DREAMS (REPLY TO HENRY S. STIPP)

 

Reply to Henry S. Stipp:

It will be seen by reference to the communication of our friend, that he requests some remarks from us and a reply to his letter. We feel willing to respond to his request, for several reasons. First, we believe from what he has written, that he is a child of God, and our brother in Christ, And we have always felt that a request from such a a one was not to be lightly passed by. Second, The Scriptures say much about the subject of dreams, and therefore they are worthy of our careful consideration. Third, Many of the people of God speak of great lessons that have been given them in dreams, And therefore they are important to them. 

We have never been favored with any such dreams as we have seen to others of importance. We do not recall that we ever had a dream that seemed to us worth telling, but at the same time, we fully believe that the Lord can, and does often, seal instruction and dreams. To this belief, this would be to deny the Bible, or else to say that the Lord does not now work as he has wanted to do in former days. Our God has formed the mind, as well as the body, and he is not confined to one way of speaking to the minds of his people. 

We fully believe from the testimony of the Scriptures, that he can control the thoughts of men as well as when they are asleep, as when they are awake. But, concerning dreams, as well as concerning any other experience, it must be said, “to the law and to the testimony; If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” A dream, whether waking or sleeping, is of no value, spiritually considered, unless it teaches us some lesson in full harmony with the word of God. It is said, “He that has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he that has my word, let him speak my word faithfully.” We understand this to mean that the dream is to be told as a dream and let it be considered and accepted only as its true value. It may be the word of the Lord, or it may not be His word. The Revelation which the Lord has given must judge all things, dreams, as well as all other things. 

Still further, a dream. Like any other word, may not appear to another as it does to the one who receives it. The Lord may give it to one, to teach him some great lesson, And he receives the lesson that the Lord designs him to have. To another, the dream may seem to mean nothing. This need not be wondered at, because the same is true often when some word from the Scriptures, or some word spoken from the pulpit, may come to one with power, while to another there may be nothing peculiar in it. The Lord sends His word in whatever way He will, and it comes to each one as He pleases. Remember once being present at a church when a sister came up and asked for baptism and membership. During the narration which he gave as a reason for our hope, she related a dream, into which we could see no meaning, but when she spoke of as leading her to hope in the grace of God through Christ. 

We could not deny the work of the Lord in her, and yet he had taught her in ways that seemed to us to be almost foolishness. We remember that we felt humbled, and were compelled to confess that the ways of the Lord were above our ways. If by a dream, or in any other way, the soul is led to trust in Christ, and to see in Him the only and complete Savior, that work is of the Lord. Whatever testifies of Christ, must be the teaching of the Holy Spirit. For we are told in the word, that he testifies of Christ. We doubt not also that the Lord is pleased to favor some of His people in ways that He does not others. Peter, James, and John were favored in the Holy Mount and in the Garden, more than the other disciples. Yet Peter himself was inspired by God to tell us we have a more sure word of prophecy. He would have us understand that while these things were wonderful, they yet belong to but a few, and that there is something else more sure and more abiding than even those wonderful visions. Paul was caught up in vision to the third heavens, so far as this record goes, but once; Yet he was caught up there, And the other three disciples were with the Lord in the Holy Mount, and in the Garden. All these experiences were real and they could but remember them. 

And so, while it may be given to but a few of the Lord's people to have dreams, yet to some it is given, and that from the Lord. Such dreams show them wonderful things from the Lord, that they cannot forget. It is well to speak of them. If some, however, have not been thus favored, feel troubled by this, let them remember. That only three out of the whole number of the disciples were with him in the Holy Mount, and in the Garden, and no one else speaks of the 3rd heaven, as does Paul. Of one thing we feel sure, that when we dream of the goodness of God, or any other of the things pertaining to his religion, and his salvation, it is sure that here is where the mind is placed. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks, And it must also be true that out of the abundance of the heart come these thoughts of God, and of His word. Dreams are but the thoughts of the heart, which the Lord gives when any dream of Him and his salvation. One said, “My heart is indicting good matter.: I will speak of the things which I have made touching the king; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” Literally, the word indicting means bubbling up. 

So it seems to us, If dreams mean nothing more, it is sure that they proceed out of the heart, And therefore when we dream of spiritual things, it is sure that the heart is bubbling. Up with the things of the Spirit. Such thoughts are the voice of the Lord and the soul. Such dreams, then, are the evidence that the Spirit of God is within the heart. And, “If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” The testimony is that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Therefore it seems to us that such dreams as lead us to the contemplation of divine things, are of the Lord, and may well be taken as evidences of the favor of the Lord. Our brother's dreams were very vivid, and it seems to us that he has a right to be comforted by them, and to feel an assurance that they were given him by the Lord, for his comfort and his hope. Perhaps some who may have read these dreams will say within themselves, If I could thus be favored, I would never doubt my acceptance with the Lord again. Let such ones take note that our brother confesses to being full of doubts. These outward signs and tokens come to us at times as a source of present comfort, but we find that they lose their effect. We cannot call them up afterward, and rest upon them. We need supplies day by day. This is what we have understood Peter to mean when he spoke of the more sure word of prophecy. If we are not mistaken, our friend has some evidence in his own heart, which are better, more enduring, and of more value, than even the wonderful dreams that were given to him. 

The true evidences of being a child of God, are not the wonderful things of which some can speak; They are not such things as we have been Speaking of in the case of Paul or Peter, James or John, but they are the things which abide at all times in the heart of the believer, whether it be dark or light, whether it be a time of sorrow, or of joy. Some of these things we will speak for the comfort of our friend Stipp, as well as others who may write bitter things against themselves because they have not been favored with such wonderful revelations as others. There are some things that never go out of the heart of the believer after they have been planted there. There are some things that we feel, whether this hope seems to him bright, or whether it seems ready to die. Indeed, there are some things of which we feel more sure when our hope seems dim, and we are ready to say there is no hope, than, when we feel more in the light and comfort of the gospel. 

One of these abiding evidences of which all the above is true is his love. “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” If our friend, or if anyone who may read this, finds that he loves the people of God, he has evidence which abides at all times, in a greater or lesser degree. The special seasons of joy or gladness pass away, but this love does not pass away. Our memory of times, or of last seasons past, may grow dim, but this lamp of love keeps right on burning in the soul, where it has once taken up its abode. At those times when we feel most helpless on account of the great sin that seems to us to fill all our heart and life, and we cannot understand how the children of God can retain us in their company, Then our heart goes out to them more earnestly, and with greater longing than before. If we doubted before that we loved them, we cannot doubt it now. Our friend's dreams were but for a little while, and they afforded him comfort and assurance, but for a little time; But this love which he feels for the people of God, will not go out. It will be with him always, and will always minister Comfort to him, as often as he shall have need. The apostle did not say, We know that we have passed from death unto life, because the brethren love us, but, “because we love the brethren.” Sweet as the love of the brethren is to us, to love them is sweeter. That they love us, may have in. In it the bitter thought that we have deceived them; But to love them can give room for no such root of bitterness. The only bitter thing about it is that we may and do feel that we do not love them as we ought to. But this very fear is only the further proof of this love.

Another witness that we have passed from death unto life, is found in the fact that Jesus has become to us All in all. To know that salvation is of the Lord, his full proof of the work of the Spirit in the heart. Such as our taught of God, do not trust in the arm of flesh, but in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. And he that believes in him has passed from death unto life. The scriptures testify to these things. This also abides when all may seem dark to our minds. However low we may become in our feelings, this one thing we know, is that salvation is of the Lord. None but a child of God can know this. Still another evidence that is abiding, is that sin has become a burden and ashamed to us. We cannot love it any longer, And we must pray that we may be delivered from the body of this death. How constant is the feeling expressed in the words, “Oh, wretched man, that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Also, the warfare will be felt within. It is manifest that where there is warfare, there must be two opposing forces. If the warfare proves that the flesh still exists within, it is also full proof that the spirit also dwells within. If the flesh lusts, it lusts against a spirit and therefore affords full proof that the spirit dwells within. That man in whom the Spirit dwells, is a child of God. These are some of the evidences by which one is known as a believer. Many more will occur to our readers besides those which here have been named. To sum the matter up, our glad seasons and our sad seasons all pass away; They last but for a season; They are of the Lord, and by them, He teaches us something that we ought to know, But they do not endure. We have a right to be encouraged by them, and our hope, by the sad seasons, as well as by those that are filled with gladness; But still they are not the abiding evidence of our heirship. Likewise, those dreams which are of the Lord, are encouragement, but they are not the abiding witnesses. These things are not to be despised as of small account, but the word of truth abiding within is the best and constant evidence of the new birth. We think our friend ought to be comforted and encouraged by the dreams that the Lord gave him, but still more by the love, faith, and hope, in the Lord, which he realizes. His hours of trial and anxiety are full proof of the mercy of the Lord towards him, which has given him to see His need for our helper, and a Savior, and the more joyful and happy hours which which he has been favored.

F. A. Chick.

February 15th. 1898.