The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-30
OBLIGATIONS Of
FRIENDSHIP ARE
LISTED HERE
comradeship of David and
Jonathan Was the Real
Thing.
BY VIM. E. GILROY, ID. d.
Editor of The Congregationalist

Editor Of The C0ngregationalist
In Jewish and Christian circles
David and Jonathan stand as the
types of ideal friendship illustrating
TO the full the Golden Text of this
lesson, from Proverbs 1924: There
is a friend that sticketh closer than
brother"
Such stories would not be treasured
and have such widespread circula-
ton were it not that they express
an ideal to which something fine in
human life responds. Friendship is
holy and beautiful thing, for there
is something about it spontaneously
real and simply honest.
Blood relationship is a matter of
accident, or at least something over
which the individual himself has
had no control. We do not choose
our parents, neither do we choose
our brothers and sisters or cousins
Within the same family wide di-
vergencies of character, outlook anG
temper are often exemplified. The
strength of the sense of kinShip, in
spite Of these differences, is Sug-
gested in the proverb that blood is
thicker than water" There is, In
fact, something unnatural about a
man who does not feel the sense of
responsibility toward his own kin,
even perhaps where spontaneous and
genuine affection may not be pres
ent; though this responsibility in
itself creates, usually, an atmosphere
of affection in family life.
Even if one cannot choose his
relatives, one can choose his friends,
and where friendship is real it be-
comes in some measure an express
sion Of ones own character, for all
character is expressed in choice.
Where the approaches of friendship
are mutual, a force that is stronger
than almost anything else in the
universe results. There is nothing
that can destroy a friendship that
is true and thoroughgoing.
The friendship of David and
Jonathan illustrates also a charac-
teristic of friendship; namely, that
it Is often manifest under strange
circumstances and transcends stu
aitons of difficulty Surely it is in
teresting that David's most intimate
friend should have been a son of
Caul, the man who pursued him
with jealousy and kept his life in
almost constant jeopardy for long
period.
The friendship between David and
Jonathan reveals all the fine ele-
ments that enter into a true fell
Observation-Disclosures, age,
generosity. the mingling of life up
on a high plane in which friends
help each other to attain their mu-
tual and noblest aspirations. Friend
ship is exercised only upon a high
plane; common lusts and common
purposes of evil might bring men
together, but such association cam
not create anything worthy to be
called friendship"
It is said at times that there Is
honor among thieves" but in the
main the world reveals ON the
planes of low life the sordid and
cowardly way in which men of low
character will betray even those
with whom they are most intimate
ly associated where their own in
terests can be served. Friendship
is something higher and different
1t is the thing that is singled out
for the highest place by Jesus him.
self, for when he would emphasize
the privileges of discipleship and
the richest and highest thing that
he had to confer upon men he said
"Henceforth I call you not servants
but I have called you friends"