the Society some time before. The brothers are thus described by one who
knew them intimately:--Thomas, as a man of homely manners, of hearty and
genial character, and greatly beloved; John, as possessing a native
refinement which made it easy for him in after-life to rise in social
position, but whose reserved habits caused him to be less generally
appreciated.

The call which John Yeardley received, and which he so happily obeyed, to
leave the world and enter by the strait gate into the kingdom of heaven,
was accompanied, as we shall afterwards see more fully, by a secret
conviction that he would one day have publicly to preach to others the
Gospel of salvation. A sense that such was the case seems to have taken
hold of Joseph Wood's mind, in a visit which he made him some time after
his admission into the Society.


1 _mo_. 29, 1808.--Sat with T.D. Walton and his wife, and his man
John Yeardley. I had two pretty long testimonies to bear from Colossians
iv. 17. I had to show the necessity there was for those who had received a
gift in the ministry to be faithful, and, as Satan was as busy about these
as any others, to be careful to withstand his temptations, that nothing
might hinder our fulfilment of this gift, nor anything be suffered to
prevail over us that might hinder its proper effect upon others.

After Thomas was gone to breakfast, my mind was unexpectedly opened in a
pretty long encouraging testimony to John, from John xxi. 22--"What is
that to thee? follow thou me;" having gently to caution him not to look at
others to his hurt, but faithfully follow his Master, Jesus Christ, in the
way of his leadings.