The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-01-02
So PER ANNUM.

Dy ths posittOh IN WINCH We hc, anu new
and unaecountable train Of thought Is
suggested. We have been anxious the
day before about business matters, and all
sorts Of troubles ensue when the mind is
free from the bride of the will. We have
been working at a problem, and in sleep
the solution appears. Sometimes the Sleep
er has arisen IN his sleep, committed the
result to writing, aud returned TO his pill
low without waking. A farmer has gone
to his barn and threshed his oats, all the
while in sleep Ministers have composed
sermons, have delivered sermons, have
been deeply affected by the delivery, and
have recalled fervid passages which they
"neSer dreamed Of when awake. Poets
have made verses, and butchers have killed
sheep under similar circumstances. Sleep
walkers, having no eyes to see, or walking
in the dark, even on the edge Of the house
top, do not stumble.
God who, in sundry times and divers
manners, spoke unto our fathers in times
past, revealed his will to them in dreams,
and visions Of the night. But since the
book Of Holy Scriptures was printed, God
has not used such means to make known
the future to the children of men. This
is safe aud comfortable ground, for those
who believe the Christian system, to stand
upon, and to go sleep upon. If dream
predicts an event, or gives warning Of its
approach, it is special, supernatural,
miraculous communication, and must have
been made by Him who will not fail to
attend it by such signs as leave no room
for doubt Of its source and authority.
When you are warned of God in dream
you will know it, All the stories you have
seen in books and newspapers of the won
derful fulflmept Of dreams, are to be ex-
planned on ono Of two grounds. They arc
not true, or they are simple ooipcid0pces,
Most of them are greatly exaggerated. l
would like to have the report in regard to
the recent dream Of Bishop Lees son, by
the son. He is reported to have dreamed
of the accident that befell his father, the
exact manner Of II, and the fatal consc-
quences. As the dream Is not said TO
have induced any action on the part Of tho
son, IL lacks the stamp of truth. If il be
true, it is another very extraordinary CO.
incidence. But there is not particle Of
evidence that the dream was Of supernatu-
raj origin. And so Of impressions" aud
"signs" aud ''presentiments' which are
not confined to the ignorant and weak
only, but are regarded with reverence and
faith by some intelligent and otherwise
sensible people. To believe in them is to
suppose that God Is in them, for ho only
knows what is to be on the morrow.
Science has revealed natural laws, which
are Gods laws in nature, and these are
for study and aid. But to expect an un.
favorable voyage because the ship sails on
Friday, or death in the family because
a mirror Is broken, is absurd and wicked.
A hundred old sayings are equally foolish.
| was riding to the graveyard with a friend
to bury neighbor. My companion ex,
pressed his great regret that rain had fallen
that day, "Why So" asked. He said
that rain in an open grave was a sign that
some one Of the company would die within
month. buried him within the time.
But l would be great fool to accept the
fact as any proof Of the truth of the old
saying.
We have a more sure word of prophecy
to which we win do well to take heed
Let us be careful Of our thoughts while
we are awake, and what we think Of when
asleep may be justly regarded as "basc
less fabric" that vanishes with the light Of
day.-Irenius.