While at Battle Creek in August, 1868,
I dreamed of being with a large body of people. A portion of
this assembly started out prepared to journey. We had heavily
loaded wagons. As we journeyed, the road seemed to ascend. On
one side of this road was a deep precipice; on the other was
a high, smooth, white wall, like the hard finish upon plastered
rooms.
As we journeyed on, the road grew narrower
and steeper. In some places it seemed so very narrow that we
concluded that we could no longer travel with the loaded wagons.
We then loosed them from the horses, took a portion of the luggage
from the wagons and placed it upon the horses, and journeyed
on horseback.
As we progressed, the path still continued
to grow narrow. We were obliged to press close to the wall, to
save ourselves from falling off the narrow road down the steep
precipice. As we did this, the luggage on the horses pressed
against the wall and caused us to sway toward the precipice.
We feared that we should fall and be dashed in pieces on the
rocks. We then cut the luggage from the horses, and it fell over
the precipice. We continued on horseback, greatly fearing, as
we came to the narrower places
in the road, that we should lose our balance and fall. At such
times a hand seemed to take the bridle and guide us over the
perilous way.
As the path grew more narrow, we decided
that we could no longer go with safety on horseback, and we left
the horses and went on foot, in single file, one following in
the footsteps of another. At this point small cords were let
down from the top of the pure white wall; these we eagerly grasped,
to aid us in keeping our balance upon the path. As we traveled,
the cord moved along with us. The path finally became so narrow
that we concluded that we could travel more safely without our
shoes, so we slipped them from our feet and went on some distance
without them. Soon it was decided that we could travel more safely
without our stockings; these were removed, and we journeyed on
with bare feet.
We then thought of those who had not accustomed
themselves to privations and hardships. Where were such now?
They were not in the company. At every change some were left
behind, and those only remained who had accustomed themselves
to endure hardships. The privations of the way only made these
more eager to press on to the end.
Our danger of falling from the pathway
increased. We pressed close to the white wall, yet could not
place our feet fully upon the path, for it was too narrow. We
then suspended nearly our whole weight upon the cords, exclaiming:
"We have hold from above! We have hold from above!"
The same words were uttered by all the company in the narrow
pathway. As we heard the sounds of mirth and revelry that seemed
to come from the abyss below, we shuddered. We heard the profane
oath, the vulgar jest, and low, vile songs. We heard the war
song and the dance song. We heard instrumental music and loud
laughter, mingled with cursing and cries of anguish and bitter
wailing, and were more anxious than
ever to keep upon the narrow, difficult pathway. Much of the
time we were compelled to suspend our whole weight upon the cords,
which increased in size as we progressed.
I noticed that the beautiful white wall
was stained with blood. It caused a feeling of regret to see
the wall thus stained. This feeling, however, lasted but for
a moment, as I soon thought that it was all as it should be.
Those who are following after will know that others have passed
the narrow, difficult way before them, and will conclude that
if others were able to pursue their onward course, they can do
the same. And as the blood shall be pressed from their aching
feet, they will not faint with discouragement; but, seeing the
blood upon the wall, they will know that others have endured
the same pain.
At length we came to a large chasm, at
which our path ended. There was nothing now to guide the feet,
nothing upon which to rest them. Our whole reliance must be upon
the cords, which had increased in size until they were as large
as our bodies. Here we were for a time thrown into perplexity
and distress. We inquired in fearful whispers: "To what
is the cord attached?" My husband was just before me. Large
drops of sweat were falling from his brow, the veins in his neck
and temples were increased to double their usual size, and suppressed,
agonizing groans came from his lips. The sweat was dropping from
my face, and I felt such anguish as I had never felt before.
A fearful struggle was before us. Should we fail here, all the
difficulties of our journey had been experienced for nought.
Before us, on the other side of the chasm,
was a beautiful field of green grass, about six inches high.
I could not see the sun; but bright, soft beams of light, resembling
fine gold and silver, were resting upon this field. Nothing I
had seen upon earth could compare in beauty and glory with this
field. But could we succeed in reaching it? was the anxious inquiry.
Should the cord break, we must perish. Again, in whispered
anguish, the words were breathed: "What
holds the cord?" For a moment we hesitated to venture. Then
we exclaimed: "Our only hope is to trust wholly to the cord.
It has been our dependence all the difficult way. It will not
fail us now." Still we were hesitating and distressed. The
words were then spoken: "God holds the cord. We need not
fear." These words were then repeated by those behind us,
accompanied with: "He will not fail us now. He has brought
us thus far in safety."
My husband then swung himself over the
fearful abyss into the beautiful field beyond. I immediately
followed. And, oh, what a sense of relief and gratitude to God
we felt! I heard voices raised in triumphant praise to God. I
was happy, perfectly happy.
I awoke, and found that from the anxiety
I had experienced in passing over the difficult route, every
nerve in my body seemed to be in a tremor. This dream needs no
comment. It made such an impression upon my mind that probably
every item in it will be vivid before me while my memory shall
continue.