The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing Part 15

The question sometimes arises whether it man is ent.i.tled to vote at an election held on the day preceding the twenty-first anniversary of his birth. Blackstone, in his Commentaries, book 1, page 463, says: "Full age in male or female is 21 years, which age is completed on the day preceding the anniversary of a person's birth, who, till that time, is an infant, and so styled in law." The late Chief Justice Sharswood, in his edition of Blackstone's Commentaries, quotes Christian's note on the above as follows: "If he is born on the 16th day of February, 1608, he is of age to do any legal act on the morning of the 15th of February, 1629, though he may not have lived twenty-one years by nearly forty-eight hours. The reason a.s.signed is that in law there is no fraction of a day; and if the birth were on the last second of one day and the act on the first second of the preceding day twenty-one years after, then twenty-one years would be complete, and in the law it is the same whether a thing is done upon one moment of the day or another."

DREAMS AND THEIR MEANING

The Bible speaks of dreams as being sometimes prophetic, or suggestive of future events.

This belief has prevailed in all ages and countries, and there are numerous modern examples, apparently authenticated, which would appear to favor this hypothesis.

The interpretation of dreams was a part of the business of the soothsayers at the royal courts of Egypt, Babylon and other ancient nations.

Dreams and visions have attracted the attention of mankind of every age and nation. It has been claimed by all nations, both enlightened and heathen, that dreams are spiritual revelations to men; so much so, that their modes of wors.h.i.+p have been founded upon the interpretation of dreams and visions. Why should we discard the interpretation of dreams while our mode of wors.h.i.+p, faith and knowledge of Deity are founded upon the interpretation of the dreams and visions of the prophets and seers of old.

Dreams vividly impressed upon the mind are sure to be followed by some event.

We read in the Holy Scripture the revelation of the Deity to His chosen people, through the prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pa.s.s, afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also upon the servants and the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit." (Joel ii, 28.)

Both sacred and profane history contain so many examples of the fulfilment of dreams that he who has no faith in them must be very skeptical indeed.

Hippocrates says that when the body is asleep the soul is awake, and transports itself everywhere the body would be able to go; knows and sees all that the body could see or know were it awake; that it touches all that the body could touch. In a word, it performs all the actions that the body of a sleeping man could do were he awake.

A dream, to have a significance, must occur to the sleeper while in healthy and tranquil sleep. Those dreams of which we have not a vivid conception, or clear remembrance, have no significance.

Those of which we have a clear remembrance must have formed in the mind in the latter part of the night, for up to that time the faculties of the body have been employed in digesting the events of the day.

DICTIONARY OF DREAMS.

(Note.--If you do not find the word you want, look for a word of identical or closely similar meaning.)

A

Abundance--Deceitful security.

Accident--Unexpected meeting.

Acorn--Irreparable fault.

Account--(Of possessions) bankruptcy.

Adultery--(That you commit) scandal, misfortune and disgrace.

Air--(Clear and serene) reconciliation; (dark and gloomy) sadness and sickness.

Almonds--Peace, happiness; (tree) success in business.

Altar--Prosperity, speedy marriage.

Alms--(Giving) mediocrity; (receiving) privations.

Anchor--Safe enterprise.

Angry--(That you are) many powerful enemies.

Ape--Enemies, deceit.

Apples--Gain, profit; (to be eating) disappointment.

Apricots--Health, contentment.

Apple Tree--Good news; (if dead) ill news.

Artichokes--Embarra.s.sment, pain.

Argument--Justice done.

Arm--(Right arm cut off) death of a female relative; (both arms cut off) captivity and sickness; (broken or withered) sorrows, losses and widowhood; (swollen) sudden fortune coming to a dear friend.

Ashes--Misfortune.

Asparagus--Success, profit.

a.s.s--Quarrel between friends; (one sleeping) security; (one braying) dishonor; (ears of one) scandal; (one laden) profit.

Aunt--Wealth and friends.

Angel--Good news.

Ants--Time spent to no purpose.

Authority--(To have) easy times.

B

Babe--Happy marriage.

Baker--Gain.

Balloon--Literary note.

Barley--Good fortune.

Basket--Increase.

Babboon--Affronts.