The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-28

be absolutely free OF ooncsit. There is in this
son of Saul most fine humility and seeing of
God. He stopped to make himself a step for the
foot OF David. bridge that the shepherd by
might cross safely to the throne. Consider the
age, the kind OF men. the envy and jealousy, the
uiutiny and the marderous ambition OF the
lock at this far-shiuing nobleness
In the almost inaccessible cliffs of swiss
mountains blossoms the odelweiss. SO, ont OF
those chapters of hate and treaohery and blood
comes this story OF friendship, friendship
Win no admixtgre OF self-interest: Inere is
a E%'h' and s., friend .s Jonathan, I ns
rounds out and fills the ideal of the heart. He
was net called, indeed, to be king over Israel. 1t
may well be that he was not the man to establish
that kingdom. but he was called to be the friend
tory. You need not be afraid to study this
friendship 1t will not go to pieces as you handle
! 1t. From the day of the making of the covenant
with David. until he lay dead in his fathers last
and lost battle, he had kept the faith
God says to one man, Thou shalt have power.
and to another, Thou shalt be loved II was a
difficult task for Jonathan. He mad to
be loyal son and friend to the man
his his father her hated; But he DID them EN-
| legation TO keep another. He was born into one
| He assumed the other, "Men worship the
rising, not the setting SUM-" He was not of that
kind. He risked his life to save David over
and over again. But when he was safe, and
his crown assured. then he turned and again
cast himself in with his fathers failing fortunes
George Eliot makes one of her characters say:
| "Any coward will fight when he is sure of win
ming. like man that will fight when he is
sure of losing" This a friend who, ais long as
| things were prosperous with you, would hold Oft
ana mind his own affairs and watch you from a
distance, but let the Philistines he upon you and
| he would be there in season between you and
them. "The bow of Jonathan turned not back"
II this language does not seem explicit would
ask you to examine it. He listened TO the cry
| Of being needed. II was fOrlorn hope indeed,
but it was his fathers battle;
believed in one another. Even IN his maddest
| hour we read that Saul "harkened unto the voice
OF Jonathan" He can not bear to think evil OF
| his father. He says MY father will do nothing
great or small bat that he will show it to Inc,
and why should my father hide this thing from
| met 1t is not So" In life they we're together in
everything but intent to murder. and IN death
| they were not divided. have read and re-read
the life of this chief and prince of men, and have
been curious to find the defects In his character.
! He is tender and true, LOVING and daring; he
| never looks back ward: Ito does not care much
for himself; he is ready to lend hand, and he
| Is not afraid to die We say of him Sir
| Eotor of the great knight of the Round Table:
| Thou vert head of all knights; thou vert
! never matched OF any knights hand; and thou
vert the cOurtiest knight that ever bore shield
and thou vert the kindest man that ever strake
| with sword; and thou vert the gOedliest
| person that ever came among press OF knlghts
| and thou vert the meekest and the
gentlest that ever safe in hall among ladies, and
| thou vert the sternest knight to thy mortal
| foe that ever put spear in rest"
81 am distressed for thee, my brother Jona-
than. Very pleasant hast thou been unto me-
| Thy love 20 me was wonderful, passing the love
| OF woman" Here is a tribute of a soldier
| soldier. David was soldier, a poet and a
| friend, and friend TO dead friend. Tue. dead
could do no more for hun, but he could do some
| thing for the dead-remember him, honor
him, lament him The ears of iona
| than, dead on GilhOa, were duh to
| this praise, but that made difference. The
| praise was uttered.
't5aul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant
arr in moi hAaEh fbaUx nj
| divided. They were swifter than eagles-they
were stronger than lions" You notice here that
| he couples the names of his dearest friend and
his dearest enemy together. rne personalities
of the old quarrel are faded out. He judges
! Saul as he was: puts himself in his place
| IL Is as II John Brown had lived to pronounce
| a eulogy on 5tOnewall Jackson. They were the
same kind Of men. only saw things from a differ
ent point OF view. "POint of view" Is no reason
| for one good man TO hate another.
The name soldier suggests to some men sack
| OF cities, blood and ruin. Doubtless IL Is assO-
| ciated with ugly things. But observation and
| experience will prove that man may look upon
| the thousand men that he has assisted to
Kill and come away with kind heart,
| a heart kind aud pitlful. AT the beginning OF
our war the unthoughtful fell into the deluson
| that the worst man would make the best soldier
| that the plug-ugly bruiser OF the city ward was
| the ideal recruit. But the Wilson Zouaves, re-
cruited according TO this opinion, put in the
of their term Of service at the Dry Tortugas
| The man prompt and able IN q baT-room row
was afraid OF gunpowdeT. He could
| COulu nOb eCuHu up To ne Killed.
The best man is none too good for a soldier. And
| the gond soldier, as u rule, makes an excellent
| citizen in time of peace.
| Whether war demoralizes men depends
on what the Is for. II it is for the existence
| OF a government it moraliZes them. The boy
| sentiment for the 4th of July flag deepens into
an intelligent love. We love what we have suf-
frred for The question is as to the motive of war.
II there is ample reason for 1t. 1t degrades and
| hrutaliZes The war with Mexico furnishes no
| material for ballads. The Seminole war will
never pass into poetry. You may judge a war
by its fruits. The survivors the war of the re-
helion belong to-day. in all trades and callngs,
to the better half of the citizens of this Fepub-
| lio That proves to me that their conscience
went with them ana has returned with them.
| Therefore the name of soldier suggests
| to me only this that reveals
what was in the man of peace. 1t creates no new
| brutality.
| The opinions of General Crook, who has fought
Indians for eighteen years, and who is now fight
ing them, are more nercfnl, as to the Indian,
| than those OF the average Christian. He has, by
| observation and sympathy, been able to obey
| the command, "Pat yourself in his place." which
| Ia the open secret OF all tolerance and charity.
| So thinking of the soldier-of what the profess
sion does for mantle conclusion il reached
that II does not Kill poetry, nor friendship, nor
| sound Judgment, nor the best kind of religion.
| The twenty-tnird Psalm was written by good
| soldier.
was oomplimented when you, a post of the
| TO you, which have now done in my way.
| After singing the hymn beginning "G0d Bless
Our Native Land" the congregation was dis
missed.