I cannot believe that any creature was created for uncompensated misery; it would be contrary to God's mercy and justice.
Mary Somerville.
Pearls of the Faith.
Pearls of the Faith.
Verily there are rewards for our doing good to dumb animals, and giving them water to drink. A wicked woman was forgiven who, seeing a dog at a well holding out his tongue from thirst, which was near killing him, took off her boot, and tied it to the end of her garment, and drew water in it for the dog, and gave him to drink; and she was forgiven her sin for that act.
Table Talk of Mohammed.
It is recorded of the Prophet, that when, being on a journey, he alighted at any place, he did not say his prayers until he had unsaddled his camel.
Poole's Mohammed.
Pearls of the Faith.
Of all and every kind of sin which I have committed against the creatures of Ormazd, as stars, moon, sun, and the red-burning fire, the Dog, the Birds, the other good creatures which are the property of Ormazd, if I have become a sinner against any of these, I repent.
"If a man gives bad food to a shepherd Dog, of what sin is he guilty?"
Ahura Mazda4 answered:
"It is the same guilt as though he should serve bad food to a master of a house of the first rank."
"The dog, I, Ahura Mazda, have made self-clothed and self-shod, watchful, wakeful, and sharp-toothed, born to take his food from man and to watch over man's goods.
"I, Ahura Mazda, have made the dog strong of body against the evil-doer and watchful over your goods, when he is of sound mind."
He who, seeking his own happiness, does not punish or kill beings who also long for happiness, will find happiness after death.
Dhammapada.
Whoever in this world harms living beings, and in whom there is no compassion for living beings, let one know him as an outcast.
Sutta Nipata.
William Blake.
Nobody doubts their general value, as nobody doubts the value of sunlight; but a more practical appreciation may be felt of their moneyed value if we look at that aspect of the question in some of its details.
We quote from a hand-book published for the South Kensington Museum:—
"CLASS I.—Animal Substances employed for Textile Manufactures and Clothing. Division I. Wool, Mohair, and Alpaca. Division II. Hair, Bristles, and Whalebone. Division III. Silk. Division IV. Furs. Division V. Feathers, Down, and Quills. Division VI. Gelatin, Skins, and Leathers.
"CLASS II.—Animal Substances used for Domestic and Ornamental Purposes. Division I. Bone and Ivory. Division II. Horns and Hoofs. Division III. Tortoise-shell. Division IV. Shells and Marines. Animal Products for Manufacture, Ornaments, etc. Division V. Animal Oils and Fats.
"CLASS III.—Pigments and Dyes yielded by Animals."—Division I. Cochineal and Kermes. Division II. Lac and its applications. Division III. Nutgalls, Gall Dyes, Blood, etc. Division IV. Sepia, Tyrian Purple, Purree, etc.
"CLASS IV.—Animal Substances used in Pharmacy and in Perfumery." Division I. Musk, Civet, Castorem, Hyraceum, and Ambergris. Division II. Cantharides, Leeches, etc.
"CLASS V.—Application of Waste Matters. Division I. Entrails and Bladders. Division II. Albumen, Casein, etc. Division III. Prussiates of Potash and Chemical Products of Bone, etc. Division IV. Animal Manures—Guano, Coprolites, Animal Carcases, Bones, Fish Manures, etc."
From a table of the value of imports of animal origin brought into the United Kingdom in the year 1875, we take a few items:—
"Live animals, £8,466,226. Wool of various kinds, £23,451,887. Silk, manufactures of all kinds, £12,264,532. Silk, raw and thrown, £3,546,456. Butter, £8,502,084. Cheese, £4,709,508. Eggs, £2,559,860. Bacon and hams, £6,982,470. Hair of various kinds, £1,483,984. Hides, wet and dry, £4,203,371. Hides, tanned or otherwise prepared, £2,814,042. Guano, £1,293,436. Fish, cured or salted, £1,048,546."
The value of the domestic stock in Great Britain and Channel Islands, in 1875, is stated to have been:—
"Horses, 1,349,691 at £16, £21,587,056. Cattle, 6,050,797 at £10, £60,507,970. Sheep, 29,243,790 at £1 10s., £43,865,685. Swine, 2,245,932 at £1 5s., £2,807,415. Total, £128,768,126."
"When we find," says the compiler of the statistics from which we have quoted, "that the figures give an estimated money value exceeding £331,000,000 sterling, and that to this has to be added all the dairy produce; the poultry and their products for Great Britain; the annual clip of British wool, which may be estimated at 160,000,000 lbs., worth at least £8,000,000; the hides and skins, tallow, horns, bones, and other offal, horse and cow hair, woollen rags collected, the game and rabbits, the sea and river fisheries; besides the products of our woollen, leather, glove, silk, soap, and comb manufactures retained for home consumption, furs, brushes, and many other articles, we ought to add a great many millions more to the aggregate value or total."
Simmonds: Animal Products, p. xix.
The first society formed under this name, or for this object, was the "Royal," of London, in 1825.
The first in America was that of New York, in 1866; that of Pennsylvania, in 1867; and that of Massachusetts, in 1868.
They all sprang from the same Christian root with the other great voluntary organizations for religious and moral purposes which distinguished the century just passed. All helped to widen the consciousness of the world, and to prepare the way for reformations not then thought of.
In this goodly company of voluntary societies, those for the Protection of Animals are entitled to an honorable place. It is not too much to say that any list would be incomplete without them.
But they have gone beyond Europe and America, and are spreading over the world. Among their devoted members are found the professors of many religions.
These "Voices," it is hoped, may impel their readers, wherever they may be, to help on, through such Societies, a long delayed work of justice to the humbler creatures of God. In many countries the young may find juvenile societies to promote the cause in schools and neighborhoods.
But whether inside or outside of organizations, the words of Mr. Longfellow suggest a universal duty,—