Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel Part 34

At our little meeting on First-day morning, we had the company of a widow and her daughter. The former is like a mother to those around her who are seeking spiritual things, and we were much comforted together. She invited us to tea, and to have a meeting in her house the next evening: a considerable number were collected, among whom were a pastor, several professors, and many females. The pastor read a chapter; and when, after a time of silence, the way opened for communication, it was like casting seed into prepared ground, and the retirement of spirit before the Lord which we recommended seemed really to be experienced before we separated; it was a silence to be felt better than expressed.

Amongst other pious persons in this city, they had an introduction to the Countess de Sellon.

She received us, says J.Y., with open heart, saying, "I am fond of the principles of your Society, believing they have the real substance of religion, stripped of its forms." She asked us many questions, and we felt sweet unity with her.

On the 3rd of the Fifth Month they went to Lausanne, where they renewed their friends.h.i.+p with Professor Gaudin, and had interviews with several other seeking persons.

We were, they say, most interested by a pious magistrate, Frossard de Saugy, near relative to a dear friend of ours at Geneva. He inquired respecting the education of children, of whom he has many--by what means he could make them sensible of vital religion. We replied that all we could do was to represent to them the love and mercy of our blessed Redeemer, and recommend them to cherish the convictions of his Holy Spirit, which are very early bestowed upon us all: he entirely united in our views.

From Lausanne they went to Yverdun, and the day after to Neufchatel. Since their last visit in 1834, some who were very dear to them had been summoned to eternal rest, which cast a shade of natural sorrow over their entrance into the place: and they were called upon, in addition, deeply to sympathise with some of those who remained.

The family of Professor Petavel has sustained a great loss in the death of his eldest son, accompanied, by circ.u.mstances peculiarly striking. This young man was about nineteen years of age. He had been very serious for some time before his illness, and wished much to be employed as a missionary. Early instructed by his mother in the importance of seeking divine influence, his mind was prepared to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and he had a deep conflict to pa.s.s through, which he confided to his mother, and which he seemed to think was the presage to suffering. In performing some gymnastic exercises he received a fall on the head, which after some time was followed by a paralytic affection of the whole body, so that he became entirely helpless, and his speech was taken away. It was only his tender mother who could ascertain his wants and administer to them, which she did with unceasing a.s.siduity. After about six months his speech was almost miraculously restored, and he used it in praising the Lord for the remarkable support and consolation of his Spirit. He said he had been sensible of all that had pa.s.sed, and that he had been abundantly confirmed in the belief that true religion consists in hearing the voice of our blessed Redeemer, and seeking to do his will. After some time the capability of speaking much again forsook him; yet he lingered some months longer, and when M.Y. beheld him soon after our arrival, he appeared like a precious lamb purified, and waiting to be gathered to the everlasting fold. The resignation of his parents was truly edifying: they proposed that we should both come the next day, and sit quietly beside him for a while. This proved a deeply impressive time; the presence of the Great Shepherd was evidently with us, and called forth thanksgiving for the mercies received and the deliverance antic.i.p.ated. While listening to a few words addressed to him at parting, he fixed his dying eyes upon us with an expression not to be forgotten, and before midnight the precious spirit was received into the arms of its Saviour. As we left for Locle early in the morning, we did not hear of this until our return the day following.

Their visit to their favorite orphan-inst.i.tution was, as ever, very interesting. They thus describe the state in which they found it:--

Our dear German friend M. Zimmerlin, the a.s.sociate of dear M. A. Calame, still lives: she received us with overflowing affection. After tea, which we took there, she hastened to show us the improvements in the premises, which, she said, our kind friends in England had contributed to procure by their donations through us. The inst.i.tution appears to be now in excellent order. In the evening, the children, 138 in number, were collected with the mistresses and family, and we had a very satisfactory opportunity with them. The same precious influence seems to prevail which we have noticed heretofore.

They returned to Neufchatel the next evening, where they heard that the remains of Paul Petavel were to be interred the next day.

His father, they add, was desirous that the meeting we intended to hold with our friends should be held at his house that evening. When M.Y. went to see the family, she found the parents fall of grat.i.tude and praise. The funeral was attended by the students from the college, and a large number of others; for the professor is much beloved, and the affecting situation of his son has been a lesson of instruction to the young people who used to a.s.sociate with him, and seems to have had an effect on the whole town.

The evening of this day proved to be a memorable time: a considerable number were collected, among whom were several pastors and a number of young persons. I seldom, says J.Y., remember to have attended a more solemn occasion. The Saviour's presence was near, to console and instruct.

After my M.Y. and I had relieved our minds in testimony and supplication, the professor and the other pastors spoke with much feeling; I think it was evident they were constrained by the Spirit. We parted (to resume the words of their joint epistle) from the family under a strong conviction of the support and consolation which those experience who depend in living faith upon their blessed Redeemer.

From Neufchatel, John and Martha Yeardley went to Berne, where they renewed the bond of friends.h.i.+p with those to whose spiritual state they had ministered in former years. With these they united several times in wors.h.i.+p and in social religious intercourse. At the close of one of these meetings, the lady of the house, an active and benevolent character, acknowledged, that she was sensible of the truth of what they had heard, and believed that in the present day the Lord was leading many of his devoted children to listen to his voice, that they might be brought more under the teachings of his Spirit, and from this would flow their consolation. "This (they observe) is the more remarkable, as, when we were here before, she held views on election and the _finished_ work of grace, almost to the exclusion of the work of 'regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.'"

We find in some here, writes John Yeardley in his Diary, a desire for food of a more spiritual nature: they really enjoy waiting on the Lord in silence; but the customary activity is strong, and not easily broken through. I trust the day will come when silence will more prevail in the a.s.semblies of the people. We left Berne with feelings of peace and of much affection for many in that place, and thankful to our Heavenly Father, in that he had prepared the hearts of his people to receive the invitation to feed on that spiritual food which alone can nourish the soul to eternal life.

They arrived at Basle on the 17th. Since they had visited this city in 1834, Hoffmann, the director of the inst.i.tution at Kornthal, had succeeded Blumhardt in the superintendence of the Mission-house. He received them with his usual kindness, and one evening they supped with the students, and had a religious meeting with them. They spent another evening with a pious family, where several missionaries and pastors were present. In speaking of this occasion, John and Martha Yeardley were led into a reflection which deserves to be pondered by Christians of every name.

Before separating, they say, the Scriptures were read, and some of the missionaries spoke on the importance of uniting in desire for a more general outpouring of the Spirit: J.Y. also spoke much to the same effect.

It was, we trust, a profitable season; but the reflection arose on this occasion, as it has done on some others when among serious persons not of our profession, that if they would but suffer the degree of divine influence mercifully afforded thoroughly to baptize the heart with the true baptism, much creaturely activity would be done away, and the light of the gospel would s.h.i.+ne in them and through them in much greater purity.

We paid and received visits, they continue, from some of the _Interieurs_ whom we had known before, and had to lament something of a visionary spirit in the midst of right feeling. We recommended simplicity, and close attention to the Scriptures and to the Shepherd's voice.

One day John Yeardley went into the mountains to see an establishment called the Pilgrim Mission Inst.i.tution, where he was interested in meeting three young men from Syria, who had come there to escape the scenes of war in their own country, and with the desire to be rendered capable of instructing their countrymen.

They left Basle on the 22nd, and entered Germany. They were, for a time, a good deal embarra.s.sed with the change of language from French to German, having had little or no occasion to use the latter tongue during their journey. They stopped at Carlsruhe, where they called, with an introduction, on the Princess of Wurtemberg.

She received us, they say, very kindly, and we had a satisfactory interview with her, and also with an interesting female who has the charge of her children. After much conversation with the princess in French, she introduced us to her three lovely children, and asked J.Y. to give them a word of exhortation. We remained silent awhile, and, under a precious feeling, offered prayer for the divine blessing on this family and all its branches; after which the word of sympathy and exhortation flowed freely.

At parting, the princess took a cordial leave of us, and said she received our visit as a blessing from the Lord.

The next day they pursued their way towards Pyrmont. Being weary with travelling, and their horses also needing rest, they tarried two days at Frankfort. Here they saw their old friend Von Meyer; and spent much of their time in the company of Dr. Pinkerton. "I was instructed," says J.Y., "with seeing the charity and Christian meekness in which he daily lives."

On the 3rd of the Sixth Month they reached Pyrmont, where they remained a few weeks. They attended on the 2nd of the Seventh Month the Two-months'

Meeting, at Minden. Many peasants were present in the meeting for wors.h.i.+p, and on John and Martha Yeardley's return to Pyrmont, some of them came to the meeting there on First-day, and begged the Friends to go to Vlotho to meet a company of their brethren. They gave the peasants liberty to call a meeting at that place for Third-day, the 18th.

On Second-day, as they were setting off, an accident happened to John Yeardley.

He had left the horse's head, writes M.Y., to attend to placing the baggage, when, hearing another carriage drive rapidly up, our horse set off, and my J.Y., in attempting to stop him by catching hold of the reins, fell, and was much bruised, but through mercy no limb was broken. We applied what means were in our power, and I urged our remaining at Pyrmont, and sending to defer the meeting; but he would go on to Lemgo.

His whole frame was much shaken, and we pa.s.sed a sleepless night, so that the meeting next day was not a little formidable. It proved a much longer journey to Vlotho than we had expected; when we arrived we found a large number a.s.sembled. Five of our Friends came from Minden to meet us, and it was a remarkable meeting, notwithstanding we had gone to it under so much discouragement: we have cause to bless and adore our Divine Master, who caused his presence to be felt amongst us. August Mundhenck interpreted for J.Y. and for me. J.R. also suffered his voice to be acceptably heard in testimony, after which the meeting closed in solemn supplication. We pursued our way that night to Bielefeld and the next day towards the Rhine.

On their way home they stopped at Dusseldorf. The ten years which had gone by since they had visited the Orphan Asylum at Dusselthal, near this town, had wrought a great change in the physical condition of Count Von der Recke. He looked worn and ill, the effect of care and anxiety for his numerous adopted family; but he evinced a spirit of pious resignation, and had a hearty welcome ready for his visitors. They returned to England through Belgium, and arrived in London on the 8th of the Eighth Month.

They did not at once return to their home at Scarborough, but spent a month in Hertford, Oxford and Buckinghams.h.i.+re, attending the meetings of Friends in these counties, and visiting that of Berkhamstead several times.

CHAPTER XVI.

REMOVAL TO STAMFORD-HILL, AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIFTH CONTINENTAL JOURNEY.

1843-48.

The tour which John and Martha Yeardley made in and around Buckinghams.h.i.+re, and which is mentioned at the conclusion of the last chapter, was undertaken in quest of a new place of abode. In a letter from Martha Yeardley to her sister, Mary Tylor, written on the 3rd of the Eleventh Month, she says:--

Thou art aware that we have thought, if way should open of going nearer to you, and of pitching our tent within the Quarterly Meeting of Buckinghamstead. We offered to purchase a cottage at Berkhamstead, but for the present that has quite fallen through: we therefore intend to rest quietly here for the winter, in hopes that in the spring or summer something may offer, either at B. or in that quarter, to which we feel attracted; yet desiring to commit this and all that concerns us into the all-directing hand of our great Lord and Master, who has a right to do with us what seemeth him good.

Not long afterwards they purchased a house at Berkhamstead, called Gossom Lodge, to which they removed in the Fourth Month, 1844.

Very soon after they had taken possession of their new dwelling, they made a circuit through the meetings of Buckinghams.h.i.+re and Northamptons.h.i.+re, holding a few public meetings by the way: and the next summer they undertook a more extensive religious visit--viz., to the six northern counties of England.

In the course of the same year we find them meditating a further removal, into the immediate vicinity of London. One of the few entries in his Diary which were made by John Yeardley during this period, speaks of the apprehension of duty under which they contemplated this change: it was written after their removal.

For some years past I have often thought the time might come when we might see it right to settle within Stoke Newington Meeting. This feeling now began (1845) to fasten more strongly on our minds than it had done before, and we thought it right to make an effort to let Gossom Lodge, and seek a residence at Stamford Hill; and we have reason to believe that in this important step our prayer has been answered, and that all our deliberations have been guided by that wisdom which is from above. Very strong is my conviction that our Heavenly Father is not unmindful of the outward circ.u.mstances of those who seek his counsel, and desire to act under the guidance of his Holy Spirit. We were favored to let our house at Berkhamstead without trouble; the very first person to whom we made it known took it off our hands: and with equal ease we found another dwelling at Stamford Hill, which I consider as a proof that our prayer was heard and answered in this serious step: the signs I had asked were granted.