time.  And let us humbly trust that when we go, we may find admission to a Place so beautiful, that we shall not miss the green fields and trees, the roses and honeysuckle of June.  You may think, perhaps, of another reason besides Bryant’s, for preferring to die in the summer time; you remember the quaint old Scotch lady, dying on a night of rain and hurricane, who said (in entire simplicity and with nothing of irreverence) to the circle of relations round her bed, ‘Eh, what a fearfu’ nicht for me to be fleein’ through the air!’ And perhaps it is natural to think it would be pleasant for the parted spirit, passing away from human ken and comfort, to mount upwards, angel-guided, through the soft sunset air of June, towards the country where suns never set, and where all the days are summer days.  But all this is no better than a wayward fancy; it founds on forgetfulness of the nature of the immaterial soul, to think that there need be any lengthened journey, or any flight through skies either stormy or calm.  You have not had the advantage, I dare say, of being taught in your childhood the catechism which is drilled into all children in Scotland; and which sketches out with admirable clearness and precision the elements of Christian belief.  If you had, you would have been taught to repeat words which put away all uncertainty as to the intermediate state of departed spirits.  ’The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory.’  Yes; immediately; there is to the departed spirit no middle space at all between earth and heaven.  The old lady need not have looked with any apprehension to going out from the warm chamber into the stormy winter night, and flying far away.  Not but that millions of miles may intervene; not but that the two worlds may be parted by a still, breathless ocean, a fathomless abyss of cold dead space; yet, swift as never light went, swift as never thought went, flies the just man’s spirit across the profound.  One moment the sick-room, the scaffold, the stake; the next, the paradisal glory.  One moment the sob of parting anguish; the next the great deep swell of the angel’s song.  Never think, reader, that the dear ones you have seen die, had far to go to meet God after they parted from you.  Never think, parents who have seen your children die, that after they left you, they had to traverse a dark solitary way, along which you would have liked (if it had been possible) to lead them by the hand, and bear them company till they came into the presence of God.  You did so, if you stood by them till the last breath was drawn.  You did bear them company into God’s very presence, if you only stayed beside them till they died.  The moment they left you, they were with him.  The slight pressure of the cold fingers lingered with you yet; but the little child was with his Saviour.

CHAPTER VI.

Concerning screws: