The Washington herald., 1909-08-28
Friendships. Reward of Service.


Earewclls' Acts xx: 2-3s.
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Heart ties are strongest The "Old
Home Week" which is coming so widely
into vogue. gathers within it's influence
the busiest men Of the time, who find IT
possible TO lay aside multitudes OF en-
crossing cares in order 20 renew the senti-
mental associations OF the fundamental,
personal, human relationships. There Is
no more appealing touch In the story OF
the travels Of the great apostle Paul than
the narrative OF how. when ending his
third missionary trip. he could not resist
the opportunity TO meet again with his
friends CT Ephesus and TO bid them fare
we'll The episode Is quite like what may
be seen by a traveller upon almost any
through train. For occasionally. at GER
tain stations. friends and kindreds will
come to greet travellers. II only for a
few minutes. Like a glimpse OF the old
home through a train window. was Paurs
touch with Ephesus as he interrupted
his journey at Miletus.
Despite his cosmopolitanisn and states
manship and philosophy and vast admin
istrative cares, this man Paul had time
and aptitude for making friends. He was
more than a leader and worker; he was a
comrade and counselor. A food OF light
Is thrown upon his character by the fact
that when he started back 10 Jerusalem
on this third missionary Journey he was
accompanied as far as Asia by seven
friends At Miletus the leaders Of the
Ephesus church came down TO greet him.
The occasion was not merely a formal
% nNrerr nTr ~ a
foremost ecclestical official Of the Christ
ian community; II was Paul, the fatherly
friend, who drew them.
THE PERSONAL TIES.
boy would rather go to a circus than
see friend; his grandfather would rather
meet with an old friend than see all the
circUses that ever came 70 town. AS we
grow older the personal ties become more
precious. Youth Is interested IN things
age is interested in people In early life
we do not perceive the supreme value OF
the associations that we form and Of the
friends that we make This Is a lesson
that IS taught only by time A wise old
man knows that a friend Is the best for
tune. All the wonders Of the great cities
through which he travelled meant less 70
Paul than the glimpse Of familiar face
ana the eOQuQ OF 4 lONeQ VOICE
One of the by-products OF service is
fellowship. The person who goes into
Christian work does not reckon with this
factor at first. but as the years pass he
finds that I'm the community Of a common
labor for a common Lord he has been
drawn close 90 a company OF kindred
spirits who. he discovers, are the best
friends. Thus he gradually perceives the
profound truth that one of the greatest
rewards Of Christian service IS Christian
fellowship Not only has he been a la
borer together with God, but he has also
learned the privilege and delight OF being
a laborer together with Gods other fell
low-workers.
Dean Bosworth. Of Oberlin College. has
said that there are four things which bind
men most closely together; the first is a
common hope. the second is a common
work. the third is daliverance from a
common peril. and the fourth Is loyalty
20 a common friend On this quadrilateral
Christians find themselves united in a
community OF interest that constitutes tho
strongest bond in the world. The great
combination Of politics and OF business
and Of self-exploitation all have In them
the elements Of dislntegration; but the
tie that binds Christians together grows
stronger with the passage of years. In
our own day there IS discernible "A tend
ency 20 stress the sacredness and value
OF the Christian fellowship. The various
brotherhoods I'm the churches are asking
themselves the question: Why should not
our Christian fellowship mean more to US
IN all practical ways. than the fellowship
IN any secret or fraternal organization
or than any Of those accidental ties
Of propinquity. politics, or business
When the sense Of her unity once pos
sesses the Christian Church. she vii
move with irresistible Impact upon those
social evils which thus far have presented
an almost mistaken front to the world.
THE KOREAN ESCORT
The Oriental custom, which Is narrated
IN this passage in PauTs life, Of convoy
ing a friend on his way. has persisted tC
this day From Corinth and Thessalonics
deputations Of leading Christians Journey.
ed part Of the way with Paul. Then, after
his meeting with the Ephesian elders al
Miletus, they brought him on his way
unto the ship" One OF the delights oi
japanese social lie IS the custom OF es
corting 10 the train one who Is about
TO take a journey. and Of meeting him ir
force when he returns Repeatedly have
seen large deputations Of japanese al
the train to bid welcome or farewell tC
travelling friends. Two young womer
from America had gone 10 Japan 20 joir
the Southern Methodist mission at Hiro
shims, and they we're greeted at the sta
tion by a company OF no less than 30
persons.
One morning I left the city OF Pyenl
Yang. in northern Korea, long befor,
daylight 70 travel through the wintry
darkness to the railway station. som,
three miles distant: II was a time wher
one would be tempted TO sit as close e
his own fireside as possible; yet simply
because I had been introduced to them a.
Christian man, nine Of the officers o
the Korean church took this long jour
ney through the darkness and the cold
in order TO bid me go on my way Fl
peace. Only those who have experienc,
Il can know how such signs OF FELLOWSHIP
warm the cookies Of a mans heart.
meant more TO Paul than even the heart
break in the narrative reveals, to hav,
the little reunion with his Ephesiar
friends as he journeyed on to Jerusalem
and TO the unknown fate before him.
POINTING TO THE PAST.
Strong with the most unassailabl,
strength is the man whose record vii
bear inspection. Innumerable men hav,
been halted in their careers and baked II
their ambitions by the rising up before
them, as ghostly spectres, OF an unfortu
nate past When. In a recent American
election OF available candidates for thl
Presidency was UP. the name OF a certain
able statesman was frequently brough
forward by the uninitiated; but the wisel
politicians shook their heads and said
mo. his record IS vulnerable" Happy Il
the man who can point to his past as hii
own vindication. Every man quitting
post, be Il the Presidency a pastorate
clerkship or a Job Of gardening. shoulC
be able to say. There is my work. In
Epect it. 1t is my best testimonial"