The Morris County chronicle., 1904-02-05
EPwoRTH LEAGUE.
Feb. "a. "RenI Friendshfp."--I Sam
xx, 1-23.


xx, 1-23.
jonathan and David how long these
names have stood for manly friend
ship. How simple and touching is the
story of their regard for each other.
and what help it has been for ages
to young men who have formed their
companionships on its model!
Who can help liking that manly
young prince? If it were possible, he is
the more attractive figure of the two.
Is he the elder? 1t would seem so,
since he was soldier of valor before
David came to the camp. 1t was JOna
than who began the battle with the
Philistine garrison at Michmash and
single handed overcame so many that
the whole army fed Perhaps it was
this very element of soldierly courage
which attracted the two young men to
each other. David's defeat of Goliath
would appeal to Jonathan's admiration
and test his manliness. 1t would show
him at once the strong claims David
would have on popular favor and
awaken in him feelings of jealousy as
he saw his own merits overshadowed.
or it would arouse deep sentiments of
friendliness and personal attachment
to the young champion.
Jonathan was of noble mold. He had
all the valorous instincts of his father.
Saul. but none of his moroseness and
morbid jealousy of superior ability.
Even when Jonathan saw clearly that
David's advancement meant his own
retirement and would also involve the
succession to the kingly dignity he new
er swerved in the least from the
straight path of generous fraternity.
1t could not be that he despised the
kingship. He was too much a patriot
for that and too true a worshiper of
Jehovah not to prize most highly the
opportunity such position would give to
serve his God and brethren. No. it was
not lack of appreciation of the place
but it was a nature too large to be ca
pable of coveting for himself a place
which he knew another could fill more
ably. This is one of the severest trials
of friendship. How rare is it to find
nature so generous that it can and
does prefer others to itself when hon
ors and advantages are to be distribut-
ed. Rivalry is fatal to fellowship. and
the only antidote to the spirit of jeal-
ousy is a generous subordination of self
and pressing the merits of another
''ln honor preferring one another is an
injunction of the Apostle Paul. No
more genuine example of it can be
found than the young Hebrew prince
Jonathan.
But friendship needs two of kind
David is worthy of Jonathan. Both
had an element of real godliness and
felt true reliance upon Jehovah. Botll
were filled with zeal for the liberia
ton of their land from Philistine ruler
ship and believed that Jehovah would
accomplish the deIiverance of their
people. Both were Injured to hardship
and enjoyed the manly sports of the
times, as is shown by Davids use of
the sling and Jonathan's use of weap-
ons. One was a skilled musician with
native talent for the melodies of shep
herd life and possibly for the heroic
tales of tribal warfare. but surely with
skill in religious music Most intuen-
tial of all, David had a broad gener-
Gus nature, capable of receiving honors
and not being spoiled by them. AFRO
gance is the danger in unusual promi-
nence. Egotism and selfishness trip
many feet which tread pathways of un-
usual height David kept the simple
ity of the shepherd boys heart in camp
and court. He was tiustable
Whoever would find real friendship
must first make himself such as he
desires another to be. 1t is deeply
doubtful if the true development is
possible to any one except as there is
first an element of fidelity to God cul-
tivated.