A servant of Christ, living at a watering place, and calling one day to visit one of his hearers, saw a young lady who had come there on account of her health. Seeing her very sad looking, he asked the reason.—
She answered,
"Sir, I will think no more of it, it was only a dream, and I will not be so childish as to be alarmed at a dream; but, sir, I will tell you my dream, and then I will think no more of it."
"I dreamt I was at a ball, where I intend to go tonight. Soon after I was in the room, I was taken very ill, and they gave me a smelling bottle, and then I was brought home into this room, and I was put into that elbow chair, (pointing to it,) and fainted and died! I then thought I was carried to a place where there were angels and holy people in abundance, singing praises and hymns to God. I found myself very unhappy there, and desired to go from thence. My conductor said if I did, I should never come there again. He then violently whirled me about, and I fell down, down, down, through blackness and flame, the dread of which awoke me."
The servant of Christ told her that God was speaking to her in this dream, seeking to show her what an awful place hell is for those who reject His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Savior and thus be saved from such a place, and he endeavored, by every argument possible to dissuade the young lady from going to the ball that night, but to accept the blessed Savior for her own, and to be with Him in the glory forever,—but in vain. She answered,
"I will go, I will not be so foolish as to mind a dream!"
She did go: and soon after she came into the ball-room she was taken ill, and, as she had dreamt, a smelling bottle was given her—she was carried home into the room, and put into that very elbow chair represented in the dream; she fainted and died. Awful warning! awful event! O, that it may sink deep into the hearts of any who are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."
She was warned by a dream; but you who are unconverted are now warned by a reality, even her mournful death. "All flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away: but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1 Peter 1:24, 2524For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:24‑25).