MANY passers-by looked at me with mingled pity and kindness, and pressed me to follow with them; but I rejected them all, and stood melancholy and disturbed. At length, one young, bright messenger, stationed on the steps, came up to me and entreated me to enter, with a voice and a manner I could not resist. “Do not turn,” he said; “where canst thou go? Do not linger, for why shouldst thou weary thyself for naught? Enter here and taste happiness. Do not all go in, and are any rejected? Do not all tribes and colors pass into that hall, and are they not washed, and clothed. and comforted?” He gave me his hand, and I entered the hall along with him: here I was sprinkled with pure water, and a garment of pure white was put upon my shoulders, and I knew not how, but I mounted the bright stairs by the side of my happy guide. Oh, what a light burst upon my sight when I had reached the summit! But mortal words cannot describe it, nor can mortal fancy in any way conceive it. Where are the living sapphires? Where are the glittering stars, that are like the bright radiance, in which I stood? Where are the forms of love, or the looks of love, that breathed in the numerous company that moved around me? I sunk down overpowered and wretched; I crept into a corner and tried to hide himself, for I saw and felt that I had nothing in unison with the blessed inhabitants of such a place.
They moved in a dance to music and to songs that never fell on mortal ear; my guide joined in the rapture, and I was left alone. I saw the tall forms all fair, all bright, in their own ineffable felicity; their songs and looks of gratitude forming the countenances and the differences of each. At length I saw One taller than the rest, and in every way far more fair, far more dignified; more awfully fair, such as surpasses thought; and to Him each eye was turned, and in His face each face was brightened; the songs and dance were in His honor, and all seemed to derive from Him their life and joy.
As I gazed in speechless amazement, one who saw me left the company and came to where I sat, and said, “Why art thou so silent? Come, quickly, unite in the dance and join in the song.” I felt a sudden anger in my heart, and I answered with sharpness, “I will not join in your song, for I know not the tune; and I cannot join in the dance, for I know not the measure.” He sighed. and with a look of most humiliating pity, he resumed his place. About a minute later, another came and addressed me as he had done; and with the same temper I answered him in the same way; he looked as if he could have resigned his own dazzling glory to have changed me. If heaven could have known anguish, he seemed to feel it, but he left me and returned to his place.
What could it be that put such a temper in my heart? At length the Lord of that glorious company of those living, breathing, glittering forms of life, and light, and beauty; of those sounds of harmony, and those songs of triumph, saw me, and came up to speak to me. I thrilled in every part with awe; I felt my blood chill, and my flesh tremble, and yet my heart grew harder, and my voice grew bolder. He spoke, and deep-toned music issued from His lips: “Why sittest thou so still, and all around thee are so glad? Come, join in the dance, for I have triumphed; come, join in the song, for My people reign.” Love unspeakable He seemed to beam upon me, as though it would have melted a heart of stone. I felt it, but melted not; I gazed an instant, and I said, “I will not join in the song, for I know not the tune; and I will not join in the dance, for I know not the measure.” Creation would have fled at the change of His countenance; His glance was lightning; and in a voice louder than ten thousand thunders, He said to me, “Then what doest thou here?” The floor beneath me opened, and I sunk into flames and torments! and with the dreadful fright I awoke.”
There was a momentary silence, for the sisters were shocked and surprised at the dream; and both of them thought that neither the substance of it, nor the deep impression it had made, could be the effects of any natural cause on Anna’s volatile mind.
“Anna,” they said, “we cannot help you to forget such a dream as this. We surely believe that it is from God, and it may be greatly blessed in your soul if you seek it to be so. Your description of the Holy City may be an impression from the word of God, for much the same account is described in the Revelation. ‘The city has no need of the sun, nor the moon, for the temple of God is there, and the Lamb is the light thereof.’ All who enter must put off their garments, and their own righteousness, and then, washed in the blood of Jesus, are seen ‘arrayed in fine linen, clean and white’ (Rev. 19:88And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8)); they sing a new song, saying, ‘Thou art worthy . . . . for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God, kings and priests’ (Rev. 5:9, 109And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9‑10)). Oh, Anna, you know something of the way; do give up your own will and listen to this fearful warning! join us, and learn the steps which lead to heaven, and how to sing the songs of Zion.”
Anna’s brow again darkened, and she answered, “I do not want you to preach to me; I shall do as I please.” She continued in this melancholy state to the end of the week, and was found in her room—dead! No one knew the cause of her death. She died without disease of body; she died without any apparent change of mind!
It may be, dear reader, that you who have just read the foregoing narrative, have often been warned of your danger, and urged to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. But up to this moment both warnings and entreaties have proved in vain. Once more you are warned to flee from the wrath to come; once more you are invited to come to the open arms of the Saviour, Jesus. Once more! we say, yes, once more, and this may be the last warning you will ever have, and the last invitation you will ever receive.
Oh, dear reader, listen to these solemn words, and may it never be said of you: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all My counsel, and would none of My reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind: when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me.” (Prov. 1:24-2924Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: (Proverbs 1:24‑29))
ML 12/30/1900