480 Life and Immortality. 



of the ox in treading out the corn lest he should suffer the 

 pangs of hunger in the presence of the food which he may 

 not eat. Even bird's nesting was regulated by Divine Law. 

 " If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any 

 tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, 

 and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, 

 thou shalt not take the dam with the young : But thou 

 shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to 

 thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest 

 prolong thy days." Moreover, as many animals must be 

 killed daily, some for sacrifice and others solely for food, the 

 strictest regulations were enjoined that their death should be 

 sharp and quick, and that the whole of their blood should 

 be poured out upon the ground lest they suffer lingering 

 pain. 



In keeping with the same consideration felt by Deity 

 towards the kid and ox and bird, as expressed in the Law, 

 we would refer to the few concluding sentences of the Book 

 of Jonah : 



" Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou 

 hast not labored, neither madest it grow ; which came up in 

 a night, and perished in a night. 



" And should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein 

 are more than six score thousand persons that cannot dis- 

 cern between their right hand and their left hand ; and also 

 much cattle?" 



" Every beast of the forest is mine," saith the Lord, " and 

 the cattle upon a thousand hills." And again, " I know all 

 the fowls of the mountains : and the wild beasts of the field 

 are mine." Similar passages, in which God announces him- 

 self as the protector of the beast as well as of man, could be 

 given, for the Scriptures are full of them. Who does not 

 recall the well-known saying of our Lord respecting the 

 lives of the sparrows : " Are not two sparrows sold for a 

 farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground with- 

 out the notice of your Father." 



