Did not Bramwell have knowledge given to him to see the deception of the man that professed he wanted help for God’s cause, when Bramwell was led to see, it was a bastard child, help was sought for?
The church has suffered much in the past by the deception of wicked men and women which might have been different, had the church been baptized with the Holy Ghost as it was her privilege to be. Peter saw at once the fraud practiced by Ananias and Sapphira and justly rebuked them. And what a blessing it would be to the church and the world, if the ministry, and laity, had the anointing--the eye salve of the Holy Ghost. I have been perfectly surprised at the success that these saintly appearing frauds have had in playing their tricks upon credulous, godly people. The real saint, the wholly sanctified, the pure in heart, have the eye salve daily applied; Yea, they carry with them, a bank note detective; their coin, is weighed and measured at sight. Perhaps all clearly saved people have not so clear a conception of character, and are not able to judge so readily, of their merit, or demerit as others. However that may be, I believe that all clearly saved people, have remarkable good judgment in regard to character as well as in other matters.
But to return to the theme before us, Dreams, Presentiments--Dreams come, when sleep is upon us, Presentiments come upon us in our wakeful moments; and both may be of the Lord as already shown, though not always. It is wise, however, to try the spirits, and hold fast to that which is good. I have had mapped out to me in my dreams, and I think by the spirit of the Lord, fields of labor that I afterwards occupied, as clear as a sunbeam; and the peculiar phases of my field of labor, and the peculiar characters of the new field, as though written out by the hand of inspiration. I will give but one or two incidents. Three months prior to my being stationed at Oswego, N. Y., I found myself in my dream at Oswego, on my way home from conference, to look over the situation, and arrange for moving on. I met a few, very poor saints, discouraged, and ready to give up and die out. I was told in my dream that I had better look at Brother L. H. R’s. house, perhaps it would suit me. At this time Brother Robinson was preacher in charge at Oswego, and what was still more strange about this dream, this was his first year at Oswego, and some three months before conference. I was very much concerned about a four gallon jug that I had full of very rich, sweet milk. I was anxious to have it kept sweet. A brother pointed out to me a living stream that run near by, and said that I could put my jug of milk in that stream and it would keep. Conference sent me to Oswego that fall, and every step that I took in my dream came literally to pass, looking at the former preacher’s house, and all, except my jug of milk. I soon discovered what my milk meant. The saints at that place had been very much soured up over the conduct of some laborers that they had placed great confidence in, so that the smut covered them deeply. I found my big jug of sweet milk just what they needed. The pure unadulterated gospel, was to them the sincere milk of the word. They received it gladly and grew thereby. In many of the fields of labor that I have occupied, I have previously occupied in dreams when sleep was upon me. A short time before, being stationed at Binghamton, God, by His holy Spirit when deep sleep was upon me, printed upon memory’s tablet, that beautiful Parlor City; surrounded by those lovely hills, covered with green foliage; and those beautiful streams, clear as crystal, reflecting the sunlight of heaven; reminding one of that “stream that makes glad the City of our God.” I saw Court street as clear as day; our church and parsonage; I also saw our society. At that time they were having a little that was unpleasant, a church trial. I saw the division of feeling, one party stood a little way off from the other, shaking their fists at the other party, but as soon as I approached them, they came together and all was lovely.