The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1911-02-17
The Treasure
and the Pearl
By REV. E. SINCLAIR SMITH
Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian
Church, Houston, Texas


Again the kingdom of Heaven is like
unto a treasure hid in field, the
which when a man hath found he
hideth and-for joy thereof goeth and
selleth all that he hath and buyeth
that field
Again the kingdom of Heaven Is
like a merchant man seeking goodly
pearls, who when he hath found one
pearl of great price went and sold all
that he had and bought it.
Prof. A. B. Bruce characterizes
these two parallels as the Treasure
and the Pearl" Tor the kingdom OF
God as the summum bonum or chief
good).
These two parallels constitute but
one text and teach the same general
lesson, the Incompatible worth of the
kingdom of uod. They show how the
kingdom of God ought to be esteemed
in whatever esteem 1t may in fact be
held.
Something that it is worth while
giving up everything else in order to
attain It. What is this supreme good
of human life? We are all looking for
hidden treasure. We are all seeking
goodly pearls. The only question Is
what treasure is worth the most
What pearl has the greatest value
What is best worth living for? What
a the summum bonum? What, accord
ing to Jesus Christ, is the chief good
The treasure 1t is worth while to bar
ter everything else for? The price
less pearl whose value is greater than
all else? Is it not the kingdom of
God set up in a mans heart? To
have Gods kingdom set up in mans
own heart. to be in touch and sympa-
thy with the great interests of Christ's
eternal kingdom; this is worth while,
worth living for, worth dying for.
This is the only interest deep
enough, high enough, comprehensive
enough to absorb a mans affection
arouse his energies. develop the best
ard brns.,cet life. There Is only one
thing worth n.ing for-the, Kingdon.
of God. Christ teaches and expert
ence proves the truth of his teaching
that only the kingdom of God set up
In a mans heart can satisfy him. He
may have everything else under the
sun, but unless he has entered into
living, loving fellowship with God his
soul will thirst for the living God and
will never be satisfied until satisfied
in God.
Mans chief good is God. The liv'
ing, loving God as recalled in Christ
enthroned in the heart. the source OF
life eternal! this is mans chief good
This is life eternal that they might
know this the only true God and Jesus
| Christ whom thou hast sent"
Another term our Savior uses in de
scribing the chief good is eternal
life" II men only knew the signifi
canoe of those two words-eterna
life-they would give up everything
they had on earth rather than not pos
sess 1t.
Like the man who found the hidden
treasure, they would sell all that they
had to possess that field. Like the
merchantmen seeking goodly pearls
when they found this pearl of grea'
price they would give up everything
they had rather than to give up thi!
priceless pearl.
Let us study these parallels a little
more closely. They represent two diff
| ferent classes of men. The parable
| of the man who found the treasure hi(
in the field represents a man going
| about his daily business, living sur
face life. unaware that just below tht
surface, IL he would dig little deep
er. he would find a rich treasure, no
knowing that there is richer, bette
life in store for him, until accidental
ly, as It were, he stumbles upon "th'
Christian secret of happy life" ant
goes on through life rejoicing in hi
newfound happiness.
The parable of the merchantmen
seeking goodly pearls represents a dit
ferent type of a man, one of higl
ideals and expectations, always reach
ing out after something better thai
he possessed, until at last, in his seek
| ing, he comes across the pearl of grea
price revealed in the peerless one, AM
he gladly parts with all that he ha
gained that he may possess 1t. Sucl
a choice soul was Paul, who said
What things were gain to me thes
have counted loss for Christ. Yea
verify, and count all things to be los
for the excellency of the knowledge o
| 0rI uyhA
suffered the loss of all things and d.
count them but refuse that may gail
| him"
| Another choice soul was justin
martyr, one of the early Christians
who tells US In his writings how b
had travelled through the whole circl
of Greek philosophy, seeking every
where for that which would satisf
the deepest needs Of his hearts sou
and ever seeking in, vain, till he foun
1t at length in the gospel of Christ.
This parable represents an earnes
seeking soul finding at the end Of It
weary quest Christ, Gods answer t
the hearts need.
We show our appreciation of tn
value Of this treasure, this pearl. b
the earnestness with which we see
to possess it. The man that found thi
hidden treasure sold all that he ha
that he might possess this treasure
II the kingdom of God set up in tn
heart is the chief good then our onl
rational course is to give up ever,
thing that hinders our possessing 4
1t is irrational to go through life will
out possessing ourselves of it.
Cultivate Philosophy.
This would be lovely world II ev