The English poet Thomas Gray caught a glimpse of the divine nature and origin of true friendship when he wrote, "He gain'd from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend."Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard; And Mrs. Eddy, the great prophet of this age, writes: "Pure humanity, friendship, home, the interchange of love, bring to earth a foretaste of heaven. They unite terrestrial and celestial joys, and crown them with blessings infinite."Miscellaneous Writings, p. 100;
True friendship, "a foretaste of heaven" brought to earth, is a spiritual relationship of beauty and joy. It may be asked how such a spiritual relationship can be brought to earth. How can it reach mankind from heaven? The basic elements of friendship are God-derived, Christly qualities, such as kindness and fidelity, honesty and compassion, love and loyalty. Therefore this heavenly relationship reaches mankind, is brought to earth, when men express these qualities.
God is an infinitely great friend of mankind, for infinite indeed are the ways and means by which He lovingly sustains, supports, and protects mankind. For example, we are proving daily through Christian Science that God's goodness rescues us from danger, comforts us in sorrow, brings abundance where there is poverty. Divine Truth gives us health where there is disease and courage where there is fear. Just as the children of Israel were fed as they wandered in the wilderness toward the Promised Land, so we, as we journey through the wilderness of the material senses into the land of Christian Science, shall be supplied by Truth today.
