PRESIDENT BERGh’s ADDRESS. 
347 
nent fact, namely: that mankind was the last work of the 
Deity. 
It would seem from this Divine ordination, that all these, and 
countless other elements in the existence and well being of our 
race, were all sent in advance of man’s advent, to prepare for his 
reception. 
Well, at length he came, and what followed ? 
So far as dumb animals are concerned, I do not hesitate to 
say, that they would have remained better off, if this last crea¬ 
tion had been omitted. 
By the Bible we are informed, that prior to his arrival, dis¬ 
ease, suffering, and death were strangers to our planet; that the 
lion and lamb lay down together—and that fear and cruelty were 
unknown. 
Such, briefly, was the condition of things, until this paragon 
came upon the scene; when soon thereafter all became changed ! 
By reason of his perverseness the whole face of nature was 
speedily transformed into what we now behold it—the air, the 
earth, the sea, and all they contained, arrayed themselves in hos¬ 
tility to one another—and purity and peace were supplanted by 
malice, violence, and death ! 
The general devastation and ruin which have ensued, would 
require years to describe. I propose to dwell only a little while on 
their consequences to the lower animals, as they are termed. 
And at the start, I am met by the logical fact, that had man 
not been created, your profession, gentlemen, would have been 
unnecessary. 
But he did come, and along with him came spavin, glanders, 
fractures, castration, etc., etc., and finally, that scientific deviltry, 
known as vivisection ! ! 
Such, gentlemen, and myriads like them, are the claims whereby 
the immortal being, man—whom we are told was made in the im¬ 
age of his Creator—constitutes his right to pronounce himself the 
superior animal. 
It would be a useless waste of time to expose to you the fal¬ 
lacy of this arbitrary and illogical assumption in its physical and 
moral aspects; for your profession, which brings you into such 
