6 mo. 27.—­The thoughts which he put into writing under this date seem to have been occasioned by entering into business on his own account.

Am now about to enter the busy scenes of life, which sinks me into the very depth of humility and fear, lest the concerns of an earthly nature should deprive me of my heavenly crown, which I have so often desired to prefer even to life itself.  But O, should there remain any regard in the breast of the Father of mercies, for one who feels so unable to cope with the world, may he still be pleased to preserve me in his fear, and not only to take me under the shadow of his heavenly wing, but make me willing to abide under the guidance of his divine direction!

7 mo. 15.—­“Cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”  These words of our weeping prophet have sensibly affected my heart this morning, under a prevailing desire that my gracious rather may not permit me to remain as in the prison-house of worldly affairs, lest I die my spiritual death there.

We shall see that he was not successful in business; and it may be that the disappointments he experienced in this way were in some sort an answer to these ardent prayers to be kept from the spirit of the world.

Under date 21_st_ of the First Month, 1814, he writes: 

I trust the few temporal disappointments I have met with of late have been conducive to my best interest, having had a tendency to turn my views from a too anxious pursuit after the things of time to a serious consideration of the very great importance of a more strict reliance on the never-failing arm of divine support, for the want of which I believe I have suffered unspeakable loss.

About this time he had frequently to mourn over the difficulty of fixing his mind in meetings for worship.  He often complains of “wandering in the unprofitable fields of vain imagination;” but sometimes also he bears a joyful testimony to the Lord’s power in enabling him to unite in spirit with the living worshippers.

The fear of man is one of the most universal of the besetments which try the faith of the Christian; and it may be encouraging to some to see on this point the confession of one whose natural character was that of a strong and independent mind.

2 mo. 6.—­I am too apt to let in that slavish fear about men and things which render me unable to cope with the world, and even unfits me for properly seeking after the assistance of my Maker.  O, may He who sees my weakness enable me to overcome it!

During the summer of this year, several parties of Friends travelling in the work of the ministry came to Burton; Sarah Lamley of Tredington, with Ann Fairbank of Sheffield; Ann Burgess (afterwards Ann Jones); Elizabeth Coggeshall from New York, with Mary Jefferys of Melksham; and John Kirkham of Earl’s Colne.  The labors of these Friends are recorded by John Yeardley with delight and thankfulness.  He accompanied John Kirkham to Sheffield, where they found Stephen Grellett.