Lessing, the well-known German composer, when a student, was acquainted with a certain young man who through the pleasures of sin ruined himself in body and soul. His mother was a faithful Christian.
One morning the young profligate appeared in Lessing's room deeply agitated and said: "After returning from a drinking party last night I had this dream. My dog, Bello, stood beside my bed and began to preach. He gave me about the same warnings as you so often do, but with more power. His words seemed to be borrowed from the prophets and strike deep. I am convinced that as a result, I wept in my sleep. The dog concluded the admonition with an awful threat. He said that if I continued in this course, I would be a corpse in six months. And further he said, 'to prove that this is not my own notion, but that some superior has sent me, open your Bible to Jeremiah one and read verse nine. This will confirm my message.'
"I awoke terrified! I thought my dog was still standing by my bed, but he lay at the foot fast asleep.
"My first thought was to find my Bible. It was a gift from my dear mother when I came to the University, but I never had used it. I found the said verse and read: “‘And the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold I have put my words in thy mouth.'
"Oh, my agony as I read those lines! I hastily threw my coat over me and came running to you. Now I ask, what do you think?"
"Your guilty conscience was awakened though your body was asleep," Lessing answered. "The dumb animal told you what you know to be the truth. A long forgotten verse has been recalled to your mind, and such often speaks more powerfully in sleep than when awake. Thus a voice from God. Take heed to this solemn warning that you may escape the terrible judgment."
The young man resolved to do better, and with the best of intentions continued for a time.
But how helpless against the power of Satan is the soul without Christ! He did not forsake his evil companions and turn to the Savior.
His old buddies would not leave him alone. Observing his new serious bent, they forced him to tell what was troubling him. When he told them his dream they too were sobered; the message of the dumb animal pierced their consciences as well.
Before long, however, his friends decided that the dog was a false prophet and persuaded him to destroy it. So, laden with a heavy rock, the faithful animal was thrown into a pond and drowned.
Exactly six months after the dream the young man himself was stricken with an acute fever and died.
How many there are to whom God has spoken in dreams! In the Bible we read: "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbering upon the bed; then He openeth the ears of men... that He may withdraw man from his purpose. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." Job 33:15-1815In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. (Job 33:15‑18).
The best way to distress Satan is to confess Christ.