The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-11-01

l&$A >nfS that 1t does not
zx7azx@E depend upon any
k94 ~ EES thing In us. Solo
mon says that
"Every man is friend to him that
glveth gifts" but we have nothing to
give to Jesus by which to merit his
friendship. Indeed, his friendship Is
especially offered to the poor, for 1t
is written in Isaiah, "He that hath no
money, let him buy" Neither Is there
any goodness in us to awaken his
friendship, for "while we were yet sim
ners Christ died for u.s." as Paul says
TO the Romans in chapter 5 Of his let
ter to them. 1t is just as we are with
out any claim or good deeds to recon-
mend us-with no friendship towards
God In our hearts and indeed, even
with enmity towards him, that he mani
tests his friendship towards us In his
son.
His constaney.
(2) Consider the constancy Of this
friendship which Is as Interchangeable
as the nature of God who Is "the same
yesterday, today and forever" We can
not trust In any earthly friend like
this or put confidence In any earthly
guide, for as the Bible says, "even :
son will dishonOr his father and a
daughter rise up against her mother,
and mans enemies are the men of
his own house." Job complains that
In his adversely his friends scorned
him, and few of us have not known
desertion under similar circumstances.
But Christ is "a friend who loveth at
all times and brother born for ad-
versity." Some time ago heard Of a
youth who had been driven out OF his
mothers home because Of idleness, but
there Is promise even for such as he,
since It is written in the 9th Psalm:
"When my father and my mother for
sake me, then the Lord will take me
up." The great Doctor Johnson used
to say that If mans friendship In
this world is to amount to anything he
must keep 1t in good repair. He meant
that we must make new friends as life
advances or else by and by we shall
be left without any. There Is much
truth in this. Where are the friends
of our budding youth, to whom we
told more secrets than our parents
knew? How many of them are forgot
ten and have forgotten us? But 1t Is
not SO with the divine friendship.
His Helpfulness.
(S) Then this divine friendship is so
practical in its helpfulness. In the
first place, 1t helped us out Of the death
of sin into the life Of righteousness.
It has redeemed US through the cross
from the guilt and power of sin. Again,
rs the Psalmist says, "God Is a very
present help in time of trouble" We
may come boldly to the throne OF
grace to find grace to help In time OF
need. "The Holy Spirit helpeth our In
trinity for we know not what to pray
for as we ought" Then God hath set
some in the church as 'helps," as we
learn in Paul's first epistle to the
Corinthians. What help do we find In
faithful pastor or Sunday school
teacher, or some other Christian lead.
er who has really within him the Word
of God and who is consistent In his
daily life? How we should thank God
for all these means Of grace which ne
has given us In our earthly journey
. And yet we have not spoken Of that
constant help we find in the reading
and study Of his Holy Word.
J His LsYItI.
(4) Finally Jesus is a friend of our!
who is not ashamed to acknowledge III
rs friends of his. Addressing his dis
ciples he said: "Henceforth call yo'
not servants, for the servant knowetl
not what his lord doeth, but l hav'
called you friends, for all things tha
t I have heard Of my Father / hav
e made known to you" The rich ar
ready to patronize the poor, and tn
learned to patronize the ignorant. Fo
q example, late philanthropist is sal
to have bestowed $1,000 day i
benevolences. There were many VIII
70 were pleased to Gull him their frlent
and doubtless he was gratified to be S
designated. But in how many case
would he have been prepared to retur
W the compliment? What proportion
~ those whom he helped would he hay
10 been disposed to introduce to his a
10 quaintanceship as his friends? The
!. were the objects of his charity. He WI
- interested In them, to be sure but th'
:, , was all. Oh, there Is a, great diffe
~ ence between your calling me yo'
Ds 10 friend and my calling you my frien
~ ~ But of Jesus it is written, But
y" ~ that sanctifieth and they who are san
"a titled are all Of one, for which cdu
- "a he is not ashamed to call them bret
~ ren." Surely this is friend to kno
- and to love and serve!