"Not frighten, dear Ellen that is not the word; sober we ought to be mindful to do nothing we shall not wish to remember in the great day of account. Do you recollect how that day is described? Where is your Bible?"
She opened at the 20th chapter of Revelation.
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven flew away; and there was found no place for them.
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Ellen shivered. "That is dreadful!" she said.
"It will be a dreadful day to all but those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life; not dreadful to them, dear Ellen."
"But how shall I be sure, dear Alice, that my name is written there? and I can't be happy if I am not sure."
"My dear child," said Alice, tenderly, as Ellen's anxious face and glistening eyes were raised to hers, "if you love Jesus Christ, you may know you are his child, and none shall pluck you out of his hand."
"But how can I tell whether I do love him really? Sometimes I think I do, and then again sometimes I am afraid I don't at all."