p. 299 | A DREAM by H. A. St. John

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, May 12, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 19

A DREAM.

By H. A. St. John

I SAW a large company of persons seated around a long table, waiting to be fed. Upon myself, together with a number of others, seemed to devolve the duty of furnishing this hungry company with food. A very large kettle stood near the table, full of the provisions we had prepared. We at once began with alacrity to pass out the food, which seemed to be received with a keen relish by the people. I very soon noticed that the food we were dealing out consisted mainly of large billets of wood, with here and there a very little pudding attached. There was an abundance in bulk, but so little real food that it seemed impossible to ever satisfy the hungry multitude. Almost with a feeling of despair, I exclaimed, “It is of no use; we can never satisfy them so that they will go away and do anything; besides, we will starve ourselves.” At this remark my associates laughed heartily, and I awoke. At first it seemed but a little, foolish dream; but presently there flashed upon my mind an—

APPLICATION.—The company at the table represent congregations of believers hungering for the word of life. Those dealing out the food represent the ministers whose business it is to break the bread of life to the people. The large pieces, like billets of wood with so little food attached, represent the sermons so filled with self and inappropriate matter, and so nearly destitute of that which the people really need to promote spiritual life and growth, that the people hear and hear and hear, with an aching void in the heart, an emptiness of soul, a hungering never satisfied, and go forth in the world utterly incompetent to bring forth fruit unto everlasting life.

Not all ministers feed the flock such unsatisfying food; had all done so, the poor flock would have famished long ago. Some there are whose souls, imbued with the love of God, are constrained thereby to give to the household of faith meat in due season, and in due proportion. Let us whose duty it is to feed the flock of God, so break the bread of life that we may be reckoned among this number when the Master comes to take account of his servants. Truly happy will all such be when invited by Jesus to enter into the joys of their Lord.

H. A. St. John,