Some interesting notice of this service, and of the journey which he made to perform it, is contained in his Diary.

13_th_.—­The evening before I set off, I was earnestly engaged in supplicating for divine protection both inward and outward; and an assurance was given me that it should be granted, and in a manner so clear as I had no right to expect.  These words were as if spoken distinctly in my outward ears:  “A hair of thy head shall not be hurt.”  In the confidence of this promise I went forth, and found it mercifully made good; for though I was overturned in the mail on the road, a hair of my head was not hurt, and not so much as a fear was suffered to come near.

On the 18th, after visiting all the families, he attended the Week-day Meeting, where he had to review his labors, and to address the assembled Friends “nearly in these words:—­In the course of my little proceedings among my friends in this place, I have sometimes been baptized for the dead, while at other times I have been made to rejoice in the resurrection of life:  I hope this is a language my friends will understand.”  After this he preached to them on the case of Nicodemus, saying that there may be a time when our Heavenly Father, in his tender compassion for our infant state, permits us to come to Jesus by night or in secret; yet when he is pleased to say, “Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee,” danger will betide us if we then flinch from an open confession.  Some time after he had finished, a woman Friend rose and uttered a few words.  She had never before been able to overcome the force of her natural fears.

In noticing this circumstance, J.Y. says he does so because, before he went to Barnsley, he asked that if his small services were acceptable, the Most High would give him a sign, by owning his labors with his sensible approbation, and making him an instrument to help forward his work in the hearts of his children.

On another occasion, in allusion to a similar occurrence, he has the following reflections:—­

“The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified.”  I am like the two former, because I dare even to ask a sign and to seek after wisdom; but to be like the latter is what I covet most sincerely—­to preach Christ crucified, not only in words, but in life and conversation.  If I err in sometimes asking for a sign, I trust it will be forgiven, because it is done in the simplicity of my heart, to know my Father’s will, and we have examples of this having been granted to the worthies in times of old.—­(12 mo. 8.)

In the Twelfth Month of 1819, John Yeardley attended the Quarterly Meeting at York, and has some religious service on the way.  His account of this little journey is preceded by some instructive reflections on his own infirmities and lack of ready obedience.

9 mo. 15.—­I feel exceedingly discouraged at my own obstinacy in not keeping more humble, watchful, and attentive to the inward monitor.  I am sensible loss is sustained in a religions sense by giving way too much to an airy disposition.