The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-08
The OLD AND THE NEW
MODERN Times Far in Advance Of The
Ancient Ignorant Days.
ABOUT JACOB AND EsAU
How Trickery and Deception Was
Praotlcsd During the Primitive
Era-Rev. Mr., Shepard's Eio-
ouent Lecture Yesterday.

the congregational cnurcu preached an
interesting sermon this morning on the
lives of Jacob and au, and drew the de-
duction that the new world is better than
the old.
The world is growing better in thous-
and ways, no said. 1t has its dark side,
but no one IS forced to stand and gaze
upon this darkness until the soul is COW
cred with the clouds OF pessimisni.
Humanity may climb the foothills and
toll on toward the summit OF Christian
achievement, or It may creep and crawl in
the dark morass of unbelief against the
wisdom and mercy of God and the Faith
er's love for his children till this self
chosen abode imparts to the soul its pes
tilential gloom. The rising sun lof pros
perity and happiness sends q few bright
rays down even to tho lowest foothills,
and shines with ever increasing light upon
tho pilgrim as he travels toward the
heights above. I believe that this is true
in modern times, of business, of society
and of religion.
The pessimist denies this view. He
says that the world is growing worse, that
triclcry and opposition rule our age,
while candor and fair dealing and hu-
mainly are forced to yield to these I'M
christian practices in state aud church. l
think that old testament history goes far
toward refutation of this discouraging
comparison between the past and present.
Honest mon are not all dead; and dead
men were not all honest. The modern
world has not originated fraud and
cruelty, nor is this world entirely wanting
in encouraging improvement on the past
in justice and in mercy.
King Soloman died nearly 1,100 years
before the birth of Christ and his son was
about to become his successor as ruler.
Jeroboam and all the people came to
Rehoboam and said '.Thy father made
our yoke grievous; now therefore make
thou the grievous service of thy father
and his heavy yoke which he put upon us
lighter, and we will serve thee" and
Rehoboam sent six of them away for three
days while he took counsel of the old men
of the kingdom and also of the young
inen. The old men advised the king to
grant the plea; but the young men adj
vised him to say to the petitioners, Thy
little finger is thicker than my fathers
loins, and now whereas my father did
lade you with heavy yoke, will add to
your yoke. My father chastised you with
whips but / will chastise you with scor-
pions." So the people cried: ITO your
tents o Israel; now see to thine own house
David" They ''struck" and never got
their work back again. Rehoboam re-
men" of the house of Judah and was
obliged to get into his chariot and to flee
TO Jerusalem for his life.
wish to go back with you still farther
into the past to the life of Jacob and TO
look at few of the personal faults which
lie at the root of the injustice and the OPP
preston which affiict humanity; and
should like to have you notice that these
faults exist in no less and no worse n man
than Jacob, the father of the lraelites.
When Jacob was born he came forth from
the womb holding fast TO his twin broth
er's heel. Esau was born before his
brother and he came into lite as Jacobs
servant. This seemed hardly fair. 1t is
nard enough, we say, to be enslaved after
we have had an opportunity to gain our
rights. but poor Esau seems to have been
a slave from birth, and almost before he
drew his earliest breath. Surely Gods
ways are not our ways, or our thoughts
His. Yet when wa know the whole ex-
perience of Jacob, very much appears
which leaves small room for envyIng his
apparently more fortunate lot.
First he took q course. which must have
made his conscience q most hard task
master if right and wrong TO him were to
him what they are to us. Esau came in
from hunting, very hungry. The savory
odor of the pottage which his brother
made were irresistibly attracted to the
hungry man. He begged his brother to
let him eat. Jacob saw his opportunity
and made the most of ii. The eldest son
in ancient times was heir to bis fathers
fortune and recipient of his special bless
ings. Jacob SAID to Esaustha he would
give him what he asked If he would sell
his birthright for the zentils. Esau had
been travelling over the hills and in his
WEAKNESS and hunger his desire for food
overcame his wisdom and he made the
bargain and sold himself for the mess of
pottage to his brother Jacob.
tor afv .A- in h C
sided trade? 1t was q repetition of the
sin of Adam and of Eve. Adam blamed
the woman. and Eve charged satan with
the fall Esau sold all he had for meat
and blamed his brother and hated him
for placing temptation'i in his way. Jacob
seems the greater sinner. But Esau paid
the penalty of his folly. 1T did not save
the happiness of Adam when he tried to
cast the blame on Eve. He did not leave
the garden and become common toiler
for his bread. And In like manner Esau
never got bis birthright back again. but
lived an outcast bedouin and hunter
OH the hills of Edom.
There arc two sides from which to view
this case. First God had plan for the
Israehtes, and Jacob was tho instrument
for carrying on Gods work. l do not
doubt that you and / could wish that
Jacob had been forced to make full
restoration of the stolen property to Esau.
He robbed his brother by most palpable
deception. Hc took advantage of his ex-
trenity in most mean ways. Our sympa-
thy is nearly all upon the side of Esau
and our Indignation is intense against his
avaricious brother, Jacob. But neither
Jacobs father, Isaac, nor the God OF
Israel took any visible step to right the
heinous wrongs. The friends of justice
had to wait. Thus you and l must often
wait to-day. and trust in time and God TO
give all men their dues and punish tho
Rfrt n N ha that
Jacobs conscience did not abundantly
afict him for his sin.
On the other side the truth is plain that
he who voluntarily yields to sin must take
its consequence. Poor Esau had TO go 10
desolate Edom, and hunt animals for a
livelihood. His poor father had to bear
the consequences of his favorite sons
misdecds. and in a fathers grief he said /:
behold. away from the fairness of the
earth shall be thy dwelling"