Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-07
love OF TWO GREAT
MENST|LL GLOWING
Ancient Passion Of David and
Jonathan Warns Cold Hearts
After Thirty Centuries
PASSION WAS IMMEASURABLE
Kindred Spirits, They Made Cow
enant of Friendship For Life
and Exchanged Robes
BY WILLIAM II. ELLIS

An ancient fire that has warmed
cold hearts through thirty centuries
is the glowing love of David and
that became one in noble passion,
| left this mortal sphere long, long
ago-before ever Greece had risen to
power. or Persia had begun her
world conquests, or Alexander the
Great had dreamed his imperial
dreams, or Rome had come into eX-
| istence. 1t was twenty-five hundred
years before ever America was
known to exist. Nations, cities, insti-
tutions and great men have risen
and fallen and been forgotten in
these three thousand years; but the
love of these two young men is still
a living force in the world.
Consider the wonder of it; twenty
five million persons of all ages, con-
ditions and races, scattered over the
whole earth, are to-day studying, and
being inspired by, the story of this
master friendship. Immeasurable is
the progeny of love that has been
begotten by this union of true hearts.
Thus the world reveals, by the value
which it places upon single story of
friendship, that it agrees with Rob-
ert Browning:
For life. with all it yields of JOY or
woe,
And hope and fear,
Is just our chance o. the prize of
learning Love-
How love might be, hath been,
indeed, and is"
Young David was a shepherd min
strel-soldier. He had won victories
over Goliath, over the PhilistineS,
and over the hearts of the people.
But the jealous heart of self-absorbed
King Saul was full of bitterness, hate
and murder towards MIN. The ruddy
young hero had been obliged to flee
from one of SauPs fits of madness,
and had taken refuge with Samuel,
lowed him thither and fell under
the spell of the man of God, David,
doubtless by SamueTs advice, Y re-
turned to Gibeah and sought out his
friend Jonathan.
Two Heroes Who Were Not Rivals
Everybody honors brave man.
And the greatly brave are also mag
unanimous. Petty persons cannot
brook a rival, but truly noble spirits
are above this feeling. Jonathan was
hero; he had proved it by his bril-
| liant exploit at Michmash. David was
hero; he had proved it by his battle
with Goliath. The two valorous young
men, as kindred spirits, warmed to
each other They made a covenant
of friendship for life and death, eX-
changing robes and perhaps blood
also, after the usage of the time
All, the chivalry and romance of
| youth! Blessed are the days before
calculating self-interest lays it's thrott-
! ling clutch upon the nobler passions,
when love appears to be as it is,
greater than thrones or praises or per-
sonal welfare. Only two young men
could have coVenanted so royalty as
David and Jonathan. The sages of
the court, whose heart fires had burn
ed out until they remained a heap of
cold, gray ashes, thought this alliance
foolish and imprudent and dangerous.
They had lost their highest wisdom
and vision, which perceives that moth
| ing else matters except love and honor.
| The Germans have g proverb, IF you
love me, and l love you, that is all of
| life" David and Jonathan reached
their height in this passion of friend
| ship that was great enough to con-
sumo the dross of suspicion and envy
| and personal advantage. Their COM
mon love meant more to both of them
than the plaudits of the people or the
occupancy of the throne of Israel.
On the Plane of Possibility
Great friendship is not possible to
small spirits. Only high souls, cap
able of sacrifice and service can
know friendship in It's truest aspects
Hero parts, like those of David and
| Jonathan, answer to each other as
deep unto deep. There is no plane