Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-22
Theme ofSermon by DR.. w. E. Ham.
ilton of Simpson College.
MAKES EXAMPLE OF ERRlNC JACOB
He Says Ones Sins Are Sure to Find
One Out-Retribution Must Be
Made for Every Wrong Dong-Ab-
stract of Sermon.
From Mondays Daily.

Methodist church yesterday, at both
the morning and evening services.
DR.. Hamilton is a forcible, tho not
demonstrative talker; his listeners are
impressed with the idea that in his
sermons he is talking to each one
separately and in this manner all his
hearers are interested in his sayings.
Dr. Hamilton has the faculty of
drawing a lesson from the scriptures
which, altho it may not fit every ones
case, will not fail to interest each
nearer and make every one remember
the lesson. In other words, he inter-
prets the scriptural passages in a
manner which let's every one draw a
moral instead of treating some one
particular case.
He is indeed one of the most inter-
estlng ministers who has occupied an
OttumWa pulpit for some time. He is
a Methodist preacher of the old
school. Altho his language is we'll
chosen, he does not attempt oratory,
put talks in an even tone, as man to
man. That his sermons are, admired
was demonstrated yesterday by the
large audience that greeted him both
morning and evening.
Erring Jacob.
In his evening sermon, which, in
part is published below, DR.. Hamil-
ton took for his text the following
passage, found in Genesis, xXXii-26,
And he said. will not let thee go
except thou bless me-" He spoke in
part as follows:
These are the words used by JAG
OBJ in his night vision at Mahanaim,
where he stopped on his journey to his
old home after his service of twenty
years under Laban. saw a book
once. called Night Scenes From the
Bible two Of the scenes being from
the life of Jacob. This night at Ma
hanaim was the second of these two.
Over twenty years had gone by
since Jacob, at that time a young
man, as age went in those days, just
as the sun was sinking behind the
western hills, ate of his scanty fare
and, with rock for a pillow, lay
down to troubled sleep. His sleep
must necessarily have been a troubled
one, for he had the worst enemy of
healthful, restful sleep, a guilty con-
science.
Jealous of Esau.
For Jacob had been guilty youth,
he was ambitious, and that ambition
was fostered by his mother. He liy-
ed in hope of the fulfillment of that
prophecy which had been made be-
fore his BIRTH that he of the two sons
should be the greater. He did not
understand the import of this proph-
ecy. He thought that anything of
success must carry with it fame and
| fortune, but thru it all he saw one
great drawback to his success. His
brother Esau was the elder and would
inher-i from their father all his rich
es, titles, fame and property, accord
ing to the memorable laws of the
time.
The Birthright Deal.
Zone day an opportunity (perhaps
he thought it was providentiaD came
to him. His brother, after a days
hunting, came to the place where ia
cob was preparing meal Esau
who had no ability to govern his hun
ger, asked for share of the meal
Then Jacob, seeing his opportunity
offered meal in exchange for his
brothers birthright, and that ungov-
| ernable glutton made the trade. took
some of the victuals and departed.
Later on, finding that he had made
bad bargain, he wished to rue it.
but Jacob was unwilling. Then their
father, who was dying, told Esau to
prepare the food he desired that he
might bless him. This was the prep
aration for making his will, as the GUS
tom then existed, and Jacob and his
mother realized that the matter was
reaching point where something
must be done if the younger son was
to receive his fathers blessing.
"Then it was that the mother orig
mated plan, and told Jacob to kill
young kid so that she might prepare
it and deceive the father. According
ly the plans were made and Jacob re-
ceived his fathers blessing, and
Esau's curse.
Jacob FIees.
Directly after this occurrence we
see him running away to escape the
wrath of his brother, who was angered
on finding that he had been cheated
by Jacob. He threatened to kill ia
cob and the latter has to give up all
the things for which he had schemed
so hard and run away. Then he saw
the first vision, the ladder from heav-
en-. In common parlance, THIS vision
said. Jacob, my boy, you have been
wicked, you have done wrong, and
now you must go away. These
flocks and herds will never be yours,
for you must leave. You will live to
regret your wrong doing, but remem-
Der, | have said that your posterity
should have these lands, and do not
| go back upon my word
However, we will pass over that
incident, and we find Jacob as hired
hand to Laban. There can be no
doubt that he was profitable ser
want, as he told Laban on parting.
He had managed Laban's property as
if it had been his own. He bore the
losses but did not share the gains He
worked for Laban twenty years and
will all his faults he was profitable
hired hand.
Back to the Land of Canaan.
Then, after leaving Laban's en-
ploy, Jacob started back to the Land
of Canaan, and had his second vision
at Mahanaim. 1t was Gods purpose
that the Jewish race should be plant
ed and should live in the Land of Ca
I