Mabel Ashton's Dream

Signs Publishing Co. · Melbourne, Victoria · Jun 21, 1920

FromAustraliasian Signs of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 25.

Mabel Ashton's Dream

As the guests came together in the brilliantly lighted parlours at the home of Mabel Ashton that crisp winter evening, there was nothing unusual in the appearance of the rooms to indicate that the party to which they had been invited was to be in any respect different from the round of gaiety to which they had been devoting themselves for the greater part of the winter. Some of the guests, as they greeted their young hostess, noticed an unusual degree of nervousness in her manner, but, attributing it to the excitement of preparation and anticipation, thought no more of it, and all were soon engaged in conversation.

The musicians were all in their places, and the young people were beginning to wonder why the signal was not given for the orchestra to strike up, when Mabel Ashton, her sweet face flushed and pale by turns, took her stand near the musicians. After closing her eyes for a moment, during which the room became perfectly still, in a voice at first trembling, but clear and steady, she said:—

“Friends, I know you will think me very queer; but before we do anything else, I must tell you a little story.

“I had a dream last night, which has made such an impression on my mind and heart that I must tell it to you. I dreamed that to-night had arrived, and you had all assembled in these rooms, when there came to the door, and was ushered in, a guest who seemed strangely familiar, and yet whom I could not recognise. He had a rare face, peaceful, yet a little sad in its expression, and his eyes were more penetrating than any that I had ever before seen. He was dressed in neat yet very plain clothing, but there was something in his appearance which marked him as no ordinary man.

“While I was trying to think where I had seen him, he advanced to me, took my hand, and said, gently, ‘You do not recognise me, Mabel?’ Surprised at such a form of salutation from a stranger, I could only say, ‘Your face, sir, seems familiar, yet I cannot recall your name.’”

“‘Yet I am one whom you have invited here this evening, or, I should rather say, one to whom both you and your parents have extended many invitations to be present here whenever I am able to come. You have even invited me to make my home here; and I have come to-night to join your little company.’

“‘I beg a thousand pardons,’ I replied, ‘but you mystify me all the more, and I beg you will relieve me by telling me whom I have the pleasure of greeting.’

“Then he offered to my view the palms of his hands, in which were scars as of nail wounds, and looked me through and through with those piercing yet tender eyes; and I did not need that he should say to me, ‘I am Jesus Christ, your Lord.’

“To say that I was startled would be to express only a very small part of my feelings. For a moment I stood still, not knowing what to do or say. Why could I not fall at His feet and say with all my heart, ‘I am filled with joy at seeing you here, Lord Jesus’?

“With those eyes looking into mine, I could not say it; for it was not true. For some reason, on the instant only half comprehended by myself, I was sorry He had come. It was an awful thought, to be glad to have all the rest of you here, yet sorry to see my Saviour! Could it be that I was ashamed of Him, or was I ashamed of something in myself?

“At length I recovered myself in a degree, and said, ‘You wish to speak to my parents, I am sure.’

“‘Yes, Mabel,’ as He accompanied me to where my mother and father sat gazing in surprise at my evident confusion in greeting an unexpected guest; ‘but I came this evening chiefly to be with you and your young friends; for I have often heard you speak enthusiastically in your young people's meetings about how delightful it would be if you could have Me visibly present with you.’

“Again the blush came to my cheeks as the thought flashed through my mind, To-morrow night is prayer-meeting night; I should have been delighted to see Him then. But why not to-night, on this pleasant occasion? I led Him to my parents,

and, in a somewhat shamefaced fashion, introduced Him.

“They both gave a start of amazed surprise, but, convinced by His appearance that there was no mistake, my father recovered a degree of self-possession, and bade Him welcome, as he offered Him a seat, remarking that this was an unexpected pleasure. After a somewhat lengthy pause, he explained to Jesus that his daughter Mabel, being very closely occupied with her studies, and having little variety in life, had been allowed to invite a few friends in for a social evening, with a little quiet dancing by way of healthful exercise. Her friends were all of the very choicest, and he felt that this was a harmless amusement, which the Church had come to look upon in a somewhat different light from that in which it was viewed forty years ago. Removing the objectionable feature of bad company, had made this pleasant pastime a safe indulgence.

“As my father stammered out, in the presence of Jesus, these words of apology, which had fallen from my own lips, I felt myself flush crimson with shame, both for my dear father and for myself. Why should he apologise at all for what he considered unquestionably right? How hollow it all sounded there in the presence of the Lord! Did not Jesus know that my studies were not so pressing but that I could keep late hours, sometimes several nights in the week, at parties?

“Then father, anxious to relieve my evident embarrassment, said, ‘I am sure we can leave these young people safely to themselves, and nothing would please me so well as to take you, my Lord Jesus, off into my study for a talk.’

“‘No,’ said Jesus, ‘Mabel has often invited me, and I came to-night especially to be with her. Will you introduce me to your friends, Mabel? Some of them I know, but some I do not know.’”

(Concluded next issue)