Arizona republican., 1904-04-25

"I have read and heard many dis courses as well as books concerning | the responsibilities of wealth, of pow | CT, of gifts and kindred other possess | sions but I fail to recall any words re- | garding the responsibilities of friend ship. Concerning this let me speak to you.
 "The Master had much to say con- corning this exalted virtue: indeed he placed it the highest virtue of the soul when he declared greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend
 If you turn to literature, for the highest examples you will read Cice- ro's De Amicitia.' or the words of Jeremy Taylor or the Merchant of Venice or better still that polished classic of the Laureate of England. In Memoriam, the very finest in all mod ern literature.
 But the loftiest ideal, the finest con- ception is found in the words and ex- ample of the Carpenter of Nazareth.
 We are familiar with the fact that in proportion to a bestowment is the responsibility. This is true of talents, of wealth. of education. not so much In amount of what is bestowed as the en-
 
 ship Is the relation between lives char acterized by common interests. made of the tough fibre of the human heart
 "A lover is not always friend. hap py that man or woman whose lover is at once a true friend.
 Both because friendship is one of the cardinal virtues of the soul and as we'll one of the three links of this or der represented here this morning I desire 10 suggest some of its entailed responsibilities.
 At the foundation of all true and worthy friendship is to be found loyal ty. You will recall the subtle s.gnif- canoe of this word, coming to us from the old French and implying peculiar fidelity under trying circumstances. The genuine friend is loyal Having accepted the friendship of person his interests become your own, and you may the sooner violate your own best good rather than your friends. In all the vocabulary of civilization there is no word containing mere disdain and contempt than that of traitor. And such Is one who forgets loyalty where friendship is involved. You are to re- member loyalty to ones good name. More often then we think Is the good name, the reputation of another in our keeping. Not the spoken word, not the intended meaning carefully con- cealed under fair veriage, but tho sec ornful toss of the head. the shrug of the shoulder, any one of these may brand us as traitors to a friend.
 You are to be loyal to tka confl- dences given to your keeping Having been communicated to. you double sacredness attaches to them because they are not your own. There is no r~ore despicable being crawls the earth than traitor, to ones country. organi- zation or friend. International law by which even nations at war are govern ed recognizes this and hangs a spy and traitor on the spot.
 "A friend is one fin whose presence we may think aloud, therefore are such thoughts sacred. When once ac cepted nothing can warrant a betrayal of your friends confideLCe. Not even betrayal on his part is sufficient for you to so steep your own soul In in- fanny as to violate confidence The presence and memory of true friend causes you to believe in tie human heart
 Friendship is characterized by con- stancy. "A friend loveth at all times Not alone when what he does nleases you when your ideas of right and wrong even cocincide but always friendship is constant. We choose our friends for what they are potentially md really rot for what they possess. In cloud and sunshine when the world speaks well of them and when it sneers or ignores them, in trouble, these are the times when your friendship is Of real value to another. Even a child may get on fairly well in the day time but in the dark or storm we are to re- main steadfast and constant to enc who trusts us.
 Constant also when wrong has been committed and your friend suffers for the transgression--for what is friend ship but to redeem men? Remember those words which have lost none Of their meaning during the dropping cen- turtles if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one ...s
 An abiding and stable friendshin is evinced by frankness or honesty. But frankness is far from brutality Much that is coarse and unworthy lacking in refinement and irreverent is often de- nominated frankness when in truth 1t is noting but brutality of the loves. type
 "Friendship Is no warrant for un- worthy intimacy of heart or purpose We may never presume upon our friends personality and privacy. Beech CT once said. 'it is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell a friend of his faults This even, this severe test of q genuine friendship may prove a tiger trap unless there be great wisdom and unquestioned love-
 ITO speak plain words 10 a friend even though those words may cause | pain because we regard him so highly that we cannot bear to stain upon | him is trre friendship. Sad indeed that | fa1,. roeeayo s,,ot, S-tn xD.