The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-08-31

one must not be giving more than he
receives. Possibly such might b. the
case in an ideal communion; but it is
very seldom the case upon this earth.
In most friendships, one IS the more
active, the other more passive; one Ct
fers, and the other takes; one glows,
and the othe receives his light The
heart that gives most looses nothing by
| its giving, but gains. If it be more
blessed to give than to receive, then he
who receives gives blessing by receiv
ing. Not only so, but there are differ :
ent kinds of giving. The man who is
willing to receive my affection, my SYM
pathy, and such tenderness as 1t lies in
me to offer him, is comforting upon me
a priceless benefit. | 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 | who am indebted, and
not he. How can l ever reray him for
hay ing accepted what l offered? Can
the devotion of a lifetime in any way
requite: My friend is never more my
friend than when he is receiving and
am giving.
Perhaps that is not the light in which
this matter is usually regarded. Such
practice might not do for ca es of mere
acquaintanceshlpand society. The laws
of social etiquette demand that an
equivalent be given for everything.
But the laws of spiritual love know
that no equivalent can be given, con-
sciously, for anything. The effort to
make return is an outrage on friend
| ships finest essence. Current coin goes
for nothing here. There is no such
thing as giving value for value. What
is rece.ved is priceless, what is given is
priceless; it cannot be figured and
ticketed. The Obligation on both sides
is greater than can be acknowledged;
neither can write out Il receipt and cry
quits. There is no nob'er tie between
heart and heart than this mutual Gebt,
which neither can feel as an obligation,
because it is a part of the souls very
life.
1t Is generally supposed that one
friend may counsel and advise another,
may point out his faults and urge their
removal. A friendly adviser, a kindly
disposed companion, may do this; but
hardly friend. 10 do so would I'M
peril the very ground on which friend
ship is based. l may know, theoreti-
cally, that my friend has faults; as a
qlestion of in ellectual discernment, |
may see that he has shortcomings. l
may even suffer from them myself. But
what does that matter? love him en-
tirely, and dare not speak of his fault.
Who am |, that should look for the
notes In my brothers eye? My very
doing so would prove there is beam
in my own. If he pains me with
hasty word, 1t is enough, or perhaps too
much, that l look grieved; l will not
utter word Of complaint. The sien-
ces of friendship say more than the
words. l can talk commonplace, l can
scold or praise or condole, with any
casual acquaintance; with my friend, l
know how to keep silent, and need no
utterance.
Some persons tell us that We should
choose our friend as we choose the books
that we read. Such choice is impos-
sible. We may choose our companions;
we cannot choose our friends. No law
of conscious selection can be exercised.
The word affinity has been misused
and contaminated; but affinity is the
vital principle of friendship. do not
love my friend because l choose to love
him; love him because | cannot help
| myself. He has drawn me toward HIM
as the magnet draws the needle. | can
resist and keep away if l choose; but l
do so only by intense effort Of the will.
| The will is weaker than the instinct,
unless trained and under mastery of
the souls highest powers. Pride is
the strongest force that can keep ME
from my friends side-pride and jeal-
ousy. From jealousy l may absent my
self, or seem cold and careless; but the
pang wi hin is one of the keenest that
the heart can suffer. 1t is better to an
initiate pride, to Danish jealousy, to
crush self; to reach life's summi's bv
laying myself low.
The feeling of gratitude is sometimes
considered to be an important element
Of friendship. But gratitude of itself
can hardly produce natural love. There
is sense in which We should love all
men; but we can never love all men
with the love OF an OVerpoWerlng trend
ship, nor can a sense Of kindness re-
ceived cause us to feel so towards one
in particular. Universal love is some
thing superhuman; the love which we
are speaking of as friendship is pecu-
liar to the natural man." 1t is rooted
firmly on present things, and could be
happy enough on this earth, without
thinking Of the future, if the company
of the loved one could be assured Shall
we call it 'profaue' love, because such
is its feeling? The wonderful love of
Jonathan for David is recorded in
Scripture without condemnation; yet