The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-09
Constructive Use of the
Destructive Spirit of Man
Copyright Britain rights
by WHEELER WILCOX.

duced Jain to look through a
microscope, at drop of drinking
water, and afterward he asked the
Jain how he reconciled himself 10
the fact that he destroyed so much
life with every swallow of watei.
The man replied that ever since he
had looked through the microscope
he had taken pains to drink water
only in the dark. But the light of
education will eventually dissipate ali
such darkness
These wonderful and inspiring
works. the yedas. nowhere teach any
thing that can be construed into ap-
prevail OF human or animal sacri-
fee yet the Brahmins who claim to
be true Fedantists, have SO pervert-
ed the original teachings that all
over India. at certain seasons. the
most horrible slaughter of fowls and
goats occur as part of their re-
ligious festivals
/ visited an old deserted city at
Amber. India. which was in its prime
a thousand years ago. Now, the
keepers OF these temples, the guides
and caretakers. and, OF course. num-
erous priests. the pests of India alone
occupy its palaces. But upon the
altar of their bioodthirsty goddess
Kali. a goat has been sacrificed every
morning for a thousand years.
1t is gratifying to read that the
British government is taking the mat
ter in hand. A morning paper con-
aims the following:
THE season OF goat and fowl Kill
ing has approached in the festivals
of Kali and Nyrarer. Our govern
ment agent has, by his orders. pre-
vented thu wholesale slaughter. The
act liz praiseworthy and the general
public is grateful
To propitiate the gods OF blood.
three animals are permitted TO be
killed, and others have the tips of
their ears cut to answer the purpose
OF sacrifice.
The government agent has also put
a stop to- the excessive use of liquor
In these festivals.
The leading Brahmtns, of the mod
ern day are enlightened men of wise
education. and Ii seems Incredible
that they have been SO long In com
ing into prominence rs opposing
these terrible barharic rites.
The Marahsja OF Cachmere. fbefore
the government agent took the mat
ter In hand) sent out an edict that
on his large estates OF hundreds of
acres no animal should be slaughter
ed for sacrifice or for food. /; was
his action which encouraged the gov
ernment to make an effort toward
reform of this ancient harharic Gus
tom.
The government caused the cessa-
ton of Suffice. the burning of WIDOWS
on the husbands funeral pyre, and
10 the government we must Jock 70,
the driving out of many OF the othe,
customs of ignorance and superstition
which blot the face of India.
When the Christian missions un-
dertake TO do away with these bloody
sacrifices by religious teachings the
Indians point to the fact of our
slaughter houses. where
thousands of Animals are slain In
place OF every one sacrificed in In
iia. They also ask the Christians
why it is any worse to sacrifice AMI
mails than 1t was for the Christian
God to sacrifice His son.
But when the law speaks In In
dia there Is no argument to be made
and to the government, not to the
missions, must we look for such re-
forms. The 5. p. G.. A. should be
strengthened also and given more
men and means to carry on their
work.
Mohammedans are supposed to de-
stroy no life save such as is neces-
sary for food Yet in Java the sui
tans both keep wild tigers and lions
In cages for their own amusement,
and two travellers were informed by
the keepers of these cages that for a
small sum OF money q live dog would
be tossed into the cage for the enter
tainment OF the travellers They de-
rlined the proffered pleasure" but
learned that agents were on the watch