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HEREDITY AND CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS 



fullest possible development tendencies to the 

 true, the beautiful, and the good. To reach this 

 high ideal it must be intelligent ; it must work 

 according to a plan ; its instruments must know 

 pupils better even than books ; must always 

 adapt methods to personalities ; and must be 

 fully persuaded that the culture of an immortal 

 spirit is as great a mission as the exploration of 

 the stellar universe. The practical difficulty in 

 this adaptation of training can be largely over- 

 come by making parents and teachers acquainted 

 with child-life. This involves a knowledge, not 

 only of the pupils, but of their ancestry. A 

 teacher will be able to do better work for his 

 scholars if he knows something of their fathers 

 and grandfathers. Blood always tells. Properly 

 understood, pedigree of human beings is a more 

 worthy study than chemistry or astronomy. Edu- 

 cation should evolve that which is best in its 

 object. Jean Paul says : " It is only mediocrity 

 which supplants that of others by its own." The 

 Master said : " I come not to destroy, but to fulfil." 

 The best teacher never seeks to efface an indi- 

 viduality, but by effacing himself seeks to draw 

 out to full and beautiful proportions the noblest 

 and best in every child committed to his care. 



