The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-08-10
Heredity and Christia nifty.

hcIculty anu CnHlsSldnltys
The doctrine Of heredity, with which the
modern materialistic philosophy 80 much
concerns Itself, was used by one Of the city
preachers on Sunday as an argument for q
moral and religious life. It IL. indeed, 90 used
In the Bible. where 1t is said that the sins Of
the fathers shall be visited upon the chill
dren, even to the third and fourth genera
tions But this preacher drew from the law.
or theory, OF tho transmission Of traits cor
tain lessons which have logical conclusions
from which, We have no doubt. he would
shrink with alarm and horror.
Tho worst Of 1t is," said Mr.. SYKES. tho
preacher, that mon seem to fail to recog-
nize their responsibility In this matter. And
yet, just as 1t Ia unlawful for one man to
cripple another In public street. except In
self-defencc, 30 1t Is unlawful for any one to
lay waste the lives OF his descendants by
implantin9 In them tho germs Of diseases
which originated In himself. and against
which he was too cowardly or too careless to
fight. He may decline 10 feel the response.
bllity OF his acts; but, alasl In time to come
his descendants may stand before him as
spectral figures, and charge him with having
wrecked their lives" Therefore. continued
tho preacher, 1t behooves US all to see that
our lives are lovely and OF good report.
But II man should avoid vices and ex-
cesses out Of regard for tho welfare of his
descendants, how is 1t when he suffers In
mind or body because OF an evil inheritance
from his ancestors, even though he himself
leads life OF virtue and orderp So for as
his progeny are concerned. 1t matters not
whether he himself corrupted the stock or
only transmitted inherited corruption.
We might even go further. as some OF
those who are enamored Of the study OF
heredity are disposed to do. and say that no.
body ought to marry and have children who
Is not pretty sure OF transmitting to progeny
sound bodies and strong minds. There Is
still O step beyond which Is entirely logical
and Nautilus took 1t. Tho troubles of the
poor, say some OF his present followers,
come from q too rapid increase In numbers.
just as certain labor reformers would keep
up wages by shutting out the immigration
OF foreign laborers. and thus lessening the
supply, so the heredity preachers contend
that the contest between capital and labor
gets bitterer because the working portion OF
society grows too fast. The people who in
herit little aptitude for accumulation, and
AAeeAo Snp'SAey AVA nuy VASVpe eho Aou6hCoG
and most ill-paid work, increase far more
rapidly than those to whom are transmitted
qualities more likely to achieve material
success. Instead, therefore, Of bewaillng the
high ratio Of mortality among the infants Of
the poor they count 1t o blessing to tho chill
dren and to society.
Some scientific men find fault with medl-
cine and surgery because they save so many
physical and intellectual wrecks, which, with
out their help, would disappear from among
the living. A recent writer In a scientific
magazine advocated tho encouragement OF
drunkenness, on the ground that 1t was well
for all those disposed to the vice, or likely to
DO tempted into 1t, that they should drink
themselves to death as speedily as possible.
1t is good thing for society, he argued, to
get rid Of Its moral and physical weakllngs,
so that only those OF q healthier quality
may remain.
1t will be seen, therefore, that this doc.
trine Of heredity may easily be carried to
conclusions which do violence to the teach
ings OF Christianity and the whole sentiment
OF humanity. It Is q cold, hard, unsympa-
thetic philosophy. which treats human be-
ings like the beasts OF q stock farm, and Is
30 hostile to the spirit Of religion that
preachers need to be careful In handling 1t.
Virtues and graces which Christianity exalts,
the philosopher Of heredity may treat with
contempt as the symptoms OF q morbid or en-
feebled constitution, which Ia unfit to cope
with the difficulties OF the world and stand
Its own In the fight for the destruction OF the
weak specimens OF humanity.
Work for the Civil Service Commission.