Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-03-15
From the MsthOdist,
DIR. HAGANY's DREAM.
WITH A NOTE FROM REV. DIR. FOSTER.

In late visit to Philadelphia, | called on
Mrs. Hagany, the widow of our lamented
friend Dr. Hagany, and during my stay she
handed me for my reading the inclosed,
which you will perceive is in his own hand
writing. II was a dream which he had
short time before his death, and which so
impressed him that he wrote ii down. 1t is
SO marvellously beautiful, and withal so
strongly prophetic, that believing it would
be read with interest by thousands of those
who loved DIR. Hagany during life and now
cherish his memory, persuaded Its bereaved
owner TO allow me to offer il to you for pub
lIcation. | do not doubt that you will feel
great pleasure in giving il to your readers.
Like everything that took form in its authors
mind, or expression from his pen, it is touch
inglY beautiful, and in connection with his
death, Immediately following, it will seem to
many as almost prophetic
It will be remembered that he died while
sitting in his chair and reading to his wife a
passage from Seeds sermons, with which he
had been greatly pleased. Suddenly at
tackled with death stroke, the book slipped
from his hand and in a few minutes he
passed away
THE DREAM.
''As lately sat in my arm chair before an
Old-fashioned wood fire, ! took up that
curious book, Lyttleton's Dialogues of the
Dead. The state of the elements was favora
BILE to that kind of sombre reflection which
one IS apt TO indulge when his thoughts turn
toward the world 10 come. Dark clouds
were drifting over the face of the sky The
north wind was driving the lately fallen
snow over the fields and piling il in heavy
heaps by the fences and wayside. The
strong draught of the chimney brought the
chink-winds from every crevice OF my room,
making melancholy sounds as if the spirits
of dead men intended me an entertainment
with funeral music AS the wind increased
or fell, the tones rose to dismal wall, or
softened down to a low moan, and once in Il
while almost died away in subdued whisper
of grief
hy the voices OF nature, but it has always
seemed TO me that each of them is adapted
to produce religious cast of thought. In
some persons it may be owing to delicate
susceptibility TO moral impression, or per
hnps it is nothing more than passive poetic
temper, which most people have, whether
they are poets or not. But whatever may
be the cause, it is certain that there is some
how a morally useful relation between thu
voices OF the outward world and that inwarC
ear that greatly increases their meaning
While l INDUCED this reflection, and ye
= continued to read, my cheerful wood fir,
turned to mass of Goals on the hearth, TIN
: clock licked on the mantel- piece, and the ca
hurried in the chimney corner. An inclina
ton to slumber gradually overcame me, til,
book dropped from my hand, and fel
- asleep.
: Gas the tram of waking thought is apt +
n give shape to ones dreams, fancied my
a self walking on pavement Of BURNSIDE
cold On each side were magnificent build
. ings of Jasper, and chrysolite, and diamond
d | saw no laborer in the street, and no dus
}. or soil of any kind. Neither did / see
carriage, or horse, or any sign that a whet
OF hoof had ever passed over the golde
- way. The city was bathed in soft ligl
9 slightly tinged with blue, and as il were th
e body of heaven in his clearness.' Indeo
IA il was so clear that whatever objects wer
near or remote appeared with equal distinc
= ness. | looked up 10 see from whence TIL
10 mellow light might come, and was surprise
a. that neither sun, nor moon, nor star was
"a he seen. | observed, as l looked at I'll
beautiful palaces on both sides Of the stree
TO that living forms sat behind the windows
10 nure CRYSTAL Others stood before doors
IS cornelian and carbuncle Others, agail
At glided through the street with an easy gel
nj lie motion, exchanging as they passed Gao
other such looks Of tenderness and love as
ue had never seen on earth.
ur GAS l wandered through this gorgeoI
ad city, not as yet knowing where | was, Il
IA thought began TO steal upon me that III
= never read or heard of such place befor
n A kind of delicious confusion came over m
IN and asked myself is this dream, or am
M in heaven? Is 1t possible that without sic
va ness or pain have been borne away fro
81, the body, know not howP Is the Ion
'a. dreaded bitterness of death past, and l knC
ed il notP / seem to have body, and yet fe
JUS as il l had none Is time with me at
I'd. end, and is this eternity? Am l at last |
y come immortalp'"