Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-05-13
THE PULPIT.
\ SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON eY
The REV. Or. JOHN LOVE. JR.
Subjects The Mystic stone.

Ashury Park. ~. 1.-THE Rev. DIR.
John Love. Jr.. preached on THE Mys-
nc Stone and the Broken Image in the
First Baptist Church here. He took as
his text David lisa: "a stone cut out
without hands which smote the i'm
age. DIR. Love said:
In the poem called ~Giles Corey" the
great author has said: do you believe
an dreamsy Why. yes and no. When
they come true. then believe in them.
when they come false 1 don't believe
in them" This is doubtless fair ex-
preston OF our own feelings concern
Ing these mysterious visitors in our un-
conscious hours. Whatever harmony
there may be between them and events
which thereafter transpire we can
never be sure at the time that they are
prophetic.
In the Old Testament economy. how
ever. dreams were a recognized method
OF divine communication with man
Bind. Not only were Abimeloch and
Jacob. Joseph and Solomon thus adj
dressed from heaven. but the prophets
received revelations in and through
them. designed for the warning. the
comfort and the instruction OF the race
Few dreams narrated i'm sacred writ
are OF such profound interest as the
one OF which our text makes mention.
In the second year OF his reign "Nebu-
chadnczzar. the king OF Babylon.
dreamed dreams wherewi;h his Spirit
was troubled and his sleep brake from
him" So profound was the IMPRESSION
made upon him. so agltated his mind
on awakening. that he commanded the
presence Of magicians. astrolOgers and
sorcerers. who were supposed to pos
sess the powers OF Interpretation. The
dream OF the king had. however. so far
gone from him when the wise men en-
tered into his presence that he could
give them no hint OF its nature. Not
even the bare outline remained. only
the sense OF terror and the fear OF inn
pending I'D. With the cruelty peculiar
to himself he demanded that they
should at once reproduce the dream by
their mystic arts and give the correct
interpretation. Protest was I'm vain.
and in the heat OF his passion he
voiced the decree OF death ON an the
wise men OF the kingdom.
Daniel. the prophet. captive az the
time in Babylon. learning OF the mani
iesto OF the king petitioncd for an ex-
tension OF time and promised the
|sousht Tor Interpretation. IL was an
NWiul crisis. but from the quartet Of
1 daniel and his three companions went
- q cry that reached the very heart OF
200 and won the secret that nullihed
ah infamous decree Within the an
pointed time the prophet is ready for
the presence chamber OF tile king. IN
ambassador from heaven. he brings in
clear outline. 10y his vivid description
tne mystical Image which had dis
turbed thc SAUNDERS OF Nehuchadncz-
1aF. ana then intcrprcts its significance
as may Dc traced in the second chapter
OF TIE book OF Daniel. verses 81 20 SO
\ By the head OF gold was represented
4 the kingdom OF Babylon. the domain
or Northumberland Tor forty-nve years.
he breast and arms OF silver Si-ni-
ped the kingdom in which the Modes
hnd fcrsians held sway. and was
known rs the cdo-PcrSian reign in
hugUrated 10y Darius. the Mede. and
4 Nrus- The Persian. between whom an
alliance had been formed. The third
#anSdom represented 10y the belly and
highs Of brass" was the Grecian
Il FOUNDED 10y Alexander the Great on his
Hrictory over the last OF the Persian en-
: Perors- The JOY of his conquest. how
.ver. was mingled with sadness. for.
ioasting that he had conquered the
world. he sat down and wept because
there was not another world TO con
8Ser7
ne fourth kingdom SymbOllzed. I'm
1, mnnaSe. 10y 1.-THE legs and feet of
f" commonly believed 90 be the
X. lgdom. Toward its close IL
Weas and diSintegrated. branch
~ vi INTO ten kingdoms. represented
Ten toes OF the image IL could
=, S 'oe shown by an appeal To his
~ exactly all the events and the
rF-~ssion OF events symbolizcd in the
s. 'ectral Image came To pass. hut we.
& 'ncentrate our attention ON the sig
hcance OF the mystic stone" which
some unseen agency and in some
81 accountable manner was seen to be
HI tached from the mountain near by
III 10 Smite the image upon the feet
eakinS into pieces the iron and the
~ or which they were composed.
OF was this all, for the stone which
IL q smitten the image seemed 10 be-
g me Il vast mountain which filed the
hole earth. That the reference is 10
kingdom OF the Messiah and Il
s. via prophecy OF its power and growth
ere can he no doubt and Vet the
sion and its Interpretation date hack
QUO Il. g There IS to be noticed
ST the assurance of the establish
AT OF divine kingdom in the werld
y only have we the symbolism of the
a. Ssuc stone, bnt the definite language
prophecy, for IN his memorable in
view with the king. Daniel declared
the days OF these kings shall the
or Heaven set up a kingdom which
HsTer be destroyed" Similar and
native prophecies might easily
eG from the sacred record Many
= IN the world have owed their
or aJ least their eminence. 10