p. 35 | Christ a True Friend by D. Downer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 29, 1875

Christ a True Friend.

By D. Downer

“There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

TRUE friendships can only be made between true men—those whose hearts are the soul of honor. Bad men may pretend to love one another, but their friendship is like a rope of sand, having no strength. If a man have a true heart, we may then confide in him.

Faithfulness to us in telling us of our faults is a certain sign of fidelity in a friend. You may depend upon that man who will tell you of your faults in a kind and considerate manner. Flatterers are the sweepings and offal of friendship; but give me for a friend the man who will speak honestly of me before my face—who will not tell one and another of my faults, but who will come directly to me, and say, You are wrong, and I must be honest and tell you—let us pray together. Such work will glorify God, and result in good. He who takes this course has proved himself a friend; for we never get any praise for telling people their faults.

Praise is a thing we all love. I met a man once who said he could not be flattered. I saw I could not flatter him directly; but in praising his team, children, and farm, I found that he was flattered. When I reminded him of his boast, he was offended. We all like the soothing cordial, only it must be minus the label, flattery. We have a religious abhorrence of it if it be called flattery. Call it by another name, and we drink it with as much relish as the drunkard his rum, and become no less intoxicated.

Now, child of God, has Christ ever flattered you? Has he not told you of your sins faithfully? Has he not pricked your conscience on what you have tried to gloss over—your little secret sins? Flattery, like Jonah’s gourd, is of short life, but we need friendship long. True friendship is like the strong oak which has stood for ages, that abides the tempest, and which after affording you a shade, will in old age furnish material to build you a house.

Aged reader, dare you doubt Him who has loved so long and truly? Oh! no; his friendship has been tried in many times of need. It has been matured by many tempests, and amid many sorrows. How many friendships are but the fruit of sentimentalism—not like the friendship of Christ, who loved us truly. He did not wink nor connive at our faults, but instilled into us wisdom. Oh! how lasting the love of Christ.

Real friendship does not consist in words, but deeds. I met a man who told me he had great affection for me, and he gave a certain reason. I told him his reason was false. The very thing you love me for I am not, and hope I never shall be. I cannot accept your love, then; for it is founded on a misunderstanding. Complimentary friendship is the criminal fashion of the age. This world is a great house of shame.

Again, purchased love is not lasting. Give nine times, then refuse the tenth, and your friend will hate you. The love you can buy for gold, sell to the first bidder for dross. But, O reader, Christ’s love was not purchased. He purchased us by his blood, and we bring him nothing in return but ill-spent lives. Men grow rich, and forget old friends. Not so with Christ. He was rich in the beginning with the Father before the world was.

Christ clings close to you, poor, trembling soul—the devil does too; he hates those who are loved of Christ. No place in the world is out of reach of Satan’s fiery darts. But in our best Friend there is safety. To mother, father, and friends, we may have to say farewell; but not to our best Friend. When others forsake, when others neglect and despise, he is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

There is no selfishness in his love. Remember he who follows Christ is not wrapped up in self, but is constantly doing good to others. How ready was Christ to forgive his enemies, and then help them! Listen to his words, “Follow thou me.” D. DOWNER.