The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-04


thought defends the case of outcast
man, while it affirms that he is inner
itor of peculiarities.
The second element which enters
into influence in mans life is environ
ment. The same man born in different
conditions would be totally different
in his acts. 1t is not alone the being
born of English parents that makes
the Englishman, but being born in
London makes him most English. 1t
is not alone the being born of intern
perate parents that makes the drunk
ard, but the being born into the at
mosphere of intemperance. 1t is not
alone the being born of scientist
that makes ason scientist, but being
born into the atmosphere and labora-
tory of physical science. Watts dis
covered the principle of steam, but
no one can tell how much the world
owes to the fact that his mother had
peculiar kind of tea kettle and was
willing to let him play with it. Moth
ing better displays the power of sur
roundings than the expressions of
religious thought. Catholics and
Protestants are made, not by what
they inherit, but largely by what they
find surrounding them, and by the
influences from outside brought to
bear on them for few early years of
life. In the reforming of the world
one of the essential demands is a
change of environment. No matter
how badly children are born, they
stand a chance of being something if
they are encircled by influences
which instruct and elevate. The
worst child may be won from its evil
inclinations by modification of in
fiuences and inducements to act
rightly instead of wrongly. The
world cannot go back to alter the
birth of those badly born, but it has
power to alter the conditions which
influence the mind and character as
the child unfolds.
The moral quality of life begins to
appear as we combine with the ele
ments of heredity and environment
the element of will, the exercise of
mans own sense of responsibility.
Man starts life with one or ten tai
ents, according as he has received
from the past. Whether one or ten,
he uses his fortune; he tries to make
more of himself. Happy is the man
who comes into this world unencum-
bered with vicious passions, habits,
tendencies; positively fortunate is the
man born into the world with rich
ness that comes from pure, noble,
intellectual and spiritual ancestry;
and providentially favored is he who,
well endowed, is born into fortunate
influences and surroundings. Yetnot
hopeless is the case of one who comes
burdened with the heritage of vicious,
animal tastes. He may, if he will and
if he is helped, counteract some of the
evils of endowment, and if he persist
he shall find the good growing
stronger and evil weaker. These
contests with self and the outside cir
cumstances are beneficial for all of
us, if we are strong enough to over
come, for the contest brightens ones
powers and the exercise strengthens
ones moral muscles.
There is in this world law of
double retribution. Man is respon-
sible for his own rectitude, and he is
involved in the rectitude of others.
The point of responsibility is not
ones birth, or ones environment, but
ones own use of what birth gives or
environment affords. Man is respon-
sible for the use he makes of what he
is and what is offered him. IL man
is well born and we'll environed, his
responsibility is greater that he make
good progress. If he is poorly born
and poorly surrounded, his gain is
greater in proportion to the odds
against him. Life is sowing and
reaping. He who has good soil and
tools is expected to reap larger har-
vest. He who has poor tools and
soil may excel his neighbor if he do
more in proportion to his outfit. The
principle of this life is very plain
and natural one. 1t is, that he who
uses his powers and chances will find
powers growing stronger and chances
broader, while he who neglects his
opportunities will find his powers
getting dull and his chances slipping
away.
Theology has tried to ease man by
offering the substitution of atone
ment, but in life there is no principle
of substitution. Each gathers what
he plants. If the son goes wrong,