Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-01-26
"DIylNE COMPANIONSHIP"
Al Eloquent Discourse By Rev. Charles
a; 3. Benedict.
Msl.s q Beautiful Commentary on the Brief
est Yet Most Comprehensive
Biography Ever Written.

ieth avenue, Beusouhurst, preachei sun.
lay morning on Divine Companlonsh'p,,
Che texts were from Genesis WA: "Enoch
walked with God. and he was not, for God
,ook him." and Hebrews Xi5: "llefnre his
translation he had TINS testimony, tnat he
),eased Cod" Mr. Benedict said
This is one of the brefest yet most com
Jehensive biographies ever written. These
passages, containing twenty-three words.
.ell us about all we know concerning this
nan Enoch, Imagine the story OF your
lie tod in three sentences, He walked
With God. he pleased God and he was
translated. This is the record of Enoch's
ife 1t reads more like an epitaph than
biography, yet would rather have those
irst two statements true of my life than
20 have the most eloquent tributes or Ell TO-
yistic praises ever written or spoken by
men. To walk with God and to peasv
9m! DO you know of anything more de-
,rable?
1t is said that a mans walk is indicative
# his career Manner and gesture are an
ndex to character. 1t is possible to make
III estimate approximately correct OF the
,ype of men You meet on the street by not
~ the poise and bearing of the average
pedestrian. One walks with firm, quick
,tep, head erect, shoulders back, and you
eel instinctiye,y that lie is an energetic
'eso,ute, self respecting man, bound to sue.
,eed. Another shamhr- Ivy with shiftless
gat, dragging his feet rather than lifting
hem and YOU put him down for loater,
A third ghdes along uoiselessly, threading
his way in and out among the crowd, and
you know intultlve,y that he is sly,
,cheming triclSter. Another walks with
unsteady gait, stepping carefully, as II the
pavement were rolling and humping against
his feet, and as with plying glance YOU
watch him stagger along you say, The
poor fellow is drunk So a mans gait be.
trays him, His walk signifies the manner
of his life
One is likewise known by the company
he keeps. We are largely what our friends
and companions are. Tell me the sort OF
persons with whom you associate. IN whom
you confde to whom YOU 60 with all your
troubles and with whom you share your
every joy, and will have no difficulty in
Estimating your character. 10 retain pur.
ity of character ii ones associates are base
md isnoble is an imposSihlhty. And 1t
would seem equally impossible to live an
impure, vicious. wicked life ii all our aSso
,iates are noble and vlrtuous. We are in.
, auenccd uncons lousy by the words aud
actions of our friends Like the Chame-
leon. we take on the hue OF our surround
,ngs and reflect the likeness of our com.
panIons.
lions crd,cs rompanlonshlp, From The
ginning il WdS So. God saw that 1t vas No,
good Tor man to he alone, so He gave hlju
companion and hclpmCct We Al" so
constituted that We must have some one
with whom to share our happy hours,
come good, true friend who enters into
,ur experiences with sympathetic appre.
,ation, whose heart aches III our sorrow
and reJoceS IN our JOY.
The straugest truth contained IN all
God's wonderful volume OF truth Is that
lie who created the unlverscs, the Lord
God Omnlpotent whose wisdom is omuS
/ cencc, whose goodness j. perfection. whose
name is love. that lie should coudesceud
to become the companion and associate Of
man, His creature ! aaii that this J., he
strangest truth. Let me take It back,
There Is one truth more a,tound MG yet
IT'S thiS--that man should refuse the
friendship and diSdaIn the companion>'Hp
OF Jehovah, his God.
OF all the divine hum-atlous what con'H
he gclter than thl,, that He should seek
the friendship of mortal man and find 4
not That He should offer himself tor n'
,oscst and most intimate relationship, ~
companion ion ite'- pilgrimage, romrade
for lIfCs struggles, All associate and rNnh
dant amid all htc's changing scenes, and
yet be rejected
nc lIONht i ana ni~ ever cen " tl''
men have rejected God tia, they love We
darkness rather th'n III" hight hr.dG.t
their deeds are evil. FDom the oHeDlr2
chapters OF human history unit nav II
has been true that mdn. IA" creature. has
been out of harmony with Gnd. the ttet
tor.
It is refreshing, therefore, to find in the
inspired record amid the grucatoglcS OF
ancient nohodleS who lived long, bore chi
dreu and eventun''y died. the story Of one
holy life a man who wa'ked with Cod AVID
who pleased Cod From tins fragmentary
sketch OF Enoch's lie, reading between
the lines and penetrating beneath the SUI
face of the words which contain his bio
Graphv, we may discover some hc'p!u5
truths concer ing divine Companionshlp.
To wax with God implies, first Of al
reconciliation with tod. Mao by nature !.
not on good terms with his Maker. Time
was when the most loving intimacy and
harmonious relationship existed between
them Adam walked with God in the
garden in the cool Of the day Not be
fore Him as herald, nor h"hind Him as 4
slave. but beside Him, as His companion
and | had almost said His equal But
something came between them. They had
a falling out A. one ha., expressed it,
"Sin came aud opened the mighty chasm oi
separation, and since then the cdrndl mind
has been cnmitv against God.
The Fathers heart has vearned for rec
Onciliaton. but how could reconciliation
be made, The heart of man was wh",..v
estranged. An impossible gulf yawneA
tween hun and his CREATOR He had
sinned against Divine Majesty and for
feited the Divine favor, But
The love of God is broader
Than the measure of mans mind;
And the heart OF the Eternal