Year: 1862


mails; they are constantly attacking and
pursuing each other; every element is a
field Of battle for them; the eagle is the
terror of the inhabitants of the air; the
tiger lives upon the earth by carnage; the
pike in the waters; and the mole under the
ground. 1t is the want of food which in.
duces these, and many other species of ami
mails to destroy one another. But there are
some creatures whose hatred of each other
does not proceed from the same source


Those animals which entwine themselves
around the elephants trunk, and press il
till they have suffocated him, do not act SO


with the design of procuring food When


the ermine leaps upon, and lays hold of.
the ear of the bear and the elk, and bites


them with his sharp teeth, we cannot
affirm that this is done to satisfy the call
of hunger. There is scarcely any creature,
however small, which does not serve for
food to some other animal I kaow that
many people think chat this arrangement


IS cruel and unnecessary, but | can with
confidence assert, that even this antipathy
and cnmity among animals, is a proof that
every thing is wisely ordered If we con-
slider animals, in the whole, we shall find
that it is highly useful that some should
subsist upon others; for while, without this
arrangement of Nature, many species could
net exist; SO, also, these numerous species,
instead of being prejudicial are extremely
useful Insects and many reptiles feed on
| carrion; others establish themselves in the
bodies of certain animals, and liYc upon


their flesh and blood; and these insects
themselves serve as food for other crea-
| lures. Carnivorous animals and birds of
prey kill and feed upon other animals.
Some speaies multiply SO abu1dantly, that
! they would become burdensome if their
numbers were not diminished IF there
were no sparrows to destroy insects, what
would become Of the fowers and fruits?
| Without the ichneumon, which seeks out
and destroys the crocodile's eggs, this ter
rible animal would Increase to an alarming
| degree. A great portion Of the earth
would be desert, and many creatures would
not exist, If there were no carnivorous an
imals. 1t will perhaps be urged that they
might live upon vegetables, but if this were
the case, our fields would scarcely afford
/ SUBSISTENCE for sparrows and swallows; and
the structure OF carnlyorouS animals must
have been quite different from what it now
Is; and if fish did not live upon the iGhab-
itants OF the water, low would they be able
to exsist? Besides, if the wars among ami
mails were to cease, they would lose much
Of their vivacity and industry, the creation
would be less animated, and man himself
would lose much of his activity. We may
also add that we should be deprived of many
striking proofs Of Gods wisdom, if univer.
sal peace was to prevail among animals;
for the address, sagaiity and wonderful in
stlnct which they use in laying snares for
and surprising their prey, very evidently
manifest the wisdom of the Creator So
far then is the enmity which exists among
animals from darkening the wisdom and


goodness fGod, that they receive addition
al brllliancy from what superficial observ-
erS think an lmperfection. 1t forms part
of the plan of the great system Of Nature,
that one animal should perseoute and feed
upon another. We might indeed COM
plain Of this arrangement, if it occasioned
the entire destruction Of any one species,
but this never happens, and the continual
wars among animals preserve proper bal


ance between them. Thus carnivorous an
imais are indispensable links in the chain
of beings; and on this account their num-


ber is very small compared with that of
useful animals. We may also remark that
the strongest and fercest animals have COM
monty the least sense and cunning. They
either mutually destroy each other, or their
young ones serve as food for other beasts.
Hence also Nature has granted to the
weakest species SO much industry and means
OF defence. They possess instinct, acute
ness OF sense, quickness, skill and sagacity
| sufficient to counterbalance the strength OF
their enemies. Can any one, then, behold
this without acknowledging the infinite
wisdom of the Creator, and confessing that
this state of warfare, which at first seems
so strange, is, in fact, real good? We
should be still more convinced Of it, if we
were better acquainted with the whole
system of things, and the relations and con-
nections which different creatures have
with each other, but this is degree of
knowledge reserved for future state,
where tie divine perfection will be mani
Tested in Infinite splendor. We may, how
ever, In some measure, even in this world,
comprehend why these hostilities among
animals are necessary; but we can by no
means conceive why men, whose nature is
so much more noble, should be continually
fomenting wars and divisions so destructive
to their race. To the disgrace of humani-
ty, and the eternal reproach of the Chris
tan religion, men pursue wars, and des-
troy each other with more savage barbara
ty than the widest beasts that range the
forests than which, nothing is more oppo-