Character and Conduct – 3 June – Heredity

ANY insistence on heredity would have depreciated responsibility, and Jesus held every man to his own sin.   Science and theology have joined hands in magnifying heredity and lowering individuality, till a man comes to be little more than the resultant of certain forces, a projectile shot forth from the past, and describing a calculated course.   Jesus made a brave stand for each man as the possessor of will-power, and master of his life.   He sadly admitted that a human will might be weakened by evil habits of thought, He declared gladly that the Divine Grace reinforced the halting will:  but, with every qualification, decision still rested in the last issue with the man.   ‘If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean,’ as if his cure hinged on the Divine Will.   Of course, I am willing, said Jesus, and referred the man back to his inalienable human rights.   Jesus never diverged into metaphysics, even to reconcile the freedom of the human will with the sovereignty of the Divine.   His function was not academic debate, it was the solution of an actual situation.   Logically, men might be puppets;  consciously, they were self-determinating, and Jesus said with emphasis, ‘Wilt thou?

The Mind of the Master, Dr. JOHN WATSON

EVEN natural disposition, of which we make so much when we speak of heredity, is only a tendency till habit takes it and sets it and hardens it and drives it to a settled goal. 

HUGH BLACK

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.