The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-15
A Strange Dream.
G.. HAMILTON.


Our friend, Gavin Kirkham, Secre-
tary of the London Open Air Mission
sends us the following story, related as
IAN incident worth recording" by
one of the outdoor workers who
breaches in the streets OF East Lon-
don:
A friend gave me five pounds to give
to the poor. My mind was somewhat
exercised as to the selection OF the
most deserving cases, and after asking
for divide guidance, j went to bed.
During the night, in my dream, there
stood at the foot of my bed, good
Christian man, Mr.. j, whom /
had known for ten years, and always
considered, rs the owner OF two smail
shops, in comparatively comfortable
circumstances but this night the
look of distress on his countenance
was something appalling; At the
same time the donor stood by my bed.
side, and in very deliberate manner
put in my hand, d,-counting the money
three pounds, seventeen shlllings
and siXpence, then looked at ME ear
nestly, and then turned his eyes to my
distressed friend ut the foot of the bed,
Mr.. j. as much as to say, "That is
the particular amount he is in need OF,
20 and give it to him."
On waking the next morning. | re-
lated the matter to my wife, and said,
II shall certainly go and see Mr.. j.
tonight" and accordingly went care
fully taking four pounds in my pocE-
ct. 1 sat in his house talking with his
wife and mother for about half an
hour, hoping they would let me know
if nything were amiss; but not a
word was dropped about it. At last l
said:
Mrs. il hope you will excuse
me, but [ want to know if there is
ANYTHING peculiar in your circum-
stances at the present time, and if so,
If YOU will object to tell me-:
j noticed Immediately the sudden
exchange of glances between the wife
and mother. And the wife replied,
"Weu, Mr.. Hamilton, as you have
asked that question, / am bound to
tell YOU, my husband has bill that
will become due tomorrow for forty
pounds, and all he has got is thirty.six
pounds, and that four pounds he has
tried hard but cannot possibly get IL
anywhere and though he is suffering
from bronchitis, yet this fearful night,
amidst wet and fog and cold, he has
gone to Croydon to try and sell enough
to meet the bill, or we are ruined"
simply rose from my seat, gave her
the four pounds, and, with few kind
ly words, departed. On my way
home, as though evidence must be
multiplied that / had been rightly
Guided, met an excellent young
Christian woman whom / had known
for several years, to whom l related
the circumstances, carefully avoiding
any reference to the name or the
neighborhood.
"Oh ~ she replied, "why I know
here you have been, you have been
% Mr.. J-'s."
I replied, "How do you know that ?"
She said, because his trouble over
that was so great that for several
nights he has called a few friends TO
his house to ask the Lord to help him
out of his difficulty, and l was one of
them, and the Lord has sent YOU"
called the next morning; he, had
not taken one farthing from his jour
uey to Croydon, and came nome Win
broken heart, not knowing but wife,
large family of little children, aged
mother, and himself an invalid, would
all he turned into the street, when 10 !!
the money was awaiting his return
In the morning he looked at, and
made me look at his cash box, where
I saw the forty pounds; he then said
"Do you know, I have opened the
children's money boxes, and have got
there two shillings and sixpence."
Thus, if l had given the three
pounds, seventeen shillings and six
pence, the chiIdren's money boxes
would have exactly made up the need
cd forty pounds:
The donor of the five pounds was
much interested in the circumstances
when told him. l also related it to
two infidels who said it was remarka-
bly strange but Christians say it is
an answer to prayer, and cause for
devout thankfulness to God.-The
Christian.