Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-03-10

OF the purple which kept his beauty for 1870
years. But after awhile the purple became
easier TO get, and that which had been
! agn OF imperial authority when worn IN
rooes was adopted by many people, and SO
an emperor, jealous OF this appropriation OF
the purple, made law that any one except
royalty wearing purple should be put to
death.
Then, as If to punish the world for that
| outrage of exclusiveness, God obliterated
the co.or from the earth, as much as to say.
''If all cannot have 1t, none shall have it."
But though God has deprived the race OF
that shellfsh which afforded the purple
there are shells enough left to make US glad
and worshipful. Oh, the enhancement OF
hue and shape still left all u2 and down the
benches OF all the continents These creatures
OF the sea have what roofs Of enameled por-
celainl They dwell under what paviIions
blue as the SKY and fiery as a sunset and
mysterious as IAN aurorai And am not
right in leading you for few moments
through this mighty realm OK Goi SO neg
lected by human eye aud human footstepi
1t is said that the harp and Lutte were in
vented from the fact that in Egypt the Nile
overdowed its banks, aud when the waters
retreated tortoises were left by the million
on all the lands, and these tortoises died,
and soon nothing was lett but the carriages
and gristle of these creatures, which tight
ened under the heat into musical strings
that when touched by the wind or foot OF
man vibrated, making sweet sounds, and so
the world took the hint and fashioned the
harp. and am l not right in trying to make
music out OF the shells and lifting them as a
harp, from which to thrum the juoilant
praises of the Lord and the pathetic strains
of human condolences
But find the climax of this conchology OF
the Bible in the pearl, which has this distinc-
tion ABOVE all other geu1s-that 1t requires
no human hand to bring out its beauties.
Job speaks Of it, and its sheen sin Christs
sermon, and the Bible, which opens with the
onycha Of my text, closes with the pearl.
OF such value is this crustaceous product l
do not wonder that for the exclusive right
of fishing for 1t on the shores Of Ceylon
man paid to the English Government $780,
00O for one season.
so EXCLUSIVE is the pearl do not wonder
that Piiny thought 1t was made out of
drop Of dew, the creature rising to the sur"
face to take it and the chemistry OF nature
turning the liquid into solid. You viii
see why the Bible makes so much OF the
pearl in its simlitudes IL you know how
much 1t costs to get it, Boats with divers
sail out from the island of Ceylon, ten
divers to each boat. Thirteen men
guide and manage the boat. Down
into the dangerous depths, amid
sharks that whirl around them, plunge the
diverE, while 10000 people anxiously. gaze
on. After three or four minutes absence
from the air the diver ascends, nlne-tenths
stranguated and blood rushing from ears
and nos1ris, and hinging his pearly treasure
on the sand falls into Inconsistencies.
Oh, it Is an awful exposure and strain and
90 ;,h for t1oario and vet fhaV do
and is it not a wonder that to get that which
the Bible calls the pearl Of greatprice, WORTH
more than all other pearls put together,
there should be SO little anxiety, SO little
struggle, so little enthusiasm Would God
that we were all as wise as the merchantmen
Christ commended, "who wnen he had
found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had and bought It,"
But what thrills me with suggestiveness
Is the material out OF which all pearls are
made, They are fashioned from the wound
of the shelfsh. The emulation from that
wound is fixed and hardened and enlarged
into pearl The rupturel vessels OF the
water animals fashioned the gem that now
adorns finger or earring, or sword hilt or
kings crown. -,
So out of the wounds OF earth will come
tine pearls OF heaven. Out Of the wound OF
bereavement the pearl OF solace. Out OF the
wound of loss the pearl OF gain. Out Of the
deep wound of the grave the pearl OF resur-
rection Joy. Out of the wounds OF a
Saviour's life and Saviour's death the rich,
the radiant, the everlasting pearl OF heaven
ly gladness. r.h.
the consolation, all ye who have been hurt
whether hurt in body, or hurt in mind or
hurt in soul. Get your troubles sanctihed::
If you suffer with Christ on earth, you will
reign with Him In glory. The tears OF earth
are the crystals OF heaven. every severh
gate was Of one pearl"