an has united with us in visiting this Monthly Meeting: it
seems now best for us to remain at home for a short time, under the
bereavement which our own meeting has suffered.

In 1836 they again attended the Yearly Meeting; of which John Yeardley
thus speaks:--

The Yearly Meeting was, I think, on the whole, satisfactory, much more so
than many Friends could look for, considering the discouraging
circumstances under which we came together. The main bent in all the
important deliberations on subjects of great moment to the well-being of
our small section of the universal church, was to adhere to the long-known
principles of the Society, and to turn aside the sentiments of opposing
individuals in the spirit of gentleness, forbearance and love.

They visited many meetings in going from and returning to Scarborough. The
most interesting of these visits was at Thame, in Oxfordshire, which John
Yeardley thus describes:--

6 _mo._ 14.--Went in the evening to Thame, and had a meeting with a
few who have met in the way of Friends for about five years at Grove End.
There are only seven or eight who meet regularly, but they are often
joined by a few others. No notice had been given to their neighbors of our
coming, but on seeing us go to the meeting many followed; the room was
quite filled, and a precious meeting it was. Their hearts are like ground
prepared for the good seed of the kingdom. The nature of spiritual worship
was pointed out, and testimony borne to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

This little company reminded us of many such which we met with in foreign
countries, particularly in Switzerland and Germany. We had a good deal of
conversation with William Wheeler, who was one of the first to meet in
silence. He was a leader in the Wesleyan congregation, and became uneasy
with giving out hymns to be sung with those whose states he knew did not
correspond with the words. He would then sometimes select a hymn most
suited by its general character to the company; at other times he would
leave out a few verses, and select others which he thought might be sung
with truth by the whole congregation; but the thing became so burdensome
that he was obliged, for conscience' sake, to leave it altogether, and sit
down with a few others in silence. At first they met with opposition, and
even persecution, from persons who came to their meeting to disperse them.
On one of these occasions a few rude young men had banded togethe