Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the GospelYeardley, John
Religion
Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel
Yeardley, John
Clergy -- United States -- Biography; Quakers -- Biography; Yeardley, John, 1786-1858
The situation of Delphi is the most beautiful that eyes can behold:
mountains of rock, such as we never before saw, and in the back ground the
far-famed Parnassus, covered with snow. The village consists of about one
hundred cottages, some of them built in the rock. We were conducted to one
of the best of these rustic dwellings, and met with a very friendly
reception from the inmates. The house consisted of two rooms, and we were
offered the use of one of them; they furnished us with mattresses laid
upon a sort of dresser, where we slept much better than for many previous
nights; even the hen and her thirteen chickens under our bed did not
disturb us. The novelty of the visiters soon brought in several of the
neighbors, who did not leave us, even while we took our tea. As there was
a good feeling, we thought it well to improve the opportunity, and
inquired who could read. The master of the house, a sensible man, said
there were only about twenty in the village who know anything of letters,
but that he could both read and write, for his father was a priest.
After tea we produced a New Testament and the book of Genesis, and our
interpreter read aloud the first two chapters of Genesis. Our host had
never seen the Scriptures in his own language, and we think we never
beheld a countenance more full of delight and intelligence than his was
during the reading. After a short explanation of what had been read, and a
word of exhortation, we thought to close; but the company were so pleased
with hearing the account of the creation and fall of man [from the sacred
record itself], that they requested us to read more. I desired them to ask
any questions on the subject they might wish; and the first which our host
put was, What kind of tree it was, the fruit of which Adam was forbidden
to eat? We answered that it was translated in our language _apple_.
He said they thought it was a _fig_. We told them it might be a fig,
or it might be an apple; but that the object of the Almighty was to try
Adam's obedience. They at once agreed to this; and the master of the house
wisely observed, Jesus Christ came to restore to us what was lost by
Adam's transgression. He then said, It would have been better if Adam,
after his transgression, instead of hiding himself, had confessed his sin
to God, and begged his forgiveness. We all agreed that it was a natural
act for man, in his fallen state, to wish to seek excuse, rather than to
confess his sin and repent. We then made some remarks on the prophecy of
the Saviour in the third chapter of Genesis, and ability was given us to
preach the Gospel of life and salvation. All hearts seemed touched, and
our own overflowed with gratitude. We may in truth say, Our Heavenly
Father has plucked our feet out of a horrible pit and out of the miry
clay, and set them upon a rock, and put a new song into our mouth, even
praise to his glorious name. On considering afterwards our situation, we
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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