I LAY on a bed of restless pain, weary and worn with continued illness, longing for rest and sleep, which had been denied me. Presently I felt soothed, and a soft sleep fell o'er me, and I dreamed a dream. Methought I was a child again, and with a young companion, my own age (whose name was Ethel), was traveling a long, dusty, lonely road to the City of the King. We had left home, friends, and kindred of every tie, and toiled on, hatless, cloakless, and with ragged shoes. Still, we had no fear; but childlike joy and overflowing glee filled our hearts, and merry laughter sounded through the air as we journeyed on, and talked wonderingly of how we should earn our livelihood, what kind of work we should have to do, &c.
A dark space followed, and next I found myself and Ethel standing inside the city, talking to One whose aspect and bearing (though indescribable) filled our hearts with perfect love, although He stood on higher ground while talking to us. We did not ask to be admitted, we knew we were inside (nor do I know how we entered). Our first question was for work. What were we to do? The gracious One then told us we were to work in the mines for precious stones; and vividly do I remember how almost fondly I clasped a small pickaxe given us to aid us in our search.
A dark space again followed, when I next found myself in a large—oh! so large—light space of greyish hue. Ethel was at a little distance from me, while I seemed in a farther corner. I had my pickaxe in my hand working, when suddenly I felt my feet sinking in a bog. At the same instant I saw a precious stone of fiery hue, like the dazzling rays of a glorious sunset, gleam forth. I stretched forth my hand to grasp it, and my feet stood on solid rock. "Oh, Ethel, look!" I exclaimed joyously. "Oh, what a beauty! This is my first." She came gazing wonderingly. "Oh, what a lovely color! What is its name?" "Why, Ethel," I exclaimed, "not know its name! Why, 'tis a well-known, precious one—'Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify ME.'" I resumed my work, with the dazzling beauty of its gleams falling on me, when my companion suddenly called to me: "Oh, look what I have found! Oh, is not mine a beauty? Oh, its color!" I looked, and saw gleaming out in all its brilliant beauty, a stone, clear, semi-transparent, the palest green. Oh, the beauty of its starlike rays! I gazed in wonder and admiration. "Yes," I answered, "oh, who would not work here? and this one, 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.'" Again I plied my pickaxe, again a stone gleamed forth of sparkling blue. Oh, how happy and joyous we felt as we talked of its beauty! "You know this one, Ethel?" I asked. "Yes," she answered joyously; "yes, 'tis 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'" Again Ethel called my name triumphantly as a stone of spotless white met our gaze, so pure, so lovely in its dazzling purity. Our hearts glowed, and we loved the stone as we together pronounced its name: "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.”
I awoke. What a strange dream, I thought. What can it mean? Surely, it has a meaning. I wish I knew. Again I fell asleep. Methought I stood alone and a voice (for I saw no one) said “The dream has a meaning. The mine is the WORD OF GOD; the labor and pickaxes imply diligence. Search the Word with all diligence. The precious stones are the glorious promises of God; the kingdom of heaven is the city of the King, entered in conversion even as a 'little child' (Matt. 18:3); the Holy Ghost leads into all truth. Each color, too, is suggestive: the fiery red, the fiery trial (1 Peter 4:12); the green, the soft, starlike promise, shedding its peaceful rays on weary, sin-sick, groaning sinners; the brilliant blue—the heavenly color—`God gave' the man Christ Jesus, walking this sin-stained earth, because of the FATHER'S LOVE; the pure white, the spotless Lamb of God, whose blood can make the vilest whiter than snow (Isa. 1:18; Psa. 51:7). Such is the love of God.”
I send forth my dream with the prayer that God may use it, and make it as powerful to other hearts as He has to my own. Verily, prophecy is being fast fulfilled, many are denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude, 4; 2 Tim. 3:13); and we would feebly sound the note of warning while hovering on the threshold of eternity, waiting for the voice, "Come up hither." Hold fast to God's own revealed Word (2 Tim. 3:15-17); search diligently for its hidden, exhaustless stores.
M. H. P.