"How do you _know_, Roland, that all these things are true? How do you _know_ that the Bible is really God's word? Papa has some books in his library, by great men, who don't believe the Bible." "The Bible not true, Maddy! I know but little of the reasons which prove it to be God's own word; but it would take me hours to tell you even what I know, there are so many things which prove it true. It tells about so many things which were to happen hundreds of years before they occurred, and they came exactly as the Bible said they would. It told that there would be a flood, and the flood came; we know that, not only from the Bible, but from other old histories, and from the sayings of many ancient nations. Who could tell but God, what was going to come to pass, Maddy?" The child sat with a serious face turned towards Roland, as she replied, "I cannot answer that, Roland." "It has also foretold the fate of wicked nations, of Babylon, of Jerusalem, of Sodom and Gomorrah; and just as it declared, has it happened. It told of Jesus, when, where, and how he should be born; and just so he came--and, Maddy, there is a voice in all our hearts, that wants something better than we can have here, something that will last forever. The good Father knows that, Maddy, for he put within us that immortal soul that longs for immortal joys; and then he sent us down from heaven these precious letters, which tell us of just such a state beyond the grave. These letters were sent to God's own servants at different times, and gathered together in the days of King James, and made into the book which we call the Bible." "I suppose, Roland, that the voice which you speak of, is that which makes me sometimes feel so tired of everything, although I have so much; yet I am always wanting something that I have not got." "That's what you want, Maddy; a heart at peace with God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Madeline wore a very serious face, as she turned to leave her mother's grave, where she had been sitting; and, plucking a flower from one of the plants, she said: "Roland, I'll go with you to Sunday-school; I want to know more about these good things." "I am afraid that your father will not want you to go among the people of our church, we are not of the same sect as he." "Why, you know, Roland, I can coax him to anything; and though Aunt Matilda is very bigoted in her notions, he won't mind what she says, if I want to go." Saturday evening came, and Maddy, mounting her father's lap, said, "Papa, what would you give to know what I have in this paper?" (and folding her hands tight over the package, she turned her beaming face upon her father). "Before I open it, I want you to promise me something--it is something very good, papa; just say I shall have it, and then I'll show what I have for you." Papa smiled upon his little daughter, as he said, "I should like to know what it is before I promise."