Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-08-05
DIR. TALMAGE
Delivers q Sermon on Good Parents
and Good Children.
Traits That Run In Families and the Good
or Bad Blood They Represent-The
Law of Hercdity.

xvii, IS: Whose son art thou. thou
young man?"
Never was there a more UNEQUAL
light than that between David and Co
Hath David five feet high; Goliath
ten. David, a shepherd boy. brought
up amid rural scenes; Goliath. a war
rior by profession. Goliath. mountain
OF braggadocio; David, "A marvel of hui
mility. Goliath. armed with an iron
spear; David, armed with n sling with
smooth stones from the creek. But
you are not to despise these latter
weapons. There was regiment of
singers in the Assyrian army, and n
regiment OF singers in the Egyptian
army, and they made terrible execu-
ton, and they could cast stone with
as much accuracy and force as now
can be sent shot or shell. The Greeks.
In their army, had singers who would
throw leaden plummets inscribed with
the Irritating words: Take this" So
1t was mighty weapon David en-
ployed in that famous combat. A Jew
ish rabbi says that the probability is
that Goliath was in such contempt for
David that in paroxysm of laughter
he threw his head back and his helmet
fell off, and David saw the uncovered
forehead. and his opportunity had
come, and, taking this sling and swing
Ing 1t around his head two or three
times, and aiming it at that uncovered
forehead, crashed it in like an eggshell.
The battle over, behold the tablcau:
King Saul sitting, little David stand
ing, his fingers clutched into the hair
OF decapitated Goliath. As Saul sees
David standing there holding in his
hand the CHASTITY, reeking, staring
trophy, evidence of the complete vic
tory over Gods enemies, the king Won
ders what parentage was honored by
such heroism, and in my text he asks
David his pedigree, whose son art
thou, thou young man?" The king saw
whatyo and see-that this question of
heredity is mighty question. The
longer live the more believe in blood
good blood, bad blood. proud blood.
humble blood honest blood. thieyinp
blood, heroic blood, cowardlv blood.
The tendency may skip generation or
TWO, but II is sure TO come out, as in a
little child you sometimes see SINH
iarity TO n great-grandfather, whose
picture hangs on the wall. That the
physical and mental and moral uuali-
ties are Unbeatable Is patent to any
one who keeps his eyes open. The sim
ilarity Is so striking sometimes as to be
amusing. Great families, regal or
literary, are apt to have the character
lstics all down through the genera
tions: and what is more perceptible in
such families may be seen, on a smaller
scale, in all families. A thousand
years have no power to obliterate the
difference. The great lip of the house
of Austria is seen in all the genera
tons, and is called the Hapsburg lip.
The house of Stuart always means, in
all generations, cruelty and bigotrv
and sensuality. Witness the queen of
Scots Witness Charles /. and Charles
ii. Witness James l. and James II,
and all other scoundrels of that line.
Scottish blood means persistence. Eng
lish blood means reverence for the
ancient, Welsh hood means rcligiositv,
Danish blood means fondness for the
sea, Indian blood means roam
ing disposition. Celtic blood
means fervidity, Roman blood
means conquest. The Jewish faculty
for accumulation you may trace clear
back to Abraham, of whom the
Bible says: He was rich in silver and
gold and cattle;" and TO Isaac and
Jacob, who had the same character
istics. Some families are characterized
by longevity. and they have a tenacity
of life positively Methuselish. Others
are characterized by Goliathian stat
ure, and you can see il for one genera
ton, two generations, five generations.
in all generations. Vigorous theology
runs down in the fine of the Alexan-
ders. Tragedy runs on in the family
of the Kembles. Literature runs on in
the line OF the Trollopes. Philanthropy
runs on in the line of the Wilberforces
craftsmanship runs on in the line of
the Adamses You see these peculiar
tiles in all generations.
Henry and Catharnc of Navarro re-
ligious all their families religious.
The celebrated family Of the Casini. all
mathematicians. The celebrated fam
lily OF the Medici, grandfather. son and
Catharine, all remarkable for keen in
tellect The cele brated family of Gus
tavus Adoiphus all warriors. This
law o. heredi'y asserts itself without
reference TO social or political condi-
ton. for Won some times find the ignoble
in high place aud the honorable in OBJ
scure place. a descendant. Of Ed.
ward l.. tollgathcrer. a descendant OF
Edward H.. a doorkeeper 4 descend
ant 81 the duke Of Northumberland.
a trunkmaker. Some Of the miyhtiest
families 81 England are extinct. while
some OF those most honored in til
peerage go back % an ancestry of hard
knuckles and rough exterior. This
law d heredity is entirely independent
OF social or political conditions Then
You find avarice and jealousy and sem
sualltv aud fraud having full swing ira
some fam lies. q ne violent temper Of
Frederick William is the inherit
ancc Of Frederick the Great. II
is not "a theory founded bv worldly
phi osophv but by Divine an.
shortly. Do you not remember
how the Bible speaks o. chosen gen.
GRAFTON. OF the generations Of the
righteous. 81 The generations OF vipers
OF an untoward generation. Of a stub
born generation. o. the ini1uitv of the
ia'hcrs visited upon the children unto
tne Third and fourth generation? "a
That The text comes to-day with In,
force or prolectile hurled from rr.iyht
lest c1.apult: Whose son art fbou
thou young mau?" "NcII saws som,
one. "tnat theory discharges inc from