31_st._—­There was a room filled with serious persons, who immediately settled into silence like a Friends’ meeting:  indeed, I wish our meetings in England were always times of as much good feeling.  A chapter, the second of the Acts, was read; after which I supplicated, and my M.Y. spoke in testimony, as well as myself.  M.Y. closed the opportunity in supplication.

They held another meeting at Vals, a village in the Cevennes mountains, near the town of Aubenas.  Lindley Murray Hoag, from America, had had a meeting there not long before.  There was no resident pastor, and the schoolmaster called on John and Martha Yeardley, and informed them that when no one was present to preach, the congregation were accustomed to read a sermon, the liturgy, and prayers.  They explained to him their objection to written sermons, and he appeared to be sensible of the inconsistency of them with true gospel ministry, but alleged that the people would not be satisfied without having the greater part of the time occupied with “service.”  As they could not undertake that this should be the case, it was agreed that they should be informed when the usual engagements were concluded, and that the schoolmaster should give notice of their intention to hold a religious meeting.  In the morning (First-day), unexpectedly, a young man arrived, who came to see if he could be established in the place as pastor, and the schoolmaster introduced him to J. and M.Y.  He raised no objection to their speaking after the service, but the sermon which he preached, as they afterwards found, was on the politics of the day, and when it was concluded, they were still kept waiting during a conference which the consistory had with him.  This delay, and their persuasion that the members of the consistory were not the men to sympathise with them in their religious exercise, was exceedingly proving to faith, and they entered the chapel under a pressure of mind almost beyond utterance.  After a pause John Yeardley rose and spoke in French, in which he felt himself to be much helped; an influence superior to words was spread abroad, lifting up the messengers above the fear of man.  Martha Yeardley followed, inviting the people to come under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ Jesus, and especially addressing herself to the mothers.

They remained at Vals a week.

Our lodging, says J.Y., is situated amid scenery the most romantic:  high-planted rocks, deep glens, and purling streams.  For reading and writing we spend much time on a spacious open gallery, protected from the penetrating rays of the sun by a roof; and in the interstices are creepers, vines, and flowers, delightful and airy.

11_th_.—­This has been a trying week.  I have been low in mind and suffered much in body, but, thanks to a merciful God, I am restored to comparative health, and my beloved one is better.  The peasants who inhabit the mountains can only come to the town on First-days; and as they live dispersed in places almost inaccessible, we concluded to wait over another First-day to see some of them at Vals.  We had them invited to the schoolroom.  A small number only assembled, but it was a feeling time:  I hope a few were instructed, and we were satisfied in having done what we could.