The record-union., 1897-08-04
Proceedings Against Animals.

Perhaps the last instance of a prose-
cution Of animals is one extracted by
M. Agnel from the 'Noyo Fl0resta' of
Manoel Bernardes. The franciscan
friars of the monastery Of st. Antony
in the Brazilian province of Piedade no
Maranhoa Were much moleSted by ants,
vast nlultitudes of which devoured their
stores, destroyed their furniture, and
rendered the monastery insecure by
their INNINGS. All attempts to get rid
of them We're vain, till a worthy
brother, moved, as we may believe, by
divine inspiration advised that they
should resort to that spirit of humility
which made their seraphic founder call
all creatures his brethren, brother
WOLF" sister swallow" etc. Let them
bring an action against their sisters,
the ants, before the tribunal of Di-
vine Providence, represented by the
Bishop.
This was done accordingly, an advo-
cate being appointed to represent the
ants. The prosecuting counsel declared
that his clients, in conformity with the
rules of their order, lived on aims,
which they collected with great diff
Guilty, and that the ants (animals whose
spirit is totally contrary to the Gospel
and who We're therefore abh0red by
St. F'rancis) did nothing but steal from
them, and, worse than culinary thieves,
were even trying to ruin and destroy
their home. He asked that they should
be required to justify these doings, and
failing this, that pestilence and inunda-
tions should be invoked to exterminate
them. The ants advocate replied that,
since God had given them life, they
had a right to maintain it by the in
stincts bestowed upon them; that they
served God by giving men an example
of prudence in both temporal and spir-
itual matters proverbs xxx. 25), of
charity, peace and concord, by the way
in which they worked together, and of
religion and piety, since, according to
Plny, they only among animals bury
their dead. Moreover, they worked
much harder than did the monks, for
they often carried burdens larger than
themselves. Man, indeed, might be
the more honorable creature, but he
had offended his Creator, in whose
sight he was no better than an ant.
Also, ants were the earlier inhabitants
of the place, and might therefore just
ly complain Of violent expulsion. Fin
ally, he declared that the earth and
the fullness Thereof belonged to God and
not to the plaintiffs.
At length, after rejoinders and coun-
ter rejoinders the Judge ordered the
friars to appoint a suitable place in
their neighborhood for the ants, and
charged the latter to retire thither at
once under pain of communication.
Thus, he declared, both parties might
be satisfied without damage to either;
for the brethren had come into that
country in a spirit of obedience to sow
the seed of the Gospel. This judgment
was read aloud before all the ant holes
Whereupon, according to the monastic
records of January, 1913, behold a
miracle which shows how the Supreme
Being, of whim it is written HE play
eth with His creatures was satisfied
with the judgment. Immediately
myriads of the little animals were be-
held marching towards the place APP
pointed for them. and the holy friars,
relieved from their intolerable oppres-
sion, gave thanks to God for so adj
mirable manifestation of His power
and His providence. "-Cornhill Maya
zine.