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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 27

Annual Report

Annual Report.

The President called upon the Hon. Secretary (Mr. E. Quick) to read the Report and Balance-sheet as printed in preceding pages.

The President: I think, ladies and gentlemen, that you will agree with me that the Report shows the Society to have done some good in a quiet way at a very moderate expenditure. What the Society asks from the public is a comparatively small amount of money; but what it really wants is more precious than money—viz., sympathy and active assistance in securing its objects. I will now call upon Bishop Nevill to move the adoption of the Report.

Bishop Nevill said: Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen, although I have consented to move the adoption of the Report just read, I must say that I wish this Society could, within the shortest possible time, "execute the happy despatch," or in some way get rid of its own existence. I do not say this in any disparagement of its work, which, alas! is too evidently needed; but because it does seem to me to be a blot upon our civilisation that there should be in this nineteenth century any necessity for the existence of a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals.—(Applause). I therefore only hope that the time will shortly arrive when such a Society will not exist. But unhappily it is proved by the work of last year that this time has not yet arrived, and we have therefore to support an instrument such as this, which states as its object the putting it out of any man's power to be guilty of any offence so disgraceful to humanity as cruelty to animals. This can be done in two ways. There is such a thing as prevention by coercion, and there is also prevention by the spread of educational influences. As shown in the admirable Report we have heard, prevention by coercion has on some few occasions been resorted to, but I am also very glad to perceive that the other point has not been lost sight of by this Committee, who have shown a desire to operate rather in the direction of educational influences than to exercise those powers conferred upon them for the punishment of wrongdoers. It is more to the former part of the subject that I wish to address myself just now. It is too evident by the very circumstances that caused this page 10 Society to exist that man does possess a power over the inferior animals—as it is the habit to call them, although physically they may be superior to himself. This, so far at least, is a verification of the Divine revelation told us as the charter of our existence—that man should have authority over the beasts of the field and all other creatures proceeding, like himself, from the Creator of all things. It needs no words to illustrate that for good or evil man does possess this power. But it is desirable to observe that though this charter of dominion gives us some right and authority to use these creatures, there is the clearest distinction between dominion and tyranny. But although it is a wonderful thing this triumph of mind over matter—how intellect will in the long run rise superior to bone, muscle, and tissue—yet some of us are not sufficiently educated to perceive the distinction between the right to use and the right to tyrannise over. One of the offices that might well be performed by this valuable Society is the dissemination of this knowledge, among the young especially, and I have heard with pleasure that it is their intention to move in this direction. But to advance further, not only is there the clearest possible distinction between these things, but the Creator, in placing these powerful animals under our authority, had a higher purpose than a merely utilitarian one in view. He placed them under our authority, not merely to be used to serve our often merely selfish needs, but for the education and discipline of man himself. This is the ponit, it seems to me, which should influence the Society, and if they will follow out such a meaning as this their influence will be strongly felt by the population by which we are surrounded. Opportunities may be made use of to disseminate such thoughts as these—that the object of the Creator in placing these creatures under us as the noblest work of His hands upon this earth, was at least not merely utilitarian; but that we, by using his power aright, may learn to be like Himself who made us, and who is far more widely removed from us than we from them, and learn to behave towards them as He in His wonderful kindness deals with us. If such thoughts found place in our minds, how impossible it would be for us to abuse the authority our all-wise Creator has given us. It is with the greatest pleasure I see that the Committee have already set on foot a method for introducing this knowledge to the children in the National schools throughout this country. While I hope the teachers will take the opportunity of speaking to their children in such terms as this, it is even still more the function of the teachers of religion to disseminate such principles. I rejoice in the fact that an opportunity has lately been given them of gaining access to the children for the purpose of giving religious instruction, and such subjects as this will naturally come in their way. Surely that Volume from which all ministers must draw their inspiration makes this matter clear. Have we not evidence of authority yet to be bestowed upon men in addition to this? We read "What! know ye not ye shall judge angels?" Here is an advance in power and authority, and can we conceive any human being having such power given him who has misused that authority here bestowed upon him over the lower animals—who had ill-treated the mute and patient horse, always ready to labour and do that which it has been trained to page 11 with an endurance that is wonderful? Can we conceive such as this in one of those upon whom such superb dignity and authority shall be conferred? Are there not glimpses of the paradise we may attain to when we see that all is beautiful around us? But then we see, also, the one being who has rendered himself imperfect, abusing his powers to the injury of all those other creatures placed under his dominion. Such thoughts bring us a feeling of weariness and disgust, and lead us to long for that state illustrated by the bear, the ox, and the lion—all harmlessly existing together and a little child leading them—not merely living with them, but exercising that authority which God intended. And its exercise by a little child shows us that it is to be the authority not of tyranny or physical power, but the authority of love. In all this there are glimpses of God's intentions. The relations between all the creatures of His hand are indicated, and it is shown that whilst we may use them here below they are not insignificant, but may, for all we know, find their place in the paradise of God. If this finds a place in our minds it will be impossible for us to ill-treat God's creatures whilst here passing through what is a period of probation to ourselves.—(Applause.)

The Mayor (Mr. J. B. Thomson) had much pleasure in seconding the adoption of the report. He felt considerable satisfaction in the establishment of such a society in our midst. Its existence, and the knowledge that it had an officer going about for the prevention of anything in the shape of cruelty, was to a very great extent a preventive in itself. There were things in the report and balance-sheet worthy of notice. There had seldom been a society established for a philanthropic purpose such as this, undertaking its work voluntarily, which could at the end of its first year not only say that it had existed and done its work, but also that it possessed a credit balance.

The report was unanimously adopted.