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The Pinecone
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February 2016
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f r om Don J oh n s on , K i r b y P i n e s Chap l a i n
Chaplain’s COrner
Dr. Russell Conwell who founded what is
now Temple University in Philadelphia,
PA, repeated a story told to him by a tour
guide during a trip to Nineveh and Baby-
lon in 1870. Here’s his story.
There was a wealthy Persian farmer
named Ali Hafed, owner of a very large
farm with orchards, grain fields and gar-
dens. Hafed was happy and contented. A
Buddhist priest visited him and spoke of
diamonds with beauty and value beyond
belief. He said if Hafed had a handful
of diamonds he could purchase a whole
country, and with a mine of diamonds he
could place his children upon thrones be-
cause of the influence of their vast wealth.
That night Hafed, who had considered
himself wealthy and happy, became dis-
contented. He now felt he was poor and
needy. Where could he find these dia-
monds?
The priest told him to look for a river run-
ning through white sands between high
mountains. There he would find the dia-
monds.
Hafed sold his farm, left his family in the
charge of a neighbor and began the search
for his desired treasure. Into Palestine and
all through Europe Hafed wandered and
searched. At last with his money was
gone and failing to find his long sought
diamonds he was in poverty. Standing on
the seashore at Barcelona, Hafed, hav-
ing lost all, cast himself into an outgoing
wave and was never seen again.
February Vesper Services
•
6:30pm
•
Performing Arts Center
February 14th
Director of Evangelism
Harry Colter
St. Luke’s Methodist Church
February 21st
Father
Augustine De Armond
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
February 28th
Reverend
Joe Jernigan
Bellevue Baptist Church
February 7th
Reverend
James Adams
Colonial Baptist Church
Acres of Diamonds
The man who had bought Hafed’s farm
discovered in a stream in his garden a
large stone having a light within. He
placed it on the mantel inside the farm
home.
The priest who had originally spoken to
Hafed about diamonds paid a visit to the
new owner. He noticed the stone on the
mantel and said, “Here is a diamond! Has
Hafed returned?” “No,” replied the own-
er. “I found the stone in a creek running
through my land.” Together they went to
the garden stream and discovered more
stones, “diamonds” bigger than the first
one. This discovery led to the establish-
ment of Golconda, one of the richest dia-
mond mines in the world.
In desperation to satisfy his discontent Ali
Hafed had tragically searched the world
for what was already in his own back
yard. He failed to realize that on his own
farm were “acres of diamonds.”
This story, repeated hundreds of times
in a message Russell Conwell deliv-
ered, became a book entitled “Acres Of
Diamonds.” Its message is insightful and
probing.
Too many times we have discounted our
own present wealth and happiness and
allowed discontent to upset life. We sell
the treasures we own in a vain effort to
acquire more. There is never enough!
Never!
Priceless diamonds of opportunity are all
around us, where we are, now! There may
be a diamond of a friendship we can culti-
vate…or an open door through which we
may walk…or a love we can deepen…or
a life we could influence.
It’s time we stopped looking for satisfac-
tion somewhere else and start searching
our own back yards. If we don’t, some-
time someone else will.
Let’s look closely at our acres. Let’s con-
sider carefully who we are, where we are
and what we have. As we pick up each di-
amond we can enrich our lives. Matthew
6:19-21 should be our guide: “Do not
lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy and where
thieves break in and steal; but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust destroys and where
thieves do not break in and steal. For
where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” Matthew 6:33 can also be a
challenge: “But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you.”
Let’s start searching our “acres of dia-
monds” today!
Till next time, Don Johnson,
Kirby Pines Chaplain