Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-11-14

other stone for with such a hard bolster he
would often change in the night. Well, that
night God built In Jacobs dream a long.
splendid ladder, the feet of it on either side
of the tired pilgrims pillow, and the top of
il mortised in the sky. And bright immor-
tails came out from the castles Of amber and
gold and put their shining feet on the shining
runes Of the ladder. and they kept coming
down and going up, procession both ways.
/ suppose they had wings, for the Bible
almost always reports them as having
wings. but this was ladder on which they
used hands and feet to encourage all those
of us who have no wings TO climb, and en-.
couraOing us to believe that If we will use
what we have God will provide way. and
II we will employ the hand and foot He will
furnish the ladder. Young man, do not
wait for wings Those angels folded theirs
To show you wings are not necessary. Let
all the people who have hard pilows-hard
for sickness, or hard for poverty. or hard for
persistence-know that hard pillow is the
landing place for angels. They seldom
descend TO pillows Of eiderdown They
seldom build dreams in the brain Of the one
who sleeps easy.
The greatest dream Of all time was that Of
st. John. with his head on the rocks Of Pat
mos and in that vision he heard the seven
trumpets sounded, and saw all the pomp of
heav' in procession cherubic, seraphic,
archanoelic The next most memorable and
glorious dream was that of John Bunyan,
his pillow the cold stone Of the floor Of Bed
ford iail. from which he saw the celestial
city. and so many entering it he cried out in
his dream, II wish myself among them"
The next most wonderful dream was that
Washington sleeping on the ground at VAL
lev Forge. his head on white pillowcase OF
snow. where he saw the vision OF nation
euancipated. Columbus slept on weaver's
pillow. but rose on the ladder let down until
he could see anew hemisphere. Demosthenes
slept ON a cutters pillow, but on the ladder
let down arose to see the mighty assemblages
that were to be swayed by his oratory. Ark
wright slept on BARRIERS pillow, but went
nm the ladder till he could see all England
ouake with the factories he set going. Aken-
side slept on butchers pillow, and took the
ladder up till he saw other generations helped
by his scholarship.
John Ashworth slept on poor mans pill
low. but took the ladder up until he could
see his prayers and exertions bringing thou
sands of the destitute in England to salvation
and heaven. Nearly all those who are to-
dav great in merchandise in craftsmanship.
in law. in medicine, in art, in literature, were
once at the foot Of the ladder, and in their
DOyuOOu laI "a plliON udIu 10 1atoOo' my
WAC are born az the top Of the ladder are apt
to spend their lives in coming down, while
those who are at the foot, and their head on
bowlder. if they have the right kind OF
dream, are almost sure to rise.
notice that those angels, either in COM
ing down or going up on Jacobs ladder.
took it rung by ruDg They did not leap to
the bottom nor jump to the top. So you arc
TO rise Faith added to faith, good deed to
good deed, industry to industry, conse-
Grafton to conservation, until you reach
the top. rung by rung. Gradual going up
from block o. granite to pillar of throne.
That night at Bethel stood in front of my
tent and looked up, and the heavens were
full of ladders, first ladder Of clouds, then
a ladder OF stars, and all up and down the
heavens were angels Of beauty, angels Of
consolation, angels of God, ascending and
descending. surely God is in this place.
said Jacob "end l knew it not But to-
night God is in this place and know it.