John Yeardley then reverts, as he so often does, to the love of souls in Germany, which was the means of causing him to leave his native land, and which he says had not diminished during his eighteen months’ residence among them.  To these thoughts he adds some considerations regarding the temporal condition of the Society of Friends there, on account of which he was often very solicitous.

The situation and welfare of the Society here have long occupied the warmest feelings of my heart.  I am of the mind, with other Friends who have visited these parts, that there is a precious hidden work begun in the hearts of many in Germany, who suffer under oppression, on account of the many discouraging circumstances which have existed among them, and which yet prevail, to the great hindrance of the Lord’s work.  There are causes for which no human remedy can be prescribed.  I have often said in my heart, If the Lord help them not, vain is the help of man.  Much has been done for them by our dear Friends in England, and much still remains to be done, in order that they may be preserved together and not become dispersed as though they had never been a people.

The effectual means of help seems yet to fail,—­that of putting the families in the way of helping themselves by suitable employment.  The families who live in the neighborhood of Minden, mostly on small parcels of land, have until now got on with a tolerable degree of comfort, by cultivating their land in summer and spinning yarn in winter; but now the depression is so great that if they could be put into the way of earning threepence a day, they would embrace it with thankfulness.  I have been very diffident in proponing any plan for their assistance, knowing that some former proposals have failed of accomplishing the end.  But I have consulted with those who are best acquainted with their situation, and we think it safest for them to continue their own employment of spinning yarn, and endeavor to mend their trade by placing it on this footing.  They must spin such an article as I can make use of in sending it, with what I buy from other people, to my friends in the linen business in England.  I am to give them a little higher price than they can elsewhere obtain, and those who have no flax of their own must have a little money advanced to purchase some, which they must repay in yarn.  When the yarn is disposed of in England, and a profit on the same can be obtained, it must be distributed among them as a premium to encourage industry and good management in producing a good article.  If this does not answer, I cannot see any thing at present that will.

How far this scheme was put in practice we are unable to say, but we believe it was not accompanied by any successful result.

In the next entry he speaks of the advantage which he derived from keeping a diary.