Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel Part 29

8 _mo_. 4.--In the evening I attended the Missionary Meeting in the Chapel de l'Oratoire. Pastor Merle [d'Aubigne] opened the meeting by a short prayer, and singing, and then gave a narrative of the liberation of the slaves in the English colonies, according to the account received from England. Pastor Olivier, from Lausanne, was present. He is about to depart for Lower Canada, and he spoke in a very touching manner of the way in which the mission had first opened on his own mind. When the concern was made known in his heart, he kept it there in secret prayer to the Lord for direction, and whenever he heard what he believed to be the same voice, it was always--Go, and the Lord will go with thee. A real unction attended while he gave us this account; the way in which he spoke of it resembled the manner of one of our Friends laying a concern before a meeting: many hearts present felt the force of his words. His exhortation to the young persons was excellent. Pastor Gaussen concluded the meeting with an address and lively prayer.

Among the friends with whom they had religious intercourse were Pastors L'Huillier, Gallon, and Molinier. The last was a "father in the church" to them. After some conversation on the state of religion in Geneva, he proposed their sitting awhile in silence, well knowing the practice of the Society of Friends in this respect. John and Martha Yeardley had each a gospel message to deliver to him, after which he took them both by the hand, and offered up prayer for their preservation and the prosperity of the Society to which they belonged. "It was," says J.Y., "the effusion of the Holy Spirit, accompanied with power, and refreshed our spirits."

With Pastor Gallon John Yeardley had a long conversation on the principles and operations of the Societe Evangelique.

I find them, he says, more liberal in their views than had been represented, and their extent of usefulness is already considerable. In their Academy they instruct young men with a view to their becoming ministers, missionaries, school-masters, &c., as the prospect for their future usefulness may open under the direction of Divine Providence. In a place like Geneva, such an inst.i.tution may be well: while we regard it with some caution lest it should run too high on points of doctrine, we cannot but hail with peculiar satisfaction such a favorable opportunity of educating young men in the sound principles of Christianity, that they may happily prove instruments in the Divine Hand to check the spread of infidelity.

From Geneva they went to Lausanne. Their old friend, Professor Gaudin, took them to see several pastors, and other pious persons, and on First-day, the 17th, he and his family, with some other serious-minded individuals, joined them in their hour of worship at the inn.

It was, says J.Y., a time of a little encouragement to our tried minds, for we had been brought into doubt as to the utility of resting here, although we had seen, as we believed, in the true light, that we ought to seek out a few who could unite with us in our simple way.

On the 18th they went on to Neufchatel, where they were received as before with much affection, and where they proposed to settle down for the winter, after making a tour in some neighboring parts of Switzerland.

On the 20th they went to Berne, and hired a lodging, for the purpose of devoting themselves to religious intercourse with persons of the _interior_ cla.s.s. As soon as it was known they had arrived, their acquaintance rapidly increased, and they found it difficult to receive all who came. One of their first acts was to renew their intercourse with the Combe family at Wabern, where their visit in 1828 had left a sweet remembrance.

They spent a fortnight in Berne and the neighborhood, and some pa.s.sages from John Yeardley's account of this interesting visit may properly find a place here. The continual flow of Christian sympathy which it was now their happiness to experience, formed a strong contrast to the dreary spiritual wastes they had traversed in Italy and Greece. It was at this time that they contracted or renewed a friendship with Sophie Wurstemberger, since well known to many other English Friends.

8 _mo_. 24.--How greatly I feel humbled under the prospect before us in this place; many thirsting souls are looking to us for help, and we feel poor and weak; we can only direct them to Him from whom all strength comes. O my Saviour, forsake us not in this trying hour; give us the consolation of thy Holy Spirit, and a portion of strength to do thy will!

Our meeting is appointed for this evening; enlighten our understanding, O Lord, that we may be enabled to instruct the people in the right way.

25_th_.--More came to the meeting last evening than we expected. They were still, and a good feeling prevailed; there were those present who knew something of inward retirement with their Saviour.

Madame Combe called yesterday to ask some questions on the Supper and Baptism. I believe it would be an advantage to these pious people, if they were to read and compare one part of the Scripture with another more diligently. She left us well satisfied with the explanation given to her questions. We never touch on these points, unless we are asked questions upon them.

The various visits received this day have closed with one of no common interest from Dr. Karl Bouterwek, a young man from Prussia. He told as he had received much benefit in the church of the Dissidents, but was on the point of separating from them, because he could not agree in acknowledging they were the _only true_ visible church. After some observations on the Supper, &c., we observed that there were individuals in this place whom the Most High was calling into more spirituality and purity of worship. He asked why we thought so. Our reasons were given, and he made no reply; but a most solemn and precious silence came over us, which it was beyond our power to break by uttering words. Our hearts were filled with love, and the dear young man went away to avoid showing the feelings of his heart by the shedding of tears.

28_th_.--Took tea at the Pavilion, a pleasant country walk of twenty minutes from town, with Mad'e de Watteville and her daughter. She had invited a number of friends to meet us. We pa.s.sed a couple of hours, pleasantly conversing, mostly on religious subjects. It is a little extraordinary, with what openness some of these dear people speak to us of the state of their minds. When the circle was seated, we formed a pretty large company. The daughter of Mad'e de W. whispered to my M.Y., Are we too dissipated to have something good? We told her it was always good to endeavor to retire before the Lord in humility of soul. I trust a parting blessing was felt amongst us.

30_th_.--From 9 o'clock till half-past 12, we received visits in succession, I think not fewer than fifteen. At half-past 2, Mad'e de Tavel accompanied us to the Penitentiary prison. For cleanliness and order, I think, it exceeds all I ever saw of the kind. I fear the religious instruction is very superficial; none but formal prayers and written sermons are used.

31_st_.--Attended Mad'lle Berthom's Scripture cla.s.s, at the Inst.i.tution for the Dest.i.tute. There are eighteen girls in the house to bed and h.o.a.rd; it has been established about six years. M.B.'s method of examining the children is the most simple and spiritual of any that I have seen; she has an extraordinary gift for the purpose.

9 _mo_. 2.--Attended the Monthly Meeting in the missionary room. Many of the company were peasants from some distance. The singing excepted, it resembled a Monthly Meeting for worship in our Society; for all had liberty to speak one after the other, five or six speaking by way of testimony: the doctrine was sound, and the way in which they coupled this with their Christian experience was really excellent. I had much unity with the concluding prayer by Pastor Merley.

2_nd_.--The evening was spent at Mad'e W.'s, with a pretty large company. ---- proposed for a few verses to be sung; afterwards he read a chapter, and gave a long exposition, somewhat dry. When this and a prayer were gone through, it was late; neither my M.Y., nor myself, were able to express what was on our minds. Some uneasiness and disappointment were expressed by several; and two of these dear friends came to our lodgings the next day, with whom we had a precious time. My M.Y. had to speak a few words to the particular state of M.B., and at the close she acknowledged, in brokenness of spirit, that it was the truth.

There is a remarkable awakening in the town and canton of Berne, both among those of the higher walks of life and the peasants; but there is not strength enough to come out of the forms. There are thirty females to one man among those who are lately become serious.

From Berne, J. and M.Y. proceeded to Zurich, arriving there on the 5th of the Ninth Month. They spent three days in the city, chiefly in the company of the Gessner-Lavater family, and renewed with the various members of it the intimate friendship of former years. A short pa.s.sage descriptive of this sojourn is hero appended.

9 _mo_. 7.--We attended the worship of the National Church, and heard the pious Gessner. What he said was excellent, but I never enter these places without feeling regret that good Christians can be so bound by book-worship; it certainly damps the life of religion in the a.s.semblies.

How much we ought to rejoice in being delivered from the forms.

I was instructed yesterday evening by hearing a reply of one of the first missionaries of the Moravians [?]. He had labored diligently for twenty-five years, and when asked how many souls had been turned to the Lord by his means, he modestly answered, Seven. The person expressing surprise at the smallness of the number in so many years, he replied, How happy shall I be to stand in the Lord's presence at the last day, and to say, Lord, here am I and the seven children whom thou hast given me. We ought to labor in faith, and not expect to see fruit.

The next town where they halted was Schaffhausen, like Zurich, dear to them in the recollections of past visits. Here they examined the school for poor children in the town, and that of Buch in the neighborhood. They were delighted with both these inst.i.tutions. The mistress of the former possessed an extraordinary natural talent for her office; she was originally a servant, when, instead of seeking her own pleasure on the First-days of the week, as other servants did, she would take a few children to teach them to read and instruct them in the Bible. Their visit to the school at Buch is described by John Yeardley in No. 10 of his Series of Tracts, _The Six Secrets_.

On the 13th they went to Basle, where they conversed with most of the pastors, and several other individuals of religious character.

Serious, retired persons, says John Yeardley (9 mo. 21), frequently come to us and open the state of their minds with great freedom and confidence.

If we are of any use to their thirsty souls, it is the Saviour's love that draws us into sympathy with them, and his good Spirit that enables us to speak a word in season to their condition.

As usual, they visited the Mission House. Inspector Blumhardt informed them that the translation which had been made of J.J. Gurney's "Essays on Christianity," and of which 2000 copies were printed, had been productive of great good; they had been distributed chiefly among those who were connected with the German universities.

They remained at Basle until the 1st of the Tenth Month, and then returned by way of Berne to Neufchatel. At Berne a sudden diversion was given to the current of their thoughts by the intelligence of the death of Thomas Yeardley. J.Y. has left a memorandum of the occurrence, and of the singular foreshadowing of it upon his own mind which took place at Zurich.

10 _mo_. 2. _Berne_.--We found many letters from England waiting for us here, one of which, from my nephew John Yeardley, brought the sorrowful intelligence of the sudden and unexpected removal of my dearly-beloved brother Thomas, of Ecclesfield Mill. This took place on the 6th of the Ninth Month, about 20 minutes past 2, without sigh or groan, even as a lamb. These are the expressions of J.Y.; he adds several sweet expressions of my precious brother's, which show that the solemn change to him was a joyful one: and I do believe his tribulated spirit is now at rest. On recurring to the 6th ultimo to see where we were, and what were the contemplations of my mind, I find we were at Zurich. That morning the following lines which I heard when a child, and had not repeated for the last twenty years, came forcibly into my mind:--

It's almost done, it's almost o'er, We're joining them that are gone before; We soon shall meet upon that sh.o.r.e Where we shall meet to part no more.

I not only repeated them to myself the whole of the day, but even sung them aloud so often that my dear M.Y. said to me, "Whatever can be the meaning that thou so often repeats these lines?" I replied, "I do not know that I have repeated them for the last twenty years, but to-day they are continually with me." This can have been nothing but the spirit of sympathy with the soul of my dear departing brother, for the awful impression of sorrow and solemnity in my mind on that day will never be forgotten; I mourned with the bereaved family without knowing it. My M.Y.

had opened her portfolio to begin a letter to our sister Rachel, and I wrote the verse on a piece of loose paper, and she slipped it into her papers, and said to herself, Surely these lines are not prophetic of something that is going to happen? Last evening she banded me out of her portfolio the piece of paper containing the lines.

At Berne they received also the tidings that "the excellent" M.A. Calame was no more; the Christian mother of 250 orphan children was taken from the scene of her labors and the conflicts of time to the heavenly rest in her Saviour. The following appear to be among the last words which she wrote; they were no doubt addressed to her faithful companion Zimmerlin:--

In my numerous shortcomings I have enough constantly to humble me, and without being surprised at it, since evil is my heritage; but my help is in the Lord, who delights in mercy. I have hope also for all my brethren whom I love, whatever name they hear. There are twelve gates by which to enter into the Holy City, and if they have pa.s.sed through the great gate, which is Christ, I am sure that those who enter from the east, as well as those who have been brought in by the west, will be there; but those who enter with me are better known to me than the rest whom I shall meet in that celestial Jerusalem, whither my sighs daily carry me, yet in submission to the heavenly decrees, desiring only that the will of G.o.d our Saviour be done.

You think my task is light? Ah, no! the love which the Lord has given me spends itself on so many hearts closed to their true interests; I see the hand of the enemy in their souls; I am so often deceived in my hopes, that my work is watered by my tears. From time to time, however, the Lord gives me hope; a soul awakes from sleep, and is kindled into light by the torch of the gospel.

And now, dear sister, have no longer any esteem or consideration for me; only let the love of Christ live in thy heart for me: the desires of my heart carry you with it to the feet of Him who is Love.

When they returned home, John and Martha Yeardley printed a short memoir of this extraordinary woman, whose name, though comparatively little known upon earth, is doubtless enshrined in the hearts of many who still survive, and shall one day shine with a l.u.s.tre which the most brilliant of her s.e.x, whose ambition it is to adorn the court, the concert or the drawing-room, will desire in vain to wear.

At Berne J. and M.Y. commenced a Bible cla.s.s, similar in kind to the Scarborough reunion, which was continued until their departure, and was the source of much pleasure and profit to those who attended. Before quitting Berne, thinking it might perhaps be the last opportunity they should have of meeting with their numerous and beloved friends in that city, they invited them to join them in worship in their apartment.

Many, says John Yeardley, gave us their company; much tenderness of spirit was felt, and through the mercy of Divine Love many present were, I trust, comforted and refreshed.

We quitted Berne on the 30th. We had become so affectionately attached to many Christian friends, that parting from them was severely felt. But what happiness Christians enjoy even in this world I those who love the Saviour remain united in Him when outwardly separated.

Neufchatel, for the sake of those who resided there, was equally attractive to them as Berne.