These were the places where, according to his previous impressions and apprehension of duty, John Yeardley was to have entered on that work of gospel-labor to which he had so long looked forward. But, instead of finding, as on former occasions of a similar kind, his heart enlarged and his mouth opened to preach the word, he seems now to have felt himself straitened in spirit, and to have been obliged to pass in silence from colony to colony, a wonder perhaps to others, a cause of humiliation to himself. Never before, in all his many journeyings, had such a trial befallen him; and it may be supposed that, coming so soon after the copious and unrestrained exercise of his gift which he had experienced in Norway, it would press upon him with peculiar force. The people to whom he was now come, seem, it is true, to have been in a different state from the simple-hearted Norwegians, who thirsted for the "pure milk of the word;" and their comparative indifference to spiritual things may have been a main cause of the silence which he felt to be imposed upon him. With the reserve natural to him, he has left but little clue to the motives and feelings under which he acted. Great must have been the relief when, as happened on several occasions, his bonds were loosened, and the command was renewed to speak in the name of his only-loved and gracious Lord.
On the 5th they passed through several colonies to Gnadenfeld, where, says J.Y.:--
We halted to breakfast with one of the colonists, and found him a sweet-spirited man, and his family pious. His name is David Voote. He appreciated the object of our mission, and spoke of the awakening that had taken place of late; telling us that devotional meetings had been established, but that some of their preachers did not approve of them. We sent for one of the ministers, with whom I was pleased; he invited us to hold a meeting with them on a future occasion if we could make it accord with our journey, which I hope will be accomplished.
We obtained some information respecting the Molokans, and were directed to Nicolai Schmidt in Steinbach, who often has communication with them. We found him a delightful man, quite of the right sort to be useful to us. As the Molokans speak nothing but Russ, we shall be in want of an interpreter in our visit to them. I told him he must go with us; and he immediately said. I will go with pleasure; whenever you return here and incline to go, I will be at home and will accompany you. This seemed an opening of Providence, and removes one great difficulty in the way of a visit to this people, for whom I have felt more than towards any others in South Russia. N. Schmidt is a wealthy farmer, and sets himself at liberty to promote the extension of the Saviour's kingdom; I felt at once at home with him as a friend and brother.
From Steinbach, which lay a few versts out of the direct road, they proceeded to Stuttgardt, and the next day, the 6th, to Neuhoffnung, where they were accommodated at a farmer's, and had the comfort of a good clean apartment and kind attention to their wants. This is the principal seat of the German Lutheran colonists.
On Seventh-day, says John Yeardley, we attended the school-children's meeting, about 200 present. After Pastor Wüst had questioned on or explained the Scriptures, I had an opportunity to address them. On First-day afternoon we held an appointed meeting [with Wüst's congregation], which was not large, on account of many [with the Pastor himself] having to attend an interment in the neighborhood. After the meeting we received a salutation from some of the young sisterhood, who came to us and surprised us with their sweet melodious voices, singing in concert a hymn well suited to our present situation. After they had ended I went out and had a long conversation with them.
In all my journeyings, he touchingly continues, I was never so much cast down as in this scene of labor; I never before so much missed the help and consolation of my precious one as I now do; but, blessed be a gracious God, she is safe with Him, and free from a toil which she could never have endured. I marvel, and praise his great name for upholding me thus far; I am astonished at the way in which I am enabled to bear the hardships of this journey, and am preserved in health. It is the doing of my gracious Saviour, and I thank him out of a grateful heart. Should I never be permitted to return to my earthly home, I have a joyful hope he will take me to a glorious rest with himself and with those I have so tenderly loved on earth.
On the 8th, William Rasche went to Berdjansk, on the Sea of Azov, to change some English money, and to inquire if there were any religious people there. He met with some interesting persons, who seemed at first to be prejudiced against the Friends but after some conversation became very loving, and desired he would bring J. Y. to see them the next day. Accordingly, on the 9th, J. Y. and W. R. went to Berdjansk, accompanied by Pastor Wüst and several others. The meeting which they went to attend was held in a private house. It commenced in the usual manner, with singing; after which, ---- Buller read a chapter, and the pastor commented upon it; and then they asked J. Y. what he had to say regarding it. He answered by giving his view of the subject, and afterwards addressed them in the ministry. Various individuals then related their experience, one after the other, as is usual in the more private religious meetings in these churches.
---- Buller (writes J. Y.. in recording this meeting) is an interesting man; I had much conversation with him as to his own conversion. It seems to have been a work of the Spirit, without, in the first instance, any other instrumentality than reading the Bible. I met several pious persons in the meeting-room, and held converse with them to mutual comfort. They are simple and sincere. We took tea in the garden after the meeting, and did not reach our lodging in Neuhoffnung until 12 o'clock the same night.
10th.--This morning they started for Elizabethsdorf, accompanied by Robert Lehmkuhle, a teacher from Kharkov. Their way lay entirely through the boundless steppes, where so many ways ran into each other that the driver missed the road, and they wandered about until 10 p. M., when they took shelter at a German colonist's. The inmates, who had gone to rest, rose to give them milk and bread.