Evening star., 1932-05-07

Mothers day is one of the most pop
ular days in the year. Ever since us
Inauguration it has grown i'll puolc
favor, because we all love the woman
who gave us birth. No other person
has influenced our life more thAn
mother by her love. labor and less ons.
We learned our fundamental prlnclpleS,
with their application to the affairs OF
the day. from the mother who taught
Us how to pray at her knee. She sought
to guide our souls in the way we should
go and impress upon us our duty to be
thoroughly temper4t ate in all our efforts.
This makes the temperance lesson an
appropriate one for our consideration
today.
We find ourselves entering into the
family circle of Isaac and Rebekah
and observing the evidence OF partiality
Upon the part of the flther and mother.
Nothing Is more destructive OF family
unity than the manifestation of favor
iCism ON the part OF parents. Al
though both boys were twins their per-
sonal appearance anc character were
totally different. Esa,. was the elder
of the two, and his body was covered
with rough reddish hair He was a
sporting man In his love for hunting
and the outdoor life. Although he was
right. Jacob lorged to be the successor
to his father, and his ambition ran
along the lines Of trade and the affairs
of the family While Esau was evident
ly indifferent to the future, considering
only the problems of the moment. Jacob
looked ahead. Isaac had encouraged
Esau in hunting, because he was a
lover of venison. Rebekah loved Jacob,
who was quiet like his father because
he was helper about the tent.
Temptation OF Appetite.
One day. while Jacob was making
red bean for lentils are a sort OF red
beam soup that must have smelt de-
licious to Esau, the latter came home
worn out with his hunting efforts and
probably without any luck. His re-
quest that his brother give him some
Of the red pottage, for he was faint, re-
yealS the lack of a brotherly interest
upon the part of Jacob In his desire
to obtain the privileges of 1.-The birth
right" Jacob took advantage of Esau's
physical weakness and his love for good
things TO eat. There Is nothing in his
cunning and craftineSS as a trader that
appeals to us. Evidently he knew that
ESau did not prize the privileges that
were his according TO the laws Of
primogeniture. Many times, without
doubt they had discussed it, but now
Jacob saw his opportunity to buy from
Esau the birthright, which Jacob
craved and Esau despised.
The privilege of the birthright car
ried with it under ordinary conditions:
"Q) The official authority of the
father: (2) a double portion Of the
fathers property (3) the functions Of
the domestic priesthood. In this case
it meant even more: % Succession to
the earthly inheritance of Canaan; 90
possession Of the covenant blessings
transmitted through the paternal bene-
diction." There is nothing in the propo-
sition of Jacob that reveals the high
spiritual qualities that We would natu-
rally expect in one who aSpired to be-
come the religious leader of Israel.
Indignant at the way Jacob sought
to take advantage of his brother who
was worn out and weary from his
hunting experiences, we are forced at
the same time to look with disgust
and disapproval upon Esaus base and
heartless indifference to his birthright.
Many a man has allowed his appetite
to influence him to indulge in food and
drink that would be destructive to his
body and soul. In Esau's indifference
to his birthright We note the evidence
Of his Worldliness. He refused to follow
the practice Abraham had inaugurated
in seeking a bride for his father, Isaac.
for he fell in love with and married
two pagan women, whose influence was
antagonistic to the faith that Abra-
ham had brought with him into Pales-
tine.
Esau's bartering his birthright for a
mess of pottage revealed the worldli-
ness and weakness of Esau, the hunter.
He placed the present needs over prin-
ciples that should have guided his ac-
tions. The Olympic athletes have
learned the necessity of self-control
and self-denial If they are to become