Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel Part 30

We arrived at Neufchfatel, writes John Yeardley, on Fifth-day, and on Seventh-day (11 mo. 1) settled into a comfortable lodging on the border of the lake. It feels to us the most like home of any residence we have had during our pilgrimage in foreign lands. Our suite of cottage-rooms runs alongside the water, with a gallery in front, and the little boats on the lake, and the mountains in the distance, covered with snow, are objects pleasing to the eye. What gives us the most satisfaction is the feeling of being in our right place, and to meet with such a warm reception from our dear friends.

This feeling was succeeded by some religious service of an interesting character, in reviewing which John Yeardley says:--

23_rd_.--Among those who meet with us, a little few know how to appreciate true silence, others are not come to this. But for what purpose are we here? If it may please our Heavenly Father to make use of us as feeble instruments of drawing a single individual into nearer communion with the Beloved of souls, we ought to be content; and, blessed be his Holy Name, his presence is often felt in our hearts.

As has been already said, they looked forward to spending the winter at Neufchatel. This intention, and their ulterior project of visiting Germany in the spring, were frustrated by the alarming illness of Adey Bellamy Savory, Martha Yeardley's only brother, the news of which reached them on the 29th of the Eleventh Month.

This day's post, writes John Yeardley, brought us the sorrowful news of the severe illness of our dear brother A.B. Savory. The family at Stamford-hill have expressed a strong desire for us to return, if we could feel easy so to do, and seeing that we have pretty much got through what we had in prospect in Switzerland, we are, on the whole, most comfortable to go direct for London, and leave Germany for the present. Our great Master is very gracious to us, giving us to feel sweet peace in the termination of our labors, and to look forward with hope to seeing our native land once more.

The next day was First-day; the parting with their Neufchatel friends was very affecting.

11 _mo_. 30.--A precious meeting this morning. The presence of Him who died for us was near, to help and comfort us; our hearts were much tendered by his divine love. The taking leave of our dear friends here was almost heartrending. There is a precious seed in this place, which I trust, is a little deeper rooted since our last visit, and it is the prayer of my heart, that the Saviour may water and watch over it, and that it may produce abundance of fruit to his praise.

They took their departure on the 2nd of the Twelfth Month, and arrived in London on the 13th, travelling through the north of France twelve days and six nights.

Through divine mercy we arrived safe in London, on Seventh-day evening, and lodged with our beloved relations at Highbury, who received us with all possible affection. Our spirits on meeting, mingled in silent sorrow, while we were enabled to rejoice in G.o.d our Saviour. On First-day morning we went over to Stamford-hill, and soon were introduced to our beloved brother, who was perfectly sensible, but extremely weak. The peace and serenity which we were favored to feel by him was an inexpressible comfort to our sorrowful hearts.

A.B. Savory died the next Third-day evening, and his remains were interred on the First-day following.

21_st_.--This was the day fixed for the solemn occasion of accompanying the remains to the tomb. The body was taken into the meeting-house at Newington, and the company of mourners and all present were, I believe, comforted and edified through the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father. J.J. Gurney's communication was particularly precious; he also paid a consoling visit to the family after dinner.

We shall conclude this chapter with some reflections made by John Yeardley, on reviewing the changes which death had produced in the circle of his relations:--

1835. 1 _mo_. 31.--Waking this morning, I took a view of the great ravages death had made in our families; when this exhortation pressed suddenly and with peculiar force on my heart,--Be thou also ready. My soul responded, Thou Lord, alone, canst make me ready. O gracious Saviour, who died for me, be pleased to redeem me from the bond of corruption, and purify my heart from earthly things.

CHAPTER XIV.

FROM THE END OF THE THIRD CONTINENTAL JOURNEY, IN 1834, TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FOURTH, IN 1842.

During the seven years comprised in this chapter, the materials which exist for delineating John and Martha Yeardley's history are meagre. Of the numerous journeys which they made in the course of this period, the record kept by the former frequently consists of a mere itinerary.

After attending the Leeds Quarterly Meeting in the Third Month, they returned to their home at Scarborough, but soon left it again to be present at the Yearly Meeting in London. The Society of Friends began about this time to be agitated by differences of opinion, chiefly on points of doctrine. John Yeardley not only kept himself sedulously free from the spirit of party, but, whether from a natural aversion to public life, or from the fear of exceeding the limit of his own calling and abilities, he abstained from taking a prominent position, and left it very much to others to sway the affairs of the Church. But he was not unmindful of the dangers by which the Society was a.s.sailed, and he bent the force of his mental vigor and Christian experience towards the promotion of individual growth in grace and faithfulness to the divine call, and the diffusion of clear and comprehensive views of Scriptural truth; and when the hour came for sympathising with those who were hara.s.sed by doubts, or such as were subjected to trial by the effect of religious dissension, he was ready, with his beloved partner, to share the burden of the afflicted, to probe the wounds of those who had been bruised, and to pour in the oil of heavenly consolation.

His note regarding the Yearly Meeting is short:--

The business was of a most important nature, and sometimes very trying. We had strong proof that many spirits professing to have made long progress in the Christian life were not enough subdued by the humbling power of divine grace; but through all, I trust, our heavenly Father dealt with us in mercy, and sent help and wisdom to direct and strengthen his poor tribulated children.

On returning to Scarborough, he writes:--

I humbly trust our hearts are truly grateful to the Author of all our mercies, who has granted us once more a little rest of body and sweet peace of mind; but, as it regards myself, I must say that inward poverty has prevailed more since my return home than it has done for the last two years of absence. It is well to know how to suffer want, as well as to abound.

Want of occupation was not one of John Yeardley's trials, even when "standing," as he expressed it, "free from any prospect of immediate service, and feeling much as a vessel not likely to be brought into use again." Scriptural inquiry, the study of languages, and of the history of the Church, watching the progress of religious light and liberty on the Continent of Europe, his garden, the binding of his books--these were the employments of his industrious leisure. To these must be added the time bestowed on several small publications from his own and his wife's pen (the latter chiefly poetical), of which the "Eastern Customs," a volume which was the product of their united labor, and the materials for which were supplied by their journey to Greece, is the best known.

But there was another object which drew largely on John Yeardley's time during his residence at Scarborough. This was the unsectarian schools established in the town for the education of the industrial cla.s.ses. Of these the Lancasterian School for girls was his favorite, and the deep and steady interest which he manifested for the improvement of the children, as well as the peculiar talent which he evinced for attracting and developing the youthful mind, are shown in an affectionate tribute to his memory by the late mistress of the school:--

For many years he was a visitor at our Lancasterian School, where it was his delight to impart knowledge to a numerous cla.s.s of girls. He had a happy method of communicating information. The children used to listen with the greatest attention and delight; they never wearied of his lessons. Scriptural instruction was his first object; the children were questioned on what they had read, and it was delightful to watch their countenances whilst he explained portions of Scripture, which he frequently ill.u.s.trated by the manners and customs of Eastern nations; and this he did in a way that rendered his teaching valuable, as he did not fail to make an impression and gain the affections of his hearers.

One little girl we had whom he used to call the _oracle_; and indeed she was not inappropriately so-called; for whenever any of the girls were at a loss for an answer, they invariably turned to her, and seldom failed to receive a response to their silent appeal. This gifted child died between the ages of sixteen and eighteen; he was a frequent visitor at her bedside during a lingering illness, and it was his privilege to see that his labors had not been in vain.

I shall _never_ forget him, not only for the important instruction I derived from him, but also for his valuable a.s.sistance. During my labors of more than twenty-five years, I had none to help me as he did. When at home he never failed to visit as every afternoon: no matter what the state of the weather was--snow, wind or rain--he was to be seen at half-past two, with his large cape folded round him, bending before the blast, toiling up the hill near the school. So accustomed were we to him that his coming was deemed a matter of course.

After our Scripture lesson a portion of time was devoted to geography, particularly Bible geography; then he would talk to them of places where he had travelled: his descriptions of the Ionian Islands, the people and the schools he had visited there, used to be a favorite theme, and very interesting. In this way our afternoons were pa.s.sed, and truly they were times of profitable instruction.

He seemed to care less for the boys' school; he did occasionally visit them, but the girls were his pets. I have sometimes thought his knowledge of the ignorant and degraded state of the females in Greece was the cause of his taking so much interest in the education of the females in his own land.

In addition to J. Yeardley's labors at the Lancasterian School, some of the older girls and a few others who belonged to the school a.s.sembled at his house one evening in the week, whom he instructed in reading and Scriptural knowledge. Some of these still speak with grat.i.tude of the benefit they then received.

In the Ninth Month of 1835, John and Martha Yeardley visited Settle Monthly Meeting, and Knaresborough, under appointment of the Quarterly Meeting. On their way thither they took up at York their aged and valued friend Elizabeth Rowntree of Scarborough, who was on the appointment.

Her company, says J.Y., was a strength and comfort to us; she exercised her gift as an elder in a very acceptable manner, in many of the families we visited, as well as in the meetings for discipline.

This notice is succeeded almost immediately by the record of Elizabeth Rowntree's sudden decease:--

On the 25th of the Eleventh Month, we were introduced into deep affliction by the sudden removal of our precious elder, E. Rowntree. Her dependence for salvation was fixed on her Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, through the help of whose Spirit she had been enabled to lead a life of G.o.dliness and of usefulness to her fellow-mortals, and was always concerned to give the praise to Him to whom it was due,--the Lord of Lords.

This event, with the removal of another pilgrim to become an inhabitant of the world of beatified spirits, and the pressing subject of the divisions in the Society, form the topics of the following letter from Martha Yeardley to Elizabeth Dudley:--

Scarborough, 12 mo. 5, 1835.

During our long sojourn last spring, in and about my native city, my spirit was deeply oppressed, nor did the conflicts endured appear to produce much benefit either to myself or others. Here the way is more open, and, although we also deeply feel the effects of the storm which has been permitted to a.s.sail our little Society, we are more able to endure it; and desire to abide in our tents, except when called upon to defend that immediate teaching of the blessed Saviour, upon which we depend for our little portion of daily bread. I can truly sympathise with thee, my beloved Betsy, an having to bear more of the burden and heat of the day, and I do fervently believe with thee, that the more, as individuals, we commit and confide the cause to the Great Master, in humble prayer, the sooner it will be extricated from the perplexities which now hara.s.s and distress those who are truly devoted to it.