The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-12

The Biblical story Of Esau, who sold
his bIrthright to his brother Jacob, was
used by Rev. DR.. sooy, last evening as
the basis of an earnest and thoughtful
discourse, at the Fourth street Metho-
dist Episcopal church. The title Of his
sermon was "a Bad Bargain"
The speaker deplored the fact that to-
day so many people sacrificed their tall
ents and opportunities In the stygian
pool OF pleasure and sensuality. These
people thought more OF temporalitles
than eternalltles. DR.. sooy said he
wanted to impress on his hearers the
gravity of bartering spiritual self for
lust and animal desires. They were
sacrificing much for a mess Of pot!age-
The speaker. continuing, spoke OF
temptation and the urgency OF present
need. The need of the present made
men forget the future and their duties,
and SO they would sell honor and integ-
rity to satisfy a present craving. Dr.
sooy said the danger knocked ut the
doors of old and young alike, and 1t was
well to rrmember that 1t prohteth a
man nothing to gain the whole world
and lose his own soul.
DIR. sooy asked his hearers to stand
true and keep the holy things entrusted
to them; they should remember the
story of Esau. Then the speaker spoke
Of the contemplate price for which
Esau sold his blrthrlght, and since that
time "a mess OF pottage" has been used
In a derogatOry sense to express a
paltry amour.. The expression has
come to mean a mere nothing, and es-
pecially when It is given in exchange
for something of great value.
Sensual indulgence and carnal appe-
lite we're discussed, in instanclng how
Esau stopped for a trifllng return to
dispose of his hlrthright. And to-day In
the same way, men want qualification,
and what have they to show for it? in
qufred the speaker. Nothing but shame
and disgrace, and that is the law Of
Justice. One sin didn't make a man
bad; 1t Just showed that he was bad
man. Neither did bad action make n
man bad; 1t showed that the man was
bad. For sin didn't stand alone. So
Esau was not sensual and profane be-
cause he sold his birthright; but he sold
his bIrthright because he was sensual
and profane.
Esau was his own supplanter In the
same way, man may have committed
a sin ten years ago; and 1t followed him,
although 1t did not become visible until
later. The line Jacob suPplanted
Esau," really means that Esau was his
own supplanter. DR.. sooy urged his
young men not to sell their birthrights.
1t was painful to contemplate a mis-
spent youth. He illustrated how a
bIrthrlght began to slip away. by the
boy beginning to omit his prayers, then
going to church occasionally finally
giving up going altogether. In elabor-
ating on Esau's experience, DR.. .sooy
said that hatred came into Esnu's heart
against Jacob, which hatred did not
hurt Jacob but hurt Esau. This hatred
and jealousy followed the sale Of the
birthright, when Esau realized that the
thing he once had was gone-and Esau
wailIng was striking example of tile
irrevocable in life.
To his younger auditors, DR.. sooy adj
dressed words of advice, he urging them
against ncglecting opportunities and
wasting their youth, for bitter were the
reflections of an old age over misspent
youth.