ACRES OF DIAMONDS and FIELDS OF GOLD

These words were penned in about 1915… and often give in a lecture by Russell Herman Conwell entitled “Acres of Diamonds”. Conwell lived from 1843 – 1925.

“I told him of a man out in California in 1847 who owned a ranch. He heard they had discovered gold in southern California, and so with a passion for gold he sold his ranch to Colonel Sutter, and away he went, never to come back. Colonel Sutter put a mill upon a stream that ran through that ranch, and one day his little girl brought some wet sand from the raceway into their home and sifted it through her fingers before the fire, and in that falling sand a visitor saw the first shining scales of real gold that were ever discovered in California. The man who had owned that ranch wanted gold, and he could have secured itfor the mere taking. Indeed, thirty-eight millions of dollars has been taken out of a very few acres since then. About eight years ago I delivered this lecture in a city that stands on that farm, and they told me that a one-third owner for years and years had been getting one hundred and twenty dollars in gold every fifteen minutes,sleeping or waking, without taxation. You and I would enjoy an income like that--if we didn't have to pay an income tax.” ~ quote from lecture 'Acres of Diamonds' by Russell Herman Conwell

Now when you consider that today ‘Gold’ is hovering around the $1000 USD for an ounce – it gives a whole new slant to the story. The “one hundred and twenty dollars in gold every fifteen minutes,” needs an adjustment – maybe to a “few millions of dollars” every fifteen minutes.

The entire account of the “Acres of Diamonds” lectures pointed to the fact that the folk that lived and toiled in ordinary places were actually sitting on great treasures. One account in his lectures told of man in the Far East that had a farm that was hard to work. He had given up one day and sold the farm rather cheaply. Then many years later after searching for Diamonds in far away lands – he died tragically. Meanwhile the man that bought his farm found the world’s largest diamonds in the top soil of the farm’s fields.

The first man was unhappy and dropped the ball – and ran. The very land that he had toiled for so long was loaded with riches – and he missed it entirely. The second man benefited from the first fellows incapability to see the diamonds.

It was reported that Conwell gave this lecture more than 6000 times while endeavouring to raise money for Temple University in Philadelphia. Temple University was set about to help the ‘diamonds’ in their communities that could not afford the cost of schooling.

The moral/teaching of his story is powerful – even for today. Many of us miss ‘treasure’ is right under our nose – by desiring so much for something better in far away places. We are situated right in the middle of ‘Acres of Diamonds’…or ‘Fields of Gold’.

This is Good Friday today – 2008. We will join with other Christians to Celebrate a central factor of our faith. We remember the death of Jesus over 2000 years ago. His death at the hands of a cruel society, was brought about by the Romans and Jews of his day. It was accomplished by the Crucifixion, a horrible death.

Today we will take part – but will we really know what we have within our grasp? The experience for ‘mankind’ today is Salvation – free and full…but many will be looking for something more…somewhere else. The treasure is here and now… God offers you the possibility of all our sins to be forgiven and taken away. What a story application that is.

Now to your own world…
What are you living in or on today? What is hidden just below the surface in your life? What treasures could you find by simply looking closer? Will you run or make ready?

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

ACRES OF DIAMONDS – back ground and lecture
http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/etext95/acrdi10.htm

Russell Conwell's Story...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Conwell

Check out also...
http://www.innovationtools.com/Articles/SuccessDetails.asp?a=88