San Andreas independent., 1857-06-20
Friendshin

FRIENDsHIP-glorious treasure We nnroIl
the beautiful volume in which thy mystic i'm
age is portrayed We trace in glitterino letters
gold. Friendship! glorious TREASURED I.;fes
failing guide the only earthly source
from whence real pleasure flows to erring mani
Happy, indeed those who possess this inesti
mable treasure. Yes, happy those who through
the many changes of life have a friend to par
ticipate in all their joys, sympathize with them
in the hour of affiiction, and in misfortune for
sakes them not. Happy the individual who
can say, g / have friend" and though dis
tance should separate, yea, though seas rolled
between them, yet can say There is heart
in yonder land that beats true for me-" o!
who can paint the sweets of friendship ?-who
can picture the endearments of affection?-who
can estimate the value of unmingled love which
flows from true, confding heart mingled with
the radiant sweetness which religion imparts
to the soul? Who can determine the extent of
this glorious theme, or compute the manifold
blessings, the amount of happiness, the rich de-
velopment of sympathy, joy, peace, love, and
all the rich graces which characterize the i'm
mortal spirit of that individual who is friend
OF that soul which is endowed with the glori-
Gus gift of true, unchanging, undying friend
ship! Ah this is grace of inestimable
worth-a gem of brightest luster; nor can all
the wealth of Peru, or the entire riches of the
earth compare with the brightest gem of the
heart. No wonder, then, that Robinson Cruso
in his lone hours on the solitary island of Juan
Fernandez, should exclaim in the language of
these beautiful lines:
Society friendship and love,
Diviney bestowed upon man
Oh had the wings of dove,
How soon would taste you again!
My sorrows then would assuage
In the ways of religion and truth;
Might learn from the wisdom of age,
And be cheered by the sallies of YOUTH
And when all prospects of meeting his
friends again, seemed to vanish, the sweet,
tho ugh mournful words fell from his lips
"My friends, do they now and then send
a wis., or thought after me?
OH tell me vet have friend
Though frfen,, am never to see"
All how sweet the kin,, embrace of friend
ship What like the social inserchanges of
kindred spirits can make the rough ways of life
smooth, and render the general rays of lites
beclouded sun bright and pleasant. Did this
royal grace but reign supreme how soon would
peace and quiet be restored in our world-dif-
1.rences be adjusted, and war and bloodshed be
known no more. How sweet the scene where
friend meets friend, and kindred spirits agree
where peace and concord walk hand in hand,
and where uncontaminated love overfows the
inexhaustible fountains of pure affection. How
dear the heart where reigns true friendship,
how lovely the countenance which bespeaks
this celestial grace, how sweet the spirit where
dwels pure affection, and how blest is the soul
where pure friendship sheds forth its bright and
joyous ray with undiminishing luster How
delightful to trace the sweet influence of friend
ship in the youthful heart and as it advances
with maturer years and ripens with old age,
still shedding its heavenly light upon the soul
till the lamp of life ceases to burn. And withal,
how sweet to reflect that though earthly friends
fail US, there is Friend who remains ever the
same; for we are told there is Friend that
sticketh closer than brother" Happy those
who have for friend Him who from the bright
realms of glory has condescended to become
the Friend of erring man. and who will yet
meet those that are his
g In yonder world of endless Joy,
Where friendship reigns without alloy
Enduring more than time shall be
Enduring as eternity"