Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-20


richly darkening 50 many Scripture chap
ters. Tho purplestuli in the ancient taber.
nacle, the purple girdle OF the priests the
purple mantle Of Roman cmperors, the 40.
parel OF Divesin purple and lne linen-ayc,
the purple robo which 10 mockery was
thrown upon Christ--were cOlored by tho
purple OF the shells ON the shores Of tbs
Mediterranean. II was discovered by n
shepherds dog having stained his mouth
by breaking one Of the shells, and the pur
pie aroused admiration
Costly purple! six pounds Of the purple
liquor extracted from tho shellhshcs were
used 10 prepare one pound OF wool. Purple
was also used on the pages Of books Bibles
aud prayer books appeared In purple vel.
lum, which may still be found in some Of
the national libraries OF Europe Plutarch
speaks OF some purple which kept its beauty
for 100 years But after Gwhile the purple
became easier 70 gct, and that which bad
been sign Of imperial authority when
worn in robes was adopted by many poo.
pie, aud so an emperor, jealous Of this mp
preparation Of the purple, made a law that
any one except royalty wearing purple
should be put 70 death.
Then, as If TO punish the world for that
outrage OF eXclusiyeneSs, God obhteratcd
the color from Che earth, rs much as to say,
III all cannot haveit, none shall have II. i"
But, though God has deprived the race OF
that shellfsh which afforded the purple,
there are shclls enough left 10 make us glad
and worshipiul. Oh, tho enhancement OF
hue and shape still left all up and down tho
beaches Of MI the continentsl These crea,
lures Of tho sea have what roofs Of onaIn.
eled porc2lainl They dwell hnuor what
pnvilions blue rs the sky and fiery as u
sunset and mysterious "a an aurOral And
am / not right in leading you Tor a few
moments through this mighty realm Of
God so neglected by human eye and human
tOotstepi
Il IL said that the harp and Lutte were in.
vented from the fact that IN Egypt the
Milo overlooked its banks, and when tic
waters retreated tort0ises were left by the
million on all tine lands, and these tortoisas
died, and soon nothing was loft but tho car.
tilages and gristle OF these creatures, which
frightened under the heat into musical
strings that when touched by the wind or
the foot Of man vibrated, making sweet
sounds, aud so the world took the hint aud
fashioned the harp, And am not right IN
trying TO make music out OF the shells nnl
lifting them as a harp from which 10 thrum
the lubilant praises Of the Lord and the pa
thetic strains OF human condoleuceg
WIsDoMs CHo cE OF PEARLS.
But find the climax OF this conchology
OF the Bible In the pearl, which has this
distinction above all other gems--that a
requires no human hand 10 bring out It's
beauties Job speaks OF IL, and It's sheen
Is In ChriSt's sermon, and the Bible, which
opens with tho onycha OF my text, closes
with tho pearl. OF such values IL this cr,is.
taceous product / do not wonder that for
the exclusive right Of fishing for it on the
shores OF Ceylon man paid TO the English
government a000,0 for one season.
so exquisite is the pearl do not wonder
that Pliny thought Il was made out OF "A
drop Of dew, the creature rising 10 the sur.
face 10 take IL and the chemistry OF nature
turning the liquid into a solid. You viii
see why the Bible makes so much OF tbe
pearl IN its similitudes II you know how
much IL costs 70 get t. Boats with divers
sail out from the island OF Ceylon. 10 divers
TO each boat Thirteen men guide and MAJ
age the boat, Down into tho dan0ero,s
depths amid sharks that swirl nronnd IRE N
plunge tho divers, while 10000 people any.
iously gizo on. After three or four minutes,
aosenea from the air the diver aseonds,
nine-tenths str,ngulaGed ANA blood rushipr,
from ears and nosurls, and flipging bi1
pearly treasure ON tho sand falls mo nm.
consciousness.
oh, Il is an awful exposure aud strain
and peril 20 iish for pearls, and vet tbev 40
so, And Is II not a wonder that to Get thot
which the Bible calls the pearl az Great
price, worth moro than an other bearls nrt
together there should b0 SO little anxietv
SO mtle struggle, so little enthusiasmj
would God that wo were all as wise nc tbe
merohnntman Christ commanded ',,ybo
Wnen he had found one pearl Of great
price, went and sold all that he had ana
bought itn anu
Du' what thrills me with suggestiveness
y 0ae material out OF which an pearls ara
hiaae They ara fashioned from the wound
ul tne sheilhsh. The emulation OF thai
WoNhd "a liked and hardened and ENLARGED
INTO pearl The ruptured vessels OF the
water animal iashioned the gem that now
s9orns nnger or earring or sword hilt or
kings crown.
20 oap az the wounds Of earth win cone
the pearls OF heaven. Out OF the wound IN
conviction the pearl OF pardon Out Of ths
wound OF bereavement the pearl OF sniaca
Oet OF the wound of loss the pearl OF gain
Vue OK the deep wound OF the grave the
pearl 81 resurrection Joy Out Of the wounds
q StVio1Fs hfe aud n Saviour death tba
nea, INC radiant, the everlasting pearl 81
heavenly gladnoss.
- ana fhe y gates were 70 pearls" Take
ele consolation, an 80 who have been hprt
whether hurt in body, or hurt IN mind y,
nef' IA soul Got yonr troubles ssncti6s'S
y you snifer with Christ ca earth. Won ,.,iIi
relgn with him in glory. The tears al .s,,h
~ me CRYSTALS Of hcavea Every sovs,ai