The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-03-28
GOD IN DREAMS.
THEIR SIGNIFICANCE rs AN Ell
DENCE OF IMMORTALITY.
Does He Reveal Himself In Our Day
Through Dreams, as He Did in Ancient
Times?-A Notable Sermon.

Brooklyn, March 26-(Special.)-A re-
markable sermon was preached by Rev. Dr.
Talmage in the tabernacle today, the sub
jcct being a psychological and reNgious
study of the phenomena Of the mind during
sleep. and the significance of dreams as ey-
idence Of Immortality The text chosen was
Genesis %: IL: ''Uc took of the stones OF
that place and put them for his pillows, ana
lay down in that place to sleep ana lie
dreamed"
Asleep on q pillowcase filled with hens
feathers, it is not strange one should nave
pleasant dreams. But here is pillow OF
rock, and Jacob with his head on it, and 10!
a dream of angels, two professions, those
coming down the stairs met by those gong
up the stairs. 1t is the first dream OF Bible
record. You may say of Il dream that 1t IS
nocturnal fantasia, or that 1T Is the absurd
combination of waking thoughts, ana Win
q slur of intonation you may say: 1T Is
only a Dream but God has honored the
dream by making it the avenue through
which again and again he has marched upon
the human soul, decided the fate of nations,
and changed the course of the worlds his
tory. God appeared in q dream to Anime
lech, warning him against an unlawful mar
riage: in Il dream to Joseph, foretelling his
coming power under the figure of all the
sheaves of the harvest bowling down to his
sheaf to the chief butler, foretelling his dis
Imprisonment; to the chief baker, announc-
ing his dccapitatiOn; to Pharaoh, showing
him first the seven plenty years, and then
the seven famine struck years, under the
figure of the seven fat cows devouring the
seven lean COWS; to Solomon, giving HIM the
choice between wisdom and riches ana
honor; to the warrior: under the tgure OF
barley cake shifting down Il tent, encourage
ing Gideon in his battle against the Amale-
kites; to Nebuchadnezzar, under the inquire
of Il broken image and heWn down Tree.
foretclling his overthrow OF power; to 10
seph, Of the New Testament. announcing
the birth of Christ in his own household; 10
Mary, bidding her fly from Herodic persv-
cutons; to Pilates wife. warning him not
to become complicated with the judicial over
throw of Christ.
We all admit that God in ancient times
and under Bible diSpensation addressed the
people through dreams. The question now
is does God appear III our day and reveal!
himself through dreams? That is the ques-
ton everybody asks, and that question TINS
if | believe i'll dreams My answer is, 10
believe in dreams. but all have to say VIII
be under five heads.
Remark the. first: The Scriptures are $?
full { revelation from God, that if We get
no Communication from Him in dreams we
oughs nevertheless, to be satisfied.
With twenty gudebOols to tell you how
to get to Boston or l1'tsburS, or LONDON OF
Glasgow, or Manchester, do you want n
night vision to tell you now TO make me
journey? We have in this Scripture full
direction IN regard to the Journey OF thiS
life, and how TO get to the celestial CITY ana
WIN TINS Srahd guiuep0ok' lhis hiasi,'ii cen,
directory we oughl 10 De sallsileu. I nave
when l am wide awake than when | am
sound asleep. nave notlced that thoSe VINO
give a treat Ge!l OIL 'ileit IMhe 70 Stuu! lu6
dreaf 1T thelr pf'ih addled' Ihey are
very n to rcmemcpef Wil"t they
e sut tue lrSC hlGnt theI SlPpl III
IT, in Their dream, they take
'orpse tney are solhs ~ ule'
saruen IL lliealS u sep
& ny tulAs ss,X Heti 49, 81, 'Il7
sly 1 " en- en- L %n' llot
vision thew saw.
sos IN In to-
no rhvthr thav
mis- mo discori
of rnvaIation that
"a il we get no further
.eceved great honor when
9ros ~ extraordinarIy that the sur
: pi hem which gave him Eve did not
Wa ferenceA ut there is no such need for ex-
traor you slulnber now. and he who
catch ugbn Eve must needs be wide awake
No need Of such dream as Jacob had with
it had been demonstrated that earth and
heaven are in communication. No such
dreaep needed as that which was given to
Abi hlach, warning him against an unlawful
marfS. q, when we have the records of the
C0uTranclerks office. No need of such
dreai els was given to Pharaoh about the
seTeI OF ars Of famine, for now the seasons
marin regular procession and steamer and
rail yol carry breadstuffs to every famine
stru piaItlon. NO need OF Il dream like that
Whlt quhcouraged Gideon, for all through
Chr. IoWssom 1t is announced ana acknoWl-
cdgt9e ga demonStrated that righteousness,
soodh 9o' later, VIII get the victory.
~ m 0ptre should come ABOUT CRISIS IN
YOU lie upon which the Bible does NOT
Sc@ntnso be sufficiently, specific, go to God
IN w. yer and you VAL get especial dnec-
tony L nave more falth, mnety-nlne times
out OF 9nndred, In directions given you
with the bible IN your lap and your
thonSAtS upilfted IN prayer to tod, than
IN all the Information you Will get uncon-
ON WEv e very arG +
IgyPtlans with no Bible, should put SO
much stress on dreams; and the Chinese;
in their holy book, Chow King. should
think their emperor gets his directions