The Alaska citizen., 1916-05-15

. NJ man cln set away from .. :, the prayers of his mother . n Q ! Q . ; Q 9 0 c Q c o Q Q THE FRIENDSHIPS OF JESUS.
 Having loved His own which Were in the world, He loved them unto the end" John l,
 To all the unique characteristics of Jesus We are plaese} to adj that cf His friendships If the cords Were as strorg as steel they wcr" alao a. sot as silk. Once men had passed uudar His great influence they were wiling and ready to die for Hinl The human heart was made for love and soon or late it must break its alabaster box upon the mead of the subject of it's de youon- Even the animals in dumb ness and spoechlessness crave an opportunity to spend their strength for those whom they have learned 10 love
 Fr.eudship has all its degrees of urerau.e. Sometimes it is unequal and one gives much and receives Ittlc in return Now and then a friend appears who declines all, and z-sos everything.
 Tie friendship of Jesus is all the more alluring when We take ac- count of those whom He chos" to be with Him. All were plain, working men. Jesus through three wears gave the best of His life 10 these men. and at the end they were Vet uncouth and unworthy of such a Teacher. John the disciple ot love was harsh. and would call down fire from Heaven to destroy. James WAS selfish and entered into a con test with his brother to secure the best and highest offices And as fir Peter. he denied his Master and sworc with oaths that he never had known Him. And as for Judas, he betrayed Him for money at the time when he owed Him a supreme debt. But there are no perfect men. Thus over against the perfections of Jesus men seemed rude, selfish, untutored a mass of corruption. Under the microscope the most delicate cam bric needle ie seen to be rough, and lined with holes of rust Jesus with His luminous intellect, Ills supreme leadership, gave Himself with unstinted affection to this lit tie group of working men, and tried to form of them a cabinet that would carry on His teachings to the world
 The basis of the friendship or Jesus was deeper than what men see on the surface of a life When We realize how man has conquered fire water. wind. and electricity we look with admiration. He whis- pers into an instrument and IL IS heard in a distant continent He turns a tube toward the stars and searches out their secrets. He com mands the animals and they become his burden bearers In these hours man seems most like god But there comes a time when the face is turned toward the crowd Of the great city. Passing before the gaze is mass of humanity. On the brow is the mark of the beast. In the hand hides the dager Of tn" assassin. Ragged are the garments and untutored the mind, and no man cares for the soul Conscious of the revolution, he now ranks man with the serpent that craWls' the animal that snarls, But Jesus judged righteous judgment He knew what was in man. When men would have stoned a woman, He said. Let him that is without sn cast the first slone.' Memory flashed q motion picture. and they began with the eldest and sneaked out of Ills presence But Jesus turn ing to the woman, with pity and forgiveness whispered, Made in the image of God" and sent her away not only forgiven but filled witt i!nmeasureatle hope.
 I. The Friendship of Jesus was net influenced by conditions Of wealth, or poverty, office or oo scnritv. Exterior conditions did not has Jesus mind like the needle is deflected by the steel in the vessels cargo. To be sure, this is contrary to others. For men are influenced by gold position, authori tv We have all seen men bow to the millionaire and kick the began into the street. Shakespeare makes his heroes and heroines tc he kings and princes. No Homer ever wrote an epic upon the slave or the gladiator. But Jesus chose His friends from the huts and homes where character counts. and foun' them among the rich and poor alike He was the guest of the rich mar simon. even though He must admin ;c+ar rebrke while in his house