next evening, intending to tell it at the school-room
meeting; but before I began to do so, I observed that the people sang
more freely than usual, and I also noticed that two men who prayed
omitted to offer the usual request for hindrances to be removed. When I
told my dream, a man arose and said, "I know all about that; there has
been one among us whom we thought was a good man, but instead of this we
have discovered that he was most immoral and deceitful, doing a deal of
mischief, secretly undermining the faith of some, and misleading others;
he has been detected, and is gone." Sure enough our old happy freedom
returned, and there was liberty in preaching, praying and singing, and
souls were saved.
Another time, when I was getting a little impatient with the people, I
took a leaf out of my Scripture-reader's book, and preached a furious
sermon about "damnation," representing God as pursuing the sinner to cut
him down, if he did not repent there and then. I thought I had done it
well, and went home rather satisfied with myself, supposing that I now
knew how to make the congregation feel. The next morning, a yeoman
called to me as I was passing her cottage, and said, "Master, what d'yer
think? I dreamt last night that the devil was a-preaching in your
pulpit, and that you were delighted at it!" A sudden fear fell upon
me--so much so, that I returned to the church, and shutting the door,
begged God's forgiveness; and thanking Him for this warning, asked that
I might remember it, and never transgress again.
As my Scripture-reader continued to denounce wrath and vengeance,
instead of preaching the Gospel, I parted with him.
Next, let me tell of a vision which refers to others. My sister came to
me one morning, and said, "William, I had a vision last night of a young
man in a tall hat, with a green-and-red carpet-bag in his hand. I saw
him so plainly, that I should know him again anywhere. He was walking up
the road when you met him, shook hands, and returned with him to the
house