Dreams Update – A Personal Account
January 22, 2008
Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago we published a series on dreams. This particular topic generated a significant amount of interest from many different quarters. Since then, I was reminded by a sister of a remarkable book on the subject of conscientious objection called Test Case for Canada ’3314545′, by Bro. Ted Evans of the Hamilton West Avenue ecclesia. In this excellent book, Ted records his father’s account of surviving imprisonment and abuse because of his faith and refusal to serve in the military. I had read it before, but had no recollection that the book contained a particularly vivid account of a prophetic dream. I was simply going to post this on the blog and be done with it, but the dream passage is so interesting, I thought it deserved wider publication. Here then is the late Bro. John Evans account of his dream:
That night as a lay down on my blanket on the floor, with my shoes under my head for a pillow, I prayed to God that he might show me in a dream what my end would be. And dream I did. (1)
I dreamed that a corporal came to the guard-house door and led me out right on to the parade ground where the whole regiment was assembled. There were drums stacked and every officer occupied his station. The parade ground was on a slope; thus as I approached, I could see every man and every man could see me. The corporal escorted me to a pre- established point within arm’s reach of the sergeant major. The sergeant major then reached out in full ceremonial manner, snatching my hat from my head and threw it in the dust. Then the adjutant began reading our my crimes against the good conduct of the Canadian Army, finally completing his charge with the pronouncement that I should be confined under penal servitude at hard labour for a period of twelve months.
Then my dream changed and I found myself being taken to a large prison. I was ushered through the door into a broad prison corridor and told to report to the guard at the side door. Gazing down the corridor I observed an old man waiting by a side door. I started to walk toward him and as I approached, he called out, “Court Martial, you’re late.” I thought to myself, “What difference does that make, I’m not going any place.” Then he said, “Come, walk to and fro on this wall.” I stepped past him, and went down a few steps on to a stone coping, about twenty inches wide and about seventy-five feet long, running along the front of a cellar area-way. I walked the full length of the wall. The sun was shining brightly and as I looked up I could see that the ivy growing up the prison wall was just beginning to turn colour. I said to myself in my dream, “I know now that I do not walk alone.”
Three days after my dream, I was informed that I should be prepared to be “read out” the next morning. Being “read out” refers to the imposition of the sentence of a court-martial. In the morning, they came, just as they had done in my dream and took me out to the parade ground, where there must have been a thousand men assembled. And just as my dream had portrayed, my hat was thrown in the dust, the charges against me “read out” and my sentence pronounced.
I won’t spoil the ending for you. I will leave it to you to read the rest of this fascinating story. Ordering information may be obtained by clicking here.
Have a great week,
(1) The quote was taken from pages 79-81, Test Case for Canada, by E. R. Evans.
