Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-04-21
,irffuf T--rrg fT-T-I
i, Dr. Doddridge's Dream. !

ouGut t9 uVe, lp lnNmAtci Gomniunlon, with
God daily, quite ip the precincts Of heaven,
apdswhose heart epd sopl werp, continually
anticipating the, joys Of, that glorious world,
should hays, beqp the subject Of the follow.
ing remarkable dream, .i.,d, ...,.t. r''
q DR.. Doadsidge was ,on,. terms, Of very
intimate friendship With DR.. Samuel CLARK,
aud ~. Religious conversation thoy, spent
mlalppy haapqy hours together, Among other
matters, q very favorite topic was the inter.
mediate states of tho soul, aud Tho proba-
bility that at the instant Of dissolution 1t
was not Introduced into the presence of all
the heavenly hosts aud the spleudors around
the throne Of God One evening, aftor
conversation of this nature, Dr.. Doddridue
retired to rest with his mind full of the
subject discussed and in tho "visions Of
the night" his ideas were shaped into the
following beautiful for0i: He dreamed
that he was suddenly taken dangerously ill.,
| By degrees he seemed to grow worse end at
lost to expire. La an instant he was scnsi-
Bile that lie exchanged the prisou.housc uud
sntferings Of mortality for state of liberty
and happiness. Embodied in aplendid
aerial form, he seemed to float in u regiou
of pure light. Beneath him lay the earth;
but not . gitteriug city or village, the for
est or the sea, was visible. There VIVA
nonght to te seen below save the melan.
choIy group uf freuds weeping around his
illfeless rcmains.
Himself thrilled will. delight, he was
surprised ut their tears and attempted to
Inform them of his change; but by somc
mysterious power, u'terauco was deuied; aud
as nc anxionsIy leaned over the mourning
circle, gazngttondly upon them and s,rug-
CLING to speak, he rose silently upon the ar,
their forms grew more aud more distant aud
gradually melted away from his sight.
Rcposing upou golden clouds, he found
hluself swiftly mounting the skies, with
venerable figure ut his side, guiding his
mysterious movements AID in whose coun-
nance he rcmurhed the lineaments of youth
and age blended together with an intimate
hurn0ny and majestic sweetness They
| Travelled through vast region Of empty
space, until ut length tho baltlements of
| glorious cdlice shone in the distance, aud
| us its form rose brilliant aud distinct aWong.
| tho far of shadows that fitted across their
path, the guido informed him that the
palacc he bcheld was for the present to be
bis mansiuu Of rest. Gazug upon it's
| spfcndor, he replied that while on earth he
had heurd thut eye had not seen, nor had
the ear heard, nor could it cbtcr into the
heart of man TO conceive the things which
God hath prepared Tor those who love him;
but notwithstanding the building to which
thcy were then rapidly approaching wus su-
perior 10 anything he had ever before seen,
yet its grandeur had not exceeded the con.
ccptions he had formed. The guide made
DO rcrly-,hey were already ut the dovr
and entered.
The guido introduced him into epacious
apartment, at the extremity Of which stood
table covered with snow white cloth,
golden cup and a cluster of grapes; aud
there he suid he must remain; he would
receive 10 short time visit from the
Lord Of tho mansion und that during the
Interval before Ills orriyal, the apaitment
would furnish him with sufficient entertain.
ment and instruction. The guide vanished
aud he was left alone. lie begun to axsm.
inc the decorations Of The room and Oh
served that tho walls were adorned With
uupbrr of pictures. Upon nearer ipspcc-
tlon no found, to his pstonshmcnt, that
they formed u compicte biography of his
own life Here be saw upon the canvas
angels, though unseen; over him his
tatblllar attendants; aud, sen, by God, they
had sometimes preserved him from iumc-
date peril. lie behold hi,nsclt first as an
infant just expiring, when his life was pro.
longcd by nIi angel gently breathing into bis
nosrlls. Most of the occurrences here
dcliueated were perfectly familiar to his
recollection and nnfoIdcd many things
which he bod never before understood and
which had pernicxcd him with many doubts
and much uneasiness Among others he
was p"ricular'y struck with picture 10
which he was represented IA falling from
his horse, whom dcoth would have been
inevitable had not m angel received hiu in
his arms ana broken the forco of his de-
scent These merciful interpretations of
God filled him with joy and gra itude aud
his heart overtl"wed With love as. he sur
vcyed In them oil an exhibition of goodness
bnd J.mercy far beyond al that ho had
Imagined Suddenly his attention was
orrestedby rap at tho door The Lord of
tho mansion had arrived. The door opened
and ho entered. So powerful aud SO over.
whelmiog. aud withal sneb singular bpnuty,
was His appearance, that bo sapk down ut
His foot, completely overcome by his md |
jestio presence. Ills Lord gently raised
him from tho GROUND, and taking his hand, |
led hio, forward to tho table. lilo pressed
with His fingers tho juice Of the grapes
into the cup, and after having drank Him
self, presented tito him, saying. This is
tho new wioe in My Fathers kingdom"
No souner had ho pprtaken thun oil uneasy
sensations vauisbed. Perfect lovo had cast
ont fear and he couversed with his Saviour
as nn Intimate friend. Like the silver
riDDlbY Of the snmmer ar, ho hanrd foIi |