Memorial of the Walkers of the Old Plymouth Colony - Embracing Genealogical and Biographical Sketches #223079

The more one studies history, and races, and families, the more must he be convinced of the marked and permanent influence of blood. Despite all the crossings by intermarriages, every goncalo gist has marked, and marvelled at the continuance, from generation to generation, of some particular type of character, that was visible in the earliest known ancestor. This fact has been strikingly illus trated in the descendants of many of the early Pilgrim, or Puritan colonists. To read aright the lesson of human history, to reach wise and safe generalizations, one must not forget the law of descent, and the force there is in blood or race. Religion does not run in the blood of that family, said' an aged but observing man, as a vicious youth passed him. I have known the family for several genera tions, but I have never known any among them who gave evidence of piety. — The qualities and forces of the character do run in the blood, and whether good or bad, are propagated, and pass down through successive generations. In some families, the parents, and the ancestors, back to an early period, have been marked by moral and christian excellence. The family of the elder Edwards is an illustration of this law and force of Blood. His ancestors, for many generations, were eminent for religious worth. And his numerous progeny have, with few exceptions, flourished by reason of the lively sap sent up from the good root. Wherever they are found, they are characterized by the moral qualities, and illustrate, in no small degree, the spirit of their illustrious and godly ancestor. And this force of Blood, is just as visible in the transmission of evil qualities, giving to sbme families, through long periods. A bad eminence, perpetuating a type of character, with which, religion or intelligence are rarely, if ever, united.