The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-15

Catharlne SmlthleS, OF England,
wrote: II think the teaching to be
kind to the lower animals is preparing
the way for the gospel of Christ"
What has made the Quakers hui
name? 49,.
How happened it that while all the
other American colonies were at war
with the Indians, the Quakers, under
William Penn, alone maintained with
them the most peaceful relations?
Is there anything which strikes
more directly at the roots of wars, riots,
anarchy and every form of cruelty,
than humane education of the
children in all u public, private aud
Sun6ay-schools?
If you admit that humane education
of the children is a good thing, the
next question is how to accomplish it.
Can you do. it by telling children
they ought to be gooo?
Can you do it by telling them they
ought to love God, of whom many of
them know but very little?
Can you do it by telling them they
ought to love fathers and mothers,
many of whom are anything but
lovable?
Can you do it by telling them to
love inanimate objects, like trees and
flowers, which cannot show gratitude
or return affection -.
Please think and tell me if you can
find q better way under heaven Tor
making children merciful than by
teaching them to be constantly doing
kind acts and saying kind words to
Gods lower creatures, by whom they
are surrounded aud which they are
meeting on the Streets and elsewhere
a hundred times'G day?
Please think again and tell me an
other thing, lam ely, whether every
kind act we do, aui. every kind word
we speak, which adds to the happi-
ness of others. doe, bot also add to our
happiness; and when we teach the
boy or girl to be dong these. kind acts
aud saying these hind words a hun
dred times a day t. The lower animals,
are we not teachiLE what will make
their own lives happier?
Is it not then d. :aO!e to Introduce
this teaching into 0ur schools?
And will not Suuday-schools be
more attractive = children if some
part of their time wen to the good,
noble and merciful oughts and deed
Of this nineteenth ,-u, ury, is set forth
in the humane j. allure now being
widely publis ed
Now, if we find ..... humane tea h
ings ought to be G.Uu i part of the ill.,
struction in our schools and Sunday
schools, and that no better way has
been thus far devised than to include
in those teachings he teaching OF
kindness to the lower animals, how
can we best teach it?
answer. We have formed already
in America over ''siXty thousand
Bands of Mercy"
some of them in places as far distant
as China and Japan.
Among the first members of "Our
Parent Band" were the Governor Of
Massachusetts, the Chief Justice Of
Supreme Judicial Court, our most
Reverend Roman Catholic Archbish-
op, and a long list of our most eminent
men, including leading educators and
prominent ,clergymen of the various
religious denominations.
We teach in them, by picture, Song
and story, kindness but to our own
race and to every harmless living
creature.
They can be formed in any school or
Sunday-school in ten minutes. 1t
costs nothing to form them, and only
as much or little time as is found
profitable need be given to them.
Immediately on their formation our
American Humane Education Socie-
ty" gives to each Band, without cost
for one year, its monthly paper, "Our
Dumb Animals" full of humane
stories, poems and information, and q
complete outfit of humane literature
sufficient for all the meetings that
may be held during the year, and full
directions and suggestions.
In conclusion, then, please carefully
consider, 1st, Whether you can find
anything more likely to prevent cruel
ty.and bring happiness into the lives
of those. taught than humane educa-
ton?
End, Whether you can find any bet
ter plan of human education than that
which includes teaching children to
do kind acts and speak kind words to
those that always show gratitude for
kindness and return love for love?
Sd, Whether you can find any
cheaper or better way to begin than
by simply forming a "Band of Mercy"
whose only pledge is, II will try to
be kind to ali harmless living
creatures and to protest them from
cruel usage" al. receive from our
"American Hume Education Socie-
ty," for each BAN, afull outfit of hu-
name literature fol Il year, without
cost.
With one more thought 1 close If
it is certain that the prevention of
domestic and foreign wars. and every
form of cruelty in The future, is to de-
pend largely on the humane education
we now give the cI iidrtn in our pub
lie, private and 81 ..day-Schools, is it
not equally certai t.at the future
strength and vital V Of all benevolent
societies and insti ions for the pre-
vention and relief human suffering
is to depend lart,.- on this anne
humane education
Does not hun education, ia
church, school an he, nOurish ana
sustain the tree OF IT, all u len
thousand charitIrs 4. -ta!es and
branches?
In this view, was the Rev. DR..
Hedge right ~ VIZ" when he W. ote
me, II greatly approve Of your en-
terprise, which seems to me the best
charity of the day
Was Frances +. Willard right or
wrong when she wrote me, N look
upon your mission as a sacred one,
-~r ~~- " - kh@