Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-03
THE PRICELESS
POSSESSIONS CHEAP,
The International Sunday School Les
son for April 6 Is, "Jacob and
Esau," Gen. 25:27-34; 27:1-45.
(By William r. Ellis.)

| -
Some stories seem to At all times.
They have their counterpart In every
generation. Such Is this tale of two
young men who lived nearly four
thousand years ago and whose names
are familiar to everybody. Jacob
and EsauI were twin brothers, and
neither was admirable. The story is
one without hero. The particular
incident upon which the lesson
| is founded is the bargain for the
birthright. When gluttony and avarice
traffic, 1t Is always q bad bargain.
Neither young man acted as became
his family name or his standing in
the world. Both did violence to their
honor.
The episode might be labelled,
Business is business" The old fash
ion Of putting aside all considerations
of truth and humanity and inner
ent right when making a bargain
prevailed with Esau and Jacob, even
as with some modern men. Esau
was impulsive, gu1lible, easily deceiv-
ed and entirely Needless Of his own
high obligations. His brother Jacob
was crafty, adroit and self-seeking,
taking advantage of his brothers need,
having an eye only for his own, main
chance. AS Esau represented the
sort of man who would squander pub
lie rights for private graft, forgetting
all the claims of posterity, so Jacob
is the other not uncommon type who
would buy in any market where wares
are cheapest, regardless Of ethical con.
siderations. Just as he formed
corner in pottage. so he would corner
wheat or meat, or any other necessity
To him it would mean nothing that
his profits were wrung out Of the blood
and virtue of his employees. His an
swer would be, Business is business:
I made him an offer. He could take
1t or leave It; he did not have to buy"
The Story Down to Date.
TIL, incident irresistibly calls to
mind the way In which many Of US
barter the priceless possessions, be-
cause of our youthful heedlessness,
our shortsightedness or our sheer
slavery to the moments desire. The
political crisis in America has been
due to the fact that the obligations
Of citizenship were battered for ease
and engrossment in business. Good
men have sold their power to inf1u-
ence the world because they had not
the initiative, the courage or the
vision to exercise that sovereignty.
Youth has again and again sold its
irrer,ediable innocence for the flash
of moments gawd, or at the behest
|of unbridled passion. Thousands
have sold the opportunity for an
education and for discipline in the
higher things of life because Of the
spirit of self indulgence which pre-
ferred present ease to future power
and profit. Friendships have been
bartered on the altar Of indulgence
and petty self-will. Love has been
given in exchange for base imita-
tons, even as the savages barter real
jewels for colored glass.
csprgomeBi
The Story Of Esau's tragic betray-
al of his own manhood and birthright
is eloquent in every line with an ap-
peal to youth to safeguard the price
less things. II Esau had been gift
ed with even a little bit Of magma
he would have looked ahead and
called tomorrow to the succor of to-
day. 1t is wholesome to view the
present from thu standpoint of the
future. That habit of life r,akes
the sagacious man.
~. The Makeup of Family.
This is a domestic scene, but not
a lovely one When we look from
the boys to the parents, we find
Isaac, a weak father who had never
set his sons an example of sturdy
maintenance of principles. He had
the passive virtues, but he had given
UP his crown Of manhood and father
hood. The management seems to
have been in the hands Of Rebekah,
shrewd, masterful woman of the