The Dream

'I thought I was walking in the wide street of a great city, many people were walking there beside myself, but there was something in their air that immediately struck me; they seemed thoughtful, yet cheerful, neither occupied with business or with gaiety, but having about them such dignity of repose, such high settled purpose, such peace and such purity, as were never stamped upon a mortal brow. The light of the city was also strange; it was not the sun, for there was nothing to dazzle-it was not the moon, for all was clear as noon-day: it seemed an atmosphere of light-calm, lovely and changeless. As I looked at the buildings, they all seemed like palaces, but not like the palaces of earth. The pavement that I walked on, and the houses that I saw, were all alike of gold, bright and shining, and as clear as glass; the large and glittering windows seemed like divided rainbows, and were made to receive and remit nothing but the light of gladness: it was indeed a place where hope might lead, where love might dwell. I could not help crying as I went along, surely these are habitations of righteousness, and truth and peace! All was beauty, bright and perfect. I could not tell what was wanting to make me wish for eternity in such a place, and yet its very purity oppressed me. I saw nothing congenial, though looks of kindness met me in every face of that happy throng. I felt nothing responsive, and walked on, all alone, in the midst of the crowd, oppressed and sad. I saw that they all went one way, and I followed wondering at the reason, and at length I saw them all cross over to one building much larger and finer than the rest. I saw them ascend its massive steps, and enter beneath its ample porch. I felt no desire to go with them but as far as the steps I approached out of curiosity; I saw persons enter who were dressed in every varied color, and in all the costumes of all nations, but they disappeared within the porch and then I saw them cross the hall all in white. O! that I could describe to you that Hall! It was not crystal-it was not marble-it was not gold, but light, pure light, consolidated into form: it was the moon without her coldness, it was the sun without his dazzling rays: and within was a stair-case mounting upwards all of light, and I saw it touched by the moving of feet and by the white spotless garments of those who ascended it; it was indeed passing fair, but it made me shudder and turn away; and as I turned I saw one on the lower step, looking at me with an interest so intense, and a manner so anxious, that I stopped to hear what he had to say; he spoke like liquid music, and asked me, 'Why do you turn away? Is there a place elsewhere? Is there pleasure in the walks of darkness?' I stood in silence; he pressed me to enter, but I neither answered nor moved. Suddenly he disappeared and another took his place with the same look and the same manner: I wished to avoid him, but I stood riveted to the spot. 'Art thou come so far,' he said, 'and wilt thou lose thy labor? put off thy own garments, and take the white livery.' Here he continued to press me, until I got weary and angry, and said, 'I will not enter, I do not like your livery, and I am oppressed with your whiteness; he sighed, and was gone. Many passers-by looked at me with mingled pity and kindness, and pressed me to follow with them, and offered me a hand up the steps, but I rejected them all, and stood melancholy and disturbed. At length one bright messenger, stationed on the steps, came up to me and entreated me to enter, with a voice and a manner I could not resist: 'Do not turn,' he said 'where canst thou go? Do not linger, for why shouldst thou weary thyself for nought [naught]? Enter here and taste happiness. Do not all go in, and are any rejected? Do not all tribes and all people and all colors pass into that hall, and are they not washed, and clothed and comforted?'

He gave me his hand, and I entered the hall along with him: here I was sprinkled with pure water, and a garment of pure white was put upon my shoulders, and I knew not how, but I mounted the bright stairs by the side of my happy guide. O, what a light burst upon my sight when I had reached the summit! But mortal words cannot describe, nor can mortal fancy in any way conceive it: Where are the living sapphires? Where are the glittering stars, that are like the bright radii in which I stood? Where are the forms of love, or looks of love, that breathed in the numerous company that moved around me? I sunk down overpowered and wretched; I crept into a corner and tried to hide myself, for I saw and felt I had nothing in unison with the blessed existences of such a place. They moved in a dance to the music-to the songs that never fell upon a mortal ear; my guide joined in rapture, and I was left alone. I saw the tall forms-all fair-all bright, in their own ineffable felicity, their songs and looks of gratitude forming the countenances and differences of each. At length I saw one taller than the rest, and in every way more fair, far more dignified, more awfully surpassing fair, what yet surpasses thought, and to him each eye was turned, and in his face each face was brightened; the songs and the dance were in his honor, and all seemed to derive from him their life and joy. As I gazed in trembling and speechless amazement, one who saw me left the company, and came to where I sat, and said, 'Why art thou so silent? Come quickly, unite in the dance, and join in the song?' I felt a sudden anger in my heart, and I answered with sharpness, 'I will not join in your song, for I know not the tune, and I cannot join in the dance, for I know not the measure?' he sighed, and with a look of most humiliating pity, he resumed his place.-About a minute later, another came, and addressed me as he had done, and with the same temper, I answered him in the same way; he looked as if he could have resigned his own dazzling glory to have changed me; if heaven can know anguish, he seemed to feel it; but he left me and returned to his place. What could it be that could put such a temper in my heart? At length, the Lord of that glorious company, of those living, breathing, glittering forms of life, and light, and beauty; of those sounds of harmony, and those songs of triumph; he saw me and came up to speak to me. I thrilled in every part with awe, I felt my blood chill, and my flesh tremble, and yet my heart grew harder, and my voice grew bolder. He spoke, and a deep toned music issued from his lips: 'Why sittest thou so still, and all around thee are so glad? Come join in the dance, for I have triumphed; come join in the song, for my people reign.' Love unspeakable he seemed to beam upon me, as though it would have melted a heart of stone, I felt it, but melted not: I gazed an instant and said, 'I will not join in the song, for I know not the tune; and I will not join in the dance for I know not the measure.' Creation would have fled at the change of his countenance, his glance was lightning, and in a voice louder than ten thousand thunders, he said to me, 'Then what dost thou here? The floor beneath me opened, and I sunk into flames and torments; and with the dreadful fright I awoke.'

There was a momentary silence, for the sisters were shocked and surprised at the dream, and they neither of them thought the substance of it, nor the deep impression it had made, to be the effects of any natural cause on Anna's volatile mind. 'Anna,' they said, 'we cannot help you to forget such a dream as this; we surely believe it is from God, and it may be greatly blessed to your soul if you seek it to be so. Your description of the Holy City may be an impression from the word of God, for much the same account is described in the Revelations; 'The city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, for the temple of God is there, and the Lamb is the light thereof. All who enter must pull off their own garments and their own righteousness, and must be clothed in linen clean and white, even the righteousness of the saints, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. Those who walk in the heavenly Temple are they, 'who have come through great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and they cease not day and night praising God,' and they sing a new song such as no man knoweth but they who are redeemed, it is the song of Moses and the Lamb, and wisdom waits daily upon the steps to call the sons of man into the temple; and the people of God aim to persuade them to tread in their steps;-and the ministers of Christ are appointed to watch for souls, and in every way and by every means if possible to save some. O, Anna, you know something of the way, do give up your own will, and listen to this fearful warning; join us, and learn the steps which lead to heaven, and how to sing the songs of Zion.'-Anna's brow again darkened, and she answered, 'I do not want you to preach to me; I SHALL DO AS I PLEASE.'

She continued in this melancholy state to the end of the week, and was found in her room-A CORPSE. No one knew the cause of her death. She died without disease of the body-she died without any apparent change of soul!