Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-06-16
Ideal Friendship-Part l.
From The JeferSontan, by j. L. LODGE,
d. D., Editor.


Et ser0es dnilllde diBlfdiIHn nlede.
Horace, Ode Ill.,
1t is common to use proianely the sacred
est of terms. They hence lose their force
and value. Confusion of ideas robs words
of meaning. The substance OF the things
they stand for shrivels to mere shadows.
Analysis, compelled by necessity tor truth
as a foundation for action or repose, corrects
temporary deuson. One of the wisest OF
men declares, in his writings, that no man
ever had more than three friends. Quoting
him, at a funeral, with all the emphasis of
personal conviction, an auditor was disposed
to doubt the assertion. Years after, he vol
unfairly confessed his thorough conversion
to belief in the statement. He had been
learning. The author and the preacher
were both justified. 1t is the unvarying
process. We must dig deep for Truth, and
wait long for its acceptance. Horace would
not admit the existence OF more than two
friends. In the passage quoted above, he
prays Venus, goddess OF Cyprus; the dos
curl, dwelling amid the stars, guardians Of
sailors; Aeolus, god OF the winds; and
lapyx, the northwest wind, safely to land
at Athens Virgil, "h,6 Adif Of my SOu."
Many men enjoy the companionship OF
pleasant acquaintance; very different
thing. A disposition rather to be hood
winked than panied preference of equa
nimity to u contest with ialseness; desire to
avoid the act of judgment forced by too
exact evidence, eventuates in very ami
able folly There is rough maxim that
every man should be looked upon as thief
until proved to be honest. Beyond ques-
ton, this were the safer course if only safety
be considered. 1t would preserve from dis
astrous errors, prevent heart wounds that
only the friendly grave can heal, turn the
sharp edge of treachery against itself, and
| foil malignant instruments through exercise
of serpent wisdom. This the gain. The
loss were greater Unreasonable the loss
accruing from suppression of natures finest
feelings, and the nursing OF the habit Of
| suspicion, and the consequent loss OF much
of the little pleasure earth affords. The
awakening from deception is cruel, but to
| the sincere and pure trial whose ultimate
effect is uplifting. at is better to have
loved and lost than never to have loved at
ALL" Better TO plant weeping willow over
the grave OF our dead hopes than never to
have cherished hope. 1t is better for any
man that love should be all on one side than
that love should never be. With the object
| of his affection he has connected his beau
teous conceptions of the perfect; linked in
| his dreams its name with heaven; counted
| its possession one with the sum of all his
highest Joys. His feet have stood on man
hoods highest peaks, his soul leapt sky.
ward, and the breath of angels inspired with
highest life
Happily for us all, it is impossible to most
| human beings to put the hard maxim of
universal dstrust into practice. The desire
for sympathy and affection is natural to the
soul, and universal. Tom Moore heauti.
| fully states the case:
The heart, like tendri, accustomed to cling,
Let it grow where il will, cannot flourish
alone,
But bends toward the loveliest, nearest thing,
Which it twines round, and strives to make
closer its own.
Removed from this sublimated emotion,
whose atmosphere is nothing less than di-
vine, in origin and existence, there is an.
other, different, yet related. 1t is the effort
to forget injuries, to conquer resentment, to
forgive the wrong; the endeavOr, il not in
words, yet, still, in opinion, to cement shat.
tered confidence; the struggle to believe the
best with the worst In full view to persuade
the heart TO receive, again, while the judgment
rejects and warns; to hate the crime, and
yet wish well to the criminal TO understand
thoroughly the enOrmity of the offence, and
yet yearn to help the offender This feel
ing has its home In every sanctiiied heart
But not as between friends. The sentiment
which binds them is absolute confidence
absolute sympathy, absolute trust. Who ever
had a friend knows the difference. Vast diff
lerenCes exist without the destruction of
noblest principle: | tellectually, morally,
socially, the difference may be infinite, with
out interruption OF the flow of genuine be
nevoence. Christian charity has nothing
whatever TO do with equality. What goes
1. a. 81 l., in Nalyn "a
| itself TO regulate its own motions. IL some
times displays what the world regards as
bad taste, and worse judgment, but utterly
repudiates the world Us arbiter in its affairs.
This may, or may not, be unfortunate it
depends. Certain II is, the choice is arbi.
trary.
Let it be distinctly understood that the
editor disclaims all pessmism in this matter.
| With him il is question OF definition. In
these articles, as in all his conversation upon
| the subject, 1t is intended TO limit the def
milton. Otherwise, he would be the most
ungratelul of men; for he does hot know a
man of great worth, reputation, or high
| standing, in any community, who is not his
friend" But this high appreciation of sin.
certify, attended with tallibility, does not, nor
is il expected to, measure up to the sublime
Significance of strict definition. We are
has put on record to cheer us when dark
treachery has overloaded us and shaken
our faith in the men we know, splendid ex.
amples of fidelity which no temptation or
trial had power TO weaken or destroy. Per-
haps it is too late in the age, the iullilment
of prophecy too near that "eVil men shall
wax worse and worse" and the end
of all things too close, ever to witness
mother Jonathan the prince humblY bow
ing to the wise decree Of Jehovah which
transferred his throne to the shepherd boy,
the darling Of his noble and devoted heart;
but there is now, and 10 the end will be,
men who feel Tor each other all that's meant
by "friend" Til "the last recorded syllable
OF time" there will be a Ruth TO say TO
Naomi, "Entreat me not to leave thee and TO
return from following after thee for whittier
thou goest | will go; and where thou lodg-
est | will lodge; thy people shall be my
people, and thy God my God; where thou
diest will die, and there will | be buried"
There are a thousand nameless ties,
Which only such az feel them know
OF kindred thoughts, deep sympathies,
And untold fancy spells, which throw
Der ardent minds and faithful hearts
A chain whose charmed links so blend,
That the light circlet but imparts
It's force in these fond words, "My friend"
Yet, after we have returned our thanks TO
God Tor the few bright flashes along the
edge of the vast dark cloud, there is little
10 this world that deserves the name of
friendship Human friendship traces It's
weakness and changeiulness to its origin.
IL Is quite enough to say that IL is human.
If we would not have our hearts clean bro
ken with disappointment, we must resOiute.
lY set ourselves against expectation OF the