I still remember the day the world was going to end. I have forgotten the exact date， for it was so long ago. But I remember everything else， because of Jed. I loved him and he loved me， even though I was only twelve years old.
Jed's family was strange， so completely different from my own. They never thought twice about money， never tried to save some for a day of need. They said God would take care of them and their children.
Such talk made my grandfather very angry， because it was always he， not God， who had to take care of them when they were in trouble.
Mister Jewel and his family belonged t a religious group which we called the Believers. They were sure that one day soon the world was going to end： the Bible said so. Grandfather tried to argue with them about this Belief， but they refused to listen to what he said.
There were forty families that belonged to their church.
Grandfather at first gave no thought to this talk about Judgment Day.
He did not know that the Believers had alreay made careful plans for their Day of Judgment. They had decided to meet at the foot of a hill not far from our farm. They would slowly climb the hill singing psalms. And when they reached the top of the hill they would just wait there for the world to die before sundown and for heaven to open and take them uupward in a body.
At school， the children talked of nothing but the coming of the end of the world， on any day now. Like their fathers and mothers， they laughed， or did not believe it， or did not know what to believe……
Then， one night， Mister Jewel came to our home house and informed grandfather that the Believers were giving away everything they owned. And he looked carefully at grandfather and said：
"It is our decision to enter into the kingdom of heaven free o fall worldly things. All of us have given away or will give away our earthly goods， down to the last spoon. We can now meet God with - nothing to show that worldly greed for material things which eats away the spirit of man. I have already given away my three cows， my pigs and my chickens. Martha has given away her household things. I know better than to ask you to do the same， so that you can meet your Maker in pure and joyous victory over worldliness. I can not get you to do this， and so I ask you to take my farm……"
Grandfather exploded. "You goose， I own most of it already， and I won't have it. What piece of foolishness are you up to now？"
I had never seen my grandfather so angry. He shouted and hit the table. But grandfather's anger meant nothing to Mister Jewel. He said： "I hope that God will forgive you." And he left.
At first， grandfather could not open his mouth. Then， he said： "Now， they have done it. Those crazy people have done it. They've given away everything they had - land， houses， money andanimals. What can I do now？"
Aunt Mary said： "There is nothing you can do now. But you will have to help him when he comes down that hill."
We could do nothing but wait， wait nervously for the day they decided t choose as Judgment Day. And， of course， it came， as all days must. It was a bright day. Hundreds of people started coming to the bottom of the hill to watch the event. They became a mob. Most came to laugh or to watch a strange ceremony. Still， behind their laughter， mamny were afraid - afraid that perhaps - who knows - the world might end that very day.
Grandfather， Aunt Mary and I stood together. We were sad， said nothing. Then， suddenly， there they came - the Believers - men， women and children walking slowly and silently， with their heads up， like soldiers. Only one of them turned his head. It was Jed， who turned to look at me. Just then they began to sing. I made a move forward， but grandfather caught and held me. He said Jed would be back when the sun went down. I said， "He will feel terrible when he does."
"And a good thing，" sneered Deacon Paine， a dried - up old man who stood near us. Grandfather turned on him and said：
"Who asked for your opinion？ I think we owe these brave and good people a great deal. They have given us something. Who else would have had the courage to test the Lord."
The man made a noise and walked away.
"Poor brave geese，" Grandfather said. "They are done for …… finished."
The hours went by. At the bottom of the high hill， the watches became strangely quiet. Mothers put their children to sleep in the wagons or lay down with them in the shade of the trees. The sun seemedt to shine with a steady glare. After a time， some of the watchers drove or walked away. Grandfather kept pulling out his watch to tell Aunt Mary the time.
The day， I thought， would never end. The long wait just about killed me. At last， that heavy sun began to go down， my tired eyes following it all the way down. And then I waited and waited some more.
At last， there they were， coming back. Their heads hung down. There they were， coming down the hill， returning like a badly defeated army. The world had not ended……no heaven opened up. They were back on earth， where they had nothing - no homes， no farms， no food， no money. Worst of all， their hope was gone； their religion was gone. The women cried， the men looled pale and sickly. The children were hungry and tearful.
But what was this？ Grandfather smiled as he shouted. "Here come the Jewwls." Mister Jewwl spoke to grandfather.
"Sir， I ask you to forgive me. Of course， you were right. If God had wanted the world to end， why would he tell me， of all people. You understood this and tried to save me. And you did save me. For up there on top of the hill I discovered that God had not left me. It was I who had left God. I was had lest God. I was full of pride. I was sure that I could understand him. We should be punished for leaving God."
Grandfather took Mister Jewel's hand and asked him to come home with us. But he said no. "I am taking my family to California. Other Believers are coming with us. There we will start a new life and never leave God."
We could do nothing to stop them and we knew that their going away was a terrible loss. I never saw Jed again. For me， the world had really ended.