SOME OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 49 



ridiculous, yet not more so than to leave the origin 

 and prenatal development of children to Provi- 

 dence and blind chance. 



Parents should realize that they are responsible 

 not only for the number and frequency of births, 

 but for the physical, mental and moral character 

 of their children. When this parental responsi- 

 bility is more generally accepted children will be 

 better born. A young minister recently became 

 angry in my lecture room and bolted, making a 

 very uncomplimentary remark as he left the 

 church. I learned later that seven years before 

 he had married a beautiful, strong, noble woman 

 who was now confined to her room a physical 

 wreck. During her brief married life she had 

 given birth to six children; the two eldest were 

 strong but very ungovernable, two were puny 

 and nervous, and two were stillborn. The rev- 

 erend gentleman had undoubtedly entrusted the 

 birth of his children and the health of his wife 

 to Divine providence ! I was not surprised that he 

 opposed the doctrine of heredity and parental 

 responsibility. 



The propriety of the free discussion of heredity 

 has been questioned by a certain class of good, 

 but falsely educated, persons, and made an excuse 

 for opposing the whole subject. Surely, such 

 persons must have a perverted view of parentage. ^ etedi 

 As Dr. Cowan beautifully says: "What God, in Propel Study, 

 the might of His wisdom and the greatness of His 

 love, has created, no man nor woman need be 

 ashamed to read, talk of, learn and know; for it 

 cannot be that He has ordained it that knowledge 



