"'Why did you pick up that pitcher?'
"'I was afraid it might cut some horse's foot,' he replied.
"My next question was a natural one.
"'Are you a Band of Mercy boy?'
"He smiled as he said:--
"'Oh, yes; that's why I did it.'"
The little story may serve to suggest other ways in which children can be of service, not only to the animals and to each other, but to the world of grown-up men and women. Fragments of orange and banana skins make our sidewalks dangerous as well as unsightly; rusty nails and bits of glass may do much harm which the truly helpful child will prevent.
There is a mutual helpfulness among animals which is very beautiful to see. They will come together for defence and to get food, and sometimes help each other in sickness and trouble. A blind swan was fed with fish brought twice a day by other swans from a lake thirty miles away. An English sparrow pluckily rescued his mate from a big snowdrift at the risk of his life. Livingstone tells of a wounded buffalo who was caught up on the strong shoulders of another buffalo and carried to a place of safety. The little mice in the meadow, and the birds upon the marshes, have learned that to be strong they must keep together and help each other. This is the law of all life.
When young people learn to think about the causes of pain and suffering, and to respect the rights of animals, they will soon learn to respect each other's rights and to render this mutual aid.
John Bright, a noted English statesman, said: "If children at school can be made to understand how it is just and noble to be humane even to what we term inferior animals, it will do much to give them a higher character and tone through life."
There are men and women who would be thankful if they could blot out some careless deed of their childhood. We may be sure that we shall never regret the kind things we have done. George Eliot says:--
"It is only a poor sort of happiness that could ever come by caring very much about our own narrow pleasures. We can only have the highest happiness, such as goes along with being a great man, by having wide thoughts and much feeling for the rest of the world as well as ourselves. ...If you mean to act nobly and seek to know the best things God has put within reach of men, you must learn to fix your mind on that end and not on what will happen to you because of it."
In many places in this country and in Europe the children are uniting to do what they can to lessen the suffering that is going on around them.
To aid in this work, they are forming little companies that are known as Bands of Mercy.
The object of these bands is to encourage brave, generous, and thoughtful deeds. The members do not pledge themselves not to kill any creature, for sometimes that is the kindest thing that can be done, and a wounded bird or insect should be put out of its pain at once.
This is the resolution which the children make:--
"I WILL TRY TO BE KIND TO ALL LIVING CREATURES, AND WILL TRY TO PROTECT THEM FROM CRUEL USAGE."
No fee is needed to belong to such a band. The children should sign the pledge, choose a name, and elect a president and secretary. It is well that the teacher should be president. The meetings may be made very interesting and helpful. Reading, recitations, and anecdotes will give all the children a chance to share in the exercises. Each child should be encouraged to tell the kindly actions he has witnessed, and to suggest ways in which children can help each other and the animals about them.
There are now several hundred thousand children in the United States and in Canada who have pledged themselves to this good work. If these children are faithful to the pledge which they have signed, an immense amount of good will be done. Children who are taught to be kind to animals and to each other make good citizens.
TO THE TEACHER.
BANDS OF MERCY.
So much of childish, cruelty is thoughtless that the help to be obtained from Bands of Mercy is apparent. To make a boy understand the misery that his air-gun and his fishhook may cause, to show the cowardly cruelty in throwing stones and in hurting innocent and defenseless creatures--this is what the Band of Mercy may accomplish. There is abundant testimony from teachers who have introduced humane teaching into their schools, to the effect that the children are not only kinder to the lower animals, but also more thoughtful and considerate towards each other.
We want our boys and girls to be strong and brave, but in no way can their strength and bravery be made more certain than in protecting the weak and helpless.
When young people learn to respect the rights of animals and to think about the causes of pain and suffering, they will apply these thoughts to their everyday life. They will learn to respect each other's rights, and crime of all kinds will be diminished.
Upon teachers and parents a great responsibility rests. They are forming the minds and the habits of the coming generation. Upon their instruction may depend future peace or war, good citizenship or a low standard of patriotism and morals.
With the best intention of implanting the humane idea, teachers sometimes indirectly teach what is not really humane. For example, physiology lessons are sometimes illustrated by parts of dead animals, which must be obtained from a butcher's shop or a slaughterhouse.
This is not directly cruel, because the animals are already dead, but it is not refining to the sensibilities.
Sometimes the teacher enlarges on the special use of animals for food.
It is unnecessary to lay emphasis on the use of animal food, when we remember that the number of people who live without it is constantly increasing, and that these people maintain at least as high a standard of health as those who make use of it; indeed, it is claimed that their health is better and that they are more likely to be free from certain diseases to which meat eaters are subject.
The Bands of Mercy are valuable in teaching young people the highest ideals of life, and in showing them that the universal law of love is the only law which will bring what we all desire, "Peace on earth, and good will to all."
SUGGESTIONS FOR SUBJECTS FOR COMPOSITIONS.
In connection with school work, compositions may be written on some of the subjects suggested below:--
The Rights of Animals and the Protection that we should give them.
Transportation of Cattle; or, A Journey from the Western Plains to the Market.
How does Cruelty to Animals affect Meat, Milk, and Fish?
Influence of Humane Education.
Importance of Early Lessons in Kindness.
Some Account of the Humane Work done by Henry Bergh.
Some Account of the Humane Work done by George T. Angell.
Cruelty to Horses. Checkrein, Blinders, Docking.
Various Ways in which the Tight Checkrein affects the Horse.
What are the Principal Lessons taught by "Black Beauty"?
Acts of Kindness which I have observed.
The Rights of Cats.
The Cruelty of Abandoning Cats when moving from One House to Another.
Good Work done by Frogs and Toads.
The Value of Bird Life.
How shall we protect the Birds?