The Dictionary of Dreams (2 page)

who have taken up such questions.

``These phenomena prove, I think, that the soul exists,

and that it is endowed with faculties at present unknown.

That is the logical way of commencing our study, which in the end

may lead us to the problem of the after-life and immortality.

A thought can be transmitted to the mind of another.

There are mental transmissions, communications of thoughts,

and psychic currents between human souls. Space appears

to be no obstacle in these cases, and time sometimes seems

to be annihilated.''

A few years ago a person whom I will designate as `À'' related a dream to me as follows: `Ì take no interest in pugilism or pugilists, but I saw, in a dream, every detail of the Corbett and Fitzsimmons mill, four days before it took place out West. Two nights before the fight I had a second dream in which a favorite horse was running, but suddenly, just before the judge's stand was passed, a hitherto unobserved little black horse ran ahead and the crowd shouted in my ears, `Fitzsimmons wins!' ''

``B'' relates the following as a dream: `Ì saw the American soldiers, in clay-colored uniform, bearing the flag of victory two weeks before the Spanish-American war was declared, and of course before

any living being could have known the uniform to be adopted.

Later I saw, several days before the actual occurrence happened,

the destruction of Cervera's fleet by the American navy.''

Signed ``B.''

``Just after the South African hostilities began, I saw in a dream

a fierce struggle between the British and Boers, in which the former suffered severe losses. A few nights after I had a second dream in which I saw the contending forces in a long-drawn contest,

very disastrous to both, and in which neither could claim a victory.

They seemed to be fighting to a frazzle.'' Signed ``C.''

``D'' related to me at the time of the occurrence of the dream the following:

`Ìt had been suggested to me that the two cereals, corn and wheat, were too far apart, and that I ought to buy corn. At noon I lay down on a lounge to await luncheon; I had barely closed my eyes before a voice whispered: `Don't buy, but sell that corn.' `What do you mean?' I asked.

`Sell at the present price, and buy at 23 7/8.' '' The foregoing dream was related to me by a practical, successful business man who never speculates.

I watched the corn market and know it took the turns indicated in the dream.

In this dream we find the dreamer conversing with some strange

intelligence possessed of knowledge unknown to objective reason.

It could not, therefore, have been the waking thoughts

of the dreamer, for he possessed no such information.

Was the message superinduced through the energies and

activities of the waking mind on the subjective mind?

This could not have been, because he had no such thoughts;

besides, the intelligence given was free from the errors

of the calculating and anxious waking mind.

We must therefore look to other sources for an explanation. Was it

the higher self that manifested to Abraham in the dim ages of the world?

Was it the Divine Voice that gave solace to Krishna in his abstraction?

Was it the unerring light that preceded Gautama into the strange solitudes of Asia? Was it the small voice that Elijah heard in the desert of Shurr? Was it the Comforter of Jesus in the wilderness and the garden of distress? Or, was it Paul's indwelling spirit of this earthly tabernacle?

One thing we may truthfully affirm--that it did not proceed from the rational, objective mind of the rank materialist, who would close all doors to that inner life and consciousness where all true religion finds its birthmark, its hope, its promises and its faith; which, rightly understood, will leave to the horrors of the Roman crucifixion the twin thieves, superstition and scepticism, while the angel of ``Goodwill'' will go free to solace the world with the fruit and fragrance of enduring power and promise{.} The steel chains that fasten these hydra-headed crocodiles of sensuous poison around love and destiny can only be severed by the diamond of wisdom and knowledge.

A citizen worthy of confidence relates the following dream:

`Ìn December, 1878, I saw in a dream my brother-in-law, Henry Yarnell, suffering from a bloody knife wound; after this I awoke, but soon fell asleep again. The second time I dreamed of a similar scene,

except that the wound was the result of a shotgun. After this I

did not go to sleep again. I was much troubled about my dream,

and soon started in the direction of my brother-in-law's house.

I had not gone far, when I met an acquaintance who promptly informed me that my brother-in-law had been shot.'' Signed `È.''

A well-known resident of Chattanooga, Tenn., formerly of New York City, will vouch for the accuracy of the following incident in his life: `Òn February 19, 1878, I was boarding with a family on Christopher street, New York, while my wife and baby were visiting my parents in the country, a short distance from the city. Our baby was taken sick.

The malady developed into brain fever, followed by water on the brain, causing the little one's death.

`Àt our boarding-place there was at the time a quartette of us

grass widowers, as we called ourselves, and in order to pass away

the time pleasantly we had organized àgrass widowers' euchre club.'

We used to meet almost every evening after dinner in the dining-room, and play until about eleven o'clock, when we would retire.

On the above date I dreamed that after playing our usual evening

games we took our departure for our rooms, and on the way up

the second flight of stairs I heard a slight movement behind me;

on looking around I found I was being followed by a tall figure

robed in a long, loose white gown, which came down to the floor.

The figure seemed to be that of a man--I would say, about seven

feet tal --who followed me up the second flight and along

the hal way, entering my room. After coming in the door he made

a circle of the room and seemed to be looking for something,

and when he approached the door to make his exit he stopped still,

and with a gesture of his hand remarked, Ì have taken all you have.'

On the following morning, about 9:30 o'clock, I received a telegram

from my wife announcing the death of our only baby.'' Signed ``F.''

A well-known citizen of Chattanooga, Tenn., relates and vouches

for the truth of the following occurrence:

``Several years ago, when a boy, I had a schoolmate and friend, Willie T., between whom and myself there sprung up a mutual feeling of high regard.

We were chums in the sense that we were almost constantly together, both at school and at home, and among the partnerships we formed was one of having amateur shadowgraph and panoramic shows in the basement of Willie's home.

This much to show the mental and social relationship that existed between us.

Some time during this association (I cannot recall the exact night now) I had a strange dream, in which my chum appeared to me with outstretched hand, asking me to shake, saying, Ì shall not see you any more.' With that, the dream lapsed and was over. I thought nothing of the occurrence, and had almost forgotten it, when one day, about a week later, during which time I had not had a glimpse of my chum, while he was out hunting with another friend, W. McC., in following him over a rail fence, the latter's gun was accidentally discharged in Willie's face and neck, resulting in instant death.

With this shocking news the memory of the dream I had had came back to me vividly and puzzled me very greatly, and indeed has puzzled me to this day.''

Signed ``G.''

The recipients of the above dreams are living to-day and their names and address may be obtained, none of them are credulous fanatics or predisposed to a belief in psychic or spirit phenomena.

The above dreams, except two, cannot be explained by telepathy,

because the mental picture cast on the dream mind had not in either

instance taken place in waking life. This would account for

the dream perception of ``D,'' which did not, in all probability,

take place until after the murder had been committed.

The vision of ``F'' might be disposed of in the same way.

In this instancè`F'' saw the white-robed specter open the door,

walk around the room and finally, taking his position as if

to depart, say: `Ì have taken all you have.'' No doubt this

vision took place at the exact moment of the child's death.

There are thousands of similar experiences occurring daily in the lives of honest, healthy and sane human beings, that rival the psychic manifestations of Indian Yogism or Hebrew records.

Still men go on doubting this true and loving subjective intelligence that is constantly wooing for entrance into the soul and is ever vigilant in warning the material life of approaching evils.

They prefer the Witch of Endor, and the Black Magicians of ancient

Egypt to the higher, or Christ self, that has been seen and heard

by the sages and saints of all ages, assuming appropriate symbols,

as in the case of the vision of ``F,'' where the angel of

death was assumed.

To Paul it appeared as a great personal truth whom he was

relentlessly persecuting. To many a wayward son or daughter

of the present time, it appears as a dead relative or friend,

in order to approach the material mind and make its

warning more effective.

To those who were interested in the teachings of Christ, but who after his death were inclined to doubt him, this higher self materialized in the form of the Great Master in order to impress on their material minds the spiritual import of his teachings. So, to this day, when doubt and temptation mar the moral instinct, God, through the spiritual self, as Job says, approaches man while in deep sleep upon the bed to impress his instructions that he may change man from his purpose.

The spiritual world always fixes its orbit upon a

straight line, while the material world is fonder of curves.

We find man struggling through dreadful marshes and deserts

of charlatanism in order to get a glimpse into his future,

instead of solicitously following the straight line of inner

consciousness that connects with the infinite mind, from which,

aided by his Church and the healthy action of his own judgment,

he may receive those helpful spiritual impressions and messages

necessary to solace the longings of the searching soul.

The philosophy of the True Master is the straight line.

Pythagoras, Plato and Christ created angles by running vertical lines through the ecclesiastical and hypocritical conventionalities of their day.

The new angles and curves thus produced by the bold philosophy

of the humble Nazarene have confronted with impregnable firmness

during the intervening ages the sophistry of the Pharisees.

`Ìn a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction. That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man.''--JOB 33:15.

``Man cannot contradict the laws of Nature. But, are all the laws

of Nature yet understood?''

``Real philosophy seeks rather to solve than to deny.''--LYTTON.

Those who live active lives exclude spiritual thought and

fill their minds with the fascinations of worldly affairs,

pleasure and business, dream with less frequency than

those who regard objective matters with lighter concern.

The former depend alone upon the voluptuous warmth of the world

for contentment; they look to money, the presence of some one,

or to other external sources for happiness, and are often disappointed; while the latter, with a just appreciation of temporal wants, depend alone upon the inner consciousness for that peace

which passeth all carnal understanding.

They are strengthened, as were Buddha and Christ, by suppressing

the sensual fires for forty days and nights in the wilderness of trial and temptation. They number a few, and are never disappointed, while the former number millions.

Nature is three-fold, so is man; male and female, son or soul.

The union of one and two produce the triad or the trinity

which underlies the philosophy of the ancients.

Man has a physical or visible body, an atom of the physical or visible earth.

He has a soul the exact counterpart of his body, but invisible and subjective; incomplete and imperfect as the external man, or
vice versa
.

The soul is not only the son or creation of man, but it is the real man.

It is the inner imperishable double or imprint of what has outwardly and inwardly transpired. All thoughts, desires and actions enter the soul through the objective mind.

The automaton of the body responds as quickly to the bat

of the eye as it does to the movement of the whole body.

By it the foot-steps of man and the very hairs of his head are numbered.

Thus it becomes his invisible counterpart. It is therefore the book of life or death, and by it he judges himself or is already judged.

When it is complete nothing can be added or taken from its personnel.

It is sometimes partly opened to him in his dreams, but in death

is clearly revealed.

Man has also a spiritual body, subjective to, and more ethereal

than the soul. It is an infinitesimal atom, and is related

in substance to the spiritual or infinite mind of the universe.

Just as the great physical sun, the center of visible light,

life and heat, is striving to purify the foul miasma of the marsh

and send its luminous messages of love into the dark crevices