"I do know a great deal about it." "About what is going to happen?" He smiled. "Yes, a great deal, Ellie, enough to give me work for all the rest of my life." "Oh, you mean from the Bible!--I was thinking of other things." "It is best not to know the other things, Ellie; I am very glad to know those the Bible teaches us." "But it doesn't tell us much, does it? What does it tell us?" "Go to the window and tell me what you see." "I don't see anything in particular," said Ellen, after taking a grave look out. "Well, what in general?" "Why, there is the lawn covered with snow, and the trees and bushes; and the sun is shining on everything just as it did the day we came; and there's the long shadow of that hemlock across the snow, and the blue sky." "Now, look out again, Ellie, and listen. I know that a day is to come when those heavens shall be wrapped together as a scroll--they shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and it and all the works that are therein shall be burned up." As he spoke Ellen's fancy tried to follow, to picture the ruin and desolation of all that stood so fair and seemed to stand so firm before her; but the sun shone on, the branches waved gently in the wind, the shadows lay still on the snow, and the blue heaven was fair and cloudless. Fancy was baffled. She turned from the window. "Do you believe it?" said John. "Yes," said Ellen, "I know it; but I think it is very disagreeable to think about it." "It would be, Ellie," said he, bringing her again to his side, "very disagreeable--very miserable indeed, if we knew no more than that. But we know more--read here." Ellen took his little Bible and read at the open place. "'Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, neither come into mind.'" "Why won't they be remembered?" said Ellen; "shall we forget all about them?" "No, I do not think that is meant. The new heavens and the new earth will be so much more lovely and pleasant that we shall not want to think of these." Ellen's eyes sought the window again. "You are thinking that it is hardly possible," said John, with a smile. "I suppose it is _possible_," said Ellen, "but----" "But lovely as this world is, Ellie, man has filled it with sin, and sin has everywhere brought its punishment, and under the weight of both the earth groans. There will be no sin _there_; sorrow and sighing shall flee away; love to each other and love to their blessed King will fill all hearts, and His presence will be with them. Don't you see that even if that world shall be in itself no better than this, it will yet be far, far more lovely than this can ever be with the shadow of sin upon it?" "Oh yes!" said Ellen. "I know whenever I feel wrong in any way nothing seems pretty or pleasant to me, or not half so much." "Very well," said John. "I see you understand me. I like to think of that land, Ellen--very much."