Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-02-24
THE LARGER RELATIONSHIP.
4 sussestie. or Two Suggested ~
the Universal Sympathy That
Crews Out of SUFFERING,

There is passage in THE Mill on tn
Floss" which will bear meditation
"Maggie's heart" writes Eliot. went
out toward this woman whom she had
never liked, and she kissed her silently.
IT was the first sign within the poor
child Of that new sense which is TIE gift
of sorrow-thst susceptibility to the
bare phases of humanity which raises
them into . bond Of living fellowship,
as to haggard men among the icebergs
the mere presence OF an ordinary COM
rade stirs the deep fountain of affec-
ton"
Behind all personal relationships
which men establish with one another,
there is the common bond of the uni
versal human relationship; this larger
fellowship inclosing all lesser fellow
ships, as the nation includes all shades
OF citizenship. All men and women Of
any sensitiveness put the highest value
on personal relationships, and coun
their friends among the foremost gifts
ofhfeand their friendships among their
invaluable possessions; but there are q
great many who never recognize in any
practical way the larger fellowship of
it were luxury to be priced and guard
ed like precious vase or a rare book,
and not a large, free, noble opportunity
for drawing out the best from another
and giving the best in return.
Our friendships are often selfish,
without our being conscious OF the fact.
We look to friendship as a fountain
from which only sweet waters ought to
flow; as tie which ought to bring us
only cheer, comfort and pleasure. But
friendship has obligations and duties,
and is to be sought, not only among
those who are by nature akin TO us,
and who, therefore, fall in with every
mood and respond to every emotion,
but among those who in many ways
may be personally distastefui. Most
men and women are thrown to a consid-
cradle degree with those to whom they
are not personally drawn; whose per.
sonality, manners, temper, or quality
OF mind repels rather than attracts;
and when intimacy with such persons is
forced upon us by circumstances, we
rebel against it as an intrusion upon a
domain over which we have alb
solute sovereignty. Such persons
are often put TO us in the place of
friends, and in positions in which It is
practically impossible not TO accept
them as friends. Our instinct tells us
that we have = right to avoid intima-
cies with all who are not thoroughly
congenial, but the conditions OF life
often contrsvene the instincts and
place US in intimacies without our will.
Under these circumstances II is pos
sible to take one of two attitudes; an
attitude OF unwilling acceptance, or an
attitude OF open-minded endeavor to
get the best out of an association which
we did not seek; to attempt to substi-
tute for the personal tie the universal
tie, and to treat our forced companion.
ship as chance 20 learn something
more Of our common humanity. II
one has the clearness of sight and the
courtesy of soul to accept an enforced
relationship in this spirit, it is
surprising how much he can
give and how much he can
get out OF that relationship. Out
or such companionships unsought and
reluctantly accepted, have sometimes
come the sweetest of friendships; and
in all such companionships there are
the richest possibilities OF mutual help.
fulness and therefore of common
growth. We cannot afford TO be self.
ish in the selection of our friends; if
we are, we diminish our own capacity
and contract our own resources for
spiritual growth. The strong nature
can afford to give where il does not look
for return; to develop an interest
where it does not instinctively feel
one; to foster a regard and admiration
where these things do not come of
themselves. IT owes, as matter of fact,
quite as much to the larger relationship
which is forced upon men by the mere
fact Of race-fellowship as it owes to
those carefully sought and piousiy
guarded relationships between man
and man which count for so much in
the joys and sorrows of life.-N. Y.
Outlook.
RAMS HORN RI.ASTS