"Nothing beside death could separate him so permanently from us, but the malady which I have always dreaded. And now, my dear children, let me once more bid you, in every hour of sore affliction through which you may be called to pass, look upward; upward for direction, upward for comfort, upward for hope. God is 'the Father of the fatherless;' remember the sweet promise, 'When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.' I can leave you in his gracious care. 'May he guide you with his counsel here, and, after that, receive you to glory.' "I have done with earthly care and sorrow. I wait for you, my loved ones; I know that you will come to me, and that with our precious Saviour throughout eternity we shall rejoice as much in the sorrows that we have suffered, as in the joys vouchsafed, if they have helped to bring us home to glory. "I need not say, do not forget your mother; I know that you will not. Keep close to your Saviour. Let your motto always be, 'Looking aloft,' 'Looking aloft;' through joy and through sorrow, still 'Looking aloft.'" After closing the manuscript, both the orphans sat weeping upon their mother's grave. "How quietly she sleeps! dear, tried, and patient mother!" said Roland. "How blessed is her rest in that world of peace and love! Do not weep so, Effie, God is in Heaven; do not lose sight of his promises; have they ever failed, dear sister? He will take care of us, he will guide us, I know, if we put our trust in him." "I am so weak, Roland; since I have lost our mother, I feel as if I was all alone in the wide world; and now you are going too." "But I shall come back, Effie; I may have a great many trials and disappointments, but I can trust the hand that guided Noah, and Daniel, and Elijah, that delivered Peter, and so many of his dear servants; and Effie, don't let us doubt his love, when, to make the promises sure, he gave up his dear Son, and nailed him to the cross to make his word, 'Yea and Amen.'" "I'll try, Roland, to be trustful as you; but I am a weak and timid disciple." "Just think, Effie, that every drop of precious blood was just like setting the seal to all the blessed promises; and do you believe that the Saviour who could die for us would ever forget us?" "How you comfort me, Roland; your words are always so kind, so strong." "Don't let us forget our sainted mother's motto, Effie, 'Looking aloft!' Oh, what blessedness in such a holy trust!" While seated thus, Roland perceived Elsie Gibson advancing towards them. When any change was about to take place in their earthly destiny, there was always the same old friend. They could not fathom the mystery; but so it was. "And sae ye are aboot to leave us, Roland," said the old woman; "ye are the chiel o' mony prayers, and belang to the race o' the righteous. I dinna fear for ye, my bairn." "I do not fear, Elsie; I am almost penniless, but the promises are all the same."