The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-03

The desire for companionship in man,
writes Grace L. Hill, in the New York
Mail and Express, is innate. Society 10 Q
strata of different grades OF companion.
ship, those in the lower stratum always
seeking TO be recognized as Of, and to
mingle with, the one higher than itself.
The struggle to get to the top IN the mat
ter OF friends is going on the world over.
One stratum is marked by its distinguished
family and the number OF centuries back to
which il can trace its ancestors. The sand
of another stratum glitters with the gold
that il possesses Still another counts its
worth by the daring deeds that it has done,
and another measures man only by his
intellect Whichever be our ideal, into the
companionship of those who best repre-
sent it, We do not cease to attempt TO
climb.
Hush, pray you
What if this friend happen to be-God!"
says Browning. Can higher friendship be
desired! And il the highest is obtainablc,
lower?
And yet 40 pcrverse Is the human heart
that the majority o! those to whom il 10
offered shrink from a close and intimate
companionship with God.
"You do not half know her just by meet
ing her for an hour" said one the other
day about young girl; You need to live
with her every day, to watch her in her
work, to see how charmingly and unself-
ishly she takes every happening OF life,
to catch her smile and watch the light
play in her eyes, and then you cannot fail
10 love her. To the outsider she is merely
a rarely lovely being, distant and unap'
proachablc."
And 30 it is with Jesus. To get to know
Him AZ He is we must be with Him, talk
with Him, dwell with Him.
But how can this be attained by NOR
tais? II sounds plain enough, but spiritual
communion is strange and mystic thing
to matter-of.fact people.
Some one once asked this question OF
Henry Drummond during a conference at
Chautauqua, and his answer was somewhat
like this:
"Put it on the basis Of an earthly friend
ship. Friendship is the sweetest earthly
thing that God has given us, and He meant
it to be q picture OF the heavenly. When
you are introduced to man you 20 away
thinking about him. The next time you
meet him you are, more interested m
him. You admire him. You talk with
begin to desire to be in his company, you
invite him to your house, you accept his
invitations, you grow more and more 70
think like him and to desire to be with
him. BY and by he dominates your every
thought. II he has returned your friend
ship fully you consult with him about
your business, your pleasures, in short,
your whole life is open before him and
you would no more think of making move
without consulting him than you would
cut your hand of. You trust in his wis
dom and love for you. Now just so with
Jesus. Cultivate His friendship, 50 freely
offered. Go apart by yourself and spend
q little time in thinking OF Him every day.
Kneel down and talk with Him a. you
would talk with new friend. Open your
Bible and let Hin, talk with you. Think
much Of Him and His ways as you 50
about your daily work. Return to Him
whenever you have leisure. Try to do
what will please Him"
Hugh Black says: I've can enter into
friendship through the door OF disciple
ship; We can learn love through service,
and the day will come to Us also when
the Masters word will be true, j call
YOU no longer servant, but l call you
friend His love will take possession OF
US till all else seems as hatred in COM
parison."
Constant companiorship brings likeness.
Many a husband and wife grow TO look
alike. IL this, then. the explanation why
70 many Christians are SO far from bear
ing any likeness to their Father, because
they abide not in Him, and His Spirit 70
not in them?
The spirit that is in q man forms the
lines upon his face. Does the Holy Spirit
form the lines upon our lives? What 10
the test? IF man love Me he will keep
to
"The task of life becomes to keep step
with Him, 80 that there may be corIe-
spondence between the outer and the inner
conditions of ife."-Hugh Black.