“It may not be to-night, but it must be soon. The doctor says you strained your heart so terrible hard that night, and there was something amiss with you before. I don’t rightly understand his words, but you’ve never been the same since that fever, and when you were knocked down by the horses they did you a mischief you’ve never got over. That night on the wreck was the last straw, as folks say. There’s something broke and hurt past mending. You won’t have no pain, but things can’t go on long. You’ll not be long before you see your Saviour, my lad; for I’m very sure we go to be with Him, even though we may not share His glory till the blessed day of the Resurrection.” A strange awe fell upon Saul. His eyes looked straight at Abner with an expression the latter could hardly fathom. Was it fear? Was it joy? Was it triumph? He did not know, but Saul’s next words gave him the clue. “It is goodness past belief--I can’t understand it!” “What, my boy?” “Why, that the Lord should take me to Himself, when He might have left me to a life of misery and degradation in a far-off land with criminals and evil-doers, or sent me to the scaffold, as I was nearly sent before. After such a life as I’ve led, to take me away to His beautiful land of rest. It’s too much--it’s too much! I don’t know how to thank Him aright. Grandfather, get down upon your knees again and tell Him--though He knows it, to be sure--that for love of Him I’m willing to live that life of misery, or die the shameful death I’ve deserved, and led others to, I fear. Let it be only as He wills, but to be taken away from it all to be with Him seems more blessedness and goodness than I can rightly understand.” Tears were running down Abner’s face. His voice was broken by sobs. “Oh, my boy! my boy! if that’s how you feel, I’ve no fears for you. That’s the feeling we should all strive after. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: so that, living or dying, we are the Lord’s. If it’s so with thee, my boy, there’s nought else to wish for thee. The peace that passes all understanding will be with thee to the end. Oh, bless the Lord! thank the Lord! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”