Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-11-15
m PRAISE Or FRIENDSHIP.

rev tnlngs are more common In
this world, happily, than friendli-
ness but friendship in its highest
sense is a rarity. 1t is even more
rare than what we call love. Love,
as commonly understood, occurs at
least once in the majority Of life
times ; but true friendship hardly
comes to one in a hundred persons.
1t includes the best part of love
without the evanescence that some
times accompanies the stronger pas
sion. He is a fortunate man who
finds a friend. Emerson says
that "when man becomes dear to
me, l have touched the goal of for
tune" He is right. Higher than
this one cannot easily 60. And
again, Emerson says that true love
''cannot be anrequited." Again
he is right. A true love is it's own
requital. 1t may bring trouble,
affiiction--its very root is a sort of
divine discomfort; but it brings
with it life's truest gold. No one
has truly lived till he has loved.
1t is usually supposed that in
friendship there must be an equali-
ty-that one must not be giving
more than he receives. Possibly
such might be the case in an ideal
communion but it is very seldom
the case uponsthis sartl Inmost
friendships, one is the more active,
the other more passive; one offers,
and the other takes; one glows,
and the other receives his light.
The heart that gives most loses
nothing by it's giving, but gains.
If it be more blessed to give than
to receive, then he who receives
gives a blessing by receiving. Not
only so, but there are different
kinds of giving. The man who is
willing to receive my affection, my
sympathy, and such tenderness as
it lies in me to offer him, is confer
ring upon me priceless benefit. 1
feel that / owe him more than life
can ever repay. If he will allow
me to do and to suffer for his sake,
it is l who am indebted, and not he.
How can l ever repay him for hav-
ing accepted what ! offered? Can
the devotion of a lifetime in any
way requite? My friend is never
more my friend than when he is re-
ceiving and | am giving.
Perhaps that is not the light in
which this matter is usually regard
ed. Such practice might not do
for cases of mere acquaintanceship
and society. The laws of social
etiquette demand thai On equivalent
be given ipr everything. But the
laws of spiritual love. know that no
equivalent cap be given, conscious
ly, for anything. Ehe effort, to
make a-sisfass -Sptsags on
friendships fnest essence. Cur
rent coin goes f0r 1hething here.
There is no such Thing eEassgiving
value for value. What is feceived
is priceless, what is given isprice-
less; it cannot be figured and ticket
ed. The obligation on both sides
is greater than can , acknowledg-
ed; neither can write out a receipt
and cry quits. There is no nobler
tie between heart and heart than
this mutual debt, which neither can
feel as an obligation, because it is a
part of the souls very life.
1t is generally supposed that oae
friend may counsel and advise
another, may point ont his faults
and urge their removal. A friend.
ly adviser, kindly-disposed com.
panion, may do this; but hardly q
friend. To do so wonld imperil
the very ground on which friend.
ship Is based. ! Imsy know, theore.
tically, that my frisnd has faults
as aquestiOn Of ttllectual discern