SEARCH FOR TREASURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1936, Page 2 (Supplement)

SEARCH FOR TREASURE.

HIDDEN QUALITIES IN LIFE. A London minister, the Rev. J. Macbeath, delivered a fresh and stimulating sermon a few weeks ago at AVhiteliclds Central Mission, in the course of which lie said: We are to seek for treasure, and in the intention of Jesus the treasure lie wants men to find is Himself — the Pearl of great price. In a great many ways you use this human language. A mother speaks of her child as her "treasure." Jesus just sublimates all that human affection and lifts our eyes to something above the human plane of emotion and attraction; and He makes Himself our treasure. There is no such treasure as He in all the mines of earth or depths of the sea.

Yes, aiid there are great hidden qualities in a life; qualities sometimes so hidden that a. wife does not see them in licr husband, and a man does not see them in his wife; parents do not see them in their children, and children never suspect them in their parents. There are those hidden qualities—if only in en had some definite chance they would unfold their treasure to the surprise of so many. Mark Rutherford talks about his stepchild, Mary. He tried to teach her. but there was nothing in her; she irritated him beyond all patience, and he gave up all hope of educating her. Then his wife was taken ill with typhoid fever, and to his amazement Mary grew and developed: she took things in hand and nursed the sick one. Her hidden qualities wore being brought out into the light.

If we realised that there were these hidden qualities in the life of each one of us wo should love each other more; we,should be far more patient and sympathetic than we are. We arc blind and stupid and careless because we do r.ot expect to find any treasure hid in a field.

Yes, and what treasures there are in the great field of labour —the treasures of work and opportunity. It was when the shepherds were tending their flocks that they heard the angels' song. It was while the fishermen were mending their nets that the call of Christ came to fhem. There is not a single field that is empty of treasure. I pray you go out as Christ's adventurers, with a completely new outlook upon life, with a completely new understanding of its possibilities* with a new realisation of the things that may happen, that may spring up out of the earth, and spring up out of the blue. Be ready for the unexpected. > You never know when it will happen, and I pray you be there at the time to welcome it.