Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-08-18
Ideal Friendship-Part 5.
From The JefersOnian, by j. l.. LoDaE,
d. d., Editor.
That one unouestioned text we read,


All doubt beyond, all fear above;
Nor cracking pile nor cursing creed
Can burn or blot it "God is lover
Holmes
Different is divine friendship, both as to
origin and design. 1t is God in action as
well as word. Its existence is eternal its
score universal. 1t knows no Limitation
save the poise in attributes necessary to
perfect character 1t would itself be i'm.
possible in the absence of that perfection
Where earth fails miserablest, heaven is at
its mightiest Its refusal and neglect has
this for compensation, that the instant of
despair is the birth hour Of hope. When
anguished tears have ploughed fire channels
in the cheek; when there is no company,
no consultation, no compassion, no offer OF
sympathy or reiei, heaven intervenes.
The eternal stars shine out as
Soon as It is dark enough.
The incurable recognize the healer. Once
in touch with infinite compassion, gratitude
is everlasting. No treachery can thence
forth deceive, no illusion jeopardze. The
blessedness of having found, even late, the
one true Friend, mitigates the memory of
traitors. The friendship of heaven is unset
fish. The Creators happiness and glory
were Independent upon the creation. Alter
creation every claim for consideration and
kindness was lost, But in the face OF disas
ter wrought by reckless forgetiulness of all
his care and goodness, the divine heart still
felt for the miserable. The announcement
of Redeemer in the instant of transgres-
sion plainly proves that the foresight of
eternity provided tor the fall. His pity is
unmi xed, his benevolence unalloyed.
The strongest proof OF love is voluntary,
vicarious death. Several shining examples
of this extent of devotion are treasured in
the worlds record of Golden Deeds. In
some of these, even, the proffer was stimu-
lated by personal WEAKNESS of life, the pro.
posed substitution being supposed to OBJ
viate the odium of sell destruction. That
old lie of the devil, quoted from his lips in a
historical account in the Bible, but nowise
set down as truth, that man will give all
to save his life, is being reiuted daily. An
innumerable army OF martyrs to liberty dis
prove the vile heresy. Some who were their
comrades have, for the sake of selling little
dirt, eaten an infinite amount of dirt, or, to
gain favor, have repudiated a holy cause;
but the lapse of these mean sinks and
towards dims not the glory OF the immortal
Thousands of men wear out their lives for
the sake of their loved. A few devote dying
energy to the betterment of their kind
Other thousands are throwing away their
lives as not only worthless, but totally
insupportable. The occasion of suicide is
lack of self-reliance and trust In God. With
these, the misery OF existence could be en-
dured little longer. the end being always
so close at hand. But that one death for
enemies whose indifference to its claims
hardens with continued presentation, Is the
solitary spectacle of all worlds. 1t seems so
long ago that many treat it as vain tradi-
tiOn, an oft told tale that has lost its mean
ing Still, it is the only wonderous fact that
forever startles the amazed inhabitants OF
heaven, and that can savingly interest a
mortal soul. Saved men readily understand
why the righteous king OF old could not set
in order or remember one out of thousand
examples of Gods friendships. There are
some memorable instances OF special mercy
burnt into the heart. Alter these, uncounted
evidences fl for review when the head is on
the pillow. In all these, the tenderness OF
woman 10 nothing to the gentleness OF God.
Divine friendship is disinterested. Some
advantage through honor, or gain, or praise,
or, most of all, by possessing and holding
the object, is the secret motive which severe
analysis will reveal In most examples of the
human kind. A brother is very close But
| brothers have been known To be unjust, I'm
kind have been known to murder moth
er's son. The Scriptures hold up mother
love as the strongest example in the uni
verse, but yet admit that parental affection
sometimes fails "When my father and my
mother forsake me, then the Lord will take
me up" psalm 2710.) "There is a friend
that sticketh closer than brother" prov.
18:25.) Sticketh, waiteth, endu res, forgives,
blesses, as no brother ever did A brother
will cherish beautiful and sweet sister be-
cause che is beautiful and sweet, aud seal
up her memory in his breast. A father dotes
on loving and obedient son; but we are
not beautiful nor amiabe, yet the great
Friend loves US. The friendship OF God is
the last resort of sinful men. Sooner or later
the lesson is learned-"There's nothing true
but heaven The condemned criminal ca
gerly welcomes torn leai from the Bible.
The wasted life clutches at the hope OF one
short hour with God A wretched soul
turns-often too late from cheating devil
and deceitiul world TO Him whose bleed
ing mercy it has spurned thousand times.
Instinct and terror urge IL TO do this unman.
ly thing. 1t ought TO have chosen earlier the
only good in lie.
Let none of US disparage the interest and
kindness of such as love US. IL any OF you
think you have as many as two friends,
cherish them, love them dearly, serve them
sincerely, defend them valiantIy, and let
nothing but death part you And let none
forget that some who are enemies now once
claimed TO be friends" Treasure in your
memory every kindness received at their
hands, and forget every injury. Strive, now,
all the harder, TO do them good. They will
be dead, presently, and then you will be glad
TO find some reason TO speak in their praise.
Or, If you go down first TO the grave, the
last hour will be lightened with the thought
that you sought to overcome their evil with
your good Sometimes-for the Bible lays
it down only az general rule-you will
gain your reward "lf mans ways please
the Lord, he maketh his enemies TO be at
peace with him" But there are states OF
heart, and spirit agone-. and crises of ex
perlence, which defy all human help II Is
well for the tempted, the cross bearing, the
dependent, the desOlate, the heart broken,
the lonely, the deceived, the forsaken, the
almost hopeless, that there ia one Friend who
loves uDchangeably, loves TO the end