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
9 _mo_. 10.--I went with my dear wife to attend the burial of my
cousin Joseph Watts at Woodhouse, and was at the meeting there on
Fourth-day the 11th. It was largely attended by relations and friends. I
felt so sensibly the danger that some present were in of trifling away the
reproofs of conviction, that I could not forbear reviving the language
which was proclaimed to the Prophet Jonah, when he had fled from the
presence of the Lord and was fallen asleep in the ship, "What meanest
thou, O sleeper, arise, call upon thy God." After commenting a little on
the subject, I sat down under great solemnity which seemed to cover the
meeting, and I can thankfully say the fruit of obedience was sweet to my
taste.
12 _mo_. 1.--Went to meeting this morning with a fearful apprehension
lest I should have to expose myself in that which is so contrary to my
natural inclination. And so it proved; for I had not sat long, before I
was made willing to express what rested weightily on my mind, and that was
the case of Gideon, when the angel appeared to him under the oak as he
threshed wheat. I commented a little on the subject, which afforded me
great satisfaction and joy.
In the following entry, notwithstanding the tardy obedience which it
records, we find his commission as one of the Lord's watchmen sealed upon
his mind.
1817. 4 _mo_. 7. In meeting yesterday morning I was enabled publicly
to relieve myself of a little matter which had been a burden on my mind
for two or three meetings past, in which I had felt pretty smartly the rod
which, is held over the head of the disobedient. In this instance, human
nature seemed stubborn in a double degree, but after it was over I felt my
peace flow as a river. Methinks I now hear this language proclaimed in the
secret of my heart: I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel;
therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. O what
an important charge! May I duly consider the weight of it, and so watch
over my own conduct, in thought, word and action, that I may not be
pulling down with one hand that which I may be endeavoring to build up
with the other. If I am to be an instrument in the hand of the Almighty,
may he graciously condescend to prepare and sharpen the arrows he may see
meet to shoot through the medium of his poor servant, so that they may
sink deep, wound the hypocrite, and comfort the pure divine life in the
hearts of his children.
A few weeks after this, John Yeardley attended a remarkable meeting held
by Joseph Wood, in which they were made to sit in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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