"Yon Lovely Man"


How often God chooses "the foolish things of the world to confound the wise!" Many years ago their lived in a Highland village a young lad whom the folk in that neighbourhood knew as "Yeddie".

Yeddie was supported by the "Parish" as he was incapable of performing any real work, and he would spend his day in wandering from one croft to another to listen to the folks discuss the news of the day. He had little power of conversation, and would sometimes take to whispering to himself as he passed along the little tracks, or through the fields. One day he was overhead by one of his own age group who thought that he would poke some fun at the harmless lad. "What ghost or goblin are you begging favours of now, Yeddie?", he asked. "Neither the one nor the other, laddie", Yeddie replied, "but I was just having a few words with Him that neither yourself nor I can see, but who sees the both of us!"

One day just prior to the Communion season, Yeddie called on the minister of the Church. "Please, minister", he said, screwing his coarse cap in his hands, "let poor Yeddie eat supper on the coming day with the Lord Jesus". The minister was busy preparing for the coming Communion, and tried to put Yeddie off in as gentle a way as possible; but Yeddie pleaded with him … "Oh minister, if ye but kenned how I love Him, ye wud let me go where He is to sit at the table". This touched the minister so much that Yeddie was told to come and take his place on the following Lord's Day.

During the first part of the service, tears flowed freely down poor Yeddie's face, and he was heard to repeat, "But I dinna see Him, I dinna see Him". Soon the bread and the wine were passed round, and, as Yeddie partook of the "elements" in remembrance of the death of the Saviour, the tears fell away from his face, and he nodded his head and smiled.

As Yeddie made his way from the "Feast", one after another spoke to him and greeted him, but Yeddie had no word for any of them.

Presently, some of the boys from the village cornered him and forced him to say something. "Ah lads", he said, "dinna bid Yeddie talk today! He's seen the face o' the Lord Jesus among His ain ones. He got a smile from His eyes and a word frae His tongue; and he's afeard to speak lest he lose the memory of it, for it's but a bad memory that he has at the best. Ah lads, I hae seen Him this day that I never see'd before. I hae seen Him with these dull eyes, YON LOVELY MAN. Dinna speak, but just leave poor Yeddie to his company."

Soon Yeddie reached the humble croft that he shared with his aged grandmother. "No meat for me today, granny", he told the old lady. "I hae had a feast that I will feel within me for as long as I live". He climbed the ladder into the loft which was the only bedroom that he had ever known, and throughout the night, until she fell asleep, the old woman heard Yeddie speak with "yon lovely man". ……"Lord, it's poor me that has been sae long seeking Ye; and now we'll bide thegither and never part more! Oh, but this is a bonny loft, all gold and precious stones. The hall o' the castle is a poor place to my loft this bonny night!"

Next morning, the old lady was up and about her chores. She set her humble table and made the porridge that was to be Yeddie's breakfast. She remembered that he had no meal going to bed, so she went to the foot of the ladder and called him to come and eat. The loft was still; she called again but there was no answer. Venturing up the steps to the loft that she had not been in for years, she pushed her head and shoulders through the trap door. There, in one corner of the room, before a rough stool, she saw Yeddie. He was half kneeling, half crouching with his head resting on his folded arms. "He must have fallen asleep at his prayers", the old woman thought; but, as she went over and touched the still form, she recoiled in horror. Yeddie would never need to seek the face of Jesus among his fellows any more. As he had supped at the table, so he has slept - with "yon lovely man".

A deep impression was made on the neighbourhood by the death of Yeddie. Jesus had, of a truth, visited that place and was made known to "the foolish", although missed the "wise" and "rich" and "great". From the day of his funeral many laid aside their vain attempts to "know Christ" through worldly wisdom and learning, and were taught to rest in the faith of the poor lad who had seen "yon lovely man".

---

This Page Title – "Yon Lovely Man" Story of Simple Yeddie The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 38 – placed on line September 2002 Wicket Gate contact address – Mr Cliff Westcombe cw@wicketgate.co.uk If you wish to be notified when each new edition goes on line please send an e-mail to the above address Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk