FRIENDSHIP

For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.

—Matt. 25:35

1788 Carrying Others’ Sorrows

Although the North American Indians had no written alphabet before they met the white man, their language was anything but primitive. The vocabulary of many Indian nations was as large as that of their French and English exploiters, and often far more eloquent. Compare the coldness of “friend” with “one-who-carries-my-sorrows-on-his-back.”

—United Church Observer

1789 Thank God For You

THANK GOD FOR YOU,

Good friend of mine.

Seldom is friendship such as thine;

How very much I wish to be

As helpful as you’ve been to me—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

Of many prayer guests, one thou art

On whom I ask God to impart

Rich blessings from His storeroom rare,

And grant to you His gracious care.

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

When I recall, from time to time,

How you inspired this heart of mine:

I find myself inclined to pray.

God bless my friend this very day—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

So often, at the throne of Grace,

There comes a picture of your face:

And then, instinctively, I pray

That God may Guide you all the way—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.

Someday, I hope with you to stand

Before the throne, at God’s right hand;

And to say to you—at journey’s end:

"Praise God, you’ve been to me a friend—

THANK GOD FOR YOU.”

—Joseph Clark

1790 Durer’s Praying Hands

From childhood Albrecht Durer wanted to paint. Finally, he left home to study with a great artist. He met a friend who also had this same desire and the two became roommates. Both being poor, they found it difficult to make a living and study at the same time. Albrecht’s friend offered to work while Albrecht studied. Then when the paintings began to sell he would have his chance. After much persuasion, Albrecht agreed and worked faithfully while his friend toiled long hours to make a living.

The day came when Albrecht sold a wood-carving and his friend went back to his paints, only to find that the hard work has stiffened and twisted his fingers and he could no longer paint with skill. When Albrecht learned what had happened to his friend, he was filled with great sorrow. One day returning home unexpectedly he heard the voice of his friend and saw the gnarled, toilworn hands folded in prayer before him.

“I can show the world my appreciation by painting his hands as I see them now, folded in prayer.” It was this thought that inspired Albrecht Durer when he realized that he could never give back to his friend the skill which had left his hands.

Durer’s gratitude was captured in his inspired painting that has become world famous. And, we are blessed by both the beauty of the painting and the beautiful story of gratitude and brotherhood.

—The Bible Friend

1791 The Shortest Way

H. K. Downie tells about a large newspaper that offered a substantial amount of cash for the best answer to the question, “What is the shortest way to London?” The entry which won the prize has: “The shortest way to London is good company!”

—Henry G. Bosch

1792 Best Definition

An English publication offered a prize for the best definition of a friend, and among the thousands of answers received were the following:

“One who multiplies joys, divides grief.”

“One who understands our silence.”

“A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.”

“A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down.”

But here is the definition that won the prize: “A friend—the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”

—Selected

1793 Tribute To Friendship

I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you;

I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me;

I love you not for closing your ears to the discords in me, but for adding to the music in me by worshipful listening;

You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You have done it just by being yourself.

Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all.

—Author Unknown

1794 Death Of Helen Keller’s Tutor

The story of two human beings came to an end. A drama of blackness. Yes, the blackest of the black—blindness—the absence of all light.

One of the world’s most renowned women was Helen Keller, that prodigy who lived and became famous—without sight or sound. But Helen Keller had another self, another half.

Anne Sullivan was born at Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, in poverty, in affliction. She was half-blind. Her mother died and she went over the hill to the poorhouse. Then, at the Perkins Institute for the Blind, a brilliant operation restored her sight. Thereafter she devoted herself to the care of the blind.

Meanwhile, down south a baby was born, a girl destined after early childhood never to see or speak or hear! Helen Keller. She came under the care of Anne Sullivan. In two weeks Anne taught her thirty words, spelling them by touching the hand. Under this system, Helen Keller rose to renown. Teacher and pupil remained inseparable for forty-nine years.

Time came when misfortune befell Anne Sullivan, who meanwhile had become Mrs. Macy. What misfortune? She became blind. And now, turn about, Helen Keller taught her how to overcome the lack of sight. She schooled her former teacher as devotedly as she herself had been schooled.

Finally Helen Keller stood at the deathbed of her other half. When it was all over, she said: “I pray for strength to endure the silent dark until she smiles upon me again.”

A drama of the dark!

—Selected

1795 Like A Gardern

Friendship is like a garden,

Of flowers fine and rare,

It cannot reach perfection,

Except through loving care,

Then, new and lovely blossoms

With each new day appear,

For friendship, like a garden,

Grows in beauty year by year.

—Anna Holden King

1796 Be A Friend

I went out to find a friend,

But could not find one there,

I went out to be a friend,

And friends were everywhere!

1797 Only God Gives A Friend

I think that God will never send,

A gift so precious as a friend,

A friend who always understands,

And fills each need as it demands,

Whose loyalty will stand the test,

When skies are bright or overcast,

Who sees the faults that merit blame,

But keeps on loving just the same.

Who does far more than creeds could do.

To make us good, to make us true,

Earth’s gifts a sweet contentment lend,

But only God can give a friend!

—Rosalie Carter

1798 Buddy-Buddy Among Creatures

On top of the Spanish Pyrenees may be found a magnificently beautiful but elusive mountain goat. It seems always to get away from shooting range. Why? It has a companion, a young goat, who follows and sounds the warning of enemies around it.

The rhinoceros has very poor eyesight. But its tough hide is infested with ticks—a delicacy to a certain little bird which rides on its back, feeding on the insects and alerting the rhino to danger.

Both the ratel, a badger-like animal, and the little honey-guide bird love honey. And so they go out together. The keen eye of the little bird quickly pin-points a beehive with honey, and the ratel’s powerful claws tear up the hive, making the honey available to both.

1799 Animal Cooperation

The animal inhabitant of the Pinna Marina is a blind slug or snail, which has many enemies, the worst of which is the cuttle-fish. No sooner does the pinna open his bivalve shell, than the cuttle-fish rushes in. How can such a blind defenseless creature secure food and protect himself?

Luckily there is a kind of crab-fish, with keen sight, who is a constant companion of the pinna. They live together in the shell that belongs to the pinna. When the latter is hungry, he opens his valves, and sends out his faithful companion to secure food. If any enemy approaches, the watchful crab dashes back to his blind protector, who quickly closes the valves as soon as his friend is inside.

On the other hand, when the crab has returned with food and no foe is about, he makes a gentle noise at the opening of the shell, which is closed during his absence. When admitted, the two friends then feast together on the fruits of the crab’s industry.

—Arthur Tonne

1800 Epigram On Friendship

•     Some people make enemies instead of friends because it is less trouble.

—E. C. Mckenzie

•     Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.

—Benjamin Franklin

•     An old friend is better than two new ones.

—Russian Proverb

•     Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.

—George Washington

•     When we lose a friend we die a little.

•     If you really want to know who your friends are, just make a mistake.

—The Bible Friend

•     So long as we love we serve. No man is useless while his is a friend.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

See also: Fellowship ; Hospitality ; Kindness ; Thoughtfulness.

G