There is an essential difference between the attitude of heathenism and
of Christianity toward human suffering. Sir Frederick Lely said:
The ordinary native of India who has been untouched by the Light
is utterly devoid of pity. In West India a man will be taxed for
killing a dog, but not for killing a man. During famine times it
is an every-day sight to see men feeding monkeys with unleavened
cakes and refusing to give a crust to their fellow men who are
lying within a few yards of them dying with hunger. The great
merchants and moneyed men of India spent thousands upon food
for decrepid and worthless animals, but left it to the British
Government to feed the men and women. In a famine hospital, Sir
Frederick saw a little lad whose flesh was torn in many places.
That morning an agent of one of the merchant gilds had visited
his village with a supply of food for the village pariah dogs.
The poor boy asked for some for himself but was refused, and in
desperation he ran in among the dogs to try and get a piece, and
they turned upon him and bit him. A Bunnia Hindu, in Ankleshwer,
has recently given 15,000 rupees to found an animal hospital.
The enclosure is to be in the midst of the town--a commodious
structure, where worn-out cattle and worthless animals will be
brought as a matter of religion. Around the outside of these
same walls will walk crippled, diseased, poor and hungry men and
women and children, but their pleading voices will fall on deaf
ears.
(1372)
=Heat=--See ENTHUSIASM.
=Heathen at Home and Abroad=--See MISSIONS APPROVED.