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: 

I have now had a specimen of German travelling.  Thou wilt be sure I was very bold to set off quite alone except the driver, but it proved far easier than I had anticipated.  Instead of having a conveyance to seek when I got over to Harburg, there was a man on the steam-packet who offered to take me in his carriage, and the whole of my packages, to Pyrmont.

A great part of the country between Harburg and Hanover is very dreary and barren, much resembling Bentham Moor; but the road is much worse, being in many places not less than eighteen inches or two feet deep in sand.  When we came near Celle and Hanover, the country became quite different, being very fruitful, and the prospect charming.  Nearly all the way from Hanover to Pyrmont it is beautiful travelling, and the road mostly good.  Pyrmont and the scenery in the surrounding neighborhood is beautiful beyond description.

At Eppendorf he had been cheered by a visit from Benjamin Seebohm and John Snowdon, from Bradford, who informed him that a committee from the Yearly Meeting were on their way to Pyrmont.  This was to him most welcome news, and the Friends reached Pyrmont almost as soon as he did; but though their company was so cordial to his mind, their presence did not relieve him from the burden of religious exercise which he began to feel on behalf of the members of the Society in that place, as soon as he took up his residence amongst them.