Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 518 pages of information about Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel.

Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 518 pages of information about Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel.

12 mo. 25.—­The evening of this day was a lively and pleasant scene.  The girls’ countenances were brightened and their hearts cheered by the presents made to them by the English Friends present.  The “tree” was new to them; it was beautifully lighted with tapers, and bore a variety of fruit both for mind and body.

1857. 3 mo. 2.--My dear friend ----- proposed my giving the school
girls a treat before I left Nismes.  We contrived a visit to the sea,
distant from Nismes about twenty miles.  We procured two omnibuses with six
horses, and started at 5 o’clock in the morning.  Long before the time
appointed, the little maidens were in the entrance-hall with their
satchels in their hand, containing each her dinner; twenty-seven in all. 
The pleasure on the road was novel and great; but when they arrived at the
sea-shore their delight was complete; with light hearts and quick heels,
running and picking up shells, meeting the waves as they advanced and
receded.  On our return we visited the ancient town of Aigues-Mortes, near
the sea, famous for having been the place where the Protestant women were
confined and punished even to death.  We entered most of the strong and
gloomy cells, and saw the instrument of torture.  The tower and fortress
are a perfect model of a feudal castle.

On his return to England, John Yeardley was taken ill with bronchitis, which produced great bodily weakness, and caused him “many wearisome” nights and days; but, he says, “my Saviour was near to console and sustain me.”  He went for change to Bath, and afterwards to Brighton with Margaret Pope:—­

We made, he says, speaking of this visit many calls, and my hospitable hostess had many of the Friends to tea and dinner visits.  Our social readings in the evening were often instructive in the conversation upon what we read, particularly over Hippolytus, who lived and wrote in the first half of the second century.  The Chevalier Bunsen did good service to the Christian Church in bringing the life and some of the writings of this good man to light.

On his return home we find him still solicitous, as he had been in former years, for the intellectual improvement of his young friends.

11 mo.—­During my stay at home I have renewed my German class for a few of my young friends.  We have also commenced a soiree for German and French conversation.  I love the society of my young friends, and am always, anxious to promote their learning to speak German and French.

The Diary for 1858, the last year of his life, commences with, a New Year’s dedication of himself afresh to the service of his faithful Creator, and a prayer for a fresh anointing in the exercise of his ministry.

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Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.