A HAT 15 the pearl of great price
J mentioned in Matthew 13:45,
467 Many ask this question and
make no diligent effort to find
the answer they are not sufficiently inter-
ested to go to the trouble to find out.
Evervone, doubtless; is willing to concede
that in order to be a doctor or a lawyer it
15 necessary to spend vears mm ostudy and
preparation. All of us went to school and
mastered certain subjects to prepare for
the business of making a living and to take
our places in society. But in religion we
have a very different attitude.
We hear of certain moral and religious
concepts, and from time to time are ad-
monished to heed them. Sometimes we do
and often we do not, but we do not often
understand cither the admonitions or the
concepts, and perhaps we resent both. We
realize, vaguely, that if we are good we will
be saved, and if we are bad we will be lost,
but as we have never known anything con-
cerning future rewards or punishment
except by hearsay, we are ready to deny
either or both, not taking the same trouble
to learn about such questions as we do
about our professions; and we imagine that
bv ignoring the hereafter we can thus dis-
pose of it!
It was Paine, the atheist, who said that
people at different times have claimed a
revelation from God but, so far as he was
concerned, 1t was a revelation to them only
and not to lam. That, of course, 11 an
example of the point of view of many. It ix
assumed that Christians, having persuaded
themselves into conformity to certain prin-
ciples, or ideas, have taken it upon them-
selves, from a mistaken sense of duty, to
impose their beliefs upon others. In other
words, the faith of a Christian is regarded
as only a vague hope which he seeks to im-
pose upon others for their good. Mean-
while the only real things in life are said to
be the material; the only pleasures are in
the gratification of the physical senses and
the cultivation of the intellect; the spiritual
being dismissed asx imaginary, disagree-
able, and depressing, and the whole subject
of the next world being regarded asx a
question for theologians to decide.
Some look upon those as being happy
ANGRY WORDS
By Sara Smith CAMPBILL
Angry words, like boomerangs,
Turn against their users;
Those who place theo trust 7rc them
Ever have been losers.
Never think that angry words
It the mark tntended;
Just as curving boomerangs,—
Irom their straight course bended, —
Circle wide the target sought,
Then, with added power,
Find their own unerring way
Back to smite the thrower,
Angry words, like boomerangs,
Turn agarnst their users;
Those who place ther trust in them
[Jrer will be losers.
Page FOUR
X Children are
the treasures of
every mother's
heart, hut there is
a treasure of even
greater vale than
these. Read what
Mr. Martin says
concerning HC Mil-
lions for a
Pearl.”
MILLIONS FUR A PEARL
By Reginald Martin
who possess money, leisure, and property,
ignoring the fact that the person who has
nothing to do but amuse himself and spend
money ix usually m the last stages of bore-
dom. If, later mm hfe, they ave a bit con-
cerned and a trifle nervous about their
destination in this world and the next, they
bamsh the subject from their minds as
much as possible and try to think of some-
thing move cheerful! They try to believe
that the happy man 1s he who 1x 0 com-
pletely occupied with worldly activities
that he does not have time to think.
Thi= strange philosophy of life has,
perhaps, been fostered by a multiplication
of worldly interests and by our modern
sv=tem of education as well, since all secular
education avoids the spiritual and concen-
trates upon attaining material or technical
proficiency. What, then, 1s the answer?
Does the Christian have anything more
tangible than a hope? Arve heaven and hell
merely states of mind, and 1s promised 1m-
mortality merely an idea invented by
egotistical preachers?
Perhaps the preachers thems=elves are
partly to blame if there 1s any doubt at all
The WATCHMAN
as to the reality of spiritual things, as they
make the mistake of assuming that experi-
ences they themselves have had are com-
mon to all. But it is not guesswork to the
Christian at all. He does not hope that
there is a God, that he 1s forgivenevery sin,
that there 1s a place called heaven; and he 1s
not pretending when he appears to enjoy
the things of the spimt, which are a com-
plete mystery to the non-Christian. Being
a Christian 1x not being of a certain opinion
or holding a particular academic dea, 1t 1s a
relationship founded upon an experience,
He can speak with certainty not because he
merely hopes, but beeause he knows!
There 1s a place called heaven, and an-
other place called hell. No one made up
these ideas, they are just as certain as are
the material facts of evervday life. If you
have any doubt as to the existence of Jesus
Christ, and really want to know whether
He lives now, today, ask Him! Ile will tell
vou. He tells every person who accepts
Him. How does He do it? Ask Him. Will
that acceptance save vou from hell? Cer-
tainly it will. Why ?-—Because He has told
(Continued on page 13)
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