In Mr. Fletcher’s day Wesleyan Methodism was but struggling into
existence. Societies were formed at Madeley, Madeley Wood,
Coalbrookdale, and other places in adjoining parishes, and Mr. Fletcher,
and his curate subsequently, preached there alternately with the
preachers of Mr. Wesley. These societies were attached to the Shrewsbury
Circuit, and preachers came fortnightly, travelling on horseback. In or
about the year 1764 we find him inviting the Rev. A. Mather, then an
eminent preacher in Mr. Wesley’s connection, and his fellow labourer to
call at the Bank, Coalbrookdale, and other places. He adds:—“And I hope,
that my stepping, as Providence directs, to any of your places, (leaving
to you the management of the Societies,) will be deemed no encroachment.
In short, we need not make two parties: I know but _one_ heaven below,
and that is Jesus’s love; let us both go and abide in it, and when we
have gathered as many as we can to go with us, too many will still stay
behind.” May 27, 1766, he says to a friend, “The coming of Mr. Wesley’s
Preachers into my parish gives me no uneasiness. As I am sensible that
every body does better, and of course, is more acceptable than myself, I
should be sorry to deprive any one of a blessing; and I rejoice that the
work of God goes on by any instrument or in any place.”
It was under auspices such as these that the early preachers of Methodism
commenced their labours. It had an able lay agency in its local
preachers, like William Smith, Samuel Onions, Thomas Owen, Thomas
Mollineaux, Richard Williams, and others, with class leaders, like the
Smiths, Robertses, Milners, and Joneses, men and women who lived lives of
faith and purity, and laid a firm substratum on which to erect the
general edifice.
For many years the “Old Barn” and “Miss Tooth’s Room” sufficed for the
Wesleyans in Madeley. They then erected the building now used as the
Infant School by the Church party. This proving too small, they built in
1841, the present place of worship in Court Street, which will hold 800
persons or more. It is calculated that Madeley Wood chapel will hold 900
persons, Coalbrookdale chapel about 400, and Coalport about 200, or 2,200
altogether. The usual number of hearers at these places is over 1,500,
and the number of members 300. Collections are made at each chapel for
pretty much the same purposes, such as colleges, and schools for training
young ministers, ministers sons, and teachers for day schools. For home
missions and circuit purposes there is raised altogether £447. In
addition to this there is raised for Foreign Missions a further sum of
£100; thus making a total of £547.