The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1918-11-01

L00ON TEAVO00uo00 0:N-SA
GOLDEN TEXT-Every man that st1av.
things. Now they do It to obtain cor.
yuptible crown, but W an incorfuptiblA-
/ Corinthians s:z6.
DEVOTIONAL READINo-Roman u:
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERs-I Corinthians s:1-1a: to:0-o:
Hebrews l2:1S-17.
I. Boys with q Difference ". 20.
Esau and Jacob were in decided con-
trast. They differed in appearance
and disposition. Esau was a cunning
hunter, q man Of the field. Jacob was
. plain man. dwelling In tents. They
were born that way. Every child born
Into the world possesses a peculiar
bent which we call individuality. No
two are exactly alike. even twins like
Esau and Jacob. The wise parent.
the wide-awake teacher. the educator.
seeks diligently to discover that Pc
culiar individuality, and to give 1t ID.
Fection according to the laws Of ito
own being. This bent is the basis Of
character. Neither Esau nor Jacob
10 an ideal personality. Both are
selfish.
u. Parental FavorItIsm ". 2S).
Isaac loved Esau because he did
eat of his venison. He ought to have
loved him because he was his son.
but 1t Is a sad commentary upon IA.
Their that his love for his son had such
q sortlid basis as that Of his stomach.
Isaac. however. was like many today
whose love is secured through their ap-
petites. Rebecca loved Jacob. though
we are not told why. Perhaps It was
because Of his cunning. In this re-
spect he was like his mother, who
practiced craftiness to a finish on her
husband. Cleverness is a bond which
strongl- binds together many people.
Many hold the respect Of their friends
because of their shrewdness. irrespec
tive of their moral qualities. Parents
should treat their children alike. To
show Partially is both unwise and
unjust. Even when children possess
peculiar qualities which call forth pa.
rental affection. It should never be mads
manifest that preference Is made.
1ll. A eirthrlsht Sold wv. 1854.
I. Esau's profanity (Heb. 12:16-1O.
He sold his birthright for . bowl
Of pottage. The birthright was the
right Of being at the head Of the patri.
archal family, q position Of honor and
influence. a. wen ~ being the Inherit
or Of Q double portion Of the fathers
estate. This being gift Of God
should not be despised. He came from
hunting physically exhausted. In this
moment Of distress, he thought only
Of that which promised immediate sat.
isfaction. He was willing to relin.
quish all claim upon the future. II
only his present desire could be graft.
Ned. A profane person 10 one who
for the enjoyment Of the present will
forfeit all claim upon the future. He
would gladly gain both worlds, but
seeing that mess Of pottage he lets 80
Of the future for the present. Swear.
ing II profanity. but not the most com.
mon. To be under the sway Of apps-
lite II to be pr0fane. What profanr
ity about usi For a moments sim
full pleasure men and women are
throwing away innocence, happiness,
and their souls eternally. This 10
most serious. for acts are irrevocable.
2. Jacobs cunning. It was right that
Jacob should have the birthright, for
It was according to Gods plan which
had been pronounced ". 23), but his
scheme to get it Is to be condemned.
he took advantage Of his brothers
weakness to drive q sharp bargain.
The same thing is practiced when I'M
der the force Of necessity unlawful In
terest is exacted, or property is bought
under price because one IL obliged to
sell.
To get rich at the expense Of anoth-
er II to practice Jacobs sin. Modern
competitive business methods to = de-
cided extent are Of this type. Let each
one ask: 'Ts my name Jacobr" The
end never justifies the means. God
said that the elder should serve the
younger. It was his plan that Jacob
should be at the head. but God was
able to bring his own plans to pass.
He did not need the scheming Of ia
cob and his mother to further his
plans. To do evil that good may come
In always wrong.