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
6 _mo._ 14.--Went in the evening to Thame, and had a meeting with a
few who have met in the way of Friends for about five years at Grove End.
There are only seven or eight who meet regularly, but they are often
joined by a few others. No notice had been given to their neighbors of our
coming, but on seeing us go to the meeting many followed; the room was
quite filled, and a precious meeting it was. Their hearts are like ground
prepared for the good seed of the kingdom. The nature of spiritual worship
was pointed out, and testimony borne to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
This little company reminded us of many such which we met with in foreign
countries, particularly in Switzerland and Germany. We had a good deal of
conversation with William Wheeler, who was one of the first to meet in
silence. He was a leader in the Wesleyan congregation, and became uneasy
with giving out hymns to be sung with those whose states he knew did not
correspond with the words. He would then sometimes select a hymn most
suited by its general character to the company; at other times he would
leave out a few verses, and select others which he thought might be sung
with truth by the whole congregation; but the thing became so burdensome
that he was obliged, for conscience' sake, to leave it altogether, and sit
down with a few others in silence. At first they met with opposition, and
even persecution, from persons who came to their meeting to disperse them.
On one of these occasions a few rude young men had banded together to
beset them the next meeting-day, and disperse them. W.W. was strongly
impressed that it was right for him to proclaim an awful warning to
some--that the judgments of the Almighty awaited them, that eternity was
nearer than they were aware and he wished them to consider and prepare for
it. One of the disturbers was taken suddenly ill, and died before the next
meeting-day; which produced such an effect on the others that they never
more molested the little company in their worship.
In reviewing this journey, J.Y. says, under date of the 25th of the Sixth
Month:--
I trust my faith is afresh confirmed in the gift of the Holy Spirit to
lead in the way of religious duty, and to give strength to do His will.
Lord, grant that the remainder of my days, whether few or many, be
entirely devoted to the holy cause of endeavoring to promote the Saviour's
kingdom on earth.
In 1837, John and Martha Yeardley were occupied with making circuits in
the service of the gospel through several counties of England. They were
attracted to Lancashire, which they visited in the autumn, by the peculiar
state of some meetings in that county, an extensive secession having taken
place not long before. The difficulties which they had to encounter on
this journey are represented in a letter from Martha Yeardley to her
sisters, written at Manchester the 4th of the Ninth Month, 1837.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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