The Charlotte Democrat., 1893-12-01
Heredity-Raad and Ponder.

When distinguished philosopher and
wise man of these modern times was
asked the question, "When should the
character of child begin to be formed p
he answered: "At least one hundred
years before the child is born" And this
was no jest he INDUCED in no trifing.
He meant that in parental character
nay, even farther back than that-in
ancestral character-there were found
the formative influences that determine
largely what the child or the grand
child shall be. We do not sufficiently ap.
preciate the far.reaching of what 10
called, in these days, "heredity," or the
influence that flows down through the
channels of our ancestry, and affects our
character, our conduct, and largely our
destiny. In the recent criminal investi-
cations in the United States of America
there was found q family known 40 the
Jukes family, that was traced through
oil the branches back to one goddess, pro-
fame stock. To one vile man were traced
directly, zoe descendants, and indirectly
200. Most of these were criminals,
vagabonds, outcasts and paupers. At
least 76 of the number had been habitusl
criminals, guilty of lis different offences,
women in that large family that were
abandoned. Most of these descendants
had been for some time, greater or less,
in prison. There were not more than 20
of the entire 709 that had ever learned o
learned that trade in Jail. Now here
were from 700 to !, 200 characters, mostly
criminal, all of whom could be traced to
one ancestral fountain. Those who have
been familiar with such slums in great
cities as the Five Points in New York
and the Seven Dials in London-those
who have seen the successive crops of
generation after generation of iniquity,
will know how the product deteriorates,
and by how fearfully rapid q descent
children sink to lower and lower depths
OF degradation and depravity.-Pierson.
The above is by distinguished divine,
and is clipped from a leading church
periodical. But we ask in ell christian
candor: Is the church really reaching
the criminal growth Of the age? DIR.
Josiah Strong, the noted secretary of the
Evangelical Alliance, in his "New Era, I"
clearly shows that it is not. And DR..
Strong then as clearly proves that, while
the christian church is all right in doc
trine and faith, its methods and work are
not equal to the times. The church 10
fritting away it's strength and money on
non.essentials and on minor denomina.
tional differences, whilo the devil of
universal freedom" beats down "the
holiest and best amongst u.s."
The remedy is to be found rather in
graphing with the popular evils and
vices of the day that. silently sap and
undermine the::foundation of society and
social order such as improper marriages,
the condoning of crime, a disregard of
moral obligations, loose notions of home
duty, and parental authority, and worst
of oil, religious hypocrisy and every kind
of false pride, especially . dislike Of
honest work and plain living. The
clergy should preach moro on all live
topics, and less on the differences of
creed or theology. They might even
hold up somewhat on the last resort of q
weak pulpit-the scare crow of "worldly
amusements." Give US better government,
more pure religion, more honest work,
more happy homes, and less triokery in
trade. That 10 what we need.