[Footnote 1:  Autobiography of Mary Anne Schimmelpenninck, vol. 1. pp. 89, 90.]

VII.

THE COLLEGE AT TREVECCA AND CHESHUNT.

So rapidly did places of worship multiply under the Countess’s fostering care, that very shortly after the opening of the Vineyards at Bath, the question of supplying preachers for their pulpits became so pressing that finally the scheme of founding a college for the training of suitable preachers took definite shape.  Lady Huntingdon had already contributed liberally to Western College, Plymouth, Brecon College, and Dr. Doddridge’s Academy at Northampton.  She held much consultation with her most trusted advisers, Whitefield, Wesley, Venn, Romaine, and others.  All were favourable except Berridge, who, although “the most dubious man in the world about his own judgment,” yet wrote, “Will not Jesus choose, and teach, and send forth His ministering servants now, as He did the disciples aforetime; and glean them up when, and where, and how He pleaseth?  The world says no, because they are strangers to a Divine commission and a Divine teaching.  And what if these asses blunder about the Master’s meaning for a time, and mistake it often, as they did formerly?  No great harm will ensue, provided they are kept from paper and ink, or from a white wall and charcoal.”

In 1768 Lady Huntingdon fixed upon an old mansion at Trevecca in Brecknockshire, as the home of the new experiment.  Her relations with Welsh evangelistic work had long been close and helpful, and by means of Howel Harris, Trevecca had become familiar to her.  Fletcher of Madeley was appointed President, although he was not to reside there permanently; and Joseph Easterbrook resident tutor.  Students soon began to appear, the first on the roll being in all probability James Glazebrook, a collier in Fletcher’s parish.  To Fletcher the Countess had sent the circular describing what she wished the college to be, and asking him, in common with all her ministerial friends, whether he could recommend any suitable persons as students.  He replied:  “After having perused the articles and looked round about me, I designed to answer your Ladyship that out of this Galilee ariseth no prophet.  With this resolution I went to bed, but in my sleep was much taken up with the thought and remembrance of one of my young colliers who told me some months ago that for four years he had been inwardly persuaded that he should be called to speak for God.  I looked upon the unusual impression of my dream as a call to speak to the young man, and at waking designed to do so at the first opportunity.  To my great surprise he came to Madeley that very morning, and I found upon inquiry that he had been as much drawn to come as I to speak to him.”

The man who in this remarkable way secured the recommendation and interest of Fletcher was the first of what is now the long roll of good and useful men whom the college has sent forth into the evangelical ministry at home and into the great mission field of the world.