She retired to rest late, and with the air of one who expects from sleep neither alleviation nor refreshment.

The next morning she scarcely touched her breakfast, and seemed in the same oppressed and uncomfortable state as the preceding day. One of her affectionate sisters again addressed her, "Anna, you are not well; is it your head that pains you?" She answered, "I am well, and nothing pains me." "Then you have something on your mind, and will you not tell us? Do we not love you? Have we not the same earthly interests with you, and can we seek any good but yours, in an anxious wish to share your sorrows? "Oh, you have superstition enough of your own, without more being added. I shall not tell you what ails me, so you have no occasion to press any further your curiosity. I daresay you would be delighted to know it, for you would think it some spiritual triumph; but I laugh at these things, I am not quite old enough yet to become the victim of dreams and visions." "Anna, we do not live in dreams and visions." She answered sharply, "No, and I do not mean that you should." The sisters looked at each other and relapsed into silence.

This second day passed as the first; Anna was gloomy and moody, and her sisters, both from pity and anxiety, were unhappy for her sake. The third morning she again began the day as one who loathed the light, who had no interest in existence, and to whom the lapse of time and the prospects of eternity brought neither peace nor hope. As her sisters looked at her, one of them suddenly said, " Anna, what was your dream? She started and laughed wildly, "Ah! oh! what was it, indeed? you would give the world to know, but I shall not tell you. I thought you did not believe in dreams and visions.' The sisters replied, "Nor do we in general; you know they are usually the offspring of a disordered mind, confused images, and fancies, whilst reason is dormant; and the remembrance of them usually passes away the moment that we are fairly engaged in our usual occupations. But there are, no doubt, dreams which are as much sent from God as are our afflictions, or any other warning. There is a verse in the Bible where it mentions God as speaking to a man in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man. She laughed again and said, "You have verses in the Bible for everything that suits your purpose, but I do not choose to be warned by you in such a way; and I have no doubt but I shall get it out of my head in a day or two." 'Anna, we do beseech you to tell us ; if you have really had a dream from heaven, you surely would not wish to forget it, and if not, we will help you to laugh it off." She

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answered in a sulky mood, "Well, if you must know it, you must. No doubt it was very extraordinary. I should have thought it the effect of the ball, but that I never anywhere saw anything resembling it, and you must not suppose that you can understand what I am going to say, for you never saw, nor can imagine, anything like it :

THE DREAM.

"I thought that 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 nor 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 calm, lovely, and changeless light. 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 the 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 love and 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 I approached as far as the steps out of curiosity. I saw persons enter who were dressed in every variety of colour, and in the costumes of all nations; but they disappeared within the porch, and then I saw them cross the hall all in white. Oh! 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 staircase mounting upwards all of light, and I saw it touched by the moving 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 rivetted to the spot. 'Art thou come so far,' he said, and wilt thou lose thy labour?' 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.

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Many passers by looked at me with mingled pity and kindness, and pressed me to follow with them; but I rejected them all, and stood melancholy and disturbed. At length one young, 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 can'st thou go? Do not linger, for why should'st thou weary thyself for naught? Enter here and taste happiness. Do not all go in, and are any rejected? Do not all tribes and all colours 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. Oh, what a light burst upon my sight when I had reached the summit! But mortal words cannot describe it, nor can mortal 'fancy in any way conceive it. Where are the living sapphires? Where are the glittering stars, that are like the bright radiance, in which I stood? Where are the forms of love, or the 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 that I had nothing in unison with the blessed inhabitants of such a place.

"They moved in a dance to music and to songs that never fell on mortal ear; my guide joined in the 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 form

ing the countenances and the differences of each. At length I saw one taller than the rest, and in every way far more fair, far more dignified; more awfully fair, such as 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 honour, 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 after, 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 could 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, 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 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 I 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 'Then what dost thou do here?' The floor beneath me opened, and I sunk into flames and torments! and with the dreadful fright I awoke."

me,

There was a momentary silence, for the sisters were shocked and surprised at the dream; and they both of them thought that neither the substance of it, nor the deep impression it had made, could 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 that 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 Revelation, The city has no need of the sun, nor the moon, for the temple of God is there, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' All who enter must put 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 a song of Moses and the Lamb, and wisdom waits daily upon the steps to call the sons of men 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. Oh, 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-dead!

No one knew the cause of her death. She died without disease of body; she died without any apparent change of mind!

The foregoing Larrative, of which the truth is attested by sufficient authority, is one which no individual, of a thoughtful mind, can read without very solemn and instructive reflections.

The case of the lady who had the remarkable dream shows, in a very affecting manner, the tendency of a life of dissipation and frivolity to withdraw the mind from the contemplation of those spiritual and eternal realities which the Bible reveals, and to inspire it with a taste which nauseates them as soon as they are presented. Nor can we help being struck with the frailty of that tenure on which worldlings hold their enjoyments, seeing that mysterious thoughts obtain a resistless dominion over the mind, that some dream of the midnight hour may suffice to rob them for ever of their earthly inheritance of pleasure, to crush their joys into dust, and to dissipate the