thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.”  And how it was with Moses when the Almighty appeared to him in a flame of fire in the bush, and that it was not until the Most High had condescended to answer all Moses’ excuses that he was angry with him, and even then he condescended to let him have Aaron, his brother, to go with him for a spokesman.  Also how it was with Peter when the threefold charge was given him to feed the lambs and the sheep.  “It is not enough,” said she, “to acknowledge that we love the Lord, but there must be a manifesting of our love by doing whatsoever he may command.”  Methinks I still hear her voice, saying, “And O that there may not be a pleading of excuses, Moses-like!” Thus was this valuable servant enabled to speak to my comfort and encouragement, which I trust I shall ever remember to advantage; but O that I may be resigned to wait the appointed time in watchful humility, patience, and fear! for I find there is a danger of seeking too much after outward confirmations, and not having the attention sufficiently fixed on the great Minister of ministers, who alone is both able and willing to direct the poor mind in this most important concern, and in his own time to say, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come.”

12 mo. 22.—­My poor mind has been so much enveloped in clouds of thick darkness for months past, that I have sometimes been ready to conclude I shall never live to see brighter days.  Should even this be the case I humbly hope ever to be preserved from accusing the just Judge of the earth of having dealt hardly with me, but acknowledge to the last that he has in mercy favored me abundantly with a portion of that light which is said to shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.

We shall leave for the next chapter the relation of his first offerings in the ministry, and conclude this with a striking passage which we find in the Diary for this year.

John Yeardley was all his life very fond of the occupations of the garden.  A small piece of ground was attached to his house at Barnsley, which he cultivated, and from which he was sometimes able to gather spiritual as well as natural fruit.

Under date of the 22nd of the Seventh Month, he writes:—­

A very sublime idea came suddenly over my mind when in the garden this evening.  It was introduced as I plucked a strawberry from a border on which I had bestowed much cultivation before it would produce anything; but now, thought I, this is a little like reaping the fruit of my labor.  As I thus ruminated on the produce of the strawberry-bank, I was struck with the thought of endless felicity, and the sweet reward it would produce for all our toils here below.  My mind was instantly opened to such a glorious scene of divine good that I felt a resignation of heart to give up all for the enjoyment of [such a foretaste] of endless felicity.

CHAPTER II.