The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-16
The Dream Angel.

watch over the happiness of men-the guar
dian angel of the world-drew near the throne
of the Heavenly Father and prayed:
"Give me, o Father, means by which |
may teach men how to avoid, in part, at least,
the many sins and temptations which the fall
hath entaled upon him; for man is not Away
bad. At times bis heart is ready to- receive
the good which light eternal might fix upon
him."
Then the Father spoke to the angel and
said:
"Give him the Dream"
The sweet angel flew over the world with
his sister, the Dream. Far and wide they
spread the gentle influence, and the hearts Of
lite-weary mortals were rejoced.
But the soft breathings of the Dream Angel
fell not alike Oh all.
70 the good and gentle, who had sunk to
rest amid the blessings of their loved ones, and
whose slumber was deepened by the toll of
good deeds which they had done, there came
soft and silent glimpses of the fair land Of light.
Forgetting the narrow prison of the world,
their souls rose up. and spread broad and wide
over the land of visions, and gazed with eagle
eyes upon the glories, But as the night waned
their dreams grew dim, and he outer influence
of the soul gently closed upon them, even as
the corolla of the night.Aowe closes about it,,
and shuts from its gaze its best loved starry
heaven.
TO the toil-worn, burnt husbandman, who
has fallen asleep in despair, aud who ever fear
ed lest some grim accident might deslr"y the
fruit of his abors, the sweet dream came like
a soft summer shower upon the parched and
dusty fields; and as he dreamed, he saw green
corn rising In goodly ranks, and gazing with
joy upon the small, soft ears, Which, at first NO
larger than flower buds, seemed, as he beheld
them, to expand to ripe maturity.
These are certain dream .phantases, and
strange sleep,changes. that are to be found only
in deep, unbroken Slumber, which results from
extreme bodily fatigue. or in the light, irregu'
lar rest of fever-even as the gro,esqu blue
dragon-hy, and the strange water-AiIter are
found only on the surface Of the deep. silent
pool, or shallow brook And as the husband
man slept on, the fantastic spirits who attend
ed the dream -Aittod about him, and spread a
gay confusion over the happy vision; for, as
he gazed upon the golden ears, purple and
scarlet cloud seemed to overshadow him, while
round about he heard the pealing of bells, the
singing Of familiar voices, and the lowing of
cattle; and in the intervals there came the
shouts, as of glad friends at the harvest home.
Then the purple cloud gathered again about
him; but the dream-spirts, with their long
shadowy arms, drew him through it, and he
now stood before well-illed granary, and the
tears of Joy ran down his cheeks. His wife
and loved ones gathered around him, and their
blessings and praises sank into his heart, and
mingled with the hymn which rose like go-
den cloud from the ocean of his soul And he
awoke from the sweet DREAM and blessed it
for the hope which it had inspired him with.
But the dream flew to guilty prisoner, who
had fallen asleep cursing his judges, his doom,
and the black, damp fe,ters which clung like
cold adders to his limbs; and as he dreamed
the prison was opened, the cold chains fell
away, and remorse and rage no longer fixed
their poison pangs in his heart. A bright light
shone upon him, and blessed thoughts of mer-
cy repentance, and reconciliation fitted through
his mind, like golden winged butterflies through
summer garden: and he awoke trust
ing IN release, with his heart filled with
love and kindness. Did the cold, damp fetters
fall from his lmbsg Were the prison d"ors
opened? The letters fell not away, the prison
door remained fast; and, worn down by fam.
inc and sickness, he perished alone in the mar
row dungeon. But the blessed hope which the
gentle dream had left in his heart, gladdened
his last hour, and he died exclaiming, "Not
my will, but Thine, o Father" Behold there
was Joy in Heaven!
1t has been said that Hope alone is left with
mortals-but with her abidetk her sister, the
Dream, who maketh her known to US for by
dreams men are led to Hope-and by Hope
shall be saved.