Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 241, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1911 — SOCIAL CRISIS [ARTICLE]

SOCIAL CRISIS

By Rev Dr. George W. Anderson

rotor of Uneo Methodist Epiecopo! V:-V>* - Cksrcfc, St. UMI» - s

TEXT—Jacob was a plain man dwelling among the tents; and aa a plain man haat them prevailed. / As men do not pick diamonds from trees, but rather search for them among the barren stones and soil, so God seeks for great leaders, not among the exalted, but from the great mass of common folk. Desiring to start a new race preparatory to Christ's coming, he searched among the common ones of Chaldea until he found Abraham, a worshiper of idols, and sent him forth not only to be the father of the Jewish race, but of the three greatest forms of monotheistic religion the world has ever known. God searched for an emancipator and he found Moses, ah alien, born in servitude, and sent him forth to lay the foundatolns of civilization. Desiring to reveal the power of-the strong will and the Indomitable ambition, he searched among the open fields until he found Jacob, a plain man, dwelling among tents*;’and sent him forth as a prince of God. The story. of Jacob- is the story of ambition, bad and good, laying hold of every means to meet Its end; filled with ipingled pathos and joy. As the bad ambition it sends its harvest of sorrow, and as a holy ambition it* harbest of joy. In no life Is the failure of ungodly ambition and the success of righteous ambition mere marked. » Jacob desired to rule, to lift himself out of the common place, to become a prince among men, and failing to realize the difference between right and wrong, brought dismal failure. He believed that birthright gave the power to rule, and unjustly sought to secure one not hi* own;;: At the doorway of a weather-beaten tent he sat one evening, a mere lad. The lengthening shadows were silently wrapping the landscape with haze. Before hint burned a blazing fire that laughed at the thickening shadow# with /defiance, cast its rich glow on his clear-cut features and caused the tent folds to stand out distinct against the dull background. The atmosphere is fragrant with the stream of cooking porridge, which he idly stirred. He was dreaming of leadership, when ofit from the shadows came one staggering with weakness and hunger and.crying out for food. Here was the age-long problem of supply and demand. Jacob, being careful, shrewd, farsighted , had provided for a time of need. Esau, careless, indifferent, wandering in disposition had made no Such provision. It was strength pitted against weakness. Strength said: "What I have is mine, and if any would seek it, let him pay my price.” There Is only one thing that Esau had, his birthright, the very thing that Jacob seeks. And in that hour the voice of ambition says: “Put your price high, young man. Get all you can." And Jacob, looking at his starving brother, said: "I wiU give yon to eat if you will give me your birthright” Faint with wearines and hunger, Esau made the bargain. With uplifted hands Esan gives to Jacob that which Jacob had no right to own, but possessed solely through the power of capital. Now, Jacob Is a shrewd and rich man in the sight ctf the world. He has deceived his brother, has gotten his brother's blessing and he Is the priest of the community. Behold him several days after fleeing In the darkness from his brother, an exile and empty handed. *Wby? Because money and power gotten by unrighteous methods never enrich. Behold Jacob In the open, fields, with no bed save sand, no pillow save stones, no covering save the open sky, the picture of a thousand characters of history. Then comes the vision of Jacob, the ladder reaching up to heaven and the angels ascending and descending. Jacob sees that while ungodly ambition brought failure, godly ambition could lift him up to God. The angels ascend, and descend; they go op only that they might come down. Ambition should lead a man up, only that, in the heights, he may gain power and strength to come back Into the lowly fields and serve his fallow rasa. Ho most climb the ladder to God only that he may come back to serve those who need help. A man becomes a prince, net through birthright, but through servIce. Esau came with his armies to catch the fleeing Jacob, but Jacob, having wrestled with the angel, conies to meet bis brother with arms extended, not to rule but to serve. And Esan, beholding the change in hla brother, leaps from hla horse and embraces Jacob. Jacob has now become - the prince of his own people, not through ambition to rule, but to serve. ♦*-d