Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-05-18
YOUTH AND his COMI-ANlONS.
Ey Rev. ". ~. Rradneh

YOUTH AND his COAAI'ANlONS.
Ey Rev. ". n. RradneId.
The desire for companionship is in
st.nctive. BY nature we are social he.
ings. Is lation IS distastefuL The mar,
yelous growtL modern cities finds
It's philosophy in this fact The grow.t
is not modern, nor is it national; it
S a world-movemeIt. and began in tn
beginning. nor for reasons of afety,
nor for commercial reasons alone. but
for social reasons as well, the masses
flock TO great centers, 'Peop.e are
more company than stumps," said the
old Irish woman, who preferred beg
glng in the city TO comfort in the
country; ard this is well nigh the
whole philosophy of the growth of
cities. The desire for complnjoHship
Is peculiarly ms among young men.
They will h, '"ir companions, and
they ought.
Youth is the period for forming the
most lasting friendships. Youth is
open hearted and unsuspiciouS. Ones
life as a rule closes and grows sus-
picious with the coming of age. Youth
is the impossible putty on the board
of the glazier; age is the hardened,
unimpressible putty on the window
pane. So it happens that our fast
friends. our lifelong friends, are the
friends of our youth. The dead
line" is reached in The life of many
a minister. not because he studies less,
or believes less, but because he loves
less-finds it increasingly difficult to
take his people upon his heart and
number them among his personal
/ friends. -
The true basis of Friendship is COM
munlty of interest and participation in
life's best things. you'll not mind my
saying. will YOU" said an officer on
a British steamer. with whom Robert
E. Speer had declined to drink
you'll not mind my saying will you,
that never do really feel quite at
! home with men who will not drink
wiIh me-"
o young man. The tie of friendship
between many men is participation in
questionable things. He is my best
friend who will drink with me. Nay,
nay. The most enduring friendships
are those which are the "interlinking
| of life in its deepest and best things.
Comrades i'll war, who have borne
common burdens for the common flag
of their country; soldiers of the cross
who have endured like hardships for
their Lord-these are the best friends
and the inspiration, the tap-ro0t OF
their friendship is community of par
ticipation" in life's list things.
Ones companions should be by
choice and not by chance. John Yves
ley. his biographer tells us, entered
Charterhouse school saint and lef
It a sinner. No marvel this. for Yves
ley himself tells us that he had no
one religious friend am, ug his com
panions. 1t was different when Meth
odism's future founder went to OK
ford. He resolved. upon entrance, tina
his friends should be by choice and no
by chance.
In that resolution Mcthodism hat
| its birth. Soon young Wesley, by care
| full selection, was associated with re
| ligious young men. and their devotion
in the study of the Word and theil
consistency of Christian life won fol
them the title of "Methodists''- title
which 100000 of Gods children ar,
not ashamed to wear to-day. Yes, le
your friends be by choice. Know whC
they are. Exercise a prudent reserve
until you are assured of their charac
ter.
No influence is more vital In shap
ing our characters than that of oul
companions. 1t was a wise sayin:
of Euripides. Every man is like III,
company he is wont TO keep" Thar
of Cervantes was equally wise. "Tel
me thy companions and will tell thee
what thou art"
A greater man than all these ha.
said, EVIL communication corrlp
good manners" The pity is that thl.
corruption is often, in it's beginning
/
spiritual fiber through impure asso
Citations is often an unconscious loss
Sampson, after his unboiy companion
ship with his deceiyer, said, II will e
out, as at other times before, ant
shake myself" Alas, and he wis
not that the Lord s departed from
him" So pivotal moments come II
! the lives of men. Crises are to bC
faced, and they say, Il will go ont
a. at other times before. and shak,
| myself" and discover, because Of thell
unholy associations. they have power
neither with God nor men.
OF what incalculabe blessing, on tn,
other hand, is a noble friend. What
an anchor TO "tie to-" How he stead
les us! How he discovers us e
ourselves! There is power in love,
said Emerson. ito discover another
destiny better than that other can, ant
by heroic encouragement hold him tC
his task
o young men. there IS a Friend
that sticketh closer than a brother
/ jesus CASiS' ne discovers US 10 our
| selves. He iscOvers our immorta
destiny better man we ourselves can
He would. by the heroic encourage
ment of his deathless love. hold us 4
our task. However good you are, ht
tells you that there IS yet better mar
within you. However bad you may
be. he tells you that there Is the 20
tency Of a saint within you.