot one; but I 
 am pleased to say that I got along better than I did in any 
 other ship. I have the chance of going back, either as 
 third mate or second boatswain, but I would not go in her 
 for $100 a month and have to beat men the way the officers 
 did. There were four men in that ship triced up by the 
 1 numbs for threatening to kill the mate. One of them had 
 a revolver in his breast at. the time he was hanging up on 
 the line; but he had no chance to use it. I suppose. 
 
 We had a very stormy passage. Two men were washed 
 overboard, but we got them again with a great deal of 
 trouble, more dead than alive. Another seaman fell from 
 the rigging while reefing the sails, and broke his leg and 
 cut his face." 
 
 This letter from David Jones was followed not 
 long after by one dated Liverpool, August 26th. 
 1889, from Mr. E. Jones, the father of David, which 
 has great interest as indicating the excellent influ- 
 ence of Mr. Fletcher over the life and destiny of 
 these sailor-boys in all respects. The letter of Mr. 
 Jones. Senior, says: 
 
 "Dear Mr. Fletcher: I now take the pleasure of writing 
 you, hoping these few lines will find you in good health. 
 David received your kind letter, Avhich I think he answered 
 the same week after receiving it. We were very pleased to 
 have him home, also to see him looking so well. We 
 scarcely knew him when he came, ho has altered so much, 
 but were pleased to see such a change in him for the better.
 
 162 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 He is settling down better than we thought he would, and 
 looks at things iu a more sensible light than he formerly 
 did. And, above all, we were pleased to see that he is a to- 
 tal abstainer. He Avas telling us he had not touched drink 
 since he left the Arethusa, and we have no fear now of his 
 falling away again. Many thanks for the kindly influence 
 you have had on him, and the interest you have taken in his 
 Avelfare. We assure you we have appreciated your kindness 
 very much, although we can return you but poor thanks 
 by letter. His mind seems settled on America, especially 
 the district you reside in. 
 
 Well, he has left us once more. He did not go back on 
 Ihe Kdward O'Brien. As there was very cruel treatment 
 on board during her passage here, we did not wish him to 
 go in her again. He sailed from Liverpool on the 12th of 
 August on the Loch Broom, for Calcutta, and intends ship- 
 ping from there to 'Frisco if he can. We hope he will soon 
 meet with a ship from there. As he seems to have his 
 mind on America, we think he would do better to settle 
 ashore. With kind regards to Mrs. Fletcher, 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 E. JONES." 
 
 One cannot read such letters without feeling 
 that it is really easy to do good. A kind, sympa- 
 thizing heart, good common sense, an earnest 
 spirit and a soul in fellowship with the soul of 
 Christ can hardly avoid doing good. It does not 
 need great professions or even great abilities, only 
 sincerity, truth and love. They were the elements
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 103 
 
 that bore the mastery in the life of Mr. Fletcher, 
 and that found for him so ready an opening into 
 the hearts of sailor-boys with whom he came into 
 contact. How many they lifted from profanity to 
 prayer, from drunkenness to devotion, from revel- 
 ry to reverence, from a life of aimless folly to a life 
 of high and holy purpose, only eternity will dis- 
 close. It is the conviction of the writer that many 
 a man who has stood in the high places of the 
 church on earth may be found far below him in the 
 preferments of the Church Triumphant. God 
 does not forget, nor the Recording Angel keep the 
 book incorrectly. If "patient continuance in well 
 doing," if constant "looking for glory and honor 
 and immortality" gives any assurance of "eternal 
 life/' or gives an advanced grade of heavenly re- 
 ward, surely he will shine among the brightest 
 "stars in the firmament forever and ever." 
 
 One other letter written by a young man of evi- 
 dently more than average intelligence, must close 
 this chapter of correspondence. It was written on 
 board the English ship "Clan McPherson," in San 
 Francisco harbor, January 11, 1891, and is as fol- 
 lows:
 
 164 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "Dear Mr. Fletcher: Just a few lines to inform you of 
 our safe arrival here, for which I humbly thank God, for 
 only He knows how near we were to death on this 
 passage. We arrived here last Wednesday after a very 
 quick but a most terrible and disastrous voyage. We 
 experienced nothing but gales of wind the whole way; in 
 fact we have never had a dry deck until the day we arrived 
 here. The worst hurricane we encountered was on Christ- 
 mas eve. Without exaggeration the sea ran mountains 
 high, and caused a tremendous amount of damage, and un- 
 fortunately some accidents, one of which nearly proved 
 fatal. This was in the case of an apprentice of the name 
 of Killam. The poor boy was knocked down by a large sea 
 and nearly drowned, so that it took us nearly two hours to 
 bring him to consciousness. He Avas horribly cut and 
 bruised about the head and on the body, so that we all 
 despaired of his life; but I am glad to say he is now recov- 
 ering. The same sea threw the ship on her beam ends and 
 the cargo shifting we remained in that dangerous predica- 
 met throughout the gale. Every wave that broke over us 
 that dreadful night threatened to swamp us, and every 
 minute we thought she would founder. We had a miserable 
 Christmas, Mr. Fletcher, as we were in the hold trimming 
 cargo all the time, with nothing for our Christmas cheer 
 but rum and biscuit, as nothing could be cooked in the 
 galley. Our two boats on the house were washed away, 
 the pigs and the pigsty, the posts along our bulwarks, and 
 everything that was movable on our decks. In fact, we 
 were a complete wreck. How grateful we are to God for 
 His goodness to us in enabling us to reach our destination, 
 I will leave you to imagine.
 
 CORRESPONDENCE. 165 
 
 -Remember me to dear Mrs. Fletcher, and tell her again 
 how grateful I am for her kindness to me while in Port- 
 land. I remain your sincerely attached young friend, 
 
 "G. J. SPINK." 
 
 What a picture of the perils of a sailor's life is 
 here presented, not in the fancy paintings of a 
 Marryatt or a Reid, but in the experience of this 
 young sailor, who had this hard wrestle with the 
 winds and the waves on this awful Christmas day. 
 Surely these "sailor-lads," as Mr. Fletcher so of- 
 ten and so tenderly calls them, deserve the kind- 
 liest treatment of those for whose comfort and 
 pleasure they "go down to the sea in ships and do 
 business in great waters." Brave? The warrior 
 before the cannon's mouth is not braver! When 
 "the sea shall give up the dead that is in it," many 
 and many will rise from their coral beds and sea- 
 weed shrouds to wear the whitest robes and bear 
 the brightest crowns in Paradise.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 WON FOR GOD. 
 
 "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shall find it 
 after many days." Bible. 
 
 OWARDS the last of August, of 1888, the 
 first vessel of the autumn merchant fleet 
 arrived in Portland, and Mr. Fletcher hastened to 
 greet its sailors with his usual messages of good. 
 The summer had been spent largely in work in the 
 mission Sunday school, and, as opportunity offered 
 in services on the street and in the Bethel. But 
 the prospects of the work in the Bethel were still 
 clouded by the unfortunate condition of its chap- 
 laincy. This, of course, was a sore trial to the pa- 
 tience and Christian forbearance of Mr. Fletcher, 
 but he bore it with courage, and labored on to 
 build up the general work, and to reach and save 
 the individual seamen. He notes that at one of 
 the Bethel prayer meetings a young sailor who had 
 just arrived in port introduced himself and inquired
 
 WON FOli GOD. 167 
 
 if he recognized him, and when informed that he 
 did not, replied, ''Well, I know you. I was here 
 eight years ago, when I was a boy, and you held 
 meetings on our ship, the "Robert Lee." At that 
 time the captain of the ship and four of the men 
 were converted, this boy among them, and he still 
 remained steadfast and gave good promise of a 
 useful life among his shipmates. Thus the bread 
 cast literally upon the waters was found again "af- 
 ter many days." 
 
 Early in September of this year the annual mer- 
 chant fleet began to arrive in port and for the three 
 following months Mr. Fletcher was kept busy in 
 visiting these vessels, and, as he had opportunity, 
 doing good of every kind to all on board. The 
 cabin-boy and the apprentice was no more over- 
 looked in these efforts than were the officers. He 
 had the foresight to understand that the cabin-boy 
 of to-day will be the master of to-morrow, and that 
 a child saved to-day meant a man or woman pre- 
 pared for the work of the Master after a time. So 
 he let no opportunity pass to impress the young 
 mind aright. And it must be said that there have 
 been very few within the scope of the writer's ac- 
 quaintance who have been as successful in this
 
 168 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 work as W. S. Fletcher. Guileless and open heart- 
 ed himself, low-voiced and tender in his speech, and 
 with a face lit up with the holy contentment and 
 satisfaction of his pure spirit, it was easy for him to 
 win the love of the young to himself, and then to 
 transfer that love over to the Master whose servant 
 and lover he was. His journal is full of references 
 to "picture cards," "lesson papers/' &c., that were 
 left in the hands of the children on board the ships, 
 on the streets and in the Bethel Sabbath-school. 
 Especially as a ship was about to put to sea he 
 would appear on its decks with bundles of papers, 
 pictures, books, magazines, for all on board. 
 Many a heart was made glad at this thoughtful- 
 ness, and one can easily imagine the pleasure and 
 profit these contributions brought to cabin and 
 forecastle alike during the weary months of the 
 long voyages to the ports of the neiher world. 
 
 In the midst of this most interesting work Mr. 
 Moody entered upon evangelistic services in Port- 
 land. Mr. Fletcher entered most heartily into 
 that work, and while he did not neglect his ship 
 work nor his general care for the sailors, he found 
 time to be present at many of the afternoon and 
 neary all of the evening services of the great evan-
 
 WON FOK GOD. 169 
 
 gelist. He was not only present, he was an active 
 worker in the cause, and not a few souls were con- 
 verted by his instrumentality during the meetings. 
 He records one conversion that occurred during 
 the meetings that, on some accounts, was worthy 
 to be recorded among the really wonderful tri- 
 umphs of divine grace that are sometimes seen in 
 the progress of the Christian religion. It was the 
 case of a man of national fame as a lawyer and 
 a statesman, who had reached the age of probably 
 fifty-five years, and whose position and influence 
 was second to those of no man on the Pacific 
 Coast, Hon. George H. Williams. Mr. Williams 
 had been a citizen of Portland for thirty-five years. 
 For many years he had been the leading legal au- 
 thority in the state, both as a judge upon the 
 bench and a practicing attorney in the courts. 
 For six years he had been United States Senator 
 from Oregon. For four years he had been Attor- 
 ney General of the United States in the cabinet of 
 General Grant. He was a member of the Joint 
 High Commission that settled the Alabama claims. 
 He was the author of some of the most important 
 and useful of the reconstruction acts under which 
 the states latelv in rebellion resumed their places in
 
 170 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 the National Union. He was nominated by Gen- 
 eral Grant for Chief Justice of the United States 
 after the death of Chief Justice Chase. Intellect- 
 ually he was the peer of the great statesmen of that 
 day of great men. But up to this time, the latter 
 part of December, 1888, he "had never bowed his 
 knee in prayer," though he was a man of high 
 moral character. 
 
 The reflections of his own mind had been bring- 
 ing him nearer and nearer to the faith of the Gos- 
 pel, and the unsatisfactory character of mere world- 
 ly success had pressed itself more and more upon 
 his heart as he had gone higher and higher in pub- 
 lic standing and worldly fame. Mr. Moody's meet- 
 ings were the occasion of bringing his mental con- 
 victions to the crisis of public action. 
 
 On the night of December 21, Mr. Williams 
 stood up publicly, before a congregation of not 
 less than 3,000 people in the "Tabernacle," and an- 
 nounced his convictions in clear and unmistakable 
 words. He recited the movements of his mind as 
 he was coming to the final conclusion intellectual- 
 ly, as well as the character of his action in finding 
 his way, from darkness to light and from the power 
 of Satan unto God;" and how, at last, that very
 
 WON FOR GOD. 171 
 
 day, in Mr. Moody 's room, when the evangelist 
 was opening to his mind the Scriptures and kneel- 
 ing with him in prayer, God sent peace into his 
 soul, and for the first time in his life he was made 
 to understand what it means to have the spirit of 
 God bear witness with his spirit that he was a child 
 of God. 
 
 The effect of the conversion of Judge Williams 
 was wonderful. His great, logical intellect, his 
 high personal character, his almost world-wide 
 fame, everything in his great history conspired to 
 make this the most notable conversion that ever 
 occurred on this coast. 
 
 In his plain, straight-forward remarks made on 
 this occasion of his public avowal of conversion to 
 the faith of Christ. Mr. Williams took occasion to 
 say that he had been brought to his present step 
 by careful study and long observation, and that it 
 was not a sudden impulse or supernatural impres- 
 sion that led him to this public action, but a sense 
 of duty and of fidelity to his profoundest convic- 
 tions. It was a giving up to God worthy of such 
 a man; and from that hour the position and action 
 of Judge Williams on all questions of Christian ser- 
 vice and life has been that of a true and humble fol-
 
 172 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 lower of the "meek Nazarene." Mr. Fletcher, who 
 was present on the occasion, speaks of it as "one 
 of thrilling interest." 
 
 It is well that we close up the record of Mr. 
 Fletcher's work for 1889, and give the beginning 
 of it for 1890, in the words of his own journal: 
 
 "Dec. 31. Mr. Moody closed up his mission here with a 
 watch night meeting at the tabernacle. It was one of great 
 power. The Tabernacle was packed from seven o'clock to 
 midnight. The most of the city pastors gave short ad- 
 dresses, and Judge Williams gave a most thrilling account 
 of his experience. Eternity alone can tell the good that has 
 been accomplished by these meetings. I have been greatly 
 profited by them. In the inquiry room I have spoken to 
 and prayed with seventeen. Some of them were back- 
 sliders, some seekers, and some doubters. As the result of 
 my speaking and praying with them five have professed to 
 be converted, and two reclaimed from back sliding, and my 
 own soul has been greatly blest. 
 
 I have written to Dr. Stitt, the secretary of the "Ameri- 
 can Seaman's Friend Society," and also visited two ships 
 to-day. In looking over my work for the year that has 
 just closed, my heart has been made sad at the little that 
 has been accomplished in our Bethel work. It has been 
 impossible to get the sailors or the longshoremen and their 
 families to attend, the Chaplain's ways are so arrogant and 
 domineering. Over two years ago we had a good congrega- 
 tion in the Bethel, both of sailors and longshoremen and 
 their families, and a good supply of faithful workers, but
 
 WON FOR GOD. 173 
 
 now they are all gone.I do feel thankful to God that my 
 way has not been hedged up in my ship work. My Heaven- 
 ly Father gives me favor with both officers and men so I 
 can do them good. That work has been greatly blest both 
 to my own soul and my brethren of the sea, and the bread 
 tli at before had been cast upon the waters has been found 
 after many days. To God be all the glory." 
 
 Although Mr. Fletcher's work received the gen- 
 eral support of the master's of the ships in which 
 he labored, yet occasionally one was found who did 
 not enter into his plans. On Sunday. December 
 6th, he refers to an incident that illustrates this. 
 He says: 
 
 "I visited one ship this morning and had a very profitable 
 conversation with Captain Vaile on my spiritual work 
 among the sailors. He is one of those men that believe 
 it is all labor lost to try to do good to sailors. I think that 
 I fully convinced him that so far as my own work is con- 
 cerned, at least, I had led some of them to Christ and to a 
 better life. I then gave him some of my own experience 
 when I went to sea and was knocking around myself, and 
 how the devil always used to keep to windward of me, 
 but when I gave my heart to God then I got windward 
 of him, and by the power of the blessed Holy Spirit I was 
 able to keep him ever after under my lee. I then went for- 
 ward and spoke to the men and boys and spent about an 
 half hour with them with much profit to them and to my- 
 self.
 
 174 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "The way of the wicked is as darkness. They 
 know not at what they stumble." This is as true 
 in regard to the opinions of wicked men as in re- 
 gard to their actions. The things of the Spirit are 
 only spiritually discerned. Blinded hearts make 
 blinded eyes. Men who themselves have not 
 learned to "walk by faith/' nor realized in what 
 mysterious ways God can work and does work in 
 saving men, reason but to error on such a theme. 
 It is not strange, nor does it necessarily imply any 
 unusual perversity, that such opinions are held and 
 expressed by such men. One like Mr. Fletcher, 
 whose own feet had been taken out of the mire and 
 the clay of wickedness, and had been put upon a 
 rock, with his goings established in righteousness 
 and true holiness, knows that grace is omnipresent 
 to save the lowest and most degraded, and so he 
 labors on rescuing the lost, lifting up the fallen, 
 turning many to righteousness who "shall shine as 
 the stars forever and ever." But for such workers 
 our whole humanity would sink to fathomless 
 depths of degradation. It is only such that go 
 down to the lower stratas of social life, on which 
 really all above depends, and raise the whole by 
 purifying and elevating the foundations. We can-
 
 WON FOR GOD. 175 
 
 not be too thankful for them, nor too grateful to 
 them. Illustrating this, on the 2Gth of February 
 he makes the record that "I had three of the sailors 
 of the ship M. E. Watson to spend the evening at 
 our house. Had also Miss Nellie Viggers with us. 
 \Ye had some good singing and spent a most pleas- 
 ant time, and closed with some refreshments that 
 wife got ready for us and a precious season of 
 prayer. The boys left for their ship, which lay at 
 the Albina dock, very much pleased with their 
 visit." 
 
 After such an evening and with the sacred home- 
 feeling that it must needs have inspired in their 
 hearts, these boys would walk safely for a while 
 amidst any temptations. Only those who never 
 tried these holy experiments of love on the hearts 
 and lives of others doubt their efficacy to save even 
 the wayward and the prodigal. It is when they are 
 out in the cold world of consuming sin, with no 
 Christly hand stretched out to their help, and no 
 welcoming home-door opening to the cheering fel- 
 lowship of home-love that these men fall such easy 
 victims to the evils that allure with the false prom- 
 ises and counterfeit seeming of that which the 
 heart so deeply craves.
 
 176 WILLIAM S. FLETCHEK. 
 
 "There lies at the bottom of each man's heart 
 A longing and love for the good and pure; 
 And if but an atom or larger part 
 
 I tell you this shall endure, endure, 
 After this world has gone to decay; 
 After the universe passes away 
 
 The longer I live and the more I see 
 
 Of the struggle of souls towards the heights above, 
 The more this truth comes home to me 
 
 That the universe rests on the shoulders of Love: 
 A love so limitless, deep and broad 
 
 That men have renamed it and called it Love. 
 
 Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 SHIT WORK. 
 
 "Ah! ruy jolly tar. hero you are in port again. God bless 
 you. See to your helm and you will see a fairer port by 
 and by. Hark! don't you hear the bells of Heaven over 
 the sea?' 1 
 
 Father Taylor. 
 
 A MONG the important services rendered by 
 -* *- Mr. Fletcher to the seamen visiting Port- 
 land was the procuring the passage of a law by the 
 legislature of Oregon to guard them from that sys- 
 tem of land-piracy known as "sailor snatching," or 
 the enticing of the sailors from vessels and harbor- 
 ing them, and then, in any way possible, making 
 merchandise of them for the profit of the pirate. 
 Its provisions were stringent, and the penalty of 
 its violation was both fine and imprisonment. 
 This was a law greatly needed, as many seamen 
 fell under the wiles of these most infamous 
 wretches, and were led to become faithless to their
 
 178 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 own honor and to the interests of those in whose 
 service they were. While he was laboring for the 
 spiritual and social uplift of these men of the sea, 
 there was no danger that so observant and 
 thoughtful a friend would fail to note the advant- 
 age of having a shield of law spread between the 
 sailor and his enemy and destroyer. Up to the 
 winter of 1888 and 1889 he had been practically 
 the prey of these spoilers. Now the despoiler him- 
 self was put under bonds to let the sailor alone. 
 The results of this enactment were exceedingly 
 beneficial, and it was obvious that the work of 
 spiritual and intellectual culture so earnestly 
 sought by Mr. Fletcher and the society whose 
 agent he was, could be much more promisingly 
 prosecuted than before. This bill, and Mr. Fletch- 
 er's agency in procuring its passage, were very 
 highly commended by the American Seaman's 
 Friend Society, through its general secretary, Rev. 
 W. C. Stitt. 
 
 The evangelist, in the crowded congregation, 
 amid the exciting accessories of music and song, 
 of prayer and appeal, or even the popular preacher 
 in the ordinary pulpit of the city, would be likely 
 to account the daily and constant plod of Mr.
 
 SHIP WORK. 179 
 
 Fletcher among the careless sailor-boys aship and 
 ashore, dull and profitless work. It was little seen, 
 not much heard of, but it is very doubtful if any 
 pastor in the city or any evangelist in the churches 
 brought, year by year, so many individual souls to 
 Christ as did Mr. Fletcher during the years we have 
 traced his history. And after all, it is these indi- 
 vidual souls that finally make up the aggregate of 
 the great power and life of the church of God. A 
 single grain of sand cannot shore a sea, but no sea 
 can be shored without the single grains of sand. 
 A single atom of granite cannot make a great 
 mountain, but no great mountain can be lifted to- 
 wards the sky without the atom of granite. One 
 converted man cannot make a great church, but no 
 great church can be made without the converted 
 man. The trumpet's blare, the cymbals clang, the 
 preacher's rhetoric, the evangelist's appeals, the 
 singer's chorus, all and each, are of themselves 
 nothing, and they often blare and clang and shout 
 into the wind for naught. But when a man like 
 Mr. Fletcher sits down beside a sailor-boy and with 
 the strong tug of his loving heart draws that sail- 
 or-boy's heart to Christ, and invites him with a 
 consciousness of his own redeemed manhood, and
 
 180 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 puts him among God's children and Christ's follow- 
 ers, something- real is done; a soul is saved from 
 death, a new power for good is loosened in the 
 world of religious dynamics. 
 
 Over and over this fact appears to us as we read 
 the story of his daily work. See: 
 
 "March 3, 1889. Visited the ship Hornsby Castle, over at 
 the Albina docks, and took a fine lot of reading to both 
 officers and men, and als invited them to come to church 
 to-morrow. I also visited the bark Gartmore, which leaves 
 for Astoria to-morrow morning at five o'clock, and bade 
 Mrs. Richey, the wife of the captain, good-bye. I also bade 
 the boys good-bye. Some of those dear boys have attended 
 church and prayer meeting with me at Grace Church 
 while here in Portland. I always like to keep the run of 
 these dear boys. 
 
 March 31. Sabbath morning I visited one ship and talked 
 with the officers and boys, and gave them reading matter 
 and invited them to church. After attending to my ship- 
 visiting I attended Dr. Dickson's class at 1 A. M. and en- 
 joyed a most precious season in prayer and testimony. 
 This was my old nine o'clock class in the years gone by. I 
 met some of my old classmates that used to meet with me 
 then. I used to have conversions in my morning class. O 
 how many of these dear sailor boys I used to gather in 
 with me in the class on Sunday morning, and persuade 
 them to give their hearts to Jesus; and I can say, to the 
 praise of God, that not a few of them went out of that 
 classroom "new creatures in Jesus Christ." Why canno*
 
 SHIP WORK. 181 
 
 such results continue if we make such efforts to secure 
 them? The Lord hasten the day when we shall see them 
 again!" 
 
 Yes; five hundred people in the great audience 
 room, an eloquent oration in the lofty pulpit, grand 
 music in the orchestra; and in an hour the pleas- 
 ing entertainment over! Down, or up, in a little 
 room, a consecrated leader, bowing with some peni- 
 tent hearts at the mercy seat, teaching some in- 
 quiring souls the straight way to God, and in an 
 hour leading them out into that light that never 
 was seen on sea or land, and yet is the Light of 
 Life! What a difference. Where is the hiding of 
 God's power? In that little room, with that little 
 band. "There is joy in heaven over one sinner 
 that repenteth." 
 
 One peculiarity of Mr. Fletcher's work, as indi- 
 cated in his daily record, was the promptness with 
 which he always attended to it. Scarcely had a 
 ship dropped her anchors in the river, or tied up to 
 her dock before he was on her deck. Careful, gen- 
 tle, never obtrusive, he was apt at hand to render 
 any good service and helpful assistance to officers 
 or men. Before the pirates of the shore had 
 reached them he had pre-empted their attention.
 
 182 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 and often won their hearts. He shows how care- 
 ful and observant he was in this regard in the fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 May 8. Visited the bark Earl Duuraveii this morning, 
 which has just arrived at the Albina docks. Had an inter- 
 esting talk with officers and men and invited them to our 
 meetings at Grace Church while they remained in port. 
 There is this peculiarity about sailors: if I can get them 
 to attend service on arrival they will attend regularly while 
 in port. They are not very particular as to what church 
 they attend, but whichever they go to first they will make 
 their church home while they remain. I got a good many 
 of them to go to Grace Church, although it is so far up 
 town, and quite away from their latitude." 
 
 Passing on May 12th, the 29th anniversary of his 
 conversion, Mr. Fletcher makes most grateful men- 
 tion of it. For nearly a generation he has lived 
 and wrought and talked for God and humanity. 
 From a careless rover of the seas he had become a 
 stable citizen of the "Land of the free and the home 
 of the brave.'' From a prodigal wasting his sub- 
 stance in riotous living he had become the owner 
 of a good home and a fair competence of the 
 wealth of the world. He had found a home in the 
 hearts of a great multitude of people that he had 
 led to Christ in the citv where he dwelt. By his
 
 SHIP WORK. 183 
 
 unwavering fidelity to duty, and his constantly im- 
 proving intellectual and spiritual capability, he had 
 secured to himself the friendship and trust of the 
 good people of all denominations. He had broken 
 the alabaster box of precious ointment over so 
 many hearts and lives that the perfume of his good 
 deeds filled all the world much more literally than 
 would be true of the vast majority of Christian 
 men. Surely he well might monument with praise 
 and song the day on whose decision all this blessed- 
 ness and all this success in life turned. Not only 
 thus, but it were but natural that he should make 
 it a day of new consecration; of a higher uplook 
 and a wider outlook for his future life. This he 
 did, and moved out into that future life with the 
 spirit and mien of a conqueror. He did this, not 
 by becoming exalted above the work he had been 
 doing, but by consecrating himself more complete- 
 ly, if possible, to it. So he says: 
 
 "Sabbath morning, May 26. Visited the bark Assaye, 
 Captain Ritchie. He is a Christian captain. I distributed 
 a choice selection of reading matter, both forward and aft, 
 and spent a most profitable time with both officers and 
 men in trying to persuade them to become sailors for 
 Jesus, and not to remain in the Devil's service any longer. 
 I find on nearly every ship more or less Christian sailors.
 
 184 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 especially this last year. Captain Ritchie, who was raised 
 a Presbyterian, told me how much he enjoyed the services 
 at Taylor Street Church, and that that is to be his church 
 while in port. I took him to the city park and from there 
 to my home for lunch, and then to visit the new High 
 School and other places, which he was greatly delighted 
 with." 
 
 Not long after the last date there occurred one 
 of those incidents that open to one's view the sad 
 vistas of so many lives. Mr. N. L , a respect- 
 ed and quite prominent resident of Salem, Oregon, 
 called on Mr. Fletcher to make inquiries concern- 
 ing his son, W. L , who had run away from 
 
 home, and the father had heard that he had gone 
 to sea on the Otterpool, from Astoria. The boy 
 was a good scholar, and the father and family had 
 denied themselves of many of even the necessaries 
 of life to educate him. He could get sixty dollars 
 per month in Salem. Loved and cherished at 
 home, educated through the self-denial of his fam- 
 ily so that he could be useful and honorable in the 
 world, he had fallen into the ruinous ways of im- 
 moral youth and men about him, and had cast all 
 his own prospects and all his family's trust and 
 hope to the winds and gone off, spurning a 
 mother's prayers and a father's benedictions. The
 
 SHIP WORK. 185 
 
 father besought Mr. Fletcher's help to find some 
 trace of his lost boy. The ship Otterpool had 
 sailed for Londonderry, and Mr. Fletcher could do 
 no more than write to the captain at his home port. 
 How many changes and chances are against the 
 future of all such young men. How few of them 
 ever "recover themselves out of the snare of the 
 devil." 
 
 On the first day of August Mr. Fletcher writes: 
 
 "Visited the ship Scottish Glens at the Albina docks and 
 had a long and profitable talk with Captain Whiteford. 
 He is an Irishman and a Roman Catholic. He asked me if 
 I did not belong to the Catholic Church. I told him I was 
 brought up in it, and then I told him some of my experi- 
 ences as a Methodist. I told him after I left my ship in 
 San Francisco how I went to the mines, and through the 
 influence of a Cornish miner, who was a Wesleyan local 
 preacher, I gave my heart to God and became a Christian 
 man. My experience, I trust, did him good. I left him in 
 a good humor, and he earnestly invited me to make him 
 another visit before he left port. He said that he always 
 read all the magazines and papers that I brought him, and 
 was very glad to get them. 
 
 "August 15. I have written a long letter to Captain 
 Morris Evans, of the ship Otterpool, to Londonderry, Ire- 
 land, in regard to the young man mentioned before. Mr. 
 
 I; desires to use my influence with Captain Evans to 
 
 have 1he young man return home as soon as possible.
 
 186 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 "September 1st, Sabbath morning. Visited the ship Cam- 
 brian Queen. Had a close conversation with Captain 
 Thomas, and invited him to Taylor Street Church to hear 
 Bishop Bowman preach; also his officers and men. Some 
 of them went with me, and more came a little later. The 
 Bishop preached a most soul-refreshing sermon from "Bles- 
 sed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the un- 
 godly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the 
 seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the 
 Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night." 
 The church was crowded, and hundreds had to be turned 
 away for want of room. 
 
 "September 2. Attended the services of the Oregon 
 Conference to-day and heard Dr. H. K. Hines give one of 
 the most impressive addresses I ever heard on the floor of 
 an annual conference, in behalf of a theological school to 
 be established in connection with the Willamette Univer- 
 sity. The conference closed after a most pleasant session. 
 May the blessed Holy Ghost go with all these dear men of 
 God and give them great efficiency and power during the 
 conference year. 
 
 "September 3. I settled up my bank account and left ou 
 deposit one thousand dollars at five per cent, per annum. 
 I have got to the place now in my financial matters that I 
 have been working ahead for for some years. My Heaven- 
 ly Father has greatly blessed me in my work and in my 
 health, so that I have been able by strict economy to lay 
 this amount by, so that, in God's good providence myself 
 nor wife should be disabled by sickness we should have this 
 to fall back upon, and not be dependent on any one. It is 
 all the Lord's, and shall be used as He shall direct."
 
 SHIP WORK. 187 
 
 This is a statement that has in it more than a 
 mere financial exhibit. This young, careless sail- 
 or, whose entire earnings while he followed the sea 
 were absorbed by the usual course of evil habits 
 and evil companionship that keep so many by sea 
 and land in destitution and almost beggary; this 
 miner still following the same improvident course, 
 had been lifted by religion out of all these habits 
 that so sadly despoiled him, and put upon a career 
 of industry and economy, and, not only so, upon 
 one of very wide usefulness, and now, just as age 
 was beginning to gray his temples had made him 
 to possess a fair competency of the good of this 
 world. It was, as he so often says, all of God 
 through the faithful service he had given his Heav- 
 enly Father. It was a vindication of God's prom- 
 ise, made of old, but made for all time, "them that 
 honor me I will honor; but they that despise me 
 shall be lightly esteemed."
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 WIDENING WORK. 
 
 "Surpassing grateful for this friendly light, 
 I baste to raise it to a flame more uright; 
 
 And lo! it grows 
 
 Beneath my fostering care until its ray 
 Illumines far and wide the treacherous way. 
 
 Nor limit knows." 
 
 La Tourette. 
 
 r I ^ HE autumn of 1889 brought a large increase 
 -* of the merchant fleet to the port of Port-- 
 land, and consequently added largely to the labors 
 and responsibility of Mr. Fletcher. With the cap- 
 tains and crews of the vessels that had been annual 
 visitors for years he had formed a pleasant and use- 
 ful acquaintance, and that acquaintance had been 
 the means of making his character and work well 
 known to many whom he had never seen, and they 
 were thus prepared to receive him with respect and 
 attention on their arrival. It is to be noted, too, 
 in the course of his journal that there were many
 
 WIDENING WORK. 189 
 
 more Christian officers and men of the vessels than 
 there had been in former years. Large numbers 
 of these had been converted in this port, and main- 
 ly under his influence and direction, and to them it 
 was a kind of home-coming, and they greeted Port- 
 land as their spiritual birth-place, and Mr. Fletcher 
 as their spiritual father. The relations between 
 himself and his spiritual children grew more and 
 more tender and confiding, and his influence over 
 them more and more helpful. His ceaseless, un- 
 wearied attention to them, the kindly hospitality 
 of his home, the soft and tender tones of his voice 
 while his eyes would glisten with the tear of sym- 
 pathy and solicitude, drew them near to him, and 
 held them with silken cords to his heart. One of 
 the most familiar sights on the streets of Portland 
 was "Father Fletcher," as he was now beginning 
 to be called, in the midst of a company of his "sail- 
 or-lads," conversing with them with animated and 
 victorious countenance, guiding them away from 
 the traps and pitfalls that were set on every side 
 for their unwary feet, and leading them towards the 
 safe harbor of the Bethel or the Church. "Jack" 
 was his love, and helping and saving him was the 
 inspiration of his life.
 
 190 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 During the month of September he visited at 
 least two ships a day, conversing with officers and 
 men, distributing reading and looking most care- 
 fully after their spiritual and temporal interests; 
 entertained many of them at his own home, intro- 
 duced them to the churches, and thus put a bright 
 spot into the life of these boys and men that would 
 be an influence for help to them ever thereafter. 
 On the 6th of September he writes: 
 
 "I visited five ships and had two of the apprentice bo.ys 
 of the Cambrian Queen spend the evening with us at our 
 home. On going to their ship my wife gave them a large 
 basket of prunes to take on board with them, so that all 
 hands might have a good 'blow out' with them. These 
 dear boys always like to come and spend an evening with 
 us at our home. They receive so little kindness either on 
 sea or shore that they greatly appreciate that that we are 
 able to extend to them while here. 
 
 "Met Captain Frazier and his wife on shore. They at- 
 tend Taylor Street Church when in this port, and the Cap- 
 tain always has services on board his ship at sea. 
 
 "On the 10th I visited four ships, and found that Mr. 
 Elliot and Mr. Dodson, first and second officers of the 
 bark 'Star of Denmark,' and four of the boys went to Tay- 
 lor Street Church Sunday night. They are Wesleyan Meth- 
 odists belonging to Belfast, Ireland, as does their ship. 
 
 "October 10th. I had two of the bark Nagpore boys, 
 three of the bark British Army boys, and Mr. Gunn, the
 
 WIDENING WORK. 191 
 
 carpenter, to spend the evening with us at our home. Af- 
 ter some time spent in singing and conversation, wife got 
 the boys some nice refreshments, which they greatly en- 
 joyed, after which I read a chapter of Scripture and we 
 had a season of prayer, and about ten o'clock the boys left 
 for their ships, highly pleased with their visit, and promis- 
 ing to come again before they sailed for home. I receive 
 many letters from the parents of these boys thanking us 
 for our kindness to them. It makes us happy to be thus 
 remembered by those we have tried to 'serve in the Lord.' 
 
 "October 30, Sabbath. I visited the ship Kooringa and 
 had a profitable conversation with the boys and men. I 
 had thirteen of them with me at church at one night ser- 
 vice. I was greatly put out with our pastor. I had asked 
 him several times to remember my 'sailor-boys,' as well 
 ns my brethren of the sea in his public prayers, but he, 
 like thousands of others, seems to think that poor Jack 
 may look out for himself. There is no class of men that 
 deserves more sympathy and help from the church than 
 sailors, and none that are more bold and steadfast in con- 
 fessing Jesus than they. Once get 'Jack' converted and ho 
 will stand right up and show his colors in any port. 
 
 "November 2. We buried to-day James Henderson, aged 
 40 years, of London, England. He leaves a wife and two 
 children. He was carpenter of the ship Herniione. He 
 died while I had hold of his hand talking with him. I 
 hope the dear man was saved. 
 
 "October 13. I had a long talk with some of the boys 
 and men of the ship 'General Filton,' which was burned off 
 Cape Horn with a cargo of coal on board, bound for the 
 west coast. The crew had a very narrow escape, for, just
 
 192 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 as the fire Avas breaking through the hatches, the ship 
 'Glen McPherson' hove in sight, and took all hands off. 
 When the last boat left the burning ship she was one sheet 
 of flanie. The 'Glen McPherson' brought all the officers and 
 crew to Portland. There were twenty-two of them on 
 board. , !SSlf! 
 
 "November 17. Sabbath morning I visited the bark Glen- 
 effice, left reading matter and invited the boys to church. 
 Visited the hospital in the afternoon, and read for Brother 
 Hoe the experience of Bishop Foss in his sickness, some 
 years ago. I also read lor him the 14th chapter of John 
 and had a precious season of prayer with him. We had a 
 large turnout of the sailor-boys at the services at Grace 
 Church at night. It was a good day for my soul. Praise 
 the Lord! 
 
 "November 28, Thanksgiving Day. It has been a very 
 happy day to me. I was able to get 2G of my young sailor 
 lads to attend the dinner at the Y. M. C. A. rooms. They 
 compared very favorably with any other 26 lads that were 
 there. They were well behaved and did credit to them- 
 selves. 
 
 "December 1st. Visited the ship Eskdale, Captain Mur- 
 dock. He was here six years ago in the Eskdale. as was 
 also his second officer, who was then an apprentice in her. 
 I had a long talk with the officers and men, and invited 
 them to Grace Church for the night service. We had two 
 from the 'Clan McPherson,' two from the 'Ben Nevis,' four 
 from the 'General Gordon,' and two from the 'Crown of 
 England.' I am thankful to God for the favor He gives me 
 with these dear boys. 
 
 "December 4. Visited four ships, and met with one of
 
 WIDENING WORK. 193 
 
 the apprentice boys who was here in the bark Archer six 
 years ago. He is now second mate of the ship Clemioue. 
 He is a fine young fellow, and above all he is a lover of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the reason he has forged 
 ahead so, and I would not wonder to see him master of 
 some fine ship in a short time. 
 
 "December G. Visited 8 ships and bid the boys of the 
 ship 'Crown of England' good-bye, as they are going away 
 in the morning for England. Myself and wife have enjoyed 
 many precious visits from these dear boys during their stay 
 in port. One young lad is the son of an Episcopal Bishop 
 of Cloyne, Ireland. I know well where it is. He told me 
 that three years ago he was in Nenagh, within two miles of 
 where I was born, and we talked of many places I used to 
 see when I was a little barefoot boy before I ran away 
 from home to go to sea. How thankful I am to God that 
 His kind providence has been over me, and that now, in 
 my declining years He has placed me here to look after 
 these dear boys and keep them from falling into the hands 
 of wicked men while in port. Another one of the boys is 
 the son of Rev. Mr. Morris, an Episcopal minister at Mil- 
 ford Haven, Pembrokeshire, and I am to write to his fath- 
 er about his far away boy." 
 
 In this way Mr. Fletcher closed up the year 
 1889. His work among the seamen had never 
 been more blest, and he was realizing more and 
 more the results of his earlier and more difficult 
 labors among them. Much of the seed that he 
 had so industriously and prayerfully cast into the
 
 194 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 hearts of his "dear lads of the sea," years ago had 
 sprung up and grown into a ripened harvest, and he 
 was permitted to see it "after many days." The 
 increase of the number of Christian officers and 
 sailors visiting the port was very gratifying to him, 
 and the more especially as he was enabled to con- 
 nect so many of them with his own efforts in bring- 
 ing them to Christ. Connected with this was the 
 completion of an enterprise in which his heart had 
 been deeply interested and to which he had contri- 
 buted to the amount of several hundred dollars in 
 money, namely, the completion and dedication of 
 Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, in the city of 
 Portland. His record of the services on the oc- 
 casion shows how intensely he rejoiced, especially 
 under the influence of the sermon of Rev. G. W. 
 Izer, D. D., in the evening of the day. No doubt 
 a large part of his joy arose from the fact that 
 Grace Church, while in their small chapel, had been 
 very hospitable to his "sailor-boys," welcoming 
 them most pleasantly to the church services, as 
 well for the love all the churches bore to "Fathei 
 Fletcher," as for the good they could do to sailors 
 themselves. This interest always continued, even 
 after the society was housed in its new and beauti-
 
 WIDENING WORK. 195 
 
 ful house. "Jack" was always welcome to this 
 beautiful church home. Illustrating the results of 
 his work in this regard, we quote from his journal 
 of February 9, 1890: 
 
 ''Sabbath morning I visited the ship Patterdnle ami spent 
 a pleasant hour with Captain Tuphain and his officers and 
 uieu and boys. The captain and some of his boys came 
 with me to Grace Church, and also Captain Steel and his 
 wife and two children, of the bark Lorton, with some of his 
 boys; and at night we had Captain Tupham and eight or 
 ten from other ships. I praise the blessed Holy Spirit who 
 gives me so much favor in the eyes of these, my shipmates 
 and brethren of the sea. 
 
 February 12th. I got Captain Tupham to come with me 
 to prayer meeting at Grace Church, and he enjoyed it very 
 much, and gave us a good exhortation. He is a good 
 Christian man and holds services every Sabbath on his 
 ship at sea, when the weather permits." 
 
 About this time a change was made in the chap- 
 laincy of the Seaman's Bethel, Chaplain Gilpin be- 
 ing relieved and ordered back to England. His 
 personal peculiarities had greatly retarded the 
 Bethel work since his appointment, and, in fact, the 
 success of Mr. Fletcher in his ship work and among 
 the longshoremen was all that prevented a com- 
 plete failure of the work for seamen in the port of 
 Portland for all the time that Mr. Gilpin had oc-
 
 19G WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 cupied the post of chaplain. Even Mr. Fletcher's 
 work was not nearly as successful as it would have 
 been had such a chaplain occupied the Bethel as 
 would have secured the confidence of the seamen 
 and the respect of the general public. As it was he 
 had to overcome the prejudice the men and officers 
 felt against the chaplain before he could greatly 
 influence them for good. A man of less excellent 
 character and less tender and sympathizing nature 
 than Mr. Fletcher would have failed utterly where 
 he succeeded in accomplishing so much. The 
 method and spirit of his work are shown in the fol- 
 lowing extracts from his annual report to the Sea- 
 man's Bethel Society, rendered in May, 1890: 
 
 "The year has been oiie of much profit, I trust, iu my 
 work. Not having any preaching in our old Bethel or on 
 shipboard by Chaplain Gilpiu, I have been enabled to get 
 quite a large number of the officers and apprentice boys to 
 attend services in the different churches. The reason so 
 few sailors from the forecastle are found in our church 
 services is their want of suitable clothing. They Avill not 
 attend the church services in their shirt sleeves, yet that 
 would not hinder them from attending the Bethel, as they 
 look upon that as their own church. 1 have made 574 
 visits to the ships and supplied every ship with a choice 
 package of reading matter, as well as held conversations 
 with many of the officers, sailors and apprentice boys. I
 
 WIDENING WORK. 197 
 
 have made 67 visits to the hospitals, and attended three 
 funerals of seamen. Twenty-seven apprentice boys ami 
 some officers attended with me the Thanksgiving dinner 
 given by the Y. M. C. A., at their hall. * * * I have had 
 four visits from Captains and eleven from officers and 
 forty-one from the apprentice boys at my home to spend 
 social evenings with us; my wife always providing re- 
 freshments for them, and we always ending by reading a 
 portion of Scripture and prayer, by which I try to benefit 
 the dear boys that come here in ships. I also keep up a 
 correspondence with many of the officers and boys, and re- 
 ceive many grateful letters from them, which greatly en- 
 courage me in my work. I return thanks to the many 
 Christian families in Portland for the abundant supply of 
 excellent reading matter they have given me for my sea- 
 man's work. * * * * By the opening of our new Bethel with 
 a new and efficient chaplain, I look forward to the building 
 up of a large society in the north end of our city. I am 
 thankful to God for the favor He has given me with the 
 officers, seamen and apprentice boys while visiting their 
 ships." 
 
 This brief summary of the work done by him 
 during the year exhibits only that part of the work 
 that can be counted in numbers. But the greatest 
 good of all his work was in that department that 
 cannot be seen nor counted, in the souls saved and 
 the lives uplifted by his instrumentality. 
 
 "This will survive the empire of decay, 
 When cold in dust his buried heart will lay."
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 
 
 "Prayer is the tide for which the vessels wait 
 
 Ere they come to Port, and if it be 
 The tide is low, then how canst thou expect 
 
 The treasure ship to see?" 
 
 IN the early part of 1891 a new chaplain, Rev. 
 Richard Hayes, a Presbyterian minister from 
 Fort Wayne, Indiana, arrived to take charge of the 
 Bethel work in Portland, in connection with the 
 Bethany Mission of that church in the north end 
 of the city. This was a matter of great satisfac- 
 tion to Mr. Fletcher. For a long time, not only had 
 nothing been accomplished in the immediate work 
 of the Bethel, but its influence had been detrimen- 
 tal to the missionary work of Mr. Fletcher. Mr. 
 Hayes had had no experience in seaman's work, 
 but he was a man of good abilities, and a sincere 
 and devoted Christian, and of a kind and gentle 
 spirit, and was well adapted to the work to which
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 199 
 
 he had been assigned. Mr. Fletcher entered hear- 
 tily into his plans, gave him all the assistance in his 
 power in every way, and thus enabled him to reach 
 the sailors fore and aft readily and efficiently. He 
 made a most excellent impression on the mind of 
 Mr. Fletcher as a man, a minister, and as to his 
 adaptation to the seaman's work. He says of Mr. 
 Hayes: "He makes a fine chaplain, both officers 
 and sailors taking kindly to him.'' Indeed, Mr. 
 Fletcher, in recording a visit of Chaplain Hayes 
 and his wife at his own home, says that "the chap- 
 lain and his wife and daughter, seventeen years of 
 age, are well adapted to the Bethel work. I think 
 he is the best preacher, and the most spiritual one 
 in the city, and the Lord is greatly blessing his 
 work at the 'north end.' ' 
 
 Within a few weeks after the chaplain's arrival a 
 "ten day's meeting was held at the Bethel. At the 
 first service, of which there was a large attendance, 
 and several arose for prayers. The meeting result- 
 ed in a very marked revival, not far from forty be- 
 ing converted, and the entire Bethel work being 
 greatly strengthened. Mr. Fletcher records the 
 conversion of one "fine young Irishman, who was 
 educated a Catholic priest." Mr. Fletcher's own
 
 200 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 deliverance from Catholicism disposed him always 
 to the most kindly efforts for the deliverance of 
 others, and he greatly rejoiced when one was 
 brought into the conscious "freedom of the sons of 
 God." 
 
 Mr. Fletcher's records of ship visitation during 
 the autumn of 1891 show most clearly how very 
 deeply the minds and hearts of his beloved "sailor- 
 boys" had been affected by his work and that of the 
 new chaplain of the Bethel. Some of these records 
 should be given: 
 
 "October 14. We had a most blessed time last night at 
 our prayer meeting at the Bethel. All the boys of the 
 crew of the ship Silver Stream, and five of them go 
 home in her as Christian men, and four others asked 
 our prayers. Visited the bark Cumbrian, Captain Lorton. 
 Found him to be a Christian man. We had nine of his 
 crew and five of Blythwood's crew at our Bethel service at 
 night. 
 
 "November 1st. This has been one of our best Sabbaths 
 at the Bethel. We had fine congregations both morning 
 and evening. We had three captains and a good many of 
 our sailors in attendance. Our chaplain ahvays gives an 
 invitation to all who want to seek salvation to manifest it 
 by rising to their feet at the close of our services. Four 
 young men arose for prayers, and in our after-meeting 
 came forward to the altar and three of them gave their
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 201 
 
 hearts to Jesus, and the other one I hope is not far from 
 the kingdom. 
 
 "Fourth. Visited the four masted ship Principality. Cap 
 tain Jones, and met one of my boys that was here two 
 years ago in the ship Euersdale, as an apprentice. He is 
 now second mate of this tine ship. I am so glad to see so 
 many of my dear boys 'forging ahead,' and looking to be- 
 come masters. May the Lord bless them." 
 
 The influences of the life and example of Mr. 
 Fletcher upon the ambition of these young sailor 
 boys, and the constant and affectionate attention 
 that he and his wife gave them while in port, assid- 
 uously endeavoring to lead them to an earnest 
 Christian life, accounts largely for the splendid pro- 
 gress so many of them made in their profession. 
 Those of them who became Christians at once 
 gained a standing with those who employed them, 
 and if they had the intelligence for higher service 
 they were sure soon to rise to it. A sailor is not 
 necessarily able to take command of a ship because 
 he is a Christian; but a Christian young sailor is 
 far more likely to soon become able to do so than 
 one who is not. He is more studious and steady, 
 has a sense of duty that the other has not, wins the 
 confidence of his employers by his trustworthiness, 
 and soon finds himself well up towards the respon-
 
 202 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 sibility and opportunity of command, while the 
 others grope and tug before the mast from year to 
 year until all aspiration dies out of the heart, and 
 they give up the struggle of life to what they call 
 "fate," but which is really only folly. The one 
 thing that made the uneducated and careless sailor 
 boy, "Bill Fletcher," the esteemed and honored 
 citizen, the earnest and successful "seaman's mis- 
 sionary'' for more than forty years in one of the 
 great ports of America, made many of these "cab- 
 in boys" and "forecastle lads" officers and comman- 
 ders of great ships, and that one thing was Relig- 
 ion ; the love of Christ and the service of God. 
 
 "November 29. This has been another good day in our 
 Bethel services. At the night service we had a large con- 
 gregation, and at the after-meeting six came to the altar 
 for prayers, four of whom were my sailor-boys. Three of 
 them gave their hearts to Jesus, and have taken Him as the 
 great 'Captain of their Salvation,' for the remainder of 
 their voyage of life. I told them that with Christ in the 
 vessel they could smile at the storm. 
 
 "January 3, 1892. Sabbath morning. Visited the ship 
 Kirkciidbrightshire, Captain Furdy. He has his wife and 
 child on board with him. I left them i-eading and picture 
 cards, and invited them to our services, then went forward 
 and spoke to the men and had a good time with them, and 
 got several of them to go to the services with me. As this
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 203 
 
 is the week of prayer we will hold services every night. 
 We had one of the best congregations to-night that I have 
 ever seen at our Bethel. Fully forty of our sailors were 
 with us in our after-meeting. Twenty came to the altar 
 for prayer, among whom were ten of our sailors. How my 
 heart leaped for joy as 1 bowed with them in prayer to 
 (Jod. and before the meeting closed to hear from their own 
 lips that Jesus had pardoned their sins and they had taken 
 Him as their companion and friend for the remainder of 
 the vovage of life." 
 
 This character of work continued steadily day 
 after day, week after week, and month after month; 
 illustrating the peculiar tenacity and fixedness of 
 the character of Mr. Fletcher. "His heart was 
 fixed, trusting in the Lord." Whether others were 
 faithful or faithless, earnest or negligent, he never 
 faltered nor turned back. His heart was ever go- 
 ing forth in quest of his oft-mentioned "brethren 
 of the sea." and his steps were never so light as 
 when he was piloting them to the house of the 
 Lord, or guiding them to a resting place in the 
 shadow of the sanctuary of God. 
 
 In July, 1892, he was granted, in the kind provi- 
 dence of God. an unspeakable satisfaction in meet- 
 ing the devoted Christian woman, who, thirty-two 
 years before, was the instrument of guiding his dark
 
 204 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 and ignorant soul to the Saviour in the wild moun- 
 tains of California, and whom he had not seen for 
 nearly thirty years, Mrs. Renny, whose name the 
 reader will recollect in the early part of this narra- 
 tive. Herself and husband, passing through the 
 city, took pains to seek out their old mining friend, 
 and for a few hours there was such an interchange 
 of heart as does not often come in the lives of wan- 
 dering mortals. Old hours were new again; old 
 but not forgotten loves were rekindled, old songs 
 were sung, and with a newer, sweeter life, both 
 went on their way to the final reunion where there 
 will be no separation. It will come at last. 
 
 "There union shall be sweet, 
 At the dear Redeemer's feet, 
 When they meet to part no rnpre, 
 Who have loved." 
 
 The closing up of this year in the work of the 
 Bethel with which Mr. Fletcher's ship work was so 
 closely identified, showed it to have been a year of 
 signal prosperity. The annual meeting of the 
 Bethel Society occurred in March, and the reports 
 of Chaplain Hayes and Missionary Fletcher showed 
 that more than 1200 seamen had attended the ser- 
 vices, and over 100 sailors had been converted in the
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 205 
 
 meetings. The reports throughout were of the 
 most encouraging character. Mr. Hayes makes 
 special mention of the labors of Mr. Fletcher, "who 
 has performed his duties, not of labor, but of love, 
 faithfully and well." It had been a very happy 
 year to Mr. Fletcher. The change in the chap- 
 laincy had brought spirituality and life, where there 
 had been formality and death. It was no longer 
 necessary for him to try to get his "sailor-lads" 
 from the forecastle to the cushioned pew of the 
 fine church among a fashionable congregation in 
 order to bring them under the influence of a gospel 
 that would save. They were far more ready to go 
 to their own church, the Bethel, where they felt 
 much more at home, and where, during the past 
 year, they were sure to have a pure gospel interest- 
 ingly and lovingly preached, and where a warm- 
 hearted chaplain was as ready to speak the kindly- 
 word to "Jack" in his shirt-sleeves as he was to ad- 
 dress the "gentleman" in broadcloth, and where 
 such kind-faced saints as "Father and Grandma 
 Fletcher" were ever ready to give him the help and 
 hope that only true love can give another. At 
 these Bethel services he reaped the results of his 
 sowing of the seeds on the decks of the ships among
 
 20(i WILLIAM S. FLETCHEK. 
 
 "the sailor-lads," and gathered many a sheaf into 
 Christ's garner, the seed for whose growth had 
 been sown in some kind word spoken, some leaflet 
 put in the hand, some smile written on the sailor - 
 boy's heart in the forecastle. His work was helped 
 now, not hindered, by the spirit and work of the 
 chaplain and his family. It was all a joy and de- 
 light, and Mr. Fletcher's heart was filled with grat- 
 itude and his life with praise. 
 
 Sufficient time had now elapsed since Mr. 
 Fletcher began his work among the young seamen 
 and apprentice boys on the ships visiting Portland 
 for him to begin to see the splendid results of that 
 work. Some, of whom we have spoken in our ear- 
 lier pages as being led by him to the services of the 
 church and the Bethel and there yielding their 
 young heart's to God, are now reappearing in posi- 
 tions of trust and confidence, still steadfast in their 
 Christian faith and abounding in the work of the 
 Lord. Some reference to some of them, indicating 
 the mutual affection existing between them, may 
 profitably be made. Thus he speaks: 
 
 "August 4th. I have written a long letter to Hughie 
 McLean, one of nay sailor boys who is now in San Fran- 
 cisco, in his old ship, City of Madras, as her second officer.
 
 BETHEL WORK REVIVING. 207 
 
 Hughie is a tiue Christian boy of a good family in Eng- 
 land. I expect to see him captain of some large ship yet. 
 How I love to see these dear boys forging ahead. I have 
 seen many of them come here in their ships wicked and 
 godless, and after being with us a few weeks go home in 
 their ships Christian boys. I trust, by my humble efforts in 
 leading them to Christ while here in port. 
 
 "September 24. Sabbath morning. Visited the ship City 
 of York, Captain Jones. He is a new captain. She was here 
 on her last voyage and three of our Christian boys are yet 
 on her. I was glad to find them still faithful to Jesus as 
 their Captain, and they were glad to be at our services 
 again. At one night service Mr. Francis Millman. third 
 mate of the ship Vandurara. united with us and will take a 
 letter from us home. We also had another of the boys of 
 the bark Forfarshire converted at our night service. This 
 makes five of her boys that have been converted since she 
 came to Portland this time. This has been the best voy- 
 age these boys have ever made, and they will never forget 
 Portland as their spiritual birthplace." 
 
 During the remainder of the year 1893, about 
 three months, Mr. Fletcher was very actively en- 
 gaged in visiting ships, distributing reading mat- 
 ter among the sailors, inviting officers and men to 
 the services at the Bethel, and in every way helping 
 forward the "men of the sea" in the good life. He 
 made not less than a hundred visits to ships, and 
 records the conversion of a large number of sailor-
 
 208 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 boys. The year closed most prosperously for the 
 Bethel work. The year went out on a Sabbath, 
 and Mr. Fletcher makes this record of its closing 
 day: 
 
 "Sabbath morning. Visited the bark Arnubree, Captain 
 Steel. I had a good visit with the captain. He visited this 
 port on his last voyage. He has new officers with him this 
 time, and only two of his old boys are with him on board. 
 The morning being stormy, we only had a small turnout at 
 our service, but at night we had a full house, with a large 
 number of our officers and seamen. Our chaplain preached 
 a good, strong sermon from Isaiah i, 18: "Come now, and 
 let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins 
 be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they 
 be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' At the close at 
 least thirty arose for prayers, and eternity alone can re- 
 veal the good that was done. The year is closing up well 
 with us in our Bethel work. I praise God for the favor He 
 has given us with our brethren of the sea."
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 SOWING AND REAPING. 
 
 "We must be here to work. 
 
 And men who work can only work for men, 
 
 And, not to work in vain, must comprehend 
 
 Humanity, and so, work humanly. 
 
 And raise men's bodies still by raising souls. 
 
 As God did, first." 
 
 Mrs. Browning. 
 
 "^ HE whole course of this narrative illustrates 
 how clearly Mr. Fletcher comprehended 
 the motives and purposes of the average man, and 
 how skillfully he was able to appeal to him for his 
 good. He worked humanly and yet with a divine 
 intent. Always watching for an opportunity to 
 do more good, he was never obtrusive in his ap- 
 proaches. When on shipboard he never, in the 
 slightest degree, interfered with the men when 
 they were employed. The officers soon learned 
 that not only did his presence not interfere with 
 the attention that the sailors were expected to give
 
 210 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 to their duties, but that his example of precision 
 and care was a real benefit to them. Many officers 
 who paid little or no attention personally to his 
 teaching soon learned to welcome his coming 
 among the sailors because they were the more at- 
 tentive and tractable for his presence. This was 
 the highest possible testimony to his worth, as, in 
 fact, it was to the things he taught. His own life, 
 through the very reaction of his faith on himself, 
 was rounding constantly into a more complete and 
 symmetrical fulness, and all men "took knowledge 
 of him that he had been with Jesus." He did not 
 depend on his own eloquence of speech, nor on any 
 power of personal appeal, nor yet on any worldly 
 influence that he could command to dispose men to 
 enter a new life, but he tried simply to introduce 
 them to Christ, and then trusted to the power of 
 the Divine Spirit to make his instrumentality sav- 
 ingly effective in their salvation. His success in 
 his simple methods was often marvelous, so that he 
 was really a divinely accredited evangelist without 
 any of the professional evangelist's conceit and pre- 
 tense. He wrote his name not so much on the 
 pages of the public prints as on the living hearts 
 of the men he so earnestly and lovingly sought to
 
 SOWING AND TIKAPIMJ. 211 
 
 bring to Christ. He could not but be conscious 
 of his influence over the men of the sea, but it did 
 not exalt him, though it kindled the deepest grat- 
 itude in his heart. As the years wore on, and the 
 number of those converted by his instrumentality 
 multiplied, his home in Portland became more and 
 more a Mecca to sailors, officers and masters of 
 ships from all over the seas, and in it Mr. Fletcher 
 and his wife dispensed to them all a simple, charm- 
 ing hospitality, that was always sancitfied by the 
 presence and Spirit of Him who stilled the waves 
 and hushed the storms of Gallilee, and they looked 
 with an ever increasing affection on the man who 
 had led them to the peace which His presence im- 
 parts. Masters of ships, whom, as wild, wayward 
 sailor boys, he had led to Christ, and then watched 
 over tenderly while in port, following them with 
 letters after they had gone away over the seas filled 
 with counsel and encouragement, came back again 
 to crown his aging brow with the garlands of their 
 gratitude and bless his ever-young heart with their 
 benedictions. 
 
 Tn the report of the work of the Bethel for 1894 
 occurs this significant sentence: "The number of 
 vessels in port has not been as large this year as
 
 212 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 last, but one hundred and five have professed faith 
 in Jesus, and trust in Him above for salvation. It 
 has not been an unusual thing to see captain and 
 officers of the same ship making profession of their 
 faith and to hear their voices in prayer as they met 
 with us in the house of the God." While we do 
 not claim all this as the result of Mr. Fletcher's la- 
 bors alone, still for many years he had been the 
 moral centre around which this great work had 
 gathered, and without him it could not have been. 
 
 Early in the autumn of this year the health of 
 Mrs. Fletcher began to fail under the influence of 
 advancing years, and she was compelled to spend 
 several weeks in the hospital under the care of 
 trained nurses and skillful physicians. His care of 
 her and attention to all her wants was marked by 
 especial tenderness, and, added to the unrelaxed 
 calls of his work among his sailor-boys, pressed his 
 vigorous body and busy mind to their utmost. 
 Yet no duty was neglected and no call of affection 
 unheeded. His strength was as his day, and re- 
 joicingly he bore his burdens of duty and love on- 
 ward by the ever-present help of Him who helpeth 
 man. 
 
 Among the many plans for the happiness and im-
 
 SOWING AND REAPING. 213 
 
 provement of his "sailor-boys," in which Mr. 
 Fletcher took a deep interest was the opening of a 
 "Reading Room" in the Mariner's Home. About 
 the close of November, 1894, it was completed, 
 well furnished with books and periodicals, and 
 ready to be dedicated to its intended use. A large 
 gathering of the pastors and members of the vari- 
 ous churches of the city was in attendance, togeth- 
 er with many officers and sailors from the ships in 
 port, and with speeches and songs and good cheer 
 it was set apart to its beneficent work. This was a 
 very pleasant and helpful resort for seamen, taking 
 them away from those places for drinking and gam- 
 bling which always abound in seaport towns, and 
 surrounding them with a refining Christian in- 
 fluence and a pure religious life. 
 
 The annual merchant fleet that reached Portland 
 this fall was so large, and Mr. Fletcher's visits to 
 them so numerous that it is impossible to give 
 more than an occasional reference to them. On 
 the 27th of January, 1895, he writes: 
 
 "Visited the ship Carnarvon Bay. I met her owner, who 
 is here on a visit. He is a Welshman, and owns several 
 ships, and is here looking after their interests. He is a 
 j;ood Christian man, and told me he had just discharged
 
 214 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 the captain of this ship for drunkenness, and sent him 
 home. He wanted me to look after his hoys for him while 
 they were in port. At our night service in the Bethel we 
 had over sixty officers and seamen present. I gave them a 
 fifteen minutes exhortation. The blessed Holy Spirit great- 
 ly helped me in urging upon them His service. 
 
 "February 20th. Visited six ships at the Albina docks 
 and met some of the boys that were here three years ago. 
 Some of them were converted while here then, and they are 
 still faithful to Jesus as the Captain of their salvation. 
 Out of all the young men and boys that have been con- 
 verted while here in Portland with us, I have not found 
 one that has backslidden; all have been faithful, and some 
 of them have done good work in the saving of their ship- 
 mates on the way home from here. It is a great comfort 
 to me to know that my humble labor for them has not been 
 in vain. So I thank God and take courage." 
 
 In this connection it is proper to notice the re- 
 port of the Rev. W. O. Forbes, who had taken the 
 place of the former successful chaplain. Rev. Mr. 
 Hayes, in which he speaks very approvingly of the 
 work of Mr. Fletcher, relating especially to the in- 
 fluence of the Reading Rooms which had come to 
 be called the Seaman's Institute. He says: 
 
 "That the work has been appreciated may be seen not 
 only from the attendance, but from the numerous letters 
 that have been received from seamen after leaving. Here 
 are a few of these testimonials: A chief officer says: 'I am 
 only sorry I did not go to the institute sooner. It seems
 
 SOWING AM) UK APING. 213 
 
 now more like leaving home than going home. B sure 
 the next time I come to Portland che first place I make for 
 will be the mission.' An apprentice writes: 'I have never 
 been in a port where the boys have been so well cared for 
 as in Portland. You have the best place of the kind I have 
 ever seen in any country.' A second officer says: 'I've been 
 in almost every port in the world, and I've never been in a 
 place where so much pains is taken with the seamen as 
 here, and I'm only sorry they don't appreciate it more. 
 A sailor said to me: 'I've been all over the world and in 
 many Institutes, but for Jack this is the best place I've 
 ever been in. Everybody seems 10 be treated alike here.' 
 And just this morning I received this letter from a chief 
 ofncer: 'The boys all seemed terribly downhearted in leav- 
 ing Portland, and I quite believe that the attractiveness in 
 the evenings of your admirably conducted Institute has 
 much to do with it. * * * * You may not meet with all the 
 reward from the sailors you deserve, but when good seed 
 is sown there is always some cast on soil that bears good 
 fruit; and then, above all, there is Christ's reward.' " 
 
 This was the beautiful culmination of the self- 
 denying work that Mr. Fletcher had been doing 
 for so many years; much of the time alone, often 
 amidst great discouragements, yet going steadily 
 on sowing the good seed in the early morning and 
 in the late evening, hoping, praying, believing, that 
 God would water it from on high, and in His own 
 irood time let him see the bountiful harvest. Sure-
 
 216 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 ly the workman was receiving his hire. Mr. 
 Fletcher writes, May 7, 1895: 
 
 "I attended the funeral of William Norman Harzeel, an 
 apprentice on the ship Highland Home, a native of Devon- 
 shire, England. He was drowned yesterday morning. He 
 was a good Christian boy, converted with several other 
 boys in our Bethel meetings here two years ago. He was at 
 our services last Sabbath, and I had conversed with him 
 just before he left the Bethel to go on board his ship. I 
 little thought then that it was the last conversation I would 
 ever hold with the dear boy. 
 
 "September 1st. Our young people connected with our 
 Bethel work have organized a 'Floating Society of Chris- 
 tian Endeavor,' in connection with our seaman's work. I 
 have been trying for some time to get it started, and have 
 succeeded at last. I am sure it will be a great blessing to 
 the young men and boys of the ships. I look for a most 
 blessed work among them this winter. 
 
 "September 3d. Visited the fine four masted ship Drum- 
 onur, Captain Withois, just arrived from New Castle, Aus- 
 tralia. As I was standing on the dock Mr. Sitford, her first 
 officer hailed me. I did not recognize him at first, until 
 he jumped ashore and took me by the hand. I asked him 
 if I did not call him 'Jock' when he was here, an apprentice, 
 some nine years ago on another ship. He said he was the 
 same 'Jock.' He was a good Christian boy when I used to 
 call him 'Jock,' and he is now first officer of. a fine ship, 
 and a good Christan man. His captain is a Christian, and 
 more than half of his crew are Christians. They have ser-
 
 SOWING AND REAPING. 'JIT 
 
 vice every Sunday at sea, both fore and aft. There is no 
 swearing nor vile talking aboard that ship. 
 
 "October 2d. Visited the bark Glenafton, Captain Beattie. 
 He is one of the young lads that I used to bring up to 
 spend a social evening with us when he was here some 
 years ago. He had passed out of my recollection, though 
 myself and wife did not pass out of his. He said he had 
 never forgot the many little acts of kindness we had shown 
 him and the other boys when they were with us in port; 
 but what cheered me most was his saying that he had put 
 into practice the counsel I had given him, to give his heart 
 to God and take Christ as his Captain. I find him to-day 
 a fine young Christian captain; one who is respected and 
 loved by his officers and crew. I had a precious visit with 
 him. Praise the Lord." 
 
 The reader will see that by this time in the life of 
 Mr. Fletcher there was much of the ripened fruit of 
 the seed he had so long been industriously and 
 prayerfully sowing being brought back to him to 
 his great satisfaction and enjoyment. Boys had 
 grown up to be men since he began his work. The 
 frail little apprentices that he and his good wife 
 looked after so tenderly, whom they fathered and 
 mothered so anxiously while they were in port, and 
 from the door of whose hearts they hunted away 
 the wolf of sin so vigorously and courageously, had 
 passed through the necessary grades of service and
 
 218 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 not a few of them walked the quarterdeck digni- 
 fied and able commanders of the finest ships that 
 entered the harbor. Others of them had gone out 
 from his guiding hand into the even more honora- 
 ble work of the gospel ministry. Is it any wonder 
 that, as Mr. Fletcher passed beyond his three score 
 years and began to study, in the light of a fulfilled 
 hope, the results of his work that his heart grew 
 warm, and praises were continually mounting to his 
 lips. Surely to have lived so long and lived so 
 well, and in that life have wrought so faithfully for 
 God and so successfully for humanity, were an oc- 
 casion of triumph that comparatively few ever en- 
 joy. Then, too, that beautiful ripeness of heart 
 that is often manifested in people who are nearing 
 the end of the hard, foot-sore journey of life, and 
 can already see the open door through which they 
 are so soon to pass into the life immortal, was clear- 
 ly seen in him. And there was yet another fact 
 that threw over all he did and said and was an odor 
 and a radiance from the groves and the sunshine of 
 the Paradise of God. The wife, who had been to 
 him so loving a companion, so steadfast a friend, 
 so courageous a helper, so devoted a mother to his 
 "dear sailor-boys," was rapidly dropping off the
 
 SOWING AND HEAPING. 211 
 
 mortal and just as rapidly putting on the immortal. 
 Thus he was talking and walking in the very lan- 
 guage of Canaan, and under the very verdurous 
 shades of the groves that margin the river whose 
 waters make glad the city of God. On Sabbath 
 morning, January the 17th, 1896, she passed gently 
 out of his sight, and was at rest with the Lord.
 
 CHAPTER XV11I. 
 
 "GKANDMA FLETCHER." 
 
 She was sent forth 
 
 To bring that light which never wintry blast 
 Blows out, nor rain nor snow extinguishes 
 The light that shines from loving eyes upon 
 Eyes that love back, till they can see no more." 
 
 Lander. 
 
 TT^ROM various notices given in the preceeding 
 -*~ pages it has been made obvious to the read- 
 er that Mr. Fletcher found his most constant and 
 sympathizing helper in the great work he wrought 
 among the seamen, in his wife; well known by 
 nearly every sea-faring man visiting Portland as 
 "Grandma Fletcher." This was with them a term 
 of endearment and respect. She was so true, so 
 constant, so tender, so attentive to her sailor-boys 
 and so constantly caring for their comfort and safe- 
 ty while in port, and prayed so earnestly and lov- 
 ingly for them when away, awaiting their return 
 with so much solicitude, and welcoming them back
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 221 
 
 again to her heart and home with such motherly 
 affection that they could not but bear her image 
 with them as they sailed all seas and anchored in all 
 ports. It was not that she was young and beau- 
 tiful, for she was aged and plain. It was not that 
 she was brilliant and fascinating in talents and con- 
 versation, for she was simple and childlike. Why 
 was it, then, that the thoughts and remembrances 
 of that plain, unostentatious w r oman did more to 
 influence and fashion hundreds and thousands of 
 lives towards beauty and goodness all over the 
 world than almost any of her more favored sister- 
 hood in the city where she dwelt? From quarter- 
 deck to forecastle she was beloved by all alike. 
 Her friendship was cherished while she was living, 
 and her memory is revered and honored now that 
 she is dead. None can tell except that in that frail, 
 plain body dwelt an angel soul; a soul that walked 
 so deeply and so constantly in communion with 
 God and the good world that it became a vital 
 bond of connection between heaven and earth. 
 Aching hearts felt the consolation of the land of 
 rest and comfort through her mediation. The 
 wandering and wayward felt the draw and tug 
 of her prayers and counsels at their heart-strings,
 
 222 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 even when she was far away. The good and 
 pure felt the sympathy of a common spirit 
 in fellowship with her; while the bad sighed for 
 a new life when they saw the beauty and felt 
 the fragrant atmosphere of hers breathing over 
 them. In her, one inhabitant of heaven walked 
 among the sons and daughters of earth, if not in 
 silken and jeweled robes, then in "a meek and quiet 
 spirit," of greater price in God's eyes than rubies 
 and silver. Never was purer love on earth than 
 the love wherewith she was loved by her sailor- 
 boys as they sailed away or floated back to port. 
 
 Her church membership was held in Grace 
 Methodist Episcopal Church; a church whose 
 membership and congregation have exceptional in- 
 telligence and social standing. She held the same 
 sweet place in their hearts while she lived, and her 
 memory is cherished with the same tenderness now 
 that she has departed, as in the minds and hearts 
 of her sailor-boys. When it was known that 
 "Grandma Fletcher," as she was lovingly called by 
 all, had passed out of the back door of the church 
 militant and entered the "gate beautiful" of the 
 church triumphant, all hearts thrilled with a tender 
 sorrow for their "loss," mingled with a sweet joy
 
 GKANDMA FLETCHER. 223 
 
 for her "gain;" for surely for her to die was gain. 
 
 Those who were present at her funeral, and thev 
 were many, will ever remember how "on the verge 
 of heaven" seemed the fair temple where they cel- 
 brated her immortal crowning that day., Her pas- 
 tor, Rev. Henry Rasmus, D.D., whose lips know so 
 well how to weave the witchery of loving and elo- 
 quent speech, and whose own heart parented the 
 words his lips uttered on the occasion, delivered 
 an address that might well have been the funeral 
 oration of a Confessor of the church of the purer 
 and loftier ages, which may fittingly crown this 
 chapter of tribute to "Grandma Fletcher,'' but 
 without which the chapter itself would be without 
 a coronet. 
 
 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1 
 have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a 
 crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge 
 shall give me at that day and not unto me only but unto 
 all them also that love His appearing," II Timothy, 4th 
 chapter, 7th and 8th verses. 
 
 There could not possibly be found a more appropriate 
 text than this for the occasion of this morning's sermon. 
 It was the exclamation of triumph fitting the close of a no- 
 ble Christian life many centuries ago. It has been fitting- 
 ly applied to many a Christian life since, and it becomes 
 very appropriate at this time, a tribute of respect and af-
 
 224 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 fection to the venerable friend whom it has pleased God 
 to remove from our society and exalt into His own more 
 immediate presence. 
 
 After a life of probably more than three score years and 
 ten devoted in an eminent degree to the glory of the Sa- 
 viour and the temporal and spiritual welfare of her fellow 
 creatures, she has gone from the battle to the crowning; 
 from the keeping of the faith to where faith is lost in the 
 divine wonderland of sight. Though gone, she still speaks 
 to us, her friends, her brethren, in an example of Christian 
 piety as pure and beautiful and attractive I think as the 
 church militant in these latter days is wont to exhibit; and 
 now in contemplation of such a life all beautiful with holi- 
 ness and shining more and more unto the perfect day, what 
 is there in it to attract, to uplift, to inspire? Much that we 
 never would know of unless we pause to look and think 
 and learn. 
 
 Who was this plain little woman upon whose memory 
 we place this tribute to-day? I shall answer, first of all, 
 she was a beautiful specimen of what the religion of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ can do for all. Born again in the state 
 of New York, on the Atlantic coast, perfected in love in Ore- 
 gon on the Pacific coast, she stood a living monument of 
 the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I might chal- 
 lenge you to bring from all the ranks of those who have 
 despised the religion of Jesus a single example of one who 
 served his generation as faithfully as she served hers. She 
 was not great as the world counts greatness. She was 
 humble; she belonged to the lowliest of the earth. Her 
 name will never be heard outside of a limited few, but I 
 think God spoke to His angels saying, "Watch over her for
 
 GKANDMA FLETCHEK. 225 
 
 I will teach men through this comparatively obscure life 
 that the religion of my sou can make the lowliest life glo- 
 rious." We can do her memory no greater service than to 
 say that only the grace of God can make a character like 
 hers. 
 
 You want a religion that gives a perfectly satisfactory 
 experience? You want a religion that triumphs over the 
 frets and worries of life; you want a divine grace that can 
 meet life just as life is aud transform it into a temple of 
 holiness, a song of peace? Then you can have it in the 
 same religion she enjoyed. The transforming, transporting 
 religion of Jesus. 
 
 Again, if you were to ask me who she was, I should an- 
 swer, "A contribution from that type of Christianity called 
 Methodism." If I have the purpose of God aright in the 
 mission of the Methodist Church, it is her privilege lo 
 develop what? First of all, to take the spiritually lame, 
 the halt and the blind and make them leap for joy, and 
 after having done that by putting upon them the impress 
 of her peculiar doctrine, send them forth a peculiar people 
 to spread scriptural holiness over the land. 
 
 I think when this woman of God went up to the gate 
 of Heaven there was at that gateway a group of that type 
 of redeemed ones to greet her. I might name some of 
 them: Father Noon, and Northrup and Nelson and More- 
 land. This church remembers them when in years past 
 they were mighty for God in prayer and testimony and 
 daily life and as you think of them and then of a type of 
 Christianity that is recognized only by me spiritual crutch- 
 es it is compelled to use; by its halting and limping, how 
 are you impressed by the comparison? Which type moves
 
 220 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 men towards the cross of Jesus Christ? These rugged, ro- 
 bust men of God, or those who are fearful lest they should 
 go too far if they should launch out into the deep sea of 
 God's grace? Oh, for more lives that are out on the mid- 
 sea of God's mercy. Oh, for more of such living examples 
 read and known of all men, whose fragrance you can no 
 more fence in than you can fence in the perfume of a grove 
 of magnolias in full bloom. 
 
 Nor would I pass unnoticed the large sympathies that 
 characterized this amiable yet great life. She belonged to 
 that class of Christians who loved the world as Jesus loved 
 it. Coming down upon its level and meeting its conditions 
 in a manner not repelling but inviting; that bends under 
 the burdens of others and sends a thrill through the nerves 
 of the coming race. In a brief biography prepared by 
 Father Fletcher, I find these words concerning her: "Many 
 are the young men she started in the better way by plead- 
 ing with them on the streets to attend religious services 
 and by every means available get them under the influence 
 of the gospel." I do not know that any more luminous 
 commentary could be given of any life than this: He loved 
 the souls of men. Better have that written upon the tomb- 
 stone than the most applauding epitaph that wealth or 
 social position or anything merely worldly can chisel. 
 Right glorious is it that we are coming out into the horizon 
 of such a sympathy. Of infinitely more value is one 
 life to whom in a religious way the blossoming orchard is n 
 living censer before the throne; to whom the sky is a gal- 
 lery and the clouds are pictures done in water colors than 
 a hundred whose religious experience is a barren landscape. 
 May it please God to baptize this church with the gospel of
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 227 
 
 holy sympathy which stretches out its hands after the souls 
 of men. 
 
 Then I would not fail to remind you of the simplicity of 
 her faith. It was the charming simplicity of a little child 
 asking for what it had no thought of being denied. To her 
 the religion of Jesus was not an intricate system hard to 
 he understood and difficult to put into practice, but was the 
 simple asking and receiving from the hand of her Heaven- 
 ly Father. Is not that the lesson we all need to learn in a 
 fuller way than we have yet learned it? When Christ be- 
 gan the world's conquest, what kind of a religion did he 
 offer to men? The plainest that had ever been formulated 
 for humanity. Why did he not go down into Rome where 
 there were plenty of great intellects and there get his dis- 
 ciples? Why did he, instead of these, take men who were 
 as plain as the fishing boats by the Galilean sea? I will 
 tell you why. It was because when his words and religion 
 were to be delivered to the world he did not wish them put 
 into learned sayings and apologetics, but in the plainest 
 phraseology so that the humblest could understand them. 
 The religion of Christ never clouded the mind of any one. 
 It is only man's attempt to enlarge upon it that throws the 
 clouds around its plain simple ruggedness. Here is the 
 whole plan of salvation in a few sentences: Man lost be- 
 cause of sin. .Tesus Christ the only Saviour. Simple faith 
 in God, simple faith in His Son, simple faith in the Holy 
 Ghost; the one triune God. blessed and glorious. No need 
 to get lost in that creed. Do you want to know who this 
 infinite God is? No need to speculate about it. Ask Him 
 and He will demonstrate who He is in a way that all hu- 
 man philosophy can never overturn. Are you in the throes
 
 228 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 of any great difficulty or trouble? Simply ask Him to help 
 you out arid do your best, and He will come as certain as 
 God is on the living, eternal throne. 
 
 Suppose we were to exercise that simple faith in the 
 Bible instead of a spirit of criticism, what would be the re- 
 sult to our individual lives? There is no book in the world 
 that demands such simplicity of belief as the scriptures and 
 yet nine-tenths of Christian men think it is an enigma, hard 
 to unravel and understand. There is only one way to take 
 this letter from our Father's hand, written in the light of 
 our Father's face. Does it say "He hath loved you with an 
 everlasting love? Believe it? Does it say He has a father's 
 kiss for the prodigal's return? Believe it and get that kiss 
 of welcome as speedily as possible. Does it say He will 
 never leave you nor forsake you? Believe it and go right 
 forward, though it may be into the face of flashing light- 
 ning and the angry mutterings of the storm. Just as certain 
 as you begin to question whether His promises are certain 
 or not. you have closed those golden lips and their assur- 
 ance is hushed to you and they become null and void. 
 
 Do you still ask me who this woman was who went out 
 to God last Sabbath morning? I reply, she was a woman 
 of much prayer. Prayer was the chalice in which like 
 Rachael in olden times, she brought the waters from the 
 everlasting well. It was the ladder by which she climbed 
 up to gather the grapes hanging over the walls of heaven. 
 It was the ship that carried away her wants and came back 
 with a return cargo of divine help. This plain little woman 
 found what the philosophers failed to discover, the power 
 that moves the world. Prayer was the lever, the divine 
 promise, the fulcrum and the arm of her faith pressing
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 229 
 
 down on such a lever, she possessed the medium that can 
 move not only the earth but heaven also. This church has 
 no doubt lost in this Mother in Israel who for several 
 years was confined to her home, one of its strongest pillars. 
 Around that pillar was twined the beautiful, the true, the 
 love of prayer as the acanthus leaf around the Corinthian 
 pillar. You may not lack in active, devoted vigorous nieu 
 and women, but if this church has one intercessor left, one 
 so mighty with God, one who so loved to talk with Christ 
 about blood-bought souls; one such Miriam to hold up the 
 hands that are ready to fall: if so, it will prove a vital 
 church. 
 
 This, the spirit of earnest prayer, some of us need most of 
 all. What is the infidelity and moral corruption and world- 
 liness of an entire city over against one faded face, wrink- 
 led with years, uplifted to God in almost continuous suppli- 
 cation? Nothing but a starveling; a retreating foe. No 
 wonder that Havelock went on from victory to victory. If 
 his army was to march at six o'clock, he would rise at 
 four o'clock and spend the two hours upon his knees before 
 the throne. You had better not get in the way of a man or 
 woman who has been looking into the face of Jesus Christ, 
 for they may prove a thunderbolt swung by the arm of the 
 Lord omnipotent. 
 
 Then, still further, I cannot avoid the conclusion that the 
 latter years of this saint of God have exhibited one of the 
 most attractive instances it has been my good fortune to 
 notice of a beautiful Christian old age. Her religion was 
 so vital and pervading that it seemed always young, al- 
 ways instinct with the freshness and joyousness of perpet- 
 ual youth, and her religion stamped its impress upon her
 
 230 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 whole character, and it seemed to refresh her soul with 
 living waters and make her body a continuous temple of 
 the Holy Ghost. To this established dominion of control- 
 ing grace I ascribe it, that Mrs. Fletcher was to the day of 
 her death exempted beyond most other aged persons from 
 the weaknesses of old age. She had not the slightest spirit 
 of captiousness, of complaining or discontent. But with 
 all of the saintly love, she was as amiable and meek and 
 gentle as an angel's presence. Hers was indeed a peaceful 
 and glorious sunset not behind clouds, but dipping into the 
 golden sea. 
 
 I do not know through which of the twelve gates of 
 heaven she entered when she ascended a week ago, but I 
 think it must have been the most glorious of all. And now 
 as we stand in the presence of these three score years that 
 may seem to us like a little sea, each billow crowned with 
 glory and honor, the reflection comes to us that life is in- 
 explicable except as a probation. Why does man live? 
 Why does he die? Take the answer of the old catechism, 
 "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." What is the true 
 theory of life; what with all its trials, sufferings, heart- 
 aches? This: a place of probation; the first stage of an 
 endless being; the waiting room of eternity, where we 
 stay a little while for instruction and discipline, prepara- 
 tory to the higher pursuits and enjoyments to which if 
 found worthy we are shortly to be promoted. Three score 
 years and ten constitute a period long enough for the pur- 
 poses of religion. We note as an historical fact that the 
 foundations of piety are almost always laid in early life, 
 and that very few are converted after 60 or 70 years of 
 age. For all practical purposes the probation of the impen-
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 231 
 
 itent sinner has usually closed before extreme age has rob- 
 bed his limbs and his intellect of their vigor. Continue his 
 life to the probation of Methuselah and it would be use- 
 less. It would be heaping up wrath against the day of 
 wrath. If we could see as God sees, how many unwritten 
 epitaphs we might read like this: "Ephriam is joined to 
 his idols. Let him alone." 
 
 What is the meaning of every church tower from Port- 
 land to New York; from London to St. Petersburg; from 
 Moscow to Rome? They are God's finger boards forever 
 reminding men that just a little farther on the life's proba- 
 tion will close and then not an eternal sleep, not an- 
 nihilation, not another period of probation, but after 
 that, the judgment. In New England they have 
 what they call a passing bell, tolled whenever one 
 in the village dies. I think I can hear in the ringing 
 of every church bell the warning, "Some one gone from the 
 family, gone from the church, gone from the last opportuni- 
 ty of salvation. Probation ended." With that overmaster- 
 ing thought in my mind, I must ask you to-day, have God's 
 overtures been accepted? Have you settled it? Do you 
 not know that hours once dead can never be resuscitated, 
 that upon all the drops of dew that fall on the grave there 
 will not be one tear of repentance? Better listen to the 
 warning ringing through this old world, ringing for two 
 thousand years; ringing for every man, saying, "How shall 
 we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Now is the 
 day of salvation." And then closely associated with this, 
 comes the other reflection that life after all is only a pil- 
 grimage. Very frequently when her husband would come 
 home from his work among the seamen, he would sit down
 
 232 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 and talk to her about the glorified ones with whom she had 
 been associated in church fellowship in this city. Then her 
 face would light up with the smile of anticipated meeting 
 and she would say, "Come along, Grandpa; let's go. What 
 is the use of waiting?" Life to her, as it is to all of us 
 who believe in a coming glory, is only a little pilgrimage. 
 Some of us stop here 20 years, some 40, some 50, some 80. 
 A few are accommodated in the first-class hotels, more in 
 the second, the vast majority in the third-rate resorts, but 
 at the end of the journey it will be all the same a resting 
 place under the flowers and the clods of the valley. Then 
 what is immortal of us, if we have been true to God, moves 
 on and up. If you have any idea that the man or woman 
 who has fallen asleep in Jesus lies decaying in Riverview 
 or Lone Fir cemeteries, I have no share in your belief. 
 They have passed on to a more glorious condition. We 
 make toilsome journeys to visit beloved relatives and 
 friends; we gladly cross stormy seas that we may see 
 magnificent or historical structures or renowned cities or 
 landscapes or celebrated statutes and paintings, but they 
 have taken the easier and shorter passage to heaven, where 
 Jesus in His glory sits at the right hand of God, where are 
 the glories of immortalized sculpture, worked not in cold 
 stone, but in tbo living marble of heaven, where are the 
 landscapes that never fade, where is the city whose splen- 
 dor outshines tlie sun. Why, my friends, you cannot un- 
 derstand fully the difference between life here and life 
 where light is dimless. More difference than between an 
 eagle in an iron cage and an eagle pitched from Mt. Hood 
 toward the sun. They have gone out to be deathless as
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 233 
 
 God is deathless. Brothers, are you ready to close earth's 
 pilgrimage and go out to such au existence? 
 
 But there conies yet one other reflection. I could not help 
 thinking, as I rode down the winding hillside after having 
 put her to rest in Riverview Cemetery, what a glorious day 
 the resurrection will be. When the sea shall give up Its 
 dead; when the earthquake shall split the polished granite 
 pillar as well as the plain slab. Those monuments upou 
 which perhaps are but two or three words: "Our Child," 
 "Our Father." "Our Mother," "Our Loved One." 
 
 There is the one promise more certain than the eternal 
 hills: "As they have borne the image of the earthly, so 
 shall they also bear the image of the heavenly." They will 
 come up again. The faces that were once dear, that are 
 in our memories now fairer than any lily of the field, shall 
 be ours again. Can you think of anything more beautiful 
 than the return of those from whom we have been parted? 
 I do not care which way the body may fall If God's plow- 
 share shall turn back the soil and give me back my lost 
 treasure again. 
 
 The idea of the resurrection gets easier to understand as 
 I listen to the scientific appliances whereby the world Is 
 made a whispering gallery. We shall hear the voices that 
 were hushed long ago once more when the eternal morning 
 shall break over the hills, when the voice of Jesus shall say, 
 "Come up. You have slept long enough," when there shall 
 be the flash of rekindled eyes and the joy of the greeting. 
 When following the chariot of Christ up the highway of 
 the sky, we shall look back at the place where we slept so 
 long on the hillside, in the valley under the soughing trees 
 and as they disappear forever, from our lips shall go the
 
 234 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 shout, "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy 
 victory." May God give us all a part in the first resurrec- 
 tion. 
 
 It will not be amiss to close this brief notice of 
 the life and influence of "Grandma Fletcher" with 
 some account of her life before she entered upon 
 that special work that made her such a notable 
 power for good in Portland. 
 
 Her maiden name was Brown. She was born 
 in the city of Buffalo, N. Y., in 1821, and was left 
 an orphan in her childhood, but was taken into a 
 noble Christian household, that of Mr. Bond, who, 
 with his wife and three daughters of an exception- 
 ally pure and lovely character, were devoted mem- 
 bers of the old Niagara Street Methodist Episcopal 
 Church. Here her surroundings were of the 
 choicest kind. In her fourteenth year she was 
 converted and became also a member of the same 
 church, entering at once into all the relations and 
 opportunities it afforded her for Christian improve- 
 ment and work. The Bible was her constant com- 
 panion and study, and much of it was there com- 
 mitted to memory, and gave tone and substance to 
 her thought all through her life. She was much 
 loved by the members of Mr. Bond's family, and es- 
 pecially by Miss Grace Bond, who became the wife
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 235 
 
 of Rev. W. P. Stowe, D.D., for many years agent 
 of the Western Book Concern of the M. E. Church 
 in Cincinnati. In 1861 she removed to California 
 and became a member of the First M. E. Church 
 of Oakland. In 1870 she removed to Portland, 
 Oregon, with Col. Flint and family, and connected 
 herself with the First M. E. Church of that city. 
 Here she became acquainted with Mr. Fletcher, 
 and on the 24th day of May, 1871, they were mar- 
 ried by Rev. William Roberts, D. D., then pastor 
 of that church. Not long after this she entered 
 into the experience of "perfect love," and its reality 
 was testified in all her subsequent life and work. 
 
 In 1874 the "Woman's Temperance League" 
 was organized, Mrs. Fletcher becoming one of its 
 first members. In all the work of "The Crusade" 
 that followed she was never absent from a meeting, 
 and always answered to her name at roll call for 
 street work. With six other Christian ladies she 
 was arrested and put in jail twice for daring to op- 
 pose drunkenness and crime with prayer and song 
 and Christian entreaty. When, on the occasion of 
 her second imprisonment, her husband visited her 
 to ascertain if she needed anything for her comfort 
 in the prison at night, holding his hand and look-
 
 236 WILIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 ing tenderly up into his face she said: "No; I 
 have the presence of Jesus, and that is all I need." 
 Her experience in the work of the crusade led 
 her into a wider field of Christian work. Every 
 Sunday morning she went abroad visiting hotels, 
 boarding houses and jails distributing tracts and 
 inviting the people to church, and visiting the poor 
 and the needy during the week, helping and com- 
 forting them in every way possible. Only God's 
 Recording Angel has kept the record of the hearts 
 she cheered and homes she gladdened during the 
 many years she threaded the streets, the lanes and 
 the alleys of Portland, bent on her holy mission. 
 Soon becoming known everywhere, she was wel- 
 comed, as she truly was, a messenger of good to 
 the high and the lowly alike. Scores were started 
 by her on a better life. In all her home was open 
 to those for whom she felt such a motherly solicit- 
 tude. Sailors from before the mast, officers of 
 ships, captains and their wives and families, shared 
 and appreciated alike her hospitality, while the 
 best Christian homes of the city welcomed her 
 coming with delight. She often sought the fel- 
 lowship and sympathy of such devoted and cul- 
 tured Christian circles as filled the parlors of such
 
 GRANDMA FLETCHER. 237 
 
 families as the Gills, Northrups, Akins, Connells, 
 Dickinsons, Hills, Hayes, Izers, because her own 
 heart was reinforced by their counsels and prayers 
 for her ceaseless round of duty and toil. Few, in- 
 deed, of those whose chances were better than 
 hers, and whose opportunities were much wider 
 than hers, in the city of Portland ever took more 
 steps or did more kindly deeds for the Master and 
 His dear ones than "Grandma Fletcher," and now 
 that she is gone none are more missed in the 
 abodes of want or where aching hearts sigh for 
 comfort, than she.
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 COMING OF THE END. 
 
 The tide rolls up, the rippling suiiny tide, 
 
 The tossing waves throw diamonds to the sun; 
 
 They laugh about the gray old rocks, 
 
 And fill the air with breezy vigor as they run. 
 
 The tide rolls out, the clouds hang dark and chill, 
 And sadness creeps along the sea and shore; 
 
 The dripping rocks stand silent and alone, 
 
 Like silent ghosts of days that are no more. 
 
 O life, how sweet thou art when tides flow in! 
 
 When skies are bright and health is in the air, 
 The sunny waves run o'er the golden sands, 
 
 And radiant hope laughs gaily at despair. 
 
 Yet sure as life, there comes the ebbing tide, 
 
 When joy and hope flow backward from the shore, 
 
 And dreary wastes, and dull and solemn hours. 
 Come in the place of the bright days of yore. 
 
 O weary heart, look upward to that shore, 
 
 Where hope is lost in sight that's never dim! 
 
 There only is assurance, rest, and peace; 
 For there forever does the tide flow in. 
 
 Sir Henry Taylor, in Toilers of the Deep.
 
 COMING OF THE END. 239 
 
 r I ^HOSE who followed the unpretentious story 
 -*- of the every-day life of Mr. Fletcher from 
 the time we first introduced him to them must have 
 been impressed with the difference between the 
 man of nearly three score and ten, as he now ap- 
 pears, and the young ignorant Irish boy that he 
 then was. Then he was a thoughtless waif float- 
 ing on a rough and stormy sea. A score of years 
 afterwards he was but a beaten and buffeted sailor 
 boy, unable to read, given up to ungodliness, with- 
 out intellectual or moral aspiration, and having 
 no hope in this world or the next. Now he is a 
 well-read man, a close and clear student of relig- 
 ious truth, a well-informed citizen, a devoted 
 member of the church and zealous Christian work- 
 er and the friend and associate of the intelligent and 
 wealthy people of the city in which he has resided 
 so long, and his name is a household word among 
 the seamen of every port in Christendom. It is 
 not far nor difficult to find the cause of this g'-eat 
 change. One single fact alone explains it. It was 
 his conversion to God, followed by a constant and 
 entire consecration to His service, and the conse- 
 quent employment of all his powers in doing good 
 to men. The writer does not remember a case in
 
 240 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 a fifty years' ministry where a man made his relig- 
 ion more the chief part of himself, and subordin- 
 ated every fact and interest of his personal life to 
 God's service as the Holy Spirit revealed it unto 
 him, than did William S. Fletcher. It is in this 
 that his life is a worthy model, and it is in this that 
 he will yet speak long after "we shall see his face 
 no more." It is, therefore, with a feeling that the 
 tracing out and recording of the facts and incidents 
 of this life of singular devotion has been a means 
 of personal grace, and with a conviction that the 
 record will be a like means of grace to those who 
 read it, that the writer comes to the concluding 
 chapter of this volume. 
 
 In the middle of the year 1897 Mr. Fletcher re- 
 cords the final conclusion of his mind in regard to 
 the publication of this memoir while he was yet 
 alive. He had expected that it would be published 
 after his departure, but his best friends desired that 
 he himself might see it while living, and have the 
 pleasure of using it personally for the benefit of 
 his "brothers of the sea," as he concluded his work 
 among them in his last and ripest days. This de- 
 cision made, and all needful arrangements for its 
 early completion perfected, he decided to fulfill a
 
 COMING OF THE END. 241 
 
 long felt desire to revisit some of the scenes of his 
 early life on the Pacific coast, and especially San 
 Francisco, with which he was so familiar when it 
 was but a straggling hamlet of tents and dingy 
 wooden buildings among the sand hills that begirt 
 San Francisco Bay. It was the middle of 1897 
 when he was ready to take his departure on this 
 long-desired trip, and, in his journal for June 26th, 
 he begins the record of this, a brief pause from the 
 constant toil and care of ship and hospital visita- 
 tion, and from those other constant demands upon 
 his waning strength that clamor at the door of the 
 heart of all those who are ready to respond to hu- 
 man want by Christ-like help. He says: 
 
 "I leave to-night on the steamer Columbia for San Fran- 
 cisco for a four week's cruise, and I pray that the Lord 
 will keep my little home and all that belongs to me in my 
 absence, and if it is His will that I may be returned again 
 that I may be better prepared for my work in behalf of 
 my brethren of the sea." 
 
 Thus hrst in his mind always was his relations to 
 the men for whom he had spent so many years of 
 tender care and earnest prayers. On his arrival in 
 San Francisco he went directly to the "Sailor's 
 Home," choosing that as his residence while in the
 
 242 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 city that he might be the nearer those for whom he 
 felt such earnest solicitude. He found great 
 numbers of seamen at the "Home" under the su- 
 perintendency of Captain Staples, and the "Sea- 
 man's Institute" conducted by Mr. Fell, the resort 
 of large numbers of sailors, and speaks approving- 
 ly of the influence of them both over the men of the 
 sea. We will let him tell in his own language how 
 he spent his first Sabbath in San Francisco: 
 
 "Sabbath morning, June 20. I attended the morning class 
 at the Central M. E. Church. Had a good class, which I 
 greatly enjoyed. Heard Dr. Dillie preach a good sermon, 
 but before its close we had quite a shock of earthquake 
 which caused a big scare in the congregation, and knocked 
 the remainder of the sermon out of the doctor. At night 
 I attended the services at the Mariner's Church, where we 
 had a good sermon by Chaplain Rowell, followed by an af- 
 ter meeting, at which three of the seamen were converted, 
 which brought joy and gladness to their hearts as well as 
 to my own. So ended my first Sabbath in San Francisco. 
 
 As this is Jubilee week, there are a large number of sail- 
 ors ashore from the ships on leave. I meet many who had 
 been to Portland on other voyages. As soon as I was rec- 
 ognized by them I was introduced to their shipmates as 
 "Mr. Fletcher, from Portland, who always looks out for 
 us boys." It seems like home to be among them." 
 
 The "seed cast upon the waters" is being gather-
 
 COMING OF THE END. 243 
 
 ed now in the gratitude of those to whom he had 
 been the instrument, in the hand of God, of bring- 
 ing good in other days. So it is ever. "He that 
 goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, 
 shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bringing 
 his sheaves with him." Sometimes, it is true, the 
 time seems to be long, and the harvest may even be 
 left for others to gather. Mr. Fletcher found 
 David Jones, a sailor who had often been in Port- 
 land, and for whom he had labored most earnestly 
 in the past, bui he found him, as he writes: 
 
 "The same old David, still in his sins. I talked to him 
 faithfully, and he promised to come to see me and have a 
 talk with me in my room at the Home, which he did. I 
 spent three hours with him. I dealt with him faithfully. 
 I read portions of Scriptures for him, and got him upon 
 his knees while I prayed for him. I wanted him then and 
 there to make a clean breast of his sins to God, and take 
 Jesus as his Captain and Saviour. He was greatly broken 
 up, but he would not yield to the blessed stirrings of the 
 Spirit. It was then about half past eleven o clock, and he 
 had to leave to catch the last boat to Oakland. He prom- 
 ised me that he would read his Bible and do better." 
 
 This incident shows the intense earnestness and 
 sincere faithfulness of the work of Mr. Fletcher . 
 with his "sailor-bovs." With tears in his eyes,
 
 244 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 with tenderness in his voice, yet with a faithfulness 
 to truth that is worthy of all praise, he would set 
 before them the "error of their ways" and then, 
 kneeling with them, put their case before God. 
 His prayers were trustful, confidential talks with 
 God. They two were acquainted. They were 
 friends, as God and Abraham were friends. They 
 walked and talked together and trusted each other 
 with a perfect trust. 
 
 One of the most refreshing visits made by Mr. 
 Fletcher in San Francisco was with the family of 
 Dr. John Dillon, the son of Rev. Dr. Isaac Dillon, 
 one of his intimate friends and helpers for many 
 years in the city of Portland. He speaks of it with 
 most intense satisfaction, and the more especially 
 as he found Dr. Dillon, whom he had known inti- 
 mately in his boyhood in Portland, a most worthy 
 Christian man. 
 
 The weeks of his stay in San Francisco passed 
 very rapidly and pleasantly. He did not fail to 
 improve all opportunities for good doing, and es- 
 pecially among the sailors wherever he found them. 
 On the evening of the 4th day of July he attended 
 the services at the Seaman's Institute. He makes 
 the following record concerning the services,
 
 COMING OF THE END. 245 
 
 which, as it incidentally reveals his own high sense 
 of religious obligations, as well as indicates his firm 
 conviction of the nature of the life a seaman's 
 chaplain should live, we copy: 
 
 "I attended the night service at the Seaman's Institute, 
 as I wanted to see how the Chaplain conducts his work. 
 There was quite a large number of the sailor lads, besides 
 several ladies present. I thought it strange to see Mr. F. 
 through the week playing billiards and smoking and car- 
 rying on with the boys, and then to see him don his sur- 
 plice on Sunday night and read prayers to them. I thought 
 if this was the way he attempted to win the boys to Jesus 
 he had greatly mistaken his calling. He might conduct 
 in this way until doomsday and never win over one boy 
 to Christ." 
 
 With a most genial disposition Mr. Fletcher 
 could brook no such trifling spirit in one who 
 sought to "negotiate 'twixt God and man as God's 
 ambassador," and he never failed in one way or an- 
 other to put the seal of his disapprobation upon it. 
 Besides, he rightly judged that a Christianity that 
 draws no line of distinction between the practices 
 and pastimes of the Christian and worldly man is a 
 Christianity in word only, and not in deed and in 
 truth. No one is quicker than the men that sail
 
 246 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 before the mast to detect the counterfeit present- 
 ment of a Christian life, and no one turns away 
 from it with a deeper disgust. But the real Chris- 
 tian life wins and holds their confidence, and he 
 who lives it commands their respect and honor. 
 Thus it is always and everywhere. 
 
 The time he had assigned himself for his visit to 
 San Francisco having expired on the 12th day of 
 July, he took passage on the steamer Columbia for 
 Portland. On his departure he says: 
 
 "Forty-seven years ago I arrived in what is now San Fran- 
 cisco. Then there was no city here. I was then a sinful, 
 wicked young sailor. When I witness the great changes 
 that have taken place in the city since then, I feel that 
 none of them have been so great as that which has taken 
 place in my poor heart. Glory be to God! Then careless 
 and wicked, now a child of God, full of faith and of the 
 Holy Ghost, I cannot find words to express my great love 
 to my Heavenly Father, to Jesus Christ, my Saviour, and 
 to the Holy Ghost, nay Sanctifier, for their great love to 
 xne." 
 
 Surely Mr. Fletcher was right. No material 
 change can in any wise equal that which transpires 
 in the soul and life of one "born of a new celestial 
 birth," "by the power of the word of God which 
 liveth and abideth forever."
 
 COMING OF THE END. 247 
 
 On reaching Portland Mr. Fletcher resumed his 
 work of ship visitation, with the same fidelity and 
 tenderness that had always characterized it. Still 
 he earnestly sought a new spiritual endowment for 
 the work before him. He set apart the hour be- 
 tween six and seven every morning for a special 
 reading of the Scriptures, meditation and prayer 
 that he might be filled with an enlarged faith and 
 increased power in his work. As the autumn came 
 on the largest fleet of merchantmen that had ever 
 visited Portland arrived, and it tasked Mr. Fletcher 
 to the utmost to meet the demands upon his time 
 and means in caring for the spiritual and temporal 
 good of his dear "lads of the sea." The ships were 
 all visited, and not one sailor escaped the attention 
 and advice of this lover of his kind. On the last 
 day of November, 1897, he writes: 
 
 "I have put on board of nineteen ships this month 1273 
 pieces of reading matter, 200 magazines, 189 picture cards 
 with Scripture texts on them, with a large number of 
 tracts. There has been the largest fleet of ships and steam- 
 ers in port this season that I have ever seen here, and I 
 look for at last 150 more of them before the season closes." 
 
 Farly in January, 1898, Mr. D. W. Potter and 
 Mr. E. F. Miller, of Chicago, entered on a season
 
 248 WILLIAM S. FLETCHER. 
 
 of evangelistic work in Grace Church, in Portland. 
 Their coming was hailed with delight by Mr. 
 Fletcher, and he entered into the work they inau- 
 gurated with great faith and fervor. He records 
 his impressions of the work as follows: 
 
 "I have not seen such a revival in Portland for many 
 years. It has been a great blessing to Grace Church, and 
 will result, I think, in fifty accessions to the church. The 
 meetings were made a great blessing to myself. The 
 blessed Holy Spirit gave me great liberty in getting a large 
 number to the altar. He used me particularly in that part 
 of the work. I had the unspeakable pleasure of seeing 
 seven of my sailor boys give their hearts to God. I had set 
 apart about three weeks before the commencement of the 
 meeting from five to seven o'clock every morning for read- 
 ing and prayer for the endowment of power for my work, 
 and I must say to the glory of God that the Holy Spirit did 
 greatly bless me in my work during the meeting. I also 
 had a great deal of ship visiting to do during the time of 
 the meeting, and I trust very many of the men of the sea 
 were greatly benefitted. 
 
 "January 19. I attended the meeting at the Third Pres- 
 byterian Church, where all the afternoon meetings were 
 held. While we were singing as the congregation were com- 
 ing in, to our great surprise Amanda Smith walked into 
 the church. As soon as Mr. Potter got his eyes upon her 
 he cried out: "Why, here is Amanda Smith!" I jumped to 
 my feet, and sure enough my eyes had seen Amanda 
 Smith. I had read her book twice over, and read much
 
 COMING OF THE END. 240 
 
 about her, but never did I think thai I should have the 
 unspeakable happiness of meeting her in the flesh. O how 
 my heart was thrilled when I heard her sing and pray and 
 speak for the blessed Jesus under the power and presence 
 of the blessed Holy Spirit, as he was manifested in the 
 words of her testimony. Praise His holy name, such a 
 meeting was never witnessed before in East Portland. 
 The result so far of the meeting on the East Side has been 
 most gratifying from the large numbers that have been 
 converted at the altar. 
 
 "February 5, 1898. Visited the bark Nithsdale. Captain 
 Steven. I was glad to meet with him and his first officer. 
 He was here fourteen years ago, as well as on his last voy- 
 age. He is a Christian captain and attends (irace Church 
 when in port. I gave him, and also his boys and men, a 
 fine lot of reading to take to sea with them. I have put on 
 board the ships for the mouth of January 797 papers, 150 
 magazines, 120 cards, G'2 calendars, 7 comfort-bags, 13 new 
 Testaments, and quite a number of tracts. It has been a 
 busy month with me in my ship and Bethel work. It ap- 
 pears to me the older I get the more I have to do, but the 
 Blessed Lord gives me strength according to my duty. 
 Praise His name." 
 
 Thus, as the early months of the present year 
 passed by, Mr. Fletcher, in the ripened fullness of 
 grace, continued his loved and consecrated toil. 
 Confined to his home for some weeks by an acci- 
 dent, he was greatly cheered by the constant atten- 
 tions of the dear Christian people whom he loved
 
 250 WILLIAM S. FLETCHEK. 
 
 so tenderly, and who reciprocated all his love, and 
 especially by a very fraternal communication from 
 his old comrade and friend in his Bethel and ship 
 work in Portland, Rev. R. S. Stubbs. In his re- 
 sponse to Mr. Stubbs he says: 
 
 "I have been in dry dock for the last few weeks. I have 
 had a good opportunity to work up my latitude and longi- 
 tude, and lind out my bearings. My dear chaplain, I can 
 say with you, by taking good heed to my chart and sailing 
 orders I have no fear of making shipwreck of faith, for I 
 don't intend to have any dead reckoning to work up at 
 the end of life's voyage, for I want an 'abundant entrance' 
 and to be safely moored with our loved ones at last. Praise 
 the Lord." 
 
 Thus for so many years we have traced the 
 course of the life of this true saint of God from its 
 unpropitious beginnings in his low-roofed Irish 
 home through the reckless and untaught career of 
 a man "before the mast;" through the struggles 
 and adventures of a miner; in the church, in 
 plain and earnest Christian toil, until we find him, 
 as his years touch three score and ten, an honored 
 Man, a trusted Friend, a consecrated Christian, 
 waiting only the good call of God to his final glori- 
 fication. Not more fittingly did Paul say of him-
 
 COMING OF THE END. 251 
 
 self, as he nearecl the end of his earthly career, than 
 Mr. Fletcher can say as he nears the same goal: 
 
 "1 have fought .a good light; 
 I have finished my course; 
 I have kept the faith." 
 
 FINIS.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below 
 
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