damental plane or groundwork; just, as there is a general family likeness, yet with various modifications of feature and expression. All experience testifies to this truth. That qualities both of body and mind are inherited, not only with man bat also with the inferior animals, is matter of every day's observation. How groundless, then, it may be remarked, is the idea, entertained by some, that every infant's soul is created in a state of purity, and that all the evil it afterwards shows, comes by education and the influence of circumstances. Such a view is, in fact, as, unphilosophical and as contrary to all experience, as it is opposed to the teachings of Revelation. It arises from confounding the life which flows in from God, with the mind or spiritual organism that receives the life. These,—as shown a moment ago, as often also in previous parts of this work—are two quite distinct things. The life flowing in from God, is indeed pure and purity itself; and He gives it one and the same to all men,—"as He makes His sun to rise alike on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." But that life receives its modification and change, according to the character of the mind, soul, or spiritual organism into which it flows,—just as the pure rays of light from the sun are changed into different colours, according to the structure of the recipient objects. That life, flowing into the soul of a bad man, which is in a perverted and distorted state, becomes qualified and changed accordingly,—being turned from love into hate, from the gentle flame of benevolence and affection into the fire of malevolence and rage. Supposing, then, such a man to produce a son,—that son cannot but inherit his parent's organisms, both
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