The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-07-09
Communicated
Ideal ErHendsh1R.

Uncheered by social intercourse. life
would indeed be barren and still the
common intercourse OF common people
than desert solitude.
Much Of good. much of certain species
of satisfaction, may exist In the occasional
society OF the commOuest of our acquain-
tances. Though uncultured. he may be
fine, and genuine OF soul though gtiiltless
of the little amenities of life, he may be
honest and true, and possess that natural
refinement which ever accompanies good
heart and pure purposes. You may now
and then spend an hour with him In mu-
tllal enjoyment and benefit.
This species Of Intercourse has It's place
AMI not uniu,portnnt ons-in life; but,
an, It is not friendship!
Your friend what words can picture
all he ia to you-all he inspires you to
be yourself-all the goodness and great
ness WHICH, in his presence. seems possible
| to life !? The sweetest a:id truest4 and
best part of your nature Is magnetized,
and stirred, and thrilled to Its very centre.
Unknown heights heckon yotl. and you
rise to them without conscious effort.
The atmosphere of your lite grows Purer,
| and lite is iI.ense. divme-that life ''tn
which has blocmed one perfect friendship"
Is blessed beyond the common lot OF NOR
tails. Darkness and storms may sweep
ove-, the descending tempest may shatter
the frail barque but an undimmed light
ban in he
where the soul abideth."
Human life, generally considered, Is
not favorable to friendship. The forced
necessity Of toll, the many weary hours
OF labor that seem to most lives inevitable,
are dl1sturbers of that spiritual serenity
in which alone is friendship perfected.
Il may spring forth in single hour. An
| instant may perfect it as entirely lite
| time. 1t is less conviction than a feel
ing. Imagination must pour her rose-tin:
upon the object in which it rests, fair and
elorified. You do not care what your
friend Is to the world-what tho world
thinks of him it Is what he is in him.
self to you. You DO not care or question
regarding the conditions of his life. II he
fail Of worldly success. you draw nearer
to him if he miss life's sweetest gifts,
| and bear the burden of great sorrow.
you bnt love him the more tenderly.
The vital element in friendship is faith
not so much tenderness even as trust.
''rru<t your friend as you trust in
God, once wrote a noble man-to which
he added, ''If l have an exalted idea of
anything, it is of entire confidence in my
intimate associations and nothing can
destroy that confidence but absolute proof
of unworthiness.' Then. and not till
then, cast your friendship aside, and en-
deavor to forget that it ever existed.
| Untruth or tIisloyalty to our friend is
far greater wrong to ourselves even
than to him-a violence to our moral
nature. ''What is so great as friendship !?
Let us carry it with what grandeur of
| spirit we may"
There are springs in tie human heart
| that yield to but one touch; and when
this shall be felt. the records of the past
are unsealed, and unroll themselves to
him whose magic clasp has met the secret
| spring. Withdraw not from his gaze
forbid not his perusal. Be sure he will
read all aright-will read truly, reverently,
silently. Were it otherwise, the invisible
spring had never responded to his touch.
The revelations your friend draws from
you are his by immortal rightly some
law of being. The spiritual possessions
of each man rise to meet him as he draws
near. Solicitation cannot evolve, nor
denial withhold them. What your friend
draws from You is his !; and sacreily will
| he guard the trust, else he had never
i! possessed the magnetism. the sympathetic
power to attract it tn himself.
! The most beautiful thing, ard perl,a ps
the highest test of true friendship. is
that sense of spiritual possession in ab-
seneca possession more subtle, more
true, more exalted than that of personal
presence. 1t is the nearest spirit lite of
anything earth offers; il is an experience on
| ly possible to lofty souls. j. III. NJ, .JR