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About Friends

Improvement Era, vol. 7, no. 1, November 1903, p. 30

O. S. Marden

30 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

is good in all creeds, but the little truth contained in each is so enveloped in a mass of tangled misconceptions and false ideas, that the advocates of these various creeds become like Gratiano, the ancient proser, who spoke an infinite deal of nothing; and whose reasons were as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; "you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them they are not worth the search." Truth brings unity, and unity strength and power. Let us all work for the advancement of truth, that God's purposes might be fulfilled in the earth, and that the truth may become a greater factor

in the world than it is at the present time.

ABOUT FRIENDS-

Those who would make friends must cultivate the qualities which are admired and which attract. If you are mean, stingy, and selfish, nobody will admire you. You must cultivate generosity and large-heartedness; you must be magnanimous and tolerant; you must have positive qualities; for a negative, shrinking, apolo- gizing, roundabout man is You must cultivate courage despised. and boldness; for a coward has few friends. You must believe in yourself; if you do not, others will not believe in you. You must look upward, and be hopeful, cheery, and optimistic. * * * * If you are selfish, and think of nothing but your own advance- ment; if you are wondering how you can use everybody to help you along; if you look upon every man or woman you are intro-

duced to as so much more possible success capital; if you measure people by the amount of business they can send you, they will look upon you in the same way. If you have friends, don't be afraid to express your friend- ship; don't be them that you admire or love them. afraid to tell If you love anybody, why not say so? If you enjoy anyone's company, why not say so? It costs you nothing; it may mean everything to your friend, and to your friendship. — 0. ^'. Marden,