"She was born the 13th day of the fifth month 1743; her parents
Nathan and Rachel Yarnall, members of Middletown particular meeting, having
been careful to educate her in plainness and a diligent attendance of
religious meetings, she retaining a thankful remembrance of their care over
her, has been often heard to bless the Lord on their account, as by their
good counsel and wholesome restraint, they contributed to her preservation
out of the vain fashions and customs of the world. By her own account, her
mind was early in life accompanied with earnest desires after the knowledge
of truth, and that we might never do any thing to offend Him whom she often
found near to her comfort, or that might bring a reproach on the profession
she made; but giving way to her natural vivacity, she frequently indulged
herself in what with some is accounted innocent pastime, for which she was
often brought under condemnation; and about the twenty-fourth year of her
age was plunged into great distress, being closely beset with the wiles of
an unwearied adversary: but the Lord, who will not suffer his people to be
tempted beyond what they thro' his grace are enabled to bear, made way for
her escape from under the power of temptation, for which she had, in that
day, as on the banks of deliverance, to sing to the praise of his holy name;
saying,
'It is in my heart to praise thee O my deliverer! for thy manifold ....
kindnesses unto me a poor unworthy worm; for although, for ....
disobedience, thou hast seen meet to hide thy face for a ....
moment; yet my soul is humbly bowed before thee, rendering ....
unto thee the praise of all thy works; having witnessed the ....
fulfilling of thy promise, But with everlasting kindness will I ....
have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer.,'
In the twenty-sixth year of her age she was married to Joshua
Sharples, settled within the compass of New-Garden monthly-meeting, of which
she became a useful member, being qualified for service in the church,
whereto she attended with much satisfaction to friends, filling the stations
of overseer and elder with diffidence under a sense of the weight thereof.
In the thirty-first year of her age she appeared in the ministry, and being
faithful grew in her gift, was found in doctrine accompanied with a degree
of heart tendering authority to the careless and indolent, yet edifying and
consolatory to the refreshment of the mourners in Zion. In her approaches to
the throne of grace in public supplication, she was awfully attended with
deep solemnity. She was a great lover of the scriptures, and well qualified
to apply them to edification and instruction, being concerned to invite
friends and others to a more frequent reading of them. The doctrines of the
principle of truth as held by friends she was skillful in explaining, and
was often exercised therein in mixed auditories, endeavoring to lead out of
forms to the substance of true religion. Much of her time was thus employed
in the public service of her Lord and master, cheerfully giving up to His
holy requirings, but carefully concerned to wait for His putting forth.
Having peculiar service in visiting families, she was often usefully engaged
therein; and about the year 1778 with divers other friends under appointment
from the Western quarterly-meeting, in a general visit to all the meetings
belonging thereto, she was exercised under a deep concern to labor that a
reformation in life and manners might be really effected amongst the
professors of truth. Soon after, being removed within the compass of our
meeting, she engaged in a like visit to the meetings in our quarter,
wherein, as in other of her gospel labours, she manifested an ardent desire
for the promotion of the cause of truth, and that she might be favoured to
do her days work in the day-time. And since, with the concurrence of
friends, visited most of the meetings in the Southern governments; being
diligent in the improvement of her time for the service of truth, often
drawn into family visits, and to the afflicted either in body or mind, who
experienced the consoling sympathy of her tender spirit, in which and other
gospel labours she reaped the reward of peace and comfort to her own mind.
When at home she was not only diligent in attending meetings herself, but
careful to encourage and assist her family in their duty therein; in herself
an example of plainness, and mindful to promote a simplicity in those under
her direction, manifesting much concern that her children might be brought
up in the truth, frequently retiring with them for their improvement, her
faithfulness against wrong things in them being consistent with the
tenderness of an affectionate mother. Great was her exercise for the rising
generation, that their hearts might be early dedicated to the Lord, and they
thereby preserved in a conduct consistent with our holy profession. Open and
hospitable in her house, a true helpmeet and affectionate wife. Shortly
after her return from a visit to friends on the Eastern-Shore of Maryland,
in the sixth month 1786, she was brought very low thro' bodily
indisposition, but favoured with inward consolation and true peace,
expressing that she felt her mind much weaned from the things of this world,
and if it should please the Lord to call her hence she found nothing in her
way. On the first-day afternoon, divers friends being present, after a time
of silence, she spoke to this effect, ' I am glad of this opportunity; as I
lay on the bed this morning, my mind was carried away to meeting with
friends, and I thought if I had wings I could have flown thither for the
great love I feel for the members of that meeting. indeed we have had many
favoured opportunities together; and you see I am in a poor weak way, and
whether I shall get out again I have not seen, but am resigned, and feel the
reward of peace; but if some friends of that meeting are not more faithful
to the many gracious visitations which have been in mercy to them extended,
weakness will overtake them, and they be in danger of missing the answer of
well done.' She recovered and afterwards had many heart-tendering
opportunities with friends there, and others not in membership with us,
toward whom she was remarkably led in testimony, in order that they might be
gathered to the fold of rest. About two weeks before her decease she
attended several of the neighboring meetings, expressing her satisfaction
therewith; and on the first-day before her departure, was at New-Garden
meeting and had acceptable service, having also a favoured opportunity the
same evening in a friends family where she lodged on her return home, at
which time she was concerned to revive these expressions of the Psalmist,
'Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my .....
days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am: Behold thou .....
hast made my days as an hands breadth, and mine age is as .....
nothing before thee.' Which she enlarged on to edification.
Next day she got home somewhat indisposed, but
held up till the day following in the evening of the 16th of the first month
1787, when she was confined to her bed, and lay in a sensible resigned frame
of mind, being as we believe, well prepared for her awful change, appearing
to have nothing to do but to die. Some of the last words she was heard to
say were, 'I believe I am going, and in about fifteen minutes after, quietly
breathed her last on the 18th, and on the 20th was interred at Birmingham,
aged forty-three years and seven months, a minister upwards of 12 years."
Edith Yarnall was the daughter of Nathan and Rachel (Jackson) Yarnall and the granddaughter of Philip and Dorothy (Baker) Yarnall. Edith married Joshua Sharpless; they had eight children: Benjamin, Rachel, Nathan, Martha, Edith, Joshua, Isaac, and Eli Sharpless.
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