Jonathan Edwards.—Jonathan Edwards was born in 1720. He and his wife had splendid heredity. They were well educated. They were converted to Christ in childhood. We have identified and studied thirteen hundred and ninety-four of their descendants. We find thirteen university presidents; one hundred and twenty-three college and university professors; thirty-two eminent authors; ninety-six physicians; over two hundred ministers; four hundred successful business men; one vice president; mayors of large cities, U. S. senators and congressmen; ministers to foreign ports; only one left a stain on the family record—Aaron Burr who fought a duel with Alexander Hamilton.
The potency of heredity.—Suppose that the environments of these two families could have been reversed and their heredity left the same, could you then have written the figures after Max Jukes that we have written after Edwards, or vice versa? No real student of sociological conditions believes that we could. Environment certainly had much to do with both of these families; but all students of heredity believe that in these families heredity was as great as, or even a greater factor than, environment. The dependent and delinquent descendants of Max Jukes were the products of bad heredity, bad environment and the rejection of Christ; the great and good descendants of Edwards were the products of good heredity, good environment and the grace of God.
Bible and heredity.—In the Old and New Testament, the writers of nearly every book appear to recognize the potency of heredity. We can refer to only a few of them here as proof of the fact of heredity. God told Sampson’s mother that she must drink no strong wine and eat no impure food.
David gives a most excellent statement of the results of good heredity: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto children’s children.” The word fear, as applied in this case, means perfect obedience prompted by respect, reverence and love for one in authority.
The Jews, who could trace their lineal descent to Abraham, often boasted of their inherited superiority over other Jews and people of other nations.
Paul, writing to Timothy, said, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice,” etc. In this statement Paul accounts, in part at least, for the strong faith and beautiful Christian character of Timothy, on the basis of heredity.
David explains the sins of his life as being due, in part at least, to a bad heredity. “I was shapen in sin and in iniquity did my mother conceive me.”
Iniquities of fathers visited upon their children.—In Exodus 20:5, we find a most remarkable statement of the hereditary results of obedience to law and of disobedience. “I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous
