The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-15
MUST BE SOBER FOR
TEN YEARS BEFORE
He MARRIES
In a Sermon on Heredity Rev.
DR.. w. II. w. Boyle Recon-
mends a Law Which He
Thinks Should Apply to Ha-
bituaI Drunkards---CriminaIs
Should Not Marry.

Were it possible, I would have a law
Which would say to the habitual drunk
ard: Only after you can give absolute
proof before a jury of twelve men that
you have lived in strict sobriety for ten
years can you get a license to marry
twice been convicted of criminal tend
encies it should say: You shall never
marry to bring forth a race of crinf-
nails to burden the earth. ,"
These were the words OF Rev. DR.. w H
w. Boyle at the House of Hope church
last night. The subject of his sermon
was 'Heredity,' and in his opening
words DR.. Boyle said:
The fathers have eaten of our grapes
and the teeth Of the children are set on
edge. There is no relation between diff
ferent matters more important than
that existing between heredity and des-
tiny.
Every man and woman, starting out
on the journey of life, has cause to
either bless or curse his or her pro-
gen1tors. The question of the possibili-
ty Of the transmission of mental and
moral peculiaritfes is a much-mooted
one, am aware; but there are very
few today who will doubt or deny the
fact that transmission of bodily pecuI-
1arlt1es is possible, and is not the one
as probable and as feasible as the
other
How often do we hear the state
ment: He has his fathers walk or
He has his fathers or mothers eyes 2
1t Is we'll known fact that certain
families are given to insanity; that in
others they are noted for longevity: in
others musical voice is the trait; and
1t is just as much a matter of common
knowledge that in certain families the
craving for strong drink is handed
down.
who does not know that Napoleon's
mother was possessed of inOrdinate
ambition; that Carlyle's mother was
noted for her good common sense; that
Burns mother could recite and sing
Scottish ballads for hours at a time?
Who does not know that the mother of
the gifted but erratic Byron was nota-
bly, eccentric; that the mother of Nero,
that incarnation of crime, was the
assassin of her husband?
God Given Right of the Child.
"There is one God-given right to
which every child is entitIed-the
right to be we'll born and we'll bred,
and, no matter what the successive
years may bring forth. the impress of
a good birth and good rearing will
leave their indellible stamp upon that
child and will bear good fruit
For Jacob 1 have a great deal of
sympathy and pity, as he sits mourn
ing over the deception Of his son that
brought down his gray hairs In sor-
row to the grave; but I cannot forget
that Jacob himself deceived his father.
David mourning for Absolom excites
our sincerest pity; but we know, too,
that David gave free rein to his pas
Sions.
Frequently am 1 asked to answer
the question: is anyone responsible
for inherited traits?' To this 1 answer
Yes and Mo- For the inheritance Of
trait 1 am not responsible; for the
correction of it I assuredly am. There
is no inherited trait that cannot be
counteracted and controlled by the eff
fort of strong, determined will.
Some men are born great; some
have greatness thrust upon them; but
the greatest is he who achieves it.
'The iniquities of the fathers are
visited upon the children; Of that no
doubt rests in my mind, but we
must remember that the man who con-
quers himself is greater than he who
takes a city. And the Scriptures tell
us to him that overcometh himself I
will give to sit with Me in glory"