Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-06-28
SCIENCE FAILS US.
Sleep That is Like the Sleep of Death.
singular Cases of Suspended Anima-
tiOn-YiSiOns of the Mind.

Among the various forms of abnormal
sleep are some that resemble rather the
sleep of death, for there Is sometimes
hardly dlscerniole sign of life. SJme
cases of the kind have, without GOubt,
been followed by the burial of the pa
tieut Ii there was ever difficulty in de-
termining the question of actual death,
there is probably little or none now.
There are several we'll known tests that
remove all doubt upon the question
whether life is or is not extinct.
In some cases of sleep that, to the or
binary observer, seems death, the person
is wholly unconscious of his surround
ings and may seem TO himself separated
from his body and lifted 10 the bliss aud
glory OF heaven. This WAS SO with the
celebrated Rev. VIM Tenant, in the
last century. The whole three days
while he lay apparently dead seemed 10
him concentrated into few minutes of
indescribGble JOY; but his former life re.
NAMED blank and, learned scholar al
he was, he had to begun his alphabet
again. Wheu he reached the Latin gram
mer his old stores of knowledge gradual
ly returned to him.
But in cases somewhat similar the per-
son has full consciousness of his condi-
tion and surroundings without being
able to give any sign of It.
The case of tho Rev. Edward B. Euer-
son, recently published In the CongreRa-
t!onalist, is a remarkable one. Mr.. En-
erson-he lately died at the age of 10
was a son of the Rev. Brown Emerson,
ID. D., an eminent minister in Salem,
Mass.
At the age of q he was suddenly at.
tackled with peculiarly fatal fever then
prevailing. For time his case was re-
garded as hopeless; but, having survived
his worst attack, he was at length though
to he out of danger his nurse went home,
ard less skilled attendant took her
place.
In few days violent symptoms return
cd, and then the patient seemed TO die.
The physician deois red him dead, and his
funeral was appointed. For day and a
half he lay with eyes fixed, teeth locked
and no peroeptible breathing.
Bot all the while he was conscious of
everything said and done at his bed
side, and, though the arrangements for
the funeral were freely talked oyer In his
hearing, he came to feel certain that he
would somehow be restored to life
through his former nurse. Strangely
enough, that nurse, who had not learned
of what had occurred since che left, was
reused from her sleep by q vivid dream
of some one in danger, whom she alone
could help.
The next morning she determined to
visit her former patient and learn his CON
dition. 0n ascertaining the facts she be
same satisfied, though she had only her
dream to oppose to the judgment of the
physician, that 10 VAS not dead. She IN
sisted on the use of means for his recov-
cry. The meaus were effectual. He grad
ually regained his health and resumed his
ministry.
During the period of suspended ANNA.
ton his mind was in a very exalted
state, but he did not, like Tenant, seem
TO DO borne away from the body. He
himself says:
an addition to this heaven was partial.
IL opened with its wonderful holiness aud
glory, and an all pervading and elevarnR
i'm preston within and around me of
supernatural sanctity, splendor aud love,
thrilling my soul with mingled reverence
and delight. The object prominent above
others was spiritual impersonation of
the Lord Jesus'
This period of enjoyment was while he
was actually hearing the conversation of
the watchers. An interesting feature of
the case is that the impression on the
mind of the nurse in her dream was at
the very time that the conviction was
given his own mind that he would be re-
stored through her.
When her knock was heard at the door
next morning be felt sure that the knock
was hers, and that she had come to effect
his resuscltation.