The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

life lived in Gods world under purely hu-
man conditions; lived. too, to show US how
every son of man should live lived to leave
US an example that we should follow in
his steps. Look at that life, then. not alone
IN its relation to man. but i'm its relation
10 the world which was the scene of its
activities; look at it in it's relation to every
creature and thing which formed its envi-
ronment, and see if you can find anything
but love, and pity, and gentleness, and SYM
pathy and respect, and reverence for every
thing that God has made AS Christ went
doout doing good '-ministering to the sor-
ala, sorrowing, suffering. sinful lives of men
can you conceive of His participating in
an act of unkindness, of cruelty. of pain
giving TO the very humblest of Gods crea-
lures? Did He not say of the sparrows
Not one of them is forgotten before God .
or falleth to the ground without His notice?
think Of Him as entering into the meaning
and mystery of the life and instincts and
pleasures of the animal world; as seeing
responsive elements existing between the
Creator and the creature; as knowing how
God takes in all life, and how in some way
all life apprehends God.
MEANING OF CHRISTIANITY.
Christianity means the copying of Christ
the reproduction of the tone and temper
and emotions of His character in our char
acters If He were really reproduced in the
whole of humanity, how differently would
the relations existing between man and the
other creatures of God be recognized! How
changed would mans conceptions be of his
duty toward his neighbors-the birds of the
air and the beasts of the field-as well as
his neighbor, man.
Think too, of the elements of Christian
ity as propounded by Christ's apostles, and
see how they touch not only every phase
of human life in its relation with human
life, but how they impregnate character
with a spirit that touches all things with
reverence, and outpours itself on all things
in love. THE fruit of the spirit is love-
JOY, meekness, gentleness, long-suffering."
Has that no bearing upon conduct in its
relations to other forms of life? BE pitt
full says ST. Peter; BE We mercful"
says st. Luke Think you that they
meant pity only for human woes and weak
nesses and follies and sins? 1 think they
meant for everything. The true Christ-man,
in all his splendid, courageous, heroic ele-
ments of character is one who is ever kind,
and to whom cruelty is unknown And prate
how men will about animals having no rec
ognition in the Christian religion, that re-
ligion has done and is doing much for
them, and shall yet bring about for them
higher consideration, more kindness, more
thoughtfulness, even more love, from man.
He prayeth we'll who Ioveth we'll
Both man and bird and beast;
lie prayeth best who loVeth best
All things both great and small
For the dear Lord who loveth u.s.
He made and loveth all.
The fact that, in our high state of civ
ilization, we need such society as that
for 1.-THE Prevention of Cruelty to Ami
mails stands out as a sickening ulcer upon
the fair face of our national life. 1t is
reproach that not until recent years had
we such organizations as the Band of
Mercy" and that which is now, happily, in
sttuted in London, 1.-The Church Society for
the Promotion of Kindness to Animals"
Nor is the church less Christian when she
stands the animals friend than wheRp She
holds her synods for the settling of her
theological dogmas.
1t is essentially part Of our mission here
upon earth to tell men that they have no
right to inf1ict needless pain upon any crea-
ture that shares with man life derived from
God. We must say to science that in exper-
imenting upon animals for the benefit of
mankind she must deal tenderly, humanely,
reVerently, with even the humblest life she
touches We must tell society that to en-
courage the slaughter of millions of the
songsters of the air to provide the table
with unnecessary delicacies, or birds of gay
plumage to decorate womans attire. is an
outrage to Christian sentiment and wan
ton affront to the Creator. We must see
that nowhere shall cruelty be practiced for
the pleasure or the gain of man. We must
insist that where animals are killed for
necessary food, the process of killing shall
be marked by all the kindness, care and
tenderness that is possible.
And finally, let us ourselves be kind to
every animal that would share with us in
friendship the blessings of God. This for
the heavenly Fathers sake. for the sake of
His dumb creatures and for the influence
upon our own hearts and lives for 1.-The
merciful man doeth good to his own soul,
but he that IS cruel troubleth his own flesh"