Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-12-18

iocs hhS utoncy. NOW nt - Just as poor
as the rest OF US. and he can no longer
live In line house or have his daugh-
ter taking music lessons or his son &c
to college" But let a man make a sue
cess; let him strike a big profit In a
real estate investment; let him have a
5000 income when we have only
$1,000 and II will take a mighty on
siaught o. Christian grace I'm our hearts
to throttle the demon OF envy gnawing
within our breasts Jonathan was a
true friend of David. He loved the
poet-statesman. the shepherd boy war
rior, in spite OF the fact that David
and not he. the natural heir. was to sit
upon Saurs throne. Many a poor man
ceases TO love his brother merely be-
cause that brother can now ride while
he himself is compelled to walk. Why
do state this TRUTH Because, my
nearer. want you to realize the reason
you dislike some OF the friends OF your
youth. 1t is not because they are un-
true to You. but you are untrue to them.
II Is not because you have made fail
ure that they refuse to have anything
to do with you. 1t is because they
have made success that you refuse to
have anything to do with them. Oh,
the poisonous fangs of Satanic enyyl
IT is fiendish enemy, which does its
deadly work in the poor mans hut as
well as in the rich mans palace.
Remember the Absent.
The true friend is never ''out Of sight.
out OF Iaind." His love can be likened
TO the trembling movements OF the
magnetic needle. No matter which
way the ship turns, that needle always
turns toward the north pole. No mat
ter which way the true friend goes.
his hearts needle always points toward
his absent brother. 1t can be Tkcned
to the echoing voice OF the photograph.
Some years ago when one OF the arctic
exploration parties set sail from its
home harbor the captain of the ship
carried In his cabin a photograph into
which his wife and little children had
spoken loving messages. Thus when
the captain had reached the home OF
the whale and the polar bear. had
reached the Land Of the Midnight Sun.
Land OF the Midnoon Darkness. he
heard there the voices of his dear ones
speaking as they were accustomed to
90 In his own sitting room. The pho
nograph of the heart should have a
faultless memory. No matter what we
do or how we should be absent from
our friends, We should still be able to
hear the old voices and, as in family
album. be able to see the dear, loving
hips just ready to speak.
But, oh, how easy It is to forget our
absent friendsl How easy to get care
less about sending the tender saluts-
tons OF affection which st. John sent
to bis beloved Gaius when he wrote.
Greet the friends by namer' How
easy when sickness comes or death
comes into the home to neglect the
written words OF sympathy! When
we are afar OF, how easy amid pressing
cares not to send the letter OF encour-
agement and advice and warning
which would help keep that young
man from turning to the left into the
path Of sin when he should keep
straight in the narrow path OF virtue,
Ny brother, are you doing your duty,
your Christian duty, to that absent
friend? You know you had a mighty
influence for good when you were by
his side Shall you drop that infiu-
ence for good merely because you can
not touch his hand or appeal to him ex-
cept through the influence of the writ
ten page?
Stronger Than Death.
True friendship is proof, also not
only against absence, but survives
death itself. The widow OF your friend
and his fatherless children. his brother
and sister and all whom he loved will.
IL you are true friend, have claims
on you which you will recognize When
David became king Of Israel, one of the
first things he did was to send mes
sengers through the length and breadth
or his Kingdom TO see II there was any
or Saurs family living to whom he
could show kindness, for his friend
Jonathan's sake. One was found, n SON
or his dead friend. BE was q cripple.
and David took him and made pro-
vision for him in his palace. He did
this for the sake OF his dead friend.
o brother, is there in your life friend
ship that death has sundered? Was
there some Jonathan who loved you
and whom you loved? Was there one
who helped you when you Were start
Ing In business or who stood by YOU i'm
some trouble? Perhaps that friend has
left a wife who needs help, a son who
is struggling with the world, a daugh-
ter who needs protection. Let your love
go out TO them in loving service. You
can do nothing for Jonathan dead, but
Tor those whom he loved better than
bis life you may do much. How better
can you prove yourself true friend
than by helping them for his sake?
he may be awaiting their arrival In
the land Of blessed reunion. Let them
90 there to tell him how your love for
him frightened their lives.
Thus the "love altar is not to be n
despised altar. We should love the hu.
nan race collectively. We should love
he Lord our God with all our strength
ana our neighbor as ourselves. But
nat does not mean all the members of
he human family should occupy the
same sacred thrones In our hearts.
Christ came to save a world, but Christ
again and again wendell hts way out
II Jerusalem over the Judman hills to
odce In Bethany with Mary ana Mar
ma ana Lazarus. who were his true
friends Christ came to save world.
'ut when he partook OF the last SUD-
'er he gathered about him the twelve.
wen though he knew one Of these was
traitor. Thus you should have your
acred friends In Christ. You should
lave those sacred friends as Paul had
hem and John bad them ana Peter had
hem We should have those Christian
riends about us who will lift us IN
instead or dragging us down--friends
Win whom we can laugh and sing and
omp ana play; friends with whom we
nm While away a vacation, but also
rue friends. with whom we can re-
dice In their prosperity, and with whom
We can weep over the casket, and with
ynom We can kneei I'm prayer-true
trends, who are true to us because
ney are true to Christ. Thus I bid
'ou do az st. John commanded Gaius.
Greet the friends by name" Greet
nem collectively. Hold fast to them