Good morning, everyone.
Welcome to my presentation.
It's an honor to have an opportunity to share my study to you.
My name is Kimberly Kitmanlai, a current PhD student at Redcliffe College.
What I'm going to present to you today is called Into Perfection.
Mary Fletcher's watch Words
mary Bozenkay Fletcher, one of the most influential women in the early Methodist
movement, wrote about her visit to Ireland I feel a faith rabbit in my heart that
before long there will be a great revival of the work of God in Dublin.
I feel much liberty in meetings to classes.
Here are the few souls truly of thirst for
full salvation, and many who inquire after the most excellent way.
Our kind and generous host and hostess allow us all freedom in their house for
the glory of God and the good of his people.
And as their servants also are pious,
upright persons, we can hear worship with them in calm and brotherly love.
Two characteristics of the early Methodist movement are evident in this account
the practice of promoting group meetings as an evangelistic effort and the
legitimacy and effectiveness of women led activities.
In fact, Mary Fletcher's contributions were indispensable for the operational
success of Methodism and have been generally recognized as such.
Abel Stevens notes that she possessed a piety as varied as any of the earlier
saints and martyrs, combined with the accomplishments of a refined education
which protect her from the Paris of mysticism, and a habit of practical
usefulness which crowned her a long life with neighbors and charities.
Commenting on her inference on Methodist history, Portugal writes mary Fletcher
functions as an important model of many women who were attracted by her magnetism
and patterned their own ministries after her dynamic life and work.
Fletcher's ministerial life and her role
in the religious community were recognized by many of her peers.
Yet although Mary Fletcher's inference in
promoting the movement is recognized along with that of other Methodist women,
her work as an interpreter of Scripture remains unexplored.
Mary Fletcher was raised in a wealthy
family and categorized in the Church of England.
Although her family upholded, she
converted to Methodism and became a preacher and a sister of the poor.
She operated an orphanage and became
increasingly active in the growing mapodist community.
At the age of 42, she married John Fletcher, an Anglican minister who was
instrumental in developing Methodist theology.
He died after four years of marriage,
however, and she remained a widow for the rest of her life.
Fletcher's autobiography, which was
heavily added by Henry Moore, became the main source for our knowledge of her.
It revealed the high value she placed on Scripture and how it served as a normative
guide for her ministry and devotional life.
However, with the exception of a few
published letters and manuscript excerpts in scholarly books and articles, her
extensive unpublished manuscripts have been overlooked.
My hope is that Mary Bosen K.
Fletcher's writing will be studied more
fully as they provide a valuable source for understanding how she interpret the
scriptures which she preached and taught and which were the basis for her theology.
In this presentation, I will offer a
glimpse into Mary Fletcher's use of Scripture by examining her scriptural,
meditation or studies on the names of Christ and the names of Church.
Transcribed by Reverend Derek Frat,
her watchworth, Names of Christ was published in 2006 in the Asbury Journal,
but sadly, names of the church were never published.
I have used Fletcher's watchwords as data
to explore how she interprets Scripture and construct her theology.
John Wesley described himself as homonius library, a man of one book.
He also is remembered for the supreme value he placed on the authority of
Scripture as a normative basis for his preaching and writing.
My preliminary examination of the biblical interpretation of his contemporary Mary
Fletcher suggests that she shared his views on Scripture as the ultimate
authority for Christian faith and practice.
I hope that this study will raise
awareness of the value of the unpublished manuscripts of early Methodist women.
These teachers and preachers can help us
to reevaluate women's roles and participation in what was previously
regarded a male dominant evogenical movement.
Watch words a source for Methodist communal formation.
The Methodist Archives and Research Center at the John Ryland Library at the
University of Manchester contains the largest collections of manuscript of the
words of Mary Fletcher and other Methodists.
Among the 43 boxes of material, box 29
includes a series of scriptural writings known as the Watchwords.
As Gary Lloyd and others have recognized, the Watchwords contain significant
material that Mary Fletcher used for preaching and teaching.
The Watchwords were likely used in Sunday night meetings.
Mary Fletcher was one of many women
involved in class and band meetings in Methodist societies.
She described her experience in a letter
to John Wesley in 1782 a few are a thirst for clean hearts.
There is a good increase of freedom and liberty in our class meetings.
We have now also a band into which I
gather the most lively all that are newly blessed and that have any light into
sanctification, and indeed we have much of the presence of God with us.
Fletcher not only led the meetings, but also advised other new groups.
She recalled when we grew too numerous for they began to come from many miles round.
I advised those who were able to gather a
meeting of the same kind near their own homes.
This was attended with many blessings.
We sometimes visit those infant meetings
and they increased and spread as well as hours.
The early Methodists focused heavily on
small group activities which encouraged spiritual growth.
This Lee Alexander and other Methodist
preacher mentioned that besides the ordinary service performed at the meeting
house on the Sabbath and occasional preaching in the course of the week, they
have their classes, band meetings, love, feast and watch nights.
In his study of early Methodist class meeting, David Watson argues that the
class meetings were a prudential means of grace because they encouraged activity
centered on the Scriptures and teachings of the church and the promptings of the
inwork witness and living out a faithful discipleship.
This gathering became a place to teach and
to model John Wesley's understanding of what he called the Gospel of Christ that
notes of no religion but social, no holiness but social holiness.
Faith working by love is the length, the
breath, the depth and height of Christian perfection.
This commandment, he argued, have reformed
Christ that he who would love God, love his brother also.
Kelvin Watson has suggested Wesley's
system of Christian communal formation help people avoid the snare of solitary
religion and enable them to grow in holiness.
Indeed, Kelvin Watson claims that the band meetings was the important context within
early methodism that focused on growth in holiness.
Thus, the class meeting and band meetings
and other opportunities for communal spiritual formation serve to actualize the
Methodist teachings and transform believer lives.
In her studies of Watchwords on the Names of Christ and the Names of the Church,
Mary Fletcher used both Old and New Testament tests as a source for teaching
scriptural holiness and other doctrinal spiritual and pastoral principles.
Among the watchwords 132 entries.
67 reference the Old Testament and 65 the New Testament.
The Psalms are quote in a total of 18 lessons.
The next most frequently quote book is
Isaiah, quote 17 times, the Gospel of John is used twelve times,
the Song of Songs eleven times and Refugation is used nine times.
The Gospel of Matthew, Luke and the Book of Acts are quote separately.
The rest of her references are scattered throughout the pentateuch.
The minor prophets, the Pauline Epistles,
the Pastoral Epistles, Only one of her lessons in the Names of
Christ is drawn from the Old Testament's historical books.
The Watchwords provide an important window
into Mary Fletcher's approach of reading and interpret the Scripture.
They showed that Mary Fletcher knew the Bible thoroughly.
Her way of using Scripture was root in her
beliefs about the purpose which Scripture should serve.
Nothing less than self patience, she
insists, was the determining theme of the Scripture.
She read the Bible literally, but also
spiritually and figuratively, as she applied the meaning of individual passages
to the lives of the men and women to whom she was preaching and teaching.
Her exposition of Scripture also show how
her vocational and theological conviction influenced her readings of Scripture.
In dealing with biblical language,
Fletcher interpreted literally but seldom delved deeply into historical elements.
While unpacking the meaning of the text,
she always sought to use Scripture to interpret Scripture.
Thus the Watch words are filled with
scriptural quotations whenever the literal sense seems not to make plain sense.
She used figurative interpretation and explore God use of metaphorical language,
giving her a commitment to the importance of evangelism.
It is not surprising that she often underscored the theme of salvation and
important Christian teachings relate to the pursuit of perfection and holiness.
In her work of spiritual interpretation,
interpretative methods, and theological themes.
In the watch words.
Mary Fletcher make good use of literal interpretation.
She began her watchwords names of Christ with the entering Almighty.
Here she expunged on Genesis chapter 17, verse one I am the Almighty God.
Walk before me and be thou perfect.
To Fletcher, the Almighty God is the source of life in whose presence we are
called to walk as the surest way to perfection.
Mary Fletcher explained that Hebrew term
el shadai or almighty means God or sufficient, able alone to satisfy and fill
up all the powers and faculties of the soul.
She then exclaimed in the words of Charles
Wesley search the whole creation round, for out of God can't be found.
As she continued to expegate Genesis
chapter 17, verse one, fletcher associated the word perfect as in God's direction to
Abraham be thou perfect with God's first more directive walk before me.
She explained that perfect in this context means upright and then went on to consider
what is implied in walking before God and what is meant by being upright.
Here, Fletcher's interpretations allies
closely with John Wesley Knox upon Genesis, chapter 17, verse one, which say
to walk before God is to thank God always before us and to think and speak and act
and everything as those that are always under his eye.
Both Wesley and Fletcher follows the logic of Genesis namely, that true knowledge of
God should influence everything we do or how we walk in the language of Genesis.
And this aligns with God's second command to Abraham be thou perfect.
Fletcher concludes by saying for he is the
resurrection and the life and all sufficient God in whose presence we are
called to walk as the sewerest way to perfection.
Fletcher applied for practical holiness as
the necessary basis for the Christian life.
In another of his entries of names of the
Church she cites Psalms 143, verse ten to support her teaching on uprightness.
She extends its meaning to indicate that
the land of Upbrainers is the Church represent in her estate of true
faithfulness and called a land because of the durableness thereof.
The way to this land is desirable the
path, testimony and fulfillment only to give ourselves into the hand of
God following the guidance of the Lord who will touch us in the way we should go.
Hear his own words he that have mercy on them shall let them
even by the springs of water shall he guide them again.
I will bring the blind by a way that they know not.
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will mix darkness, light before them and crook things strict.
These things will I do unto them and will not forsake them.
Fletcher instruct her audience to listen
to the claim of the prophet of Isaiah the way to this land of upgrades is
embraced by mercy and guidance, which is a pardoning love.
Fletcher reminds us that while conscious
of our blindness let us follow him who is the light of the world.
He will lead us safely through all into
that land of Upbrained, the land in which the upright love thee.
In this short passage,
Fletcher appealed to Isaiah, the Gospel of John Two, Timothy and the Song of Songs.
In her intertestral interpretation of
Psalm 134, she let the scripture be its own interpreter.
Besides the literal sense, Mary Fletcher
interpret the text figuratively when necessary.
In Fletcher's Names of Christ, she drew
the name the name Captain from Joshua, chapter five, verse 14.
1st, she carefully expunged the context of Joshua.
Chapter five, verse 14.
Now we must remember Joshua was wielding the war of Jericho and waiting unto God
for light how he was to proceed in taking that capital city.
When beholding this appearance of the Lord with a sword drawn in his hand, he makes
the inquiry art thou for us or for our enemies?
After identifying the contacts, Fletcher
shift to the present and asked the same question to her readers.
Lord, may I claim thee as mine?
Have I the mark of thy ship?
She asked her readers to observe the
answer that the divine figure gave Joshua as captain of the Lord's host.
Am I now come?
She explained that this answer was proof that this was Jesus Jehovah.
For Joshua is commanded to put his shoes
from off his feet which was never required by any creator angel.
She then made an evangelistic appeal.
Consider if this captain is ours.
She particularly addressed those who are
unsure as to whether they are of the Lord's host.
She encourages the poor, afflicted one who
is longing to obey the call to venture on him.
Venture freely.
Lay claim to this mighty captain of your
salvation as your leader, commander and protector.
First, as your leader, look to him every
moment as the eyes of a serpent are to the hand of his master.
Hear him say walk in my presence and be perfect.
He that follows me shall not walk in darkness.
I will instruct thee in the way that thou shalt go.
I will guide thee by my eyes.
Second, as commander, the grand perfection of an army is exact obedience.
And it's not the perfection of a Christian.
An entire conformity to the will of God a
delight to do and suffer his righteous will.
Thirdly, as protector here our captain differs from the type.
An earthly captain may himself be overcome.
Not so with ours.
His followers may drop one after another till none are left.
Not so with ours.
Whose ever follows, this captain is sure
of victory and he will tread all the enemies beneath her feet.
Fletcher used Joshua's encounter with the
divine figures at the platform for an invitation to come and know the captain of
salvation who offers to be our leader, commander and protector.
For Fletcher, salvations was comprehensive.
It entailed God's complete protection.
It involved walking in God's presence and
being perfect, ultimately overcoming through obedience to him.
Fletcher concludes his discussion of Christ as captain by returning to Joshua.
Five.
Observe the time when Joshua had this vision of his Lord.
Again, she used a figural reading of the
conquest narrative to apply the text to her readers.
Just as the Israelites were on the borders of canon just about to take Jericho.
When they encounter the captain of the Lord's Host, Fletcher exhaust them, saying
that this same captain of the Lord's host, Jesus will cause the high walls of sin and
fall down before us, and will deliver all the inhabitants of inbred sin into our
hands, fulfilling that prophetic word from Genesis, chapter 49, verse eight.
Thine hand shall be in the neck of thying enemies.
I will discuss two more names of the church from her unpublished watch words.
In the first, Fletcher returned to the name of Jesus as captain.
Her discussion of the church as the Hidden ones was based on the connection of Psalm
83, verse three where the psalmist cry out they have taken crafty counsel against thy
people and consult against thy hidden ones.
Again, Fletcher addressed the issue of spiritual enemies and asked, how shall we
hope to stand against principalities and powers who have such an advantage?
She answered by stating that we cannot
stand without Jesus who, as the captain of our salvation,
promised us victory by himself undertaking to become the serpent Brucer.
At this point in her meditations, she
explained how the followers of the Lord are his Hidden ones.
Fletcher clearly believed that individuals
who constantly walk in God's presence experience his protection.
Another example of a metaphorical
exposition is the name of the church as little ones.
Fletcher used Zechariah, chapter 13, verse seven to eight illustrate her reasons for
identifying the church of believers as little ones.
She explains this childlike image.
First, in what sense are the members of Christ called little ones?
Why, they are little in the eyes of men.
They quietly turn the other cheek and lift their course in the hand of God.
And though he will by and by make them to
shine as the sun, they are as yet under a cloud.
As the tabernacle was covered by badger
skins, dove the divine Shakina dwell therein.
Secondly, they are little in their own eyes.
They see and feel they have nothing of their own but sin and as to be blessed
motions of the Spirit by which they speak and act.
They no more look on this as their gory
than the air can gory in being filled with the light of the sun.
Thirdly, they are little ones because they live in a childlike dependence of the
Savior, drawing awe from him and sinking into a sweet annihilation before him.
Who is there an awe in all.
Zechariah described God as my shepherd in
contrast to the image of his people, the little ones.
Mary understood these little ones to be those who were persecuted and scared it.
But she was not referring to the
historical experience of the people of Judah.
Instead, she appealed to the contemporary pastoral concern, encouraging those who
might also face trials by citing their warning of one.
Peter, chapter four, verse twelve,
where the apostle white beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you as if some strange thing happened unto you.
No, it is what you are to expect,
and it is for the trial and increase of your faith.
Her interpretation is pointedly spiritual.
She continued to offer comfort.
Those little ones, Mr.
Wesley observes, he thinks our felicity
hereafter will be in proportion to our suffering here
provide we suffer with quiet resignation, because nothing so opens the heart to work
of the spirit acts of faith and resignation.
And indeed, St.
Paul seems to confirm the idea where he
says these light afflictions, which are but for a moment worked out for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
This brief examination of her watch words
revealed that Mary Fletcher obviously knew Scripture so well that she could
skillfully begin her interpretations with the literal sense and develop multiple
spiritual applications through the use of figurative readings.
Her theology was consistent with that of
Wesley, and she often cite or allude to both John and Charles in her teaching.
Conclusion recalling the faithful
commitment expressed by Mary Fletcher in describing her trip in Ireland,
mary continually expressed her eagerness to save the first he sold.
She participated with full liberty as a leader in the communal activities in which
the mavericks experienced worship and brotherly love.
Watch Words it's an important
interpretative work that let us see how a woman preacher practiced in these scripts.
The evangelical revival in the 18th
century sought to find ways for believer to experience God's grace.
Mary Fletcher's watchwords shows that
Mary, as an accomplished interpreter, always kept her evangelical word as a
central theme in her teachings and ministry.
Her scriptural writings was designed for a
particular audience with a particular purpose.
She focused her interpretation of
Scripture so as to contribute to the communal formation of her meetings.
In her appropriation of the text, she
incorporates the literal figural and spiritual sense.
Her understanding of the wholeness of Scripture provide us with an important
reading of Methodist teaching in the 18th century.
And that's the end of my presentation.
Thank you for your time.
If you have any question, I am happy to answer it.
Thanks again.