The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-12-08

great many people IheIe, ana niue clllt
dren. and all perfectly happy" TIL
grandmother told her that thinking muci
about her little sister had caused her t
dream: but when the girl had left tn,
room she said to her daughter: Tina
child will die" Before the second Sab
hath following size was seized with tn,
same malady, a prevailing epidemic
which had been fatal to the first. From
the beginning she told her parents sh,
should die; she was going to be with
her sister, and live in that beautiful
nlace. They should not mourn for her
but prepare to meet her there In that
happy expectation she continued to her
last moments. She was nine years Of ACE;
the younger was six.
Nv store of incidents is not exhausted,
bat let me turn in another direction.
The writerin Appleson- asks: '' We're
these visions theefect ofa delirious mind
-agri soaujq raac-or were they
( realities ? Is there some expansion OF
the faculties at the hour OF death, that
enables the spiritual eye to discover the
( celestial world and its mysteries Is
there truth as well rs poetry in Walters
! famous stanza
/ "The souls dark cottage battered and decaye
Lets in new light through chinks that Time hath
stronger Gy weakness, wiser men become
As they draw near TO their eternal home
W no staHd upon the threshold Of the new
1t is easy to raise these questions. ;..it is
impossible to answer them. Bat IL is
possible if not to answer them, to con-
template them in relations of great in
terest.
First. Incidents Of the character of
those related above constitute a nu-
merous class. Let five or six persons
meet casually and converse frankly on
such subjects, it viii probably be found
that one or two Of them at least know Of
similar occurrences in the circle of their
own relatives or intimate friends. ifbg 1t
one in q hundred years was alleged it
would stand alone, a strange story but
i continual succession, il would sseem,
must have Il ground, or law, worthy Of
attention.
Secondly. The testimony concerning
such incidents is Of the highest character.
1t is given by persons of intelligence and
piety, who have no interest in pu blicity
or fraud, but speak of what they have
known with reserve and awe. The case
Is worldwide from the modern spiritual
ism, so called. It has nothing 10 90
with the necromancy and imposture Of
those who seek by their own voLt tions
and arts to call forth manifestation Of
spirits. II is entirely in another rea I'm. .
It is the observation of facts which are
presented to us in the courses Of nature /
and providence
Thirdly For christians there is
presumptive evidence of reality in such
incidents On other grounds we believe
there is a spiritual world 70 which our
souls are kindred, and in which we shall
soon be constituent members. It is then
a philosophical possibility, or even
that peculiar phenomena !
shall occur along the line whore two
worlds meet. that in occasional, stimu-
lated exalted states, our faculties may
discern gleamings Of spiritual realities /,
or, in other words, such realities may
come within the range ofour PercePtio rs
Ia their keenest condition. Such Iihe-
nonena would be supernatural in re-
ference to this limited nature with which
we are familiar, being above our ordinary
experience; but also natural in reference
70 that broader nature which is comPre-
hended in the creation and government
Of God. Do they nos, as truly as any
thing in physics and metaphysics, open
a field for legitimate observation, and
perhaps induction?
Fourthly. Incidents of the class we
have contemplated have a very interest
ing relation TO the biblical narratives.
Many wonderful events Of sacred histsry,
such as the appearances of angels, the
vision Of Stephen, and others, may have
a normal as we'll as supernatural charac
ter. They may not be altogether ex-
ceptional, but typical facts cf a success
sion intended for the instruction and
y
ton whether much5of our modern chris
tianity mas not been quite too sad
dueean, believing neither in angel nor
spirit that IS to say, anxious to avoid
materialisrn and superstition in religion,
and 50 going to an extreme which leaves
little or no spiritual substance on which
the sonl can lay hold with defniteness
o. thought and JOY Of anticipation. This
may partly account for some Of the jSns
Of the times. fit sees not the true,
human nature viii yearn for false
spiritualism 4 little moro Of the
Pharisee's faith, or rather Christs vim
dicati@n Of it, would help us. The logi-
cal effect of such incidents rs have been /
cited, regarded on due evidence as hav-
ing foundation in reality, would be TO
confirm the spiritual testimonies of a /
future life; and that effect has been ex-
perienced.
Further, that effect is consolation in
sorrow. II adds richness, defniteness,
and if may 50 say, q spiritual solidity /
70 the Apostles delightful conception of /
the family Of God in heaven and earth, |
named after Christ and Paul, it viii be
remembered, had seen visions" 1t
brings closer to our hearts, it seems TO
unfold, in some degree, Christ's precious
and wonderful word ''Their angels do |
always behold the face of my Father |
which IS in heaven"
HELP EACH oEHER.
father was walking one day in the /
fields with his two children. The wind !
GO eolJ - ,;,,o ,or,,