2->8 HEREDITY AND CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS 



heredity leads quickly to pessimism ; but, with 

 a proper understanding of it, it may lead to faith, 

 and become an aid in apologetics. Its testimony, 

 strong and unequivocal, is that the progress of 

 the race depends on faith in spiritual things. If 

 there is no revelation from God, and no possibility 

 of knowing God ; if there is no soul in man 

 apart from some vital principle of his body ; if 

 there is no reasonable basis for belief in life 

 after death, then there is no conceivable motive 

 strong enough to induce men to make a stand 

 against the malign tendencies in their blood 

 or the debasing influences of their environment. 

 It is indeed possible to change the course of 

 heredity, but to do so requires resolution, self- 

 denial, and watchfulness ; and, if death ends all, 

 why struggle .'' If into that sleep no dreams can 

 come, then I, for one, am ready to justify suicide, 

 and to declare that the greatest fools are those 

 who deny themselves any pleasures that will not 

 in this life give them pain. 



The future of humanity depends on the ques- 

 tion whether there can be brought to bear upon 

 the human will any motive strong enough to in- 

 duce a man to fight inherited evil, and to put 

 forth efforts to improve the circumstances in 

 which his children and neigrhbours must live. 



