The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-06-15
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Topic For the Week beginning Inn. "a
Comment by Rev. 8 n NJ.

comment by Rev. S. ii. Doyle.
roPio'-True friendship.-Prov. xviii. "a.
Mark v, l5-l9; John XIV, 1918.
Nothing is more desirable in this life
snan true friends, those who will COM
fort us in the hour of trouble, assist ms
III the hour OF need, stand by us in the
hour OF trial, look charitably upon our
weaknesses and frailties and appreciate
That which is best and truest in us
Some characteristics of true friepd.
ship are suggested by the topical refer.
snces.
l. True friendship is born of true
friendliness. "a man that hath friends
must show himself friendly" prov.
xviii, 24(. Love begets love, kindness
oegets Kindness and friendship begets
friendship. 1t is impossible to have
friends and not be friendly. If we feel
lonely sometimes and the need of fel.
lowship and association with others and
have it'not and wonder why others have
such host Of friends, let us examine
our own lives and see if We have not
been unfriendly ourselves.
2. True friendship manifests itself
IN the hour of need. "A friend in need
is friend indeed" "There is friend
that sticketh closer than brother ("
says the wise man. We apply these
words to Christ. Solomon did not. He
had learned from experience perhaps, or
from observation, that men had some
times found friends who were more con-
slant and more faithful than brothers
This is common human experience. In
the darkest hours of life, in the hours
of greatest need, friends not hound to
US by the ties of blood are often more
faithful to us than those who are The
supreme test of friendship is the hour
OF need, and it has not been infrequent
that friendship has often stood the test
of need better than relationship. In the
hour of need we should be true and con.
slant to both brother and friend. Our
sympathy and our aid should be at the
call of all who have either claim upon
us. The greatest need of our friends is
their spiritual need. If we have receiv-
ed healing for our sins in Christ and
our friends have not, we should tell
them of the Christ who is able to heal
all men. Christ said to the man out OF
whom He had cast devil, go home
TO thy friends, and tell them how great
things the Lord hath done for thee and
hath had compassion on thee. So we
should tell our friends what Christ has
done for, us, that they may be- led tc
desire His friendship.
3. The truest friendship is divine
friendship--the friendship of Christ.
He is.indeed the friend that sticketh
closer than brother" He has stood
His own test of ideal friendship that q
man lay down his life for his friends.
Christ as friend has power to help Us
in time of need. He understands us as
no one else does or can, and is therefore
able to help us as no one else. He never
will disappoint US. He is always neal
and ready to help US. His friendship II
intelligent, disinterested and constant
Can we do without it? To have it WI
must be His friends, and to be hi!
friends we must obey Him. "Ye are My
friends if ye do whatsoever l com
mand you" Will you do it!
Bible Readings -Deut. xiii, 6-S;
Sam. xviii, L; III Sam. i, 25-27; l.
Chron. Xxx, z; Prov. vi, l-3; xvii, IL
xxi, "a; XIV, 10; xvii, 6, 0, IL; Mic
vii, 8; Zech. xiii, 6; Luke xii, A; Jas
ii, 23; iv, IA; John ii, l5-l7.