Alas for the science that
will sacrifice the law of righteousness but to behold a law of sequence!
The tree of knowledge will never prove to man the tree of life. There is
no law says, Thou shalt know; a thousand laws cry out, Thou shalt do
right. These men are a law unto themselves--and what a law! It is the
old story: the greed of knowing casts out righteousness, and mercy, and
faith. Whatever believed a benefit may or may not thus be wrought for
higher creatures, the injustice to the lower is nowise affected. Justice
has no respect of persons, but they are surely the weaker that stand
more in need of justice!
Labour is a law of the universe, and is not an evil. Death is a law of
this world at least, and is not an evil. Torture is the law of no world
but the hell of human invention. Labour and death are for the best good
of those that labour and die; they are laws of life. Torture is
doubtless over-ruled for the good of the tortured, but it will one day
burn a very hell in the hearts of the torturers.
Torture can be inflicted only by the superior. The divine idea of a
superior, is one who requires duty, and protects, helps, delivers: our
relation to the animals is that of their superiors in the family, who
require labour, it may be, but are just, helpful, protective.
Pages:
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204