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
This morning I am thankful to feel something of a peaceful serenity to
cover my mind, and am well contented in being placed on this side of the
German Ocean. I consider it an unspeakable blessing that I do not feel so
much as a wish to return, until the time may come that I can see clearly
that it is right for me so to do. Should I not be favored with health and
strength to do what I have sometimes thought designed for me before I set
my foot in this land, or should my Heavenly Father see meet to cut short
the work in righteousness and not permit that I ever see my native country
again, his gracious _will be done_. I leave this as a testimony that
none need to fear his rightly sending forth those who ask and rightly wait
for his counsel. I do not know why I should thus write: I trust it
proceeds from a resigned heart; and I will add, for fear I should never
have another opportunity, that I should wish all to know who have known
me, that I have no reason to doubt the rectitude of my crossing the water
with a prospect of a residence in this country, and that should time with
me now close, I die in peace with my God, and in that love for mankind
which believes "every nation to be our nation, and every man our
brother."--(6 _mo._ 8.)
The next day's diary consists of a short but earnest prayer.
_First-day morning,_--O, gracious and most merciful Father, be
pleased to strengthen my hands for the work that is before me; be pleased
to give me the power of speech; be pleased to give me thy word, with
power to publish it to those whose hearts thou shalt be pleased to prepare
for the reception of it.
The family with whom he lodged at Eppendorf strongly engaged his religious
sympathy.
I spent, he says in his diary of the 8th of the Seventh Month, about nine
weeks at E. in a very agreeable manner with the family of three young
women. The one who is the mistress of the house is very seriously
inclined. She told me she had read a play-book giving a description of our
Society in the character of one of its members, and ever since she had had
a particular desire to see one of us, and that she could not but admire
with thankfulness that she had been gratified in having one to reside
under her roof. She had heard of Thomas Shillitoe's being in Hamburg; and
when I told her he was now in Norway, she asked me his business there, I
told her that our Friends had sometimes a desire to visit their brethren
and other religiously-disposed people in foreign lands, and that such was
his errand. She replied, "Yes, and I believe it is also yours: this is
Gospel love indeed; while so many here will not think for themselves, you
come so far to visit and help them." In saying this she was overcome with
tears.
John Yeardley left Hamburg on the 2nd of the Seventh Month, and arrived at
Pyrmont on the 5th. Writing to his brother, he says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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