good of his fellow-men, to their uplifting, their
advancement, their education; to the liberation of the enslaved; to
work among and in behalf of the poor, the sick, or the fallen. All
suffering humanity has its interest for him, and makes appeal to his
compassion. Yet amid the world of those whom he thus loves and wishes
to help, this man will have his personal friends; and through the story
of his life will run the golden threads of sweet companionships and
friendships whose benedictions and inspirations will be secrets of
strength, cheer, and help to him in all his toil in behalf of others.

Jesus gave all his rich and blessed life to the service of love. Power
was ever going out from him to heal, to comfort, to cheer, to save. He
was continually emptying out from the full fountain of his own heart
cupfuls of rich life to reinvigorate other lives in their faintness and
exhaustion. One of the sources of his own renewing and replenishing
was in the friendships he had among men and women. What friends are to
us in our human hunger and need, the friends of Jesus were to him. He
craved companionship, and was sorely hurt when men shut their doors in
his face.

There are few more pathetic words in the New Testament than that short
sentence which tells of his rejection, "He came unto his own, and his
own received him not." Another pathetic word is that which describes
the neglect of those who ought to have been ever eager to show him
hospitality: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have
nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." Even the
beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven had warmer welcome in
this world than he in whose heart was the most gentle love that earth
ever knew.

Another word which reveals the deep hunger of the heart of Jesus for
friendship and companionship was spoken in view of the hour when even
his own apostles would leave him: "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now
come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave
me alone." The experience of the garden of Gethsemane also shows in a
wonderful way the Lord's craving for sympathy. In his great sorrow he
wished to have his best friends near him, that he might lean on them,
and draw from their love a little strength for his hour of bitter need.
It was an added element in the sorrow of that night that he failed to
get the help from human sympathy which he yearned for and expected.
When h