“Some five or six months ago,” she said, “he had a dream or vision, and saw you so plainly that he pointed you out to me, among other clergymen, and said, ’Mother, that man is to be our minister one I saw him a little time ago, in a dream, as plainly as I see him now; I know that is the man.’  We did not know who you were then, or where you came from, and never saw you again till you came lately to this parish to be our minister.

“Last night,” continued the mother, “after he returned from church, my William was very unhappy and restless; and in the night I heard him crying and praying aloud for mercy, in great distress.  He told me this morning, when I asked him about it, that he dreamt that the last day was come, and that the world was on fire:  and he began immediately to try to pray, but could not; yet he went on trying till he heard some one laugh out at him, and say, ’Ho! ho! my boy, you are too late!—­ho! ho!—­too late!  I have got you now—–­you are too late!’ This frightened him so much that he woke up, and getting out of bed, began on his knees to pray in earnest for the Lord to have mercy on his soul.”

Being much interested in the young man, I begged her to send him to me in the evening.  She did so; and when he arrived I frankly told him what I had heard about him, and particularly about his distress and prayer the night before.

“Your mother has prayed for you for years; and when you were a little boy you prayed the Lord to save you:  last night, again, you were constrained to cry for mercy.  These are all tokens of God’s good intentions and purposes towards you.  Can you trust Him?” As he hesitated (for so many like to feel something before they make the venture of faith), I continued, “These tokens are better than feelings, for they are facts and sure signs by which you may know that the Lord is calling you.”

We may well understand that it was not long before the Lord, who had so marvellously opened his eyes to see his sins, enabled him by the same Spirit to see Jesus as His Saviour, and to rejoice in the forgiveness of his sins.  Then I asked him to sit down again, for I was curious to hear about the dream or vision which he had had some months before he ever saw me.

“William,” I said, “did you ever see me before I came to this parish?”

“Yes,” he replied, “I saw you once in a vision, more than six months ago!”

“Do you mind telling me about it?”

After a little hesitation, he answered, “I often dream things.  One night I dreamt that I was walking on a wild barren common; there were many bare places where people had cut turf, and there were prickly furze-bushes about.  I knew there were some did open mine-shafts there, for people sometimes fell into them at night; but I was walking along without thinking of danger, and was not afraid, though it was dark, and I was alone.  I don’t know how long I went on like this, but next I found I was walking