Acres of Diamonds
One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was
a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and
lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he
became a clergyman.
One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college
education but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at
that moment, what his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth - that
is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving,
students. He did have a challenge, however. He would need a few million
dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real
purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.
Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued
by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer
who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited
about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance
on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea
of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head
out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the
years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he
never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into
a river and drowned.
Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock
about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of
curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went
into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the
funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had
ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm
is covered with them" - and sure enough it was.
The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest the
world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on
"Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.
Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach
it's moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of
Diamonds", if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are
standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell
told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the
story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for
underprivileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million
dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia,
has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools.
When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our
own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old...it will
be true forever...
Opportunity does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just
have to see it.
From "Our Changing World" Radio Transcript