And so it is with the love of God.  When once it gets into our hearts it will keep on growing until all our life is filled with it, and we try in all things to please Him.

[Illustration:  The parable of the leaven.]

SEEKING FOR HIDDEN TREASURE.

The people of Canaan, both in ancient and modern days, have made a practice of hiding their treasures.  This they have done to secure them in times of danger.  When invaders flocked into the land, the people buried their gold and jewels, and fled.  And often they died, or were overtaken by their enemies and killed, so that they were unable to return and regain their buried riches.  Earthquakes also have taken place, destroying towns and villages, and burying all the riches in them beneath their ruins.  Thus there is much hidden treasure in Canaan, and numbers of the inhabitants spend their time seeking diligently and anxiously for it.

Our artist shows us a man who is thus seeking.  He has heard that in old times a great treasure was hidden in a particular field.  So he digs away patiently in various places until, at last, he finds out that what he heard is quite true.  He is sure the treasure is there; and his desire is to become possessed of the field, so that he may obtain the buried riches.  He is willing to sell all that he has if by so doing he may buy that field.  So he hastens home, and gathers together the whole of his property and sells it.  Then he takes his money to the man who has the land for sale, and buys the field of him.  Thus he becomes possessed of the treasure he has sought after.  Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like that treasure.  It is so precious, that when a man finds out its value, and knows how it can be obtained, he will be willing to give up everything he has for it—­all his companions, pleasures, sins, riches—­indeed everything he possesses, in order to gain this great treasure.

[Illustration:  The treasure hid in A field.]

THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.

Very similar to the parable of the Hidden Treasure is this one of the merchant seeking goodly pearls.

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

In the picture we see the merchant on the sea-shore, where he has waited for the landing of these sailors from another country.  He asks them if they have any goodly pearls for sale, and one man opens his box and takes out this “pearl of great price.”  It is just the kind of pearl the merchant had been seeking, so he quickly produces his two bags of gold and offers them to the man for his pearl.  But the man smiles.  “What! part with so large and so beautiful a pearl for two bags of gold?” He could not think of it.  The pearl is again placed in its box, and the merchant has to go away disappointed.  But the longing to have that pearl is too great.  A thought occurs to him.  He will go home and sell all that is his, and the money he shall thus obtain, added to his two bags of gold, will surely buy the precious jewel.