The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-22

velopment and operation of the Di- vine emotions of mercy, justice and pity. That these qualities should be unaffected towards dunno brutes is a growing conviction and rule of civil ized conduct Moreover. statutes every where are being enacted Tor its en- forcement
 During the hundred years just bast the most decided progress has been made in the practical growth and ap- plication of humane principles. The first plea in behalf of ju&tice, mercy. made in an English speaking body of lawmakers was in the House of Peers (England) in the year 1911, by the famous Lord Erskine. The first law enacted for their protection was also in England. in 1922. by the British Parliament
 The first Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was organized in London, Juno 13. 1924. France was the next country to feel the humane movement and in 1s4s founded the Parish Society for the Protection of Animals. The first Society of a simi- lar nature. organized in our own coun- try was called the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Anil mals. Its founder and first President was the late Henry Bergh, to whose su- preme self-sacrifice, united with faith full and untiring energy. Is due fhc active work for animal protection in this land. This society was organized in 1866. And the movement has grad ually spread
 At the present time most of the States of the Union give protection to helpless animals Gas, well as to chil- dren), by legislative enactment to which. of course. must be added the organization of Humane Societies themselves.
 When we turn to Gods Holy Word we see set forth tiue and again our duty to practice kindness and gentleness to- wards animals. Under the old dispen- 'satioh, through Solomon. God tells us, "A righteous man regardeth the fife of his beast" Under the new dispen- sation, through our Lord and Savior. God bids us. Be ye. therefore. merciful as your Father also is 1erciful.' While 1t is true this latter injunction is in- tended to apply to the relations, pri- marily, of human. beings with one an other, nevertheless we must see it is broad and comprehensive in its mean ing. In word, it lays down the prin- ciple of mercy. Therefore, 1t Is unt- versal in it's application.
 Perhaps you ask why should we be merciful to the dumb brutes?, For more than one reason. First, let us glance at his place in the Scrtptural record. According to the Mosaic ac- count of creation beasts had posses sion of the world before man. Fish and fowl were created on the fifth day. On the sixth day, cattle were created first. and afterwards man. They have. you see, the same source as ours. Like us they get their life from the Creo- tor. Like us they come from the pa- ternal heart of God We are not sur prised. therefore that He should sanc- tion pity towards dumb brutes not only by word, but also by example. For He, Himself, has a care for beasts. whence the passage in the Psalms, Thou, Lord shall save both man and beast.' And Psalm. cxlvii, 9, Who giv- eth fodder unto the cattle and feed eth the young ravens that call upon Him. They come from God. I repeat. as truly as do we. In a sense they are our fellow creatures Perhaps Ruskin had this in mind when he wrote, There Is in every animals eye a dim image and gleam of humanity. a flash of strange light through which their life looks out and up to our great myst"ry of command over them. and claims the fellowship of the creature if not of the soul Again, We should be humane to them not only because of Gods comand, not only because of their own natures and relationship to us, but also because 1t Is right in it. self, and is really high form of grace and mercy, the practice of which vir- tues are helpful both to the recipients themselves and likewise to- us. for the greatest of woman poets, Elizabeth Barret Browning, well says:
 ''Only my gentleness shall mako me great
 And humbleness exalt me-"