Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-12

divine vision in your own life when the
undertaken rudely broke into your
home. When the doctor said she was
dead. ut first you were almost broken
hearted. You We're like a mailman.
You paced mp and down the room say
ing: 'oh. God. how can | get along
without her? oh. my God. my God.
What shall do:'' Hardly had you
uttered that agoniZing prayer when n
strange peace came into your soul.
She seemed to come back TO you. She
seemed 10 put her arms about your
neck and tO say with her old terms of
endcarmcnt: Husband. papa. sweet
heart. son. | am all right. Christ has
merely taken me away for little
while. ! cannot come to YOU. hut you
shall come TO me-" Was il a dream? Was
that message merely a Satanic mock
cry. or was il a divine vision coming to
you aS one came Ia Peter on SimOn's
house top: When You saw her joy and
happiness was il not the same kind Of
n divine vision as that which came to
st. John when he cricd out. in Apoca-
lypsc: Who are these which are ar
rayci in white robes. and whence came
they: These are they which came out
of great tribuation and have washed
their robes and made them white in
the blood "f the Lamb
Christ's Message.
Til" divine tcl'pathy often comes as
Il direct command for practical gospel
work. As Peter on Simons house top
10y his vision knew that Christ was
sending him forth to carry the gospel
10 all the world. whether Jew or gen
tile. so by u divine vision we may know
that tod wants us In go forth To save
this or that man and do this or that
work. We know il just the same as we
know what our earthly employer wants
us 10 do when he gives us a bundle OF
checks and :ells us to 90 and deposit
them in the bank. by divine telepathy
we know what God wants us TO do in
n spiritual way the same as Captain
YOunt. an old California trapper. knew
God wanted him To do something in a
physical way. Rev. Dr Bushnell tells
this incident in one Of his sermons, as
il once was told 10 him by the hardy
wcsterncr: One night Captain Yount
had Il vision. 1t was midwinter. and
he saw company Of bestormcd emil
grants perishing i'm the mountains from
cold and hunger. lie noted" said
Bushnell. the very east of the scenery.
marked 10y II long perpendicular front
of white rock cliff. lie saw the men
cutting off what appeared tree tops. ris-
ing out of deep gulf of snowdrift. and
lie noted the very features of the per
sons and the look of their particular
dress Well. TO shorten Il long story,
Captain lount The following day told
one of his friends about this dream.
and he described the scenery of the
place where the emigrants were i'm
priSOncd in the snow. The friend said:
'YOunt. know where that place is you
describe. II is In the Carson Valley
pass of the SirrraS | have seen in
that valley the scenery just as YOU
have described it What did Captain
Yomnt do: lie realized that this was a
vision sent 10y God. II was summons
to rescue Although his friends laugh
ed ut his superstition. lie collected a
party of men and went long journey
of 1910 miles in midwinter TO Carson
Valley pass and there they found
company of periShing emigrants in ex-
actly the position the vision had pie
tured them A. he did with Peter. and
as he did with Captain iouni. God is
bidding YOU to 20 forth To spiritually
save this nan and that man. In do this
gospel work and that gospel work.
Within you i1iay You may hear the
call. With your wide open eyes in
broad daylight you may SEE the divine
vision.
CaIl For Practical Work.
This gospel call for practical work Is
the more impressive and imnianent be-
cause Gods visions are never hap
hazard: they are never purposcless ar
meaningless dreams. They always
have Il very practical Interpretation.
When Peter looked of from Simon's
house top he SAW II great sheet let
down from the heavens. filed with ''all
manner of four footed beasts of the
earth. and wild beasts. and creeping
things AMI fowls of the air That
vision WIS Il symbol of the fact that
Jesus died To save the gentle as well
rs the Jew the despised barbarian as
well as the Jewish high priest. the I'M
circuncisc,i as well as the circumcised.
Hardly had the vision ended when
Peter heard II loud rapping at the
lower gate who is there: Who Ia
there WAS asked. Il am II messenger
from Cornelius" Is the answer. Il am
not a lew. but gentle. sent hy
holy angel to thee. Wilt thou come
and tell him about Jesus Christi
The vision and the knock ut the door
were one summons. Then il WAS that
Peter knew his vision was divine and
that he was called To Il duty which he
might have shrunk from il he had not
seen the preparatory vision. No longer
was the offer of salvation to be made
to the Jews only: no longer We're the
messengers Of Christ la regard the
gentilcS as common ar unclean. so
much the vision had taught him. and
so Peter went with the men and
IL.