y young friends, and am
always, anxious to promote their learning to speak German and French.

The Diary for 1858, the last year of his life, commences with, a New
Year's dedication of himself afresh to the service of his faithful
Creator, and a prayer for a fresh anointing in the exercise of his
ministry.

1858. 1 _mo_. 4.--How many and various are the thoughts which crowd
on the mind on the commencement of a new year; perhaps none more important
than to think I am one year nearer to eternity. A desire does live in my
heart (cherish it, O, my God) to live more to thy glory on earth. How I
long to be favored with strength to do something for the cause of truth
and righteousness, so long as I may be permitted to remain on the Lord's
earth. I think with gratitude that he has blessed me with a little more
faith of late in my ministry, and my very soul prays that in these
requirings he may be pleased to put the unction of his Spirit into my
heart, and his words into my mouth, and that under a right pointing, they
may go forth with power. Grant me, Lord, more devotedness of life, and a
right and sure preparation for a peaceful death and a blissful eternity.

For some years before his decease, John Yeardley's thoughts were
frequently occupied with the subject of the Millennium. Like some other
good men, he thought he saw in the events which were taking place, the
impending accomplishment of those predictions, whose fulfilment was to
precede the "great and terrible day of the Lord." On one occasion, after
mentioning a number of these "signs of the times," he winds up the
enumeration and the thoughts to which it gave rise, with the following
reflection:--

Happy is the Christian who, in this time of conflict, can look beyond the
passing events of time to the Great First Cause, and behold, as with the
eye of faith, the providence of his God watching over all things, waiting
to bring good out of evil, and causing all things to work to the one great
point, when he will cause the wrath of man to praise him, and the
remainder of wrath will he restrain. "Come, my people, enter thou into thy
chambers and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself, as it were for a
little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold the Lord
cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their
iniquity." (Isaiah xxvi. 20, 21)

In the Second Month he spent a week at Chelmsford with Susanna Corder. His
visit was p