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.

“Very sweet and instructive are our recollections of the humility of his walk amongst us, and of the liveliness of his ministry, marked as it was by much simplicity, love and earnestness.”  To this testimony of his Monthly Meeting, all who were accustomed to hear him will readily subscribe.

We are able to append some notes of a few of his public testimonies, which we give as likely to be at once gratifying and instructive to the reader.  The friend to whom we are indebted for them informs us that “the notes were written immediately after meeting, and are as nearly the words used as his memory would furnish.”  He adds, “They bring before the mind’s eye and ear the face and voice of a dear departed friend, and, I believe, a true and enlightened servant of the Lord.”

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(8 mo, 1850.)

Keep thy heart, with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.—­(Proverbs iv. 23.)

We often are made to feel the force of this truth, when we have been unwatchful, and some cross occurrence has tried our tempers.  How often we are made to see, and to show before others, what manner of spirit is in as.....

Sometimes we are favored with such clear convictions of the worthlessness of mere worldly possessions and pursuits, and such delightful realizations of the happiness of seeking to do the Lord’s work, that we are ready to express our astonishment that any human beings can be found so foolish as to devote their energies to the pursuit of things which never can give satisfaction, and which must needs perish.  And then, perhaps, we are brought into a state of darkness and despondency, to show us our utter helplessness and unworthiness, and the need there is for every one of us to “keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."....

Every individual, no doubt, has his own particular path of duty, which is designed to promote his own best happiness and the well-being of all mankind.  How important for each to follow that path in watchfulness and obedience, that the work may not be marred!  How important to keep the heart with all diligence, that the issues of life may be in accordance with divine will!

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(9 mo. 1, 1850.)

Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty.—­(2 Chronicles xxxi. 10.)

These words have been impressed upon my mind this morning, and I have thought they were instructive, in a spiritual sense.  I believe, if we were more earnest in bringing offerings into the house of the Lord—­if each one of us was more diligent in contributing his share, and doing his part of the Lord’s business,—­we should have less anxiety about worldly things; we should have faith in the Lord’s providence, and, not only spiritually, but naturally also, we should have “enough to eat and plenty left.”

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