The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-31
By William T. Ellis.

Heart ties are StIOHSSoI 80
'Old Home Week." which is coming
so widely into vogue, gathers W1thlL
it's influence the busiest men OF the
time, who find it possible to lay aside
multitudeS of engrOSsing cares IN or
der to renew the sentimental assocla-
lions Of the fundamental, personal
human relationships. There is no
more appealing touch in the story OF
the travel of the great apostle Paul
than the narrative of how, when end
ing his third missionary trip, he could
not resist the opportunity to meet
again with his friends at Ephesus and
to bid them farewell. The episode is
traveller upon almost any through
train. For occasionally, at certain
stations, friends and kindreds will
come to greet Travellers, if only for a
few minutes Like a glimpse of the
old home through a train window, was
PauIs touch with Ephesus as he in
terrupted his journey at Mlletus.
Despite his cosmopolitanism and
craftsmanship and philosophy and
vast administrative cares, this man
Paul had time and aptitude for making
friends. He was more than a leader
and worker: he was a comrade and
counsellor. A flood Of light is thrown
upon his character by the fact that
when he started back to Jerusalem
on this third missionary journey he
was accompanied as far as Asia by
seven friends. Al Miletus the leaders
of the Ephesus Church came down to
greet him. The occasion was not
merely a formal recognition Of the
passing by of. the foremost ecc~lesiasti-
cal official Of the Christian community;
it was Paul, the fatherly friend, who
drew them.
The Personal Ties.
A boy would rather go to a circus
-:ooI I;r r~o ~ e 7 or
would rattle meet with an old friend
than see all the circuses that ever
came to town. AS we grow older he
personal ties become more precious.
Youth is interested in things: age is
interested in people. In early life we
do not perceive the supreme valude 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 q friend is
the best fortune. All the wonders of
the great cities through which he
Travelled meant less to Paul han the
glimpse of a familiar face and the
sound of a loved voice.
One of the b~y-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 in the COM
munity OF a ommOn labor for a COM
mon Lord he has been drawn close to
q of kindred spirits who he
discovers, are his best friends. Thus
he gradually perceiveS the profound
truth that one Of the greatest rewards
Of Christian service is Christian fell
IoWShip.- Not only has he been a
laborer together with God, but he has
also learned the privilege and delight
of being a labOrer together with Gods
other fellow 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 sec
ond is a common work. the third is
deliverance from a common peril, and
the fourth is loyalty to a common
friend. On this quadrilateral Chris
tians find themselves united in a COM
munity Of interest that constitutes the
strongest bond in the world. h
great combination of politics and of
business and Of self-exploitation all
AVE in them the elements of diSinte-
grafton; but the tie hat binds Chris
tians together grows stronger with
the passage Of years. In our own
day there is d~iscernible a tendency
to stress the sacredness and value Of
the Christian fellowship. The vari-
Gus bfetherhOOdS in the churches are
asking themselves the question:: Why
should not our Christian fellowship
mean more to us. by all practical
ways, lHdE the fellowship III any Sc
cret or fraternal organization, Or than
any Of those accidental ties of pro-
pinquity, politics, or business? When
the sense of her unity once possesses
the Christian Church.. she will move
with irresistible impact upon those
social evils which thus far nave pre-
sented an almost mistaken front to
the world.
The Korean Escort.
The Oriental custom, which is mar
rated in this passage in Paul's life.
Of conveying a friend on his way, has
persisted to this day. From Corinth
and Thessalonica Populations Of lead
ing Christians j~ourneyed part way
with Paul. Then. after his meeting