I40 HEREDITY AND CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS 



Therefore, at present, I shall consider only cer- 

 tain phases of the subject ; namely, pauperism as 

 related to heredity and environment. I will not 

 speak of those only temporarily in financial dis- 

 tress, — always a large class ; nor yet of those 

 who are able to earn a decent living, but who 

 have few luxuries, and only a limited number 

 of comforts. The condition of such needs im- 

 provement; but, judging from recent events in 

 this country and in Europe, they are able to 

 work out their own salvation, and are doing so 

 surely and swiftly. Neither will I pause to 

 speak of the insane, or the children of virtuous 

 parents who are left without help. None of 

 these should be forgotten, but they cannot be 

 considered here. 



Pauperism denotes a condition. That condi- 

 tion has been defined as "the state of voluntary 

 want," — a very inadequate definition. All who 

 are voluntarily in want are paupers, but not all 

 paupers are such voluntarily. Some choose pau- 

 perism ; to them it is preferable to labour. Others 

 are born into pauperism, and such would often 

 gladly rise out of it, but cannot. They remain 

 paupers from lack of faculty rather than from 

 choice. A weight is upon them, — the weight 

 of the sins of past generations. It crushes like 



