"Here it is!" said Milly. "Let me read it."
"'And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light; and they shall reign for ever and ever.'"
"'No more curse,'" said old Jonathan with emphasis. "Oh, how lovely that garden will be! I sometimes fancy I can see it all. The tree of life will be growing there again in everlasting beauty. That river will never run dry. How I long to be there! We may be very near it now. Our Master will perhaps call us soon into the upper garden of the King. Some people talk about the dark and gloomy grave; but the Saviour has not left us without comfort about that. He Himself lay down to sleep in a garden; a pleasant place, enclosed, and carefully watched and tended.
"The grave is a sweet fragrant place, since Jesus rested in it. If we belong to Him, whether waking or sleeping, we are still the plants of God's care; and each flower He knows by name. And when our Lord Jesus comes down into His garden to gather lilies, He takes one and another, to put them into the shelter of His pierced hand. It is not death to lie there, dears. Ah, no! It is the gate of glory leading into everlasting life.
"'My Beloved is mine, and I am His. He feedeth among the lilies, until the day break and the shadows flee away.'"
"I have brought you a branch from your favourite almond tree," whispered Clarice, putting the fragrant blossoms into the wrinkled hand. "Can you see it, dear old Jonathan?"
"Yes, my dear young lady, yes. How good of you! I have not been up to that corner of the garden for a long time. Ah!" said he, half to himself, yet aloud. "'The almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home.' Yes, it is a long home, because when once inside it, we shall stay there always, and go no more out.
"'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,'—that is the promise for earth; 'and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever,'—that is the promise for heaven."
"Papa told us, Jonathan, that the word almond in Hebrew means 'to waken,' because it is the first tree to wake up out of its winter sleep."
A glad smile of surprise overspread the face of the aged man when he heard this; and, looking up, he said—