The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-02-21


worship and their behavior and their con,
socations and presbyteries and general
assemblies and conferences more Onyclla::
/ have sometimes gone In very eale 91
spirit into the presence of some dlsagreeaole
Christians and in five minutes felC wretched,
and at some other time l have gone de,
pressed into the company OF suave ana
genial souls and in a few moments L 1elt
exhilarant. What was the difference! IL
was the difference in what they burnt on
their censers. The one burnt Onycha' tne
other burnt asafOetida. ,,
In this Genealogical study of the Bible
l also notice that the molluSkS or Sneltu
animals furnish the purple that you see richly en-
darkening so many scripture chapters. me
purple stuff in the ancient tabernacle the
purple girdle of the priests, the purple
mantle of Roman emperors, the apparel or
Dives in puppies and fine linen, aye, the
purple robe, which in mockery, was thrown
upon Christ, We're colored by the purple of
the shells on the shores of the Medterra-
nean 1t was discovered by Il shepherds
dog having stained his mouth by breaking;
one of the shells and the purple aroused
admiration. Costly purple! Six pounds or
fishes was used to prepare one pound OF
wool. Purple was also used on the pages
Of books. Bible and prayer books appeared
in purple veum, which may still be found
in some of the national libraries of Europe.
Plutarch speaks of some purple which kept
its beauty for hundred and ninety
years. But after awhile the purple became
easier to get and that which had been Il
sign of imperial authority when, worn III
robes was adopted by. many people and so
an emperor jealous of his appropriation OF
the purple made law that any one except
royalty wearing purple should be put to
death. Then, os if to FURNISH the world
for that outrage Of .excluSlveness, God
much as to say: eff all cannot have it.
none shall have it," But though God has
deprived the race of that shell fish which
afforded the purple there are shells enough
the enhancement of hue and shape still
left all up and down the beaches of all
the continents. These creatures of the sea
have what roofs of enameled porcelain.
They dwell under what pavilions, blue as
the sky and fiery as a sunset and mystic
leading you, for Il few moments, through
this mighty realm of God so neglected by
human eye and human fOotStep! 1t IS
said that the harp and lutte were invented
from the fact that in Egypt, the Nile
oyerfowed it's banks, and when the waters
retreated. tortoises we're left by the million
on all the lands, and these tortoises died,
and soon nothing was left but the cartl-
lagos and grstle of these creatures, which
frightened under the heat into musical
strings that, when touched by me WIND OF
the foot of man, ybrated, making sweet
sounds and so the world took the hint and
fashioned the harp; and am | not right IN
trying to make music out of the shells,
and lifting them as harp, from winch TO
thrum the jubilant praises OF the LORD ana
the pathetic strains of human confidence!
But / find the climax of this conchology
of the Bible in the pearl, which has tins
distinction above all other gems that 1T re-
ouires no human hand to bring out its beau
ties. Job speaks of it and its sheen IS III
Clsrst's sermon, and the Bible, which
49, ,ho r nyf
with the pearl. OF such value is this crus-
taceous product, | do not wonder that, Tor
the exclusive right of fishing for 1t on the
shores of Ceylon, 4 man paid to the Eng
lish government 100000 for one season.
So exquisite is the pearl, l do not wonder
that Plny thought it was made out of II
drop of dew, the creature rlslng to the sur
face to take it. and the chemistry OF nature
turning the liquid into solid. You will
see why the Bible makes 50 much OF the
pearl i'll its sinilitudes II you kno" now
much it costs to get it. Boats with divers
sail out from the islands of Ceylon, ten
divers to each boat Thirteen men gui1e
and manage the boat. Down into the dam
gerous depths, amid sharks that swirl
around them, plunge the DIVERS, While slAty
thousand people anxiously gaze on. After
three or four minutes absence from the air,
the diver asccnds. nine-tenth& Stranguat2d
and blood rushing from ears and hostrliS,
and tiinging his peariy treasure on me sand
awful exposure and strain and peril to 1Sh
for pearls, and ycb they Go SO, and Is 1t
not Il wonder that to get that when the
Bible calls the pearl of great price, worth
more than all the pearls put together, there
should be SO little anxiety, so little strlS,
Cling. so little enthusiasm. Would God
that we were all rs wise rs the merchant
man Christ commended, who, when he
had found one pearl of great price, went
and sold all that he had and bought 1t.
But what thrills me with suggcStlveneSS
is the material out of which all pearls are
made. They are fashioned from the wound
of the shell fish. The emulation from that
wound is fixed and hardened and enlarged
INTO a pcarl. The ruptured vessels of the
wafer animal fashioned the gem that now
odorus finger or earring OF sword NIT or
kings crown SO, out OF the wounds OF
earth will come the pearls OF heaven.
ONT of the wound of conviction the pearl
of paror Out Of the wound or perceive
ment the pearl of solace. Out or the wound
of loss the pearl of gain. Out of the deep
wound of the crave the pearl of resurrection
ioy Out of the wounds Of a Savior 5 lille
and q Savior's death, the rich. the radiant.
the everlasting pearl of heavenly gladnc@Ss;
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls.
Take the colsolation, all We who nave pee
il,lrt, whether hurt in body, or hnrt III
mind. or hurt in soul. Get vour troubles
snnctifed If You suffer with Chrl@t ON
earth. YOU will reign with aim III Eicry.
me- tears of earth are the crystals III heav-
en-. Every several gate was Of one pearl.