The Pearl of Great Price

D

avid Morse, a missionary in India, had as one of his closest friends an Indian pearl-diver named Rambhau

Over the years these men had spent many hours together and had supported each other in numerous situations. Rambhau considered David his best friend but as hard as David tried, he couldn't convince Rambhau of the validity of the Christian gospel.

One evening Rambhau urged David to go to his home with him, which David did. "In a week's time," Rambhau said, "I start working for my place in heaven; I am leaving for Delhi—and I am going there on my knees."

"You're crazy!" David said. "It's nine hundred miles to Delhi, and the skin will break on your knees, and you will have blood-poisoning or leprosy before you get to Bombay."

"No, I must get to Delhi," stated Rambhau. "The immortals will reward me for it! The suffering will be sweet—for it will purchase heaven for me!"

"Rambhau, my friend—you can't. How can I bear you to do it–when Jesus Christ has suffered and died to purchase heaven for you!"

"You are my dearest friend on earth, Sahib Morse. Through all these years you have stood by me in sickness and in want—you have been sometimes my only friend. But even you cannot turn me from my desire to purchase eternal bliss. I must go to Delhi!"

No man in all the world has
money enough to pay what
this pearl is worth to me.

Rambhau then walked into another room and came back with a small box in his hand. He then explained to David that in this box was a perfect pearl and one of the largest ever found off the coast of India. No cultured pearl had ever glowed with such brilliant luster. On the open market it would have been worth an enormous sum of money.

Rambhau explained how he had a son, something he hadn't ever shared with David before. This son was known as one of the best pearl-divers on the Indian coast. He had a dream of finding the perfect pearl. He did and this pearl was it. Tragically, though, when he found it, he stayed under water too long and died a few days later.

"My son gave his life for this pearl," Rambhau told David and because I don't know if I will ever return from Delhi I want to give you this precious pearl."

"No," said David, "you can't do that. I will pay you ten thousand dollars for it."

"Sahib! What do you mean?"

"I will give you fifteen thousand dollars for it, or if it takes more—I will work for it."

"Sahib, this pearl is beyond price. No man in all the world has money enough to pay what this pearl is worth to me. On the market a million dollars could not buy it. I will not sell it to you. You may only have it as a gift."

"No, Rambhau, I cannot accept that. As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it that way. Perhaps I am proud, but that is too easy. I must pay for it, or work for it."

Continued on Page Two