The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-08-28
AS TO THE TWIN BROTHERS
Esau and Jacob Differed in Ap-
pearance, Pursuits and Char
aCter

cr oJ "'i''c" III pprarancC-- rs;
10 marry, ruddy, strong, full of animal Ii
y. and courage. He cravcd cxcitcmc
,s anu amusement. Jacob, smooth
is skin, dark in feature, sligh! of bull
If no match for bis burly brother
~ physical force o. activity.
, Ihey differed in pulsuits-E Esau
cunning hunter, II man of the rc
chase. Had he been living now /
would have been foremost in all mani
3 daring and outdoor sports. vii
handsome face, genuine Glspositio,
quick to resent, but quick also TO ro
give, pollshed in manner, Il good sho
= a splendid rider, we see around us (,
day many like Esau. Jacob loved IN
nome life. The widest cXalclsc an
dangers for which Esau pincd, as n,
imprisoned eagle for its rocky croo
mad no fascination for him. lie wa
content 10 dwell quietly among tn,
llocks, busy IN the common, every da,
duties.
They differed in character. Thcr,
IS much in Esau TO attract. If he was
lmpctuous, nc was generous. If h,
was rash, he was frank. If he was
wanting III religious fcrvor, he was af-
iectionatc. If he dotted on the pleas
urc of the chase, he was splendid com.
pany, every inch man. But for all
THIS he was decidedly sensual. "pro-
1anc," the Bible calls it, He was u
slave to his senses, and hailed anv-
thing that would thrill him with n
llceting excitement. lIe was willino
10 purchase pleasure at any price.
Alas that he should have such a
host of followers Jacob was n uuict
man, but under the calm exterior there
were depths and depths. And on The
dupllclty OF his nature there was also
an iIhmensc capacity for religious
faith and indomitablc tcnacity. Thus.
while Esau was occupied only with
pleasure, Jacob was stirred with a lone
ing which could not be satisfied cxccpt
by the possession of the birlhright.
The birthright? What was 1t? IL
was not worldly property. All that the
worli could give Esau was his in
abundance. He married well and
founded Il strong, noble house. He
bad a large fortune, and went down TO
his grave in peace at a good old age.
Whatever, then, the birlhright was, it
was not worldly property, for of this
Esau, who lost it, had more than ,Ja-
cob, who won 1t. 1t was not immunity
from sorrow. Few have trCddcn n
more rugged path than Jacob, or en-
durcd greater msiortuncS. 1t was NOT
freedom from pam or grief for of
these jacob, who won it, had far more
Than ESau, who lost it,
The birlhright was a dccp spiritual
heritage. 1t gave the right to he the
priest Of the family or class. 1t carried
the prIviicg' Of receiving and commu-
the Divine message. 1t was n
link III the line by which the Messiah
was to be born Into the world. This
and much more than this was summed
up in the possession of the birthright. !
One day Jacob was standing over a
caldron OF savory poltage. made of red
lcntilcs, still highly rolishcd in SYRIA.
The appctizing odor filled the air, and
at that moment who should come IN
but Esau, faint with hunger. He did
not know the name, but the sight and
smell were quite enough. "Givc me
of that rcd-that red !" nc cried impa-
tlcntly. Jacob was not wholly Il sell
fish man, but it suddenly occurred to
him here was his opportunity to obtain
the prize which his brother esteemed
so little. 80 he made the cXtrao-di-
nary proposal TO exchange The mess of
pottagc for the birthright
Behold, on the one hand rise the
far-away vision, unseen, spiritual. On
the other was the stcaming potlagc,
very tempting in his hunger and wcari-
ness. Esau closed with 1t. "Bchold, :"
said the blum hunter, 81 am at the
point to die. What profit shall this
birthriSht do to me 2" So che did eat
and drink, and went his way. Thus
did Esau dcspiSc his birthright." We
cannot cXoncrate either Of these two
men. Jacob was not only traitor to
his brother, but fnitblcss to his God.
AS for Esau, we recall the burning
words Of Scripture "Iook diligently,
lest there be any profanc person, as
Esau, who for one mOrscl Of meat sold
his birthright."
Yet let us, before we utterly con
denim him, look close at him. The
strongest and bravcst men, physically,
are often the weakest III resisting the
appeal of momcntary passion. Esau
is mastered by tho fragrance of the pot
] tagc ; Samson by the charm of Phil.
istinc girl Peter by the questions OF a
maid servant. There is no strength
apart from the strength of God. For
| temptations come when we least cX.
pcct them, The moment of peril is
the moment when we return weary
from the dangers of the chase to The
quiet home, which promises us immu
nifty from all attack.
These appeals come in tie most tim
i'll things. One mess of poltagc, on
glass OF drink, one moment of passion
one afternoons walk, question AM
an answer, a movement or look.
is in such small things as these tina
great alternatives are offered and grca
decisions made. There are no triilc
in our daily life. Everything is great
The harvest for good or ill spring
from the tinicst seed.
Alas, poor Esau There was non
, to counsel him to pause none to viii
per els it wise 2'' sis it righL?n IN
i, lycars of previous self Indulgence mad
+, 1t all tho more certain that he wOul
be swept along, until the fatcful dee
@ was done, the spiritual given for tn