The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-09
International
SundaySchooLLesson
BIZ WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
For July II is, Jonathan Befriends
David II Sam 20.


For July II is. Jonathan Befriends /
David Sam. 30. /
The Friend Who Stands BY.
'I had friend was the cele- !
brated answer Of Kingsley. when asked
the secret of his success.
friend is the best fortune.
In a western city a lonely old mil
Honaire. made notorious by the mar
riage of his daughter to a foreign no
bleman, sits day by day in an aristo=4
cratic club repining bitterly to all who
will listen about his hard lot in life.
He has retired from business. has no
suits, and is now without home ties
or friends.
He has nothing but money.
Rightly, he calls himself the most
benoanS that he has not the courage
to end his own existence. For he has
not learned to live in other lives. In
youth, he had no high ardor of friend
ship; he was too busy making money
to bother about idealistic concerns
and now he is pitiable and friendlesS
old millionaire, who would give a for
tune fog a friend, or for a real interest
in life.
David and Jonathan. whose friend
ship the Sunday school millions today
study. are history's most notable in
stance of friendship between men.
They represent the chivalrous glow of
youthful ardor and unselfishness
which fulfilled to the second genera
ton it's pledges of devotion. All the
great qualities of friendship were in
this ideal union of two knightly hearts.
The story is the best of starting points
for a consideration of what Dr., H.
! Clay Trumbull called Friendship, the
master passion"
A Romance of Youth.
Usually the best part of a college
education is the friendships made be-
tween students, some of them lasting
turnout life. 1t is in youth that hearts
flake fire most easily, and glow with
| the noble impulses of love and patriot
ism. When a young person finds a
! friend, a kindred spirit with like
| tastes and interests and ideals, and
keeps that friendship in repair thru
out the years, he has made the richest
of all investments. To carry into age
the friendships of youth is one of the
wise mans rewards. No later fellow
ship can take the place of those
shaped and cemented in the plastic
years.
David and Jonathan united in q
covenant of friendship when they were
young. 1t was case of hero wor-
ship upon Prince Jonathan's part. His
| first vision of David was as the young
champion of Israel stood with &C.
iliaths head in his hand, His heart
tleaped with youths instructive adj
lmiration of great courage. David be-
came his hero, and he loved him as
he loved his own soul" What ire
Il mendous capacity for affection and
Admiration youth possesses! Jonathan
even Invested himself of his raiment,
Including his sword, that David might
wear it: for the surest mark of love
is that it delights in giving ind serv-
ling.
A dramatic element entered into
this friendship between David and
Jonathan. For by all practical con-
lsideret tons the two should have been
rivals. David was more popular with
1.-THE people than even King Saul, and
tit was plain to all that the crown of
Israel was destined to go to him.
Prince JonathanA however, was TOO
royal a soul to harber jealousy. He
was greater than his father in this;
for Saul was openly and insanely Jeal-
Fous of the young hero whom the ma
ition so loved. His son, however, cared
more for his friend David than he did
for a throne: he was the sort OF whom
poets sing, a friend to whom friend
ship meant more than any other prize
of life The lofty passages in Tenny-
sons tribute to his friend. Arthur
Hallam. well describe Prince Jena-
than, prince indeed.
I; The Test of Friendship.
For a friend one who is true friend
Twill Internationally do anything within
/ his power. even as Jonathan leopard
! lied his own life to save -David's. Nc
! nicely balanced Considerations of self
worldly wisdom enter into the things
of friendship.
During the war there was an I'M
portant service to be done in the south
for the allied cause: I CHANGED to be
consulted by the Byfish representative
concerned, who himself has no con-
) tracts in the southern states. After
hearing the case and the need, tele-
graz hed to friend in winston Salem
N. c., the one man in the country who
! in my Judgment, could meet the
emef geney. 1t was inexpedient to state
any particulars by wire: merely asked
: him If he could meet me and another
!, man on a given day in Washington
At once came an affirmative reply
, After twentY-four hours of hard trave
|. my friend appeared, not knowing why
, he had been summoned, but swiftly
loyalty obeying the call of friendship
, AS a result. he did a unique and val
: liable service in the allied interest
r And also warmed my heart with ar
: instance of the unauestioning, self
sacrificing loyalty of friend.
{ In these days of sag and slump
when sordid sensual sentiments seen
J fprone to displace the sublinaer pas
j sions, we dc we'll to recall the 1oya
friendships, the noble devotion, this
t shining self-saerifice of spirits al
3 about us. Still there are myrIads who
live by loves royal law. In life
as well as in Scripture, we find thai
| "A friend leveth at all times:
And brother is born fer adversely"
WhoSoever has seeing eyes may be
hold on every side, despite dishearten
ing reports from the divorce courts
that many waters cannot quencI
!. love- for, Love is strong as death