"When he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it." -- Matt. xiii.46.

C. P. C.

tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899

Tale of tenderness unfathomed

Told by God to me --

Tale of love, mysterious, awful --

Thus God's love must be.

God the Seeker -- one fair image

Ever in His thought,

Pure, and radiant, and faultless,

Yet He found it not.

Not amongst His holy Angels,

Was there one so bright;

Not amongst His stars of glory

Dwelt His heart's delight.

Yet there was a depth unfathomed

In a lonely place;

One great deep of endless sorrow,

Darkness on its face.

Restless sea of black pollution

Moaning evermore,

Weary waves for ever breaking

On a barren shore.

There below in midnight darkness,

Under those wild waves,

Lies the treasure God is seeking,

Jewel that He craves.

Down beneath those sunless waters

He from Heaven has passed,

He has found His heart's desire,

Found His pearl at last.

All He had His heart has given

For that gem unpriced --

Such art thou, O ransomed sinner,

Yea, for such is Christ.