Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-23
CONSULTATIONS WE'RE
OF FRIENDLY CHARACTER

Note again. how these TWO friends
we're planning together, not 10 inture
saul Jona,hans father. hut TO placate
him All OF their consultations were 81
friendly character. II was a serious
matter Saul had suffered his Jealous
spirit 10 become SO powerful that il
VAS beyond his control and there was
danger Of his killing David David did
not wish 10 he a coward, and vet he
did not wish TO put himself needlessly
in the path Of a wild man. Therefore.
ne and Jonathan consulted together
how they hes, might act. Consultation
is part Of friendship: my friend and
! Will talk together and see how VIC
can best overcome obstacles and meet
and solve problems. His sorrows and
TOYS Will ne mine and mine VIII be- his.
ard ne will draw nearer 70 each other
overcome. Never think that YOU will
prove your friendship ny keeping your
6!mcultles from your friend You best
r-ove your love by letting your friend
prove his and by seeking his help.
That is great ethical truth and
should be we'll recognized Sometimes
nc imagine that we arc kind TO our
friends In withholding from them our
reed II will cover UP my sorrows lest
my friend be saddened by them. I will
hear my burden and not let my friend
Re crushed by II even although It
brushes me" SO We reason and most
faulty 4 friend wants TO hear his
friends trials and he wants TO reason
1.ith him as to how best they can he
mastered Together, heart to heart,
.hey will go 70 conflict each feeling not
that re is lighting another's battles,
but that the others battles are his
own Oh. the JOY OF this opening Of the
heart 10 one who can be trusted! 1t
makes OF friendship An eternal thing.
OFT OF Ills FRIENDSHIP
love the way in which Jonathan
in Speaking to David speaks also. al
most in the same breath and as II were
unconsciously. to God. Read verse 10
and see how he seems to feel that il
does not make very much difference
whether he talks TO God or David be-
cause they are both so near and he
loves and trusts them both. II ] can
feel in the presence of my friend that
am near to God. then ! may be sure
that my friendship is rich and pure.
If can tell God Of my friendship and
ask him to bless it. then | may he sure
that Gods smile of approval rests upon
both me and my friend. We must
never shut God out from our friend
ships; three on earth may he counted
as crowd. but three when God is
one of the three must bring perfect
unity And associated with this comes
the mutual thought of God. think
the conversati on between friends con-
corning spiritual things and great and
enduring truths is most beautiful. 1t
need not be sober, in the sense of
gloom. nor need it be sad: ii is rather
looking up with the throbbing heart
which feels deeply and aspires to the
highest things, into the very blue Of
Gods never ending care and knowing
that He can never fail because He is
God.
EACH CARRIED OUT
HIS PART OF PLAN
One note more on this friendship.
namely the way in which each carried
ont his part Of the plan; David did not
fail Jonathan and Jonathan did not fail
David. The honest fulflment of
promise. no matter at what cost: the
exact bearing Of our part of bargain:
the conscientious fulflment OF an
agreement. these must enter into all
real and lasting friendship Sometimes
we think, In our foolishness. that he
cause a man is our friend we need not
be bothered as to an exact fulnlment
OF our part Of bargain. "Oh, he
knows me we'll enough: he knows I'm
all right; 1t does not make much diff
ference whether l do as said would
or not: he will understand it all" Per-