CHAPTER III.


FROM HIS COMMISSION TO RESIDE ABROAD IN 1820 TO HIS REMOVAL TO GERMANY
IN 1822.

In 1822 John Yeardley went to reside in Germany. As his residence abroad
constituted one of the most remarkable turns in his life, and exercised a
powerful influence on the rest of his career, we shall develop as fully as
we are able the motives by which he was induced to leave his native
country. By means of his Diary we can trace the early appearance and
growth, if not the origin, of the strong Christian sympathy he ever
afterwards manifested with seeking souls in the nations on the continent
of Europe, and especially amongst the German people.

The first hint concerning his desire to go abroad is contained in the
account of a dream, under date of the 2nd of the Ninth Month, 1818,
regarding which he felt much disappointed, because he could not recollect
the names of the places in Germany about which he had in his dream been
interested. The next year (the 19th of the Fifth Month) he had a second
dream on the same subject, in which he supposed his friend Joseph Wood was
about to go on a religious mission to the Continent, and he brought out
his Atlas to find the places for him. On being asked if he meant to
accompany him, he said he "was not prepared to answer at present." In the
relation of a third dream, which he had the next year (the 25th of the
Eighth Month, 1820), the locality to which his mind was attracted is first