Background
Fletcher was born in Maitland, New South Wales, eighth and final child to John and Eliza (née Bale) Fletcher. His father was a Methodist lay preacher.
Fletcher was born in Maitland, New South Wales, eighth and final child to John and Eliza (née Bale) Fletcher. His father was a Methodist lay preacher.
Fletcher attended Newington College (1890–1892) before doing an apprenticeship on the vessel "Maquarie".
Fletcher led successful evangelistic campaigns across Australia, the British Isles, and South Africa. He also wrote multiple books including an autobiography. "I went to bed in a violent rage," said Fletcher, "but I had gone far enough, and the mighty hand of God gripped my life that night." On 24 January 1900, Fletcher married Maude Harris Basham and together they had several children.
Pastoral ministry Fletcher pastored in three churches over the course of his life.
First, from 1909 to 1915, he pastored in Portuguese Adelaide where his predecessor was Review Joseph Coles Kirby. Second, at Wood Street church in Cardiff, Wales from 1916 to 1922.
His third pastorate was at the Beresford Street church in Auckland, New Zealand from 1923 to 1932. Evangelistic work Fletcher"s most notable work was in evangelism which was his real passion.
Indeed, Edwin Orr calls Fletcher "The outstanding evangelist of the between-Wars period." From September 1932 he served as "Empire Evangelist" for the "Movement for World Evangelization" in London until 1935.
He also led highly successful campaigns in South Africa in 1934 and 1936 and again in 1938. Charles Malcolm, Fletcher"s biographer, estimates that over 250,000 professed conversion under Fletcher"s ministry. F. West. Boreham, in his foreword to Charles Malcolm"s biography of Fletcher, emphasised Fletcher"s love for Australia: "He evangelised many lands, but he yearned above all things for the salvation of Australia." Honours.
Fletcher turned down an honorary doctorate on several occasions, but on 9 November 1951 finally accepted an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Biola University, whose president Doctor Louis T. Talbot (after whom Talbot Theological Seminary was named) was converted partly as a result of Fletcher"s ministry in Sydney years earlier. Talbot had hoped to confer the degree personally in Australia, but being unable to, asked the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia, Howard Mowll to confer the degree in his stead.
Quotations: "I went to bed in a violent rage," said Fletcher, "but I had gone far enough, and the mighty hand of God gripped my life that night.".
