The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-13
4 SCHOOL OF B|0PH|L|SN
Rev Josiah Adams Believes AMI
mails Have Soul Lite.
He Has Founded School for the Pur-
pose of Furthering His Ideas.
q John Burroughs and Eugene
Field Interested. Objects and
,S2s Work of the Society.

chief Object the study of animal pgy-
chology. The founder Of the now cult is
the Rev. Charles Josiah Adams, rector
of the Church of the Holy Spirit at
Rondout, and he has associated with him
an executive committee. consisting of
Eugene Field, the poet; John Bur
roughs, tho naturalist and essayist Eu-
gene Glass, editor of The Dog F;ncier,
md Henry Abbey of Kingston, the wri-
ter.
). According TO Mr.. Adams definition,
his word biophilism comes from the
Greek word bios, life, and philein, to
aoye, and it means the love of hfe-lifo
in all of its forms-from the highest to
the lowest The biophilist is the one
who gives every creature full credit for
what there is i'll it-who would save tho
meanest creature pain and make il hap
py-who would meto out to all crea-
lures Immortality if he could--who, con
sequently, hopes for the Immortality Of
tile sentient universe.
Tile objects of the bureau of biophi-
1ism are set forth thus in its circular:
First.-To collect evidences that tho lower
animals may possess ut loast n showing Of the
sap1e faculties that man Possesses.
Seoond.-To circulate AZ widely as possible
such evidences
Third.-To awaken in the minds OF % many
people Us can be reached the questions:
May not the lower animals be inlmortalr
May not the entire sentient universe DO i'm
mortHll
What argument goes to prove man immor.
tally which does not 80 to prove the immor.
tality Of other sentient beingss
Fourth.-ln the hopo that tho higher aninel
through such considerations may become some
what more kindly in his treatment OF the
lower animal.
Tbs bureau will attempt the attainment OF
thsse objects:
First.-Through observation and research.
Second. Through the correspondence OF its
members and patrons.
Thifd.-Through publications.
urth.-Through lectures and symposiums
In the matter OF belief in the mental
and moral attributes III tho lower ami
mails the other members of tho executive
committee do not go rs far us Mr..
Adams. They are, however, i'll sylnpa-
thy with him i'll his idea of studying ami
mails and his belief that, as understand
ing of household beasts becomes more
general, cruelty, whether intentional or
thoughtless, toward them Will decrease.
1t is OH this broad basis that the bureau
will proceed with its work. Primarily
the effort will be to collect from various
sources evidence of reasoning power in
animals, and from time TO time this
evidence will be published and circulat-
ed MIR. Adams has published one book
ON the subject which has had large
circulation. 1t is called Whore Is Nv
uog?" and discusses broadly the uues.
Zion Of the Immortality of other ami.
mails than man. 1t was this book that
attracted Eugene Fields attention, and
he wrote to Mr. Adams as follows:
TO the Rev. G. ). Adams:
SIR-I have read with tender interest your
book entitled, "Where Is My Dogf" and want
to ask you whether you ever found tho fox
eerIier You Lost just before you wrote that
bookf have fox terrier Jessie, and have
sp6ut great deal of money in rewards" for
ner'.rq she has been 'last" good many
times She. haR a eoul ON sending Won here
with n little tale l recently printed in The
News Record II may please you hop, So
really feel under deep obligations 10 you for
your true forciful words in behalf of mans
pestffiend-the dog. Sincerely yours,
EUGBsE FIELD
Later, when the bureau Of hiophilism
was formed, Mr.. Field gladly consent
ed to act ON the executive committee
Although Mr.. Adams is a firm believer
an the theory that animals have souls.
he does not hold that belief to be a part
of biophilism.
What we want to do, " he said TO
reporter who called on him, sis to es-
tabhsh general cult having for its ob.
jeot interest in animals / am in hearty
sympathy with the work Of the Society
Fof the Prevention Of Cruelty to Ami.
mails. They do u great and benefcent
work. There are many men whom Won
must reach by the policcman's club
I This is the work of that society. 1t is
3nur intent to supplement that work by
reaching by the advancement Of KNOW
edge many people who are susceptible
to that kind of influence. The Creat
mass of people are unkind toward ami.
ma5 because they have no realization
that they are dealing with sentient be.
singa.
II myself believe that the lower ami
mals'pesses5 to some degree every facul-
5ty that man possesses and that the
germs of, these faculties are coexistent
with the life germ. The higher we get
the greater is the development until
we finally come to man, the highest ami.
inai To bring the highest animal into
,RYm0athy with the lower. animals 10 a.