CHAPTER VI. DREAMS

About the commencement of the Reformation, Elector Frederic of Saxony had a wonderful dream relating to the overthrow of popery, which was afterward very strikingly fulfilled in the work of the Reformation. The dream is too lengthy for our use. Concerning it the Elector remarks:MIRP 73.1

“It is so firmly graven in my memory that I should never forget it, even were I to live a thousand years; for it came three time, and always with new circumstances.”MIRP 73.2

Remarking upon it, the historian says: “The essence of which is no doubt true.”—D’Aubigne’s Hist. Ref., pp. 95, 96.MIRP 73.3

The Memoirs of “Hutton the Moravian,” contain the following well authenticated and remarkable dream:MIRP 73.4

“One night, in London, he had a dream in which he imagined that some one shook him by the arm, and urgently besought him to proceed forthwith to a certain house where his help was wanted. He woke up, thought it was only a dream, and fell asleep again. The same impression came over him the second time. Feeling disturbed, he turned himself, and again fell asleep. Now, a still more powerful shaking took place, and a third time he was importuned to comply with the request, or it would be too late. Greatly alarmed, he arose, dressed himself quickly, and, in the darkness of the night, lantern in hand, hastened to the street which had been distinctly indicated, and rang the bell of the house pointed out to him in his dream. The door was opened, and, at the inquiry of Hutton, he was told that an old man lived in one of the upper rooms, who was probably the person he sought. Hutton, with some trouble, ascended, opened the door, and saw a very aged man reading by lamp light in the prophet Isaiah. He had a razor in his right hand, with which he was about to destroy himself. ‘In the name of Christ Jesus—hold!’ Saying this, Hutton sprang forward, seized the arm, and wrenched the murderous weapon from the hand of the victim of despair. He then proclaimed to him, who had lost all hope of salvation, that for him as well as for himself, the most deserving of wrath, the Son of God had died on the cross. The poor old man was saved; and, amidst a flood of tears, he thanked the Lord, who at the critical moment had sent his angel of peace.”MIRP 73.5

Barton W. Stone, who originated the movement now known as “Campbellism,” speaking of his labors with R. Dooley, at Eaton, Ohio, says:MIRP 74.1

“We commenced operations there on Saturday, and appointed to preach at a house near town next day. After meeting on Saturday, a lady (Major Steele’s wife,) returned home, and found her husband just returned from the West. She told him that two strange preachers had come to town, and she had been to hear them. Nothing more was said on the subject. In the night Major Steele dreamed that he went to meeting—that a man whom he had never seen rose to preach. The features of the preacher were deeply impressed on his mind, and the very text from which he preached, which was, “If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things.” He was very much agitated in sleep and awoke. He told his wife the dream, and slept again, and dreamed the same things. He could sleep no more that night. Next day he came to meeting, and after the congregation met, I arose. That moment Steele recognized the very person whom he had seen in sleep the night before. He began to fear greatly. I read my text, the very one he had heard read in his sleep. His mind became so affected that he went out, and tried in vain to be composed. He endeavored to shake off the impression by going with a company to the West to explore lands; but all in vain. He returned, and was by us baptized at a subsequent time.”—Biography, pp. 72, 73.MIRP 74.2