Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-27
Afternoon Session.

Afternoon Session.
Previous to the lecture the following
young ladies played in the Sohmer Coca
petitions: Miss Ruby higgins in the
individual competition, and in the duet
competition, Misses Ada and Aggie
Blech, and Misses Annie DENLY and
Grace Dunsmore, all of Los Angeles.
DIR. HUTCHINs LECTURE.
The afternoon lecture was departure
from all of the previous ones delivered
before the assembly, and while the at
tendance was not so large as that of
Monday, great interest was manifested
throughout.
"The Possible Progress of the Race
by Heredity" was the subject, and it
gave evidence of careful study. The
speaker first said that the comparative
rank and dignity of animals may gen.
orally be determined by the relative time
in whichthey protect and care for their
offspring. Man, the wisest of animals,
eherishes his children 80 long as life
lasts. The topic was, he said, as an
cient as the days of Abraham. The
speaker then illustrated what was the
outcome of high grade Of progenitors.
Speaking of human heredity, he said it
was vastly influential in determining
intellectual characteristics, as was
| proved by induction in Cations work
upon Hereditary Genius" He added
that talents that may frequently be
latent and undeveloped in parents, the
possession of which has never been
attributed to them, yet their offspring
may inherit them. Not only, he said,
are both physical and mental character
istics proved to be hereditary, but
observation has furnished striking
illustrations Of the influence, of mental
relations OF the mind and the
body in modifying heredity and various
forms of physical degeneraey in the
parent are found to beget miocy or in
sanity in the offspring.
The speaker then gave q number Of
statistics and reports of the number oi
insane persons in this country and in
England, and he said that where the
lives of the parents of these unfortunates
had been Investigated they almost in.
variably showed that they had been
guilty of inebriety or some abuse ol
natures laws. This was also true. he
added, of the career of criminals, and
among otheriinstances he related that oi
DIR. Harris investigation and discovery
OF the history OF Margaret the progenitol
of an army of thieves. There were, he
said, over 900 descendants of this un.
fortunate outcast, and almost every ons
7 was either criminal or an idiot. Abieet
poverty was one of the causes given fo1
the irightful state Of immortality among
the lower classes today. In the degene
rate classes he said there is a natural
tendency towards imbecility and ulti
mate sterility and extinction.
The scriptural laws of heredity were
then discussed, the speaker saying that
the purpose of God in freighting the
laws of heredity with such immense
Specification could not be uncertain, and
that they were benefcent.
Returning to the present time, he
said that to secure from heredity the
highest amelioration for the race, We
must insist upon the pure and
healthful treatment of the BODY
as Christian duty, and We
we must lay hold on our little
children and on our uncorrupted youth
and preserve them from 6eflement and
i contamination, and surround them by
all wholesome and helpful influences
We must tell them, he continued, that
these things are not done for them
| alone, but for the sake of those to whom