To be near unto God - pagina 422

of old age. The same happens night. Sleep is the passing of the light of our consciousness into the twilight of slumber, and finally into deep, sound sleep. At night the light of day without, and the light of self-consciousness within, set in darkness and unconsciousness. It may even be said that the more absolutely the light of the self-consciousness passed out, the better and more healthy was sleep. Not to know anything on waking of the

and the dotage moreover every

seven hours we

slept, is the

tion of nature. In paradise, before he

fell,

most normal operathe

first

man

slept

So the young child still sleeps at mother's breast. So the weary day-laborer of But such little intelligence in part still sleeps. sleep is no longer the rule. Our sleep is all too

like

this.

frequently restless, either when physical causes of sickness or excesses disturb it, or when the mind is too excited to allow the self-consciousness to pass into entire forgetfulness. And so we come to dreams or to half or entire sleeplessness. Dreamlife is a dark domain which has been investigated but little. It is enough that we know what anxiety and agony it can occasion; how in sinful imagination it can soil the consciousness; how prophecies and premonitions sometimes loom up in it; and also how God has used it more than once as a means by which to execute his holy Counsel. Next to dreamlife, however, and more distressing, is the woe of a sleepless night, when cares keep the heart awake when the mind is too much on a tension; when a task, which awaits us in the morning prevents us from sleep, or when sickness ;

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