Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-03-26
FRIENDSHIP.
To what Height IL May Rive shown
i'm Life OF the Friend of
sinners.

Friendship is to love in the human
affinities the same as adhesion is to Co
hesion in the ply steal ahinities. Ii is
not SO strong, though greater in its
range and similar in it's nature. Love
can hardly live without friendship; and
friendship is kind of phophorescent
love-the light without the heat. writes
Leander Turney. in the Baptist Union
Love seeks its competitions, friendship
its compliments. Human atoms group
themselves into social molecules ac-
cording to mysterious attractions, even
as the hypothetical atoms of the chem
list. Friendships are made at the behest
of love, or taste. or reason. Self-interest
may guide in the formation of associa-
tons, but not in the making of friend
ships These come from love when
tears. laughter, prayers or kindred reso-
lutions spring from two hearts that can
not be kept apart; or from mutual tastes
in the enjoyment of a dish game or an
art; or from the deliberate purpose of
an aspiring nature which learns to seek
IN others supply for its own deficiencies,
as the bee the honeyed blossom, the
stammering Moses his Aaron, the mother
OF Jesus and His beloved disciple. a
companionship made sacredly sweet by
their great grief and later their great
Joy. Friends should be chosen with re-
gard for themselves. aspiration for our
selves. respect for society and reverence
for God
Friendships should be conserved-by
arxra l..
nence; by cousiderateness. for both
friends must be served by the friendship.
by constant. though not too familiar. in
tercourse. because they who would Jour
ney far together would better walk than
run. Let 1t be rem % m bered, friendship
is not star unIuenchable. but a candle
that must be kept out OF the wind. AS
perfect music is not produced by an i'm
perfect instrument. SO there comes no
perfect harmony of friendship from bu
man nature. in which there is ALWAYS
something out Of tune--some discord of
pride. deceit OF ambition There are
beautiful! friendships in the world: but
Ike the eiories ftha child's bubble thew
are made % SucS AID nav be lost in a
moment. Therefore a true friendsbin
should NO IS 'ercerlv nursed AS an in
fant-for il is as frail as sweet as
darling. as fu'l of possibilities.
Possibilities? Measure them nv tho
ways in which n'cn can serve ono an
other nv ths need Of everv man for helm
from his feHovs br THE hequty of disin-
terestecness bv the nobility of self-sac-
rlhce. bv The greatness Of a sentiment
that can FORGET place sr6 blood in recoe-
niElng common humanity. He who
was the Friend Of sinners has shown n
what heights friendship NAV rise
Anpn trpt life
The call Of Cod il ever Tor an enlsreirp
life. The mission Of Jesus was TO bripo
the abundant life 70 every soul-jt is rot
stran2e that what We call the ..provf-
dences" OF Geo. oeton seem 10 be the mar
rowing Of life? How can he mean "en-
argemert when he tai es away tho
thlhes that seem 10 rs 10 have ministered
10 enlargement? when there seems TO
be narrowing Of life itseIf-cuttirq
away the hearts upon which We have
leaned; perhaps laying one aside from
active service! How can If he enIarea-
ment? Yet thai is. after all His mr.
pose In dealing with US all. He never
limits the life of ore of His children As
the cutting of the vine issues in larger
1ruitase. so the seeming limitations of
GOD ever lead 20 the larger Iife-if we
VIII Rave it so. Soul Of mine do not sigh
over what seems 10 thee the limitations
OF HE; listen ciosp!y-Fis voice is ever
calling thee 10 larger things. into III
le-ger life. None can limi; thee but tbvS