A SEARCH FOR WEALTH by Walter E. Gillis

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Oct 19, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 41.

A SEARCH FOR WEALTH.

By Walter E. Gillis

BY WALTER E. GILLIS.

It was the last days of July—hot and enervating. Two men, dressed in the loose, rough attire of woodsmen, were standing by their cabin, earnestly looking toward the distant hills. At last one of them brought out a large telescope through which they looked for some time without comment. Finally the older man speaks: “Boy, that gives a magnificent view. I can almost imagine I see the ledges, cropping out of those fissures we see in Old Baldy. I tell you that mountain has wealth in it, and it might as well be ours as not. But, lad, we must get at closer range, if we ever intend to set our stakes upon anything more than ‘glittering generalities.’ The man who builds castles in the air never attains to the rewards of honest toil. It is the man who sinks the shaft, and drives the drift, who finds the precious wealth hidden away in old mother earth. Prepare the packs, my son, and we will hasten to yonder peak without longer delay. Don’t forget the microscope and the compass.”

Nine miles on the train, and a tramp of twenty-seven miles through the dense undergrowth and windfalls of a Washington forest, bring the prospectors within the territory viewed through the telescope. Two days of muscle-fagging effort has not dampened the ardor of either; and, eager for a sight of “color,” they begin examining the various rocks strewn upon the ground, before giving thought to a place to camp or a bite to eat. However, the hearty appetite induced by climbing the steep mountain-side, and the coming on of night, soon persuade our friends to unroll their packs, and build a cheery campfire. The only theme of conversation is the prospect of hidden wealth, and what it should prove to be.

With the rising sun ascends the steam from the morning meal, and, as soon as light permits, they commence the fascinating details of prospecting. Their first effort is directed toward ascertaining the nature of the country rock (that is, the prevailing surface-rock of the district), as it would very greatly facilitate their efforts at determining the nature of the precious metals hidden beneath the surface. For example: Talc indicates the presence of copper; galena, the presence of silver, copper, and gold; shale, the presence of coal and chrome iron, and so on, through a long list. With painstaking effort they carefully examine all the nooks and crannies. Here and there they discover fissures in the great rocks, filled up by the beautiful products of crystallization,—in one the terraced triangles of micaceous iron; in another, the octahedrons and squares of iron pyrites. And here and there a cropping of the most beautiful water quartz. Now and again we hear them exclaim at the wonderfully beautiful mineral forms brought to view by the microscope. Smooth, common-looking rocks under the lens develop into beautiful, foliated masses of geometric figures.

Watching these prospectors has brought to my mind another most interesting scene. It is evening. About the living-room table are gathered the father and mother with the girls and boys. The center of interest is the family Bible, from which the father is reading: “My son, if thou wilt receive My words, and hide My commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest for her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,

and find the knowledge of God.” Prov. 2:1-5.

Then the father explains to his children a practical and wise plan for searching this storehouse of precious gems of truth. First, get a telescopic view of it, as a whole—and read the Bible through, it will only take about sixty-five or seventy hours of your time. Read each book through at one sitting, if possible. Having accomplished this task, do not abandon the book, for you are now only possessed of “glittering generalities.” Now set your heart upon some particular theme, and apply the microscope, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, as scripture explains scripture, until you develop a chain of truth. Examine the country rock (the context), and be sure not to determine that the pliable, foliated mica crystals are gold, and thus wrest the Scripture until you appear foolish in the sight of the wise. The Bible is a mine of wealth which, unlike the deceptive hills, will always yield its treasures to the earnest seeker. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” John 7:17.

Mountain View, Cal.